POWELL IS THE ONLY REPEAT FIRST TEAM SELECTION ON THE 1999 ASICS TIGER HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN TEAM Four-time Junior National champion Jason Powell (Choctaw HS, Choctaw, OK), who competes at 112 pounds, is the only repeat First Team selection on the 14th annual Asics Tiger High School All-American Team.The Asics Tiger All-American Team is selected by a nationwide panel of wrestling experts, and is considered the top honor in high school wrestling. It is the only national all-star team for which high school wrestlers competing on all four grade levels are eligible. Asics Tiger is the title sponsor of USA Wrestling's Junior National Championships and a major supporter of wrestling at all levels.
"This team represents the best of the best in our high schools today," said Neil Duncan of TW Promotions. "We are proud to recognize the talent and work ethic of these outstanding young men. They are clearly the World and Olympic champions of the future."
Members of the First Team, as well as the Asics Tiger Wrestler of the Year, will be honored prior to the finals of the Asics Tiger National Junior Championships, July 25 at Fargo, N.D.
This year's First Team members combined to post 40 state high school or National prep championships, and eight Junior National titles.
Powell won the Asics Tiger Junior Nationals in both styles in 1997 and 1998, and has a chance to tie the national record of six Junior National titles if he sweeps both titles in 1999. Powell was a three-time Oklahoma state champion.
Other Asics Tiger Junior National champions on the First Team are Nick Simmons (Williamstown HS, Williamstown, MI) at 103 pounds, Zach Roberson (Blue Valley NW HS, Overland Park, KS) at 125 pounds and two-time Junior National champion Damion Hahn (Lakewood HS, Lakewood, NJ) at 189 pounds.
Simmons, a sophomore who is the only First Teamer who is not a senior, has won two state titles. Roberson was a four-time state champion and Hahn is a three-time state champion. Hahn added a FILA Junior Nationals/World Team Trials title to his record in 1999.
First Team members with four state titles include Mike Akers (Poquoson HS, Poquoson, VA) at 119 pounds and Nick Frost (Salpointe HS, Tucson, AZ) at 152 pounds. Three-time state champions included Jeff Ratliff (Harding HS, Marion OH) at 130 pounds, Clark Forward (Archbold HS, Archbold, OH) at 140 pounds, Ty Reynolds (Central HS, High Point, NC) at 145 pounds and Jereme Maye of Wisconsin at 160 pounds.
Two-time state champions on First Team were Tyrone Lewis (El Reno HS, El Reno, OK) at 171 pounds, Tommy Rowlands (Bishop Ready HS, Columbus OH) at 189 pounds and Dean Taylor (Delta HS, Delta OH) at heavyweight. Foley Dowd (Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ) at 135 pounds won two National Prep Championships.
Ohio had the most first team members with four: Ratliff, Forward, Rowlands and Taylor. Oklahoma and New Jersey each had two first team members.
The Second Team featured 33 state or national prep champions, led by four-time state champion Matt Bean (Mustang HS, Mustang, OK) at 154 pounds. The third team won a combined 36 state titles.
The Asics Tiger All-America Team includes eight wrestlers at each of the 14 high school weight classes - the First, Second, and Third Teams and five Honorable Mention selections.
Ohio and New Jersey led the nation, each with 10 members of the Asics Tiger High School All-American team. Oklahoma and Pennsylvania each had eight selections and California boasted six team members.
The 112-man team includes wrestlers from 40 states, including 83 seniors, 17 juniors, 11 sophomores and one freshman.
1999 Asics Tiger High School All-American Team
First Team
103 - Nick Simmons, sophomore, Williamston HS, Williamston, MI
112 - Jason Powell, senior, Choctaw HS, Choctaw OK*
119 - Mike Akers, senior, Poquoson HS, Poquoson, VA*
125 - Zach Roberson, senior, Blue Valley NW HS, Overland Park KS*
130 - Jeff Ratliff, senior, Harding HS, Marion, OH*
135 - Foley Dowd, senior, Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ
140 - Clark Forward, senior, Archbold HS, Archbold, OH*
145 - Ty Reynolds, senior, Central HS, High Point, NC*
152 - Nick Frost, senior, Salpointe HS, Tucson, AZ*
160 - Jereme Maye, senior, Coleman HS, Coleman, WI
171 - Tyrone Lewis, senior, El Reno HS, El Reno OK
189 - Damion Hahn, senior, Lakewood HS, Lakewood, NJ*
215 - Tommy Rowlands, senior, Bishop Ready HS, Columbus, OH
HWT - Dean Taylor, senior, Delta HS, Delta OH
Second Team
103 - Kyle Ott, sophomore, Wayne HS, Huber Heights, OH
112 - Tom Noto, senior, South River HS, South River, NJ
119 - Ty Malia, senior, Skyview HS, Billings, MT*
125 - Cliff Moore, senior, Hempstead HS, Dubuque, IA
130 - Joseph Clark, senior, Westminster HS, Atlanta, GA
135 - Tom Waldron, senior, Loyalsock HS, Williamsport, PA*
140 - Coyte Cooper, senior, Anacortes HS, Anacortes, WA *
145 - Matt Bean, senior, Mustang HS, Mustang, OK*
152 - Ryan Lewis, senior, South HS, Waukesha, WI
160 - Luke Crockett, senior, Battle Ground HS, Battle Ground, WI
171 - Jason Potter, senior, St. Charles HS, St. Charles, IL
189 - Jon Trenge, senior, Parkland HS, Orefield, PA*
215 - Quint Swanberg, junior, Horizon HS, Tucson, AZ
HWT - Steven Mocco, sophomore, St. Benedicts HS, Newark, NJ
Third Team
103 - Jeff Breese, freshman, McGuffey HS, Claysville, PA
112 - Chris Knox, senior, Calvert Hall HS, Baltimore, MD
119 - Chris Rodrigues, junior, J.T. Walker School, Marietta, GA*
125 - Joey Malia, senior, Skyview HS, Billings, MT
130 - Victor Jackson, senior, Poquoson HS, Poquoson, VA
135 - Matt Nagel, sophomore, Frazee HS, Frazee, MN
140 - Mike Pirozzola, junior, Neshaminy HS, Langhorne, PA
145 - Max Odom, senior, Foothill HS, Bakersfield, CA*
152 - Josh McLay, junior, Hastings HS, Hastings, MN*
160 - Drew Kelly, senior, Charles City HS, Charles City, IA
171 - Wes Cummings, senior, DeMatha HS, Hyattsville, MD
189 - Joshua Naus, senior, Centennial HS, Bakersfield, CA
215 - David Walker, senior, Osceola HS, Seminole, FL
HWT - Buck McLamb, senior, Tascosa HS, Amarillo, TX*
Honorable Mention (listed in alphabetical order)
103: Terrence Clendenin, junior, North HS, Toms River NJ; Cory Cooperman, sophomore, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ; Cam Jones, sophomore, Brighton HS, Salt Lake City, UT; Jon Padgett, senior, Fruitland HS, Fruitland, ID; Terrence Thompson, junior, Rock Hill HS, Rock Hill, SC
112: Adam Doherty, senior, Jeffersonville HS, Jeffersonville, IN; Aaron Hartnell, senior, Great Falls HS, Great Falls, MT; Mason Lenhard, junior, St. Edward HS, Lakewood, OH*; Harry Lester, sophomore, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Jacob Palomino, sophomore, Independence HS, San Jose, CA
119: Chris Fleeger, junior, Loyalsock HS, Williamsport, PA*; Jared Haberman, senior, La Junta HS, LaJunta, CO; Jason Harless, senior, Bonanza HS, Bonanza, OR; Dustin May, sophomore, Derby HS, Derby, KS; Clint Wolfley, junior, Snake River HS, Blackfoot, ID*
125: Steve Cordova, senior, Wasatch HS, Heber City, Utah; A.J. Grant, senior, Clarkston HS, Clarkston, MI; Jason Mester,senior, Mineral Point HS, Mineral Point, WI; Brad Metzler, junior, Westside HS, Omaha, NE; Jared Opfer, senior, St. Mary's Central Catholic HS, Sandusky, OH
130: Kasey Kohl, junior, Skutt Catholic HS, Omaha, NE*; Evan Larkin, senior, Sunnyside HS, Tucson, AZ; Ben Martinez, senior, Tulare Union HS, Tulare, CA; Israel Martinez, sophomore, West HS, Aurora, IL*; Mike Messina, senior, Hauppage HS, Hauppage, NY
135: Chris Harris, junior, Cimarron Memorial HS, Las Vegas, NV; Phil Kerin, senior, Spaulding HS, Barre, VT; Daniel Novar, senior, St. Martin's Episcopal HS, Metairie, LA; Frank Saenz, senior, Marcos de Niza HS, Tempe, AZ; Shad Washburn, senior, Wakulla HS, Crawfordsville, FL
140: Jody Giuricich, senior, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ; Matt Grice, junior, Harrah HS, Harrah, OK; Marcus LeVesseur, sophomore, Roosevelt HS, Minneapolis, MN; James Medeiros, senior, American HS, F