Three undefeated wrestlers lead the 157-pound weight class inrnament this year. Alex Tirapelle, Matt Gentry and Jake Percival have all gone through this season unscathed, though both Gentry and Percival have unofficial losses.    Also back is defending NCAA champion Ryan Bertin, who has battled injuries all season long.    The depth at this weight is respectable. Only three All-Americans return from last year, but with the youth of the top wrestlers this year, only one of the projected top seven seeds is a senior, this will definitely be the toughest weight class to break in for the next two years.    Top Contenders  Alex Tirapelle, So. (Illinois) - 31-0. Tirapelle has been absolute perfection this season. Since losing in the NCAA finals just one year ago, he has yet to suffer defeat. That loss was to Ryan Bertin, whom Tirapelle has beat twice this season. Tirapelle also has a win over U.S. World Team member Chris Bono. Whether the match is a blowout, or it is close, Tirapelle just finds a way to win. He is not going to dazzle his opponents on the mat, but he is solid from all positions. Make a mistake or take a sloppy shot, and he will make you pay. Just ask Bertin, who was cradled after a bad shot in the Big Ten finals. The key to Tirapelle is scoring first on him. Then he has to become the aggressor, which is not his normal role. Unfortunately for his opponents this year, Tirapelle has not had to worry about that possible scenario. It almost seems like the Tirapelle family is one of destiny. Alex's older brother Adam lost in the national finals in St. Louis in 2000 before winning a title in 2001. Four years later, can Alex better his brother's St. Louis performance?    Matt Gentry, Jr. (Stanford) - If you thought Matt Gentry would be 37-0 going into the NCAA Tournament this year, then either your name is Matt Gentry, or we are going to Vegas together. While the spotlight in college wrestling has focused many other places this year, Gentry's perfect record is the feel-good story of the year. His only blemish? A loss to Bono in the Midlands semifinals, and he was leading that match 5-2 with one minute left. That loss obviously does not count on his record, but it was a big turning point for Gentry in the season. A win in that match and he would have faced Tirapelle in the finals. Instead, wrestling fans are left to see who can make it out of this weight class undefeated, if anyone. Gentry is best on his feet, which is where his matchups get interesting in this tournament. Most of the other top wrestlers at this weight are more defensive-styled wrestlers, waiting for their opponents to attack. If Gentry can get some early scores on his opponents, and keep his composure with a lead in the third period, he may come away with a title.    Ryan Bertin, Jr. (Michigan) - Bertin was one of the surprise national champions last year. He has two losses to Tirapelle, and one loss to Johnny Hendricks, but based on the strength of his opponents, look for him to get the third seed over Jake Percival. Bertin has been hampered all season long by a nagging knee injury. When healthy, he is as good as they come. But his injury was evident in the Big Ten finals against Tirapelle. It would be against all odds at this point for him to repeat as champion with that knee. Of course, Keaton Anderson came in last year at 157 with a torn ACL and nearly earned a spot in the finals, so anything is possible. Expect Bertin to wrestle conservatively throughout this tournament. On talent alone, he should be in the quarterfinals. If he is the third seed, he would most likely get another shot at Hendricks, and the road just gets tougher from there.    The Others  Jake Percival, Jr. (Ohio) - Percival is also undefeated this year, at 35-0, but he has only defeated three wrestlers who are currently ranked. If wrestling is to be a major sport, it needs to act like one as well, and punish those who wrestle weaker schedules. Percival disappeared at the Midlands when he had a semifinal match with Tirapelle, and did not show up later this year for a dual against Central Michigan as well. He is a great wrestler from the top position, and he is tough to score on. However, against a good technical wrestler, Percival seems to struggle. Gentry scored at will on Percival in a 13-10 win at the All-Star Dual, though the final result didn't count in either of their records. It is the difference in him being a top contender, and him being in "The Others" category.    Kenny Burleson, Sr. (Missouri) - Burleson has four losses this year - to Tirapelle, Bertin, Jesse Jantzen and Johnny Hendricks. He came back to beat Hendricks in the Big XII Tournament, which may have sealed a fifth seed for him, which is a good fit if Percival is at the fourth seed. Burleson is very aggressive, but in this tournament, he may slow that down some. This is his last chance at becoming an All-American, and being too aggressive could turn into a quick recipe for a loss. Burleson is the most underrated wrestler in this weight class. With a good draw, he can go deep in this tournament. He matches up well with Tirapelle, which is why a fifth seed may be perfect for him.    Johnny Hendricks, Fr. (Oklahoma State) - Hendricks wasn't even in the Oklahoma State starting lineup at the midway point of this season, but after a National Duals where he beat Bertin and Burleson, he stepped right into the starting lineup. Hendricks is huge for this weight class. He will most likely bump up next year. He needs to keep his weight under control in this tournament, or he could end up as another early-round weight casualty. He explodes on offense, and has a good double-leg. If he can get in on his opponents, he usually finishes.    Philip Simpson, Jr. (Army) - Simpson is one of the more dangerous wrestlers in this weight class. He long body makes him a difficult opponent at any weight class. He moved up from 149 this year, and has only lost three matches this season, one of those being to Burleson, 7-5. Simpson is an exciting wrestler. He is almost as funky, but not quite, as 2002 NCAA finalist Greg Parker.    High-Impact Freshmen  Johnny Hendricks (Oklahoma State), Travis Paulson (Iowa State)    
NCAA Finals: Alex Tirapelle (Illinois) vs. Matt Gentry (Stanford)  
TheMat.com's Pick: Alex Tirapelle (Illinois)  
All-American Dark Horse: Brad Harper (Purdue)    
Projected Top 4 Seeds  1. Alex Tirapelle, Illinois  2. Matt Gentry, Stanford  3. Ryan Bertin, Michigan  4. Jake Percival, Ohio    2004 Qualifiers (32)  1st ACC - Scott Garren (North Carolina State)  1st Big Ten - Alex Tirapelle (Illinois)  2nd Big Ten - Ryan Bertin (Michigan)  3rd Big Ten - Brad Harper (Purdue)  4th Big Ten - Joe Johnston (Iowa)  5th Big Ten - Matt Nagel (Minnesota)  6th Big Ten - James Woodall (Penn State)  7th Big Ten - Mike Kimberlin (Northwestern)  1st Big XII - Kenny Burleson (Missouri)  2nd Big XII - Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State)  3rd Big XII - B.J. Wright (Nebraska)  4th Big XII - Travis Paulson (Iowa State)  1st CAA - Dave Miller (Rider)  2nd CAA - Paul Siemon (Hofstra)  1st East Region - Brad Cieleski (Slippery Rock)  1st EIWA - Philip Simpson (Army)  2nd EIWA - Derek Zinck (Lehigh)  3rd EIWA - Scott Roth (Cornell)  4th EIWA - Brett Vanderveer (Pennsylvania)  1st EWL - Chris Horning (Clarion)  2nd EWL - Matt Lebe (West Virginia)  3rd EWL - Justin Nestor (Pittsburgh)  4th EWL - Charlie Brenneman (Lock Haven)  1st MAC - Jake Percival (Ohio)  1st PAC-10 - Matt Gentry (Stanford)  2nd PAC-10 - Brian Cobb (Cal State-Bakersfield)  3rd PAC-10