Wrestlers to watch
A 2018 All-Metro first-team selection from Tennessee, Flynn wrestled his best at the right time last season and avenged a loss against Wil Guida of St.?Paul’s to win the Maryland Independent Schools tournament and beat him again in the National Preps semifinals. Ranked No. 16 in the country by FloWrestling, he placed second at National Preps to finish 32-8 and won the freshman national championships at the National High School Coaches Association national tournament in March.
A fractured knee slowed Henry at the National Preps tournament last season, but he returns after winning Mount Mat Madness, War on the Shore, Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and MIS tournaments a year ago. He has a career record of 109-26 and is a three-time National Preps honoree.
Kappes edged Mount Saint Joseph’s Justin Henry for the first time in eight meetings at National Preps last season en route to placing fifth, and he continued his breakthrough in the offseason by placing eighth in Junior Greco-Roman and seventh in Junior Freestyle at the national championships. He enters the season ranked seventh in the country by FloWrestling.
A three-time All-Metro first-team selection and last year’s Baltimore Sun Wrestler of the Year, Kraisser could become the eighth Maryland public school wrestler to win four state titles. He went 39-0 with 34 pins last season and is 119-4 over his first three varsity campaigns.
Perhaps the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the Baltimore region, McHenry has dominated state competition over his career and has won the Beast of the East, MIAA and MIS tournaments the past two years. The Michigan commit is ranked No. 2 in the country by FloWrestling and is a two-time United World Wrestling freestyle cadet national champion.
Parr, a former sophomore national champion and junior runner-up at the NHSCA national tournament, is among the most accomplished returning wrestlers in the Baltimore region. The 2018 All-Metro first-team selection has a career record of 115-25 and will look to defend his MIAA and MIS tournament titles.
Pryor is already the first Baltimore City wrestler to win two state titles and he still has a year to go. The Maryland commit returns after going undefeated last season, and he enters the campaign ranked No. 17 in the country by FloWrestling. He is 112-5 in his career and is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Super 32 Challenge in North Carolina in October.
Smith took a big leap last season and finished 45-0 to sweep the postseason titles in his first season with the Eagles. He has a career record of 88-1 and reached the Round of 16 at the sophomore national championships at the NHSCA national tournament in March.
A returning All-Metro first-team selection, Strong went 38-10 with 22 pins last season and won the War on the Shore and MIS tournaments. He also placed second at Mount Mat Madness and sixth at National Preps, and is 60-21 over his first two varsity seasons.
Truntich, an All-Metro second-team selection last season, has been one of the most consistent wrestlers over his career and returns after winning the MIS tournament and placing second at the MIAA tournament. He also reached the semifinals of the National Preps tournament before placing sixth.
Others to watch
Sam Alsheimer, Glenelg
Josh Aybar, Loyola Blakefield
Chris Barnabae, Mount Saint Joseph
Sean Billups, Atholton
Dylan Blau, St. Paul’s
Rich Couch, Archbishop Spalding
Travis Crawford, South Carroll
Alex DuFour, Owings Mills
Seth Fillers, Mount Saint Joseph
Garrett Fisk, Archbishop Spalding
Wil Guida, St. Paul’s
Max Hammond, St. Paul’s
Will Henrickson, River Hill
Jalen Jones, Dunbar
Ray Kable, McDonogh
Ike Kalu, Western Tech
Jimmy Kells, Hereford
Alex LaVeck, McDonogh
Ka’Ron Lewis, South River
Brent Lorin, Bel Air
Roell Ngounou, Owings Mills
Nick Paolucci, Archbishop Spalding
Zach Phillips, Mount Saint Joseph
Nathan Porter, Mount Saint Joseph
Isaac Righter, Mount Saint Joseph
James Riveira, C. Milton Wright
Tyler Savage, Archbishop Spalding
Dominic Solis, McDonogh
Elijah Solomon, Franklin
Shawn Strand, Loyola Blakefield
Jared Thomas, Glenelg
Harrison Trahan, McDonogh
Ryan Wagener, Eastern Tech
Nasir Wilkinson, St. Paul’s
Jack Wimmer, McDonogh