Middle School Nationals Enter 6th Year of Competition with the NHSCA Big Boys at National High School Wrestling Championships

by Jeff Fisher
Host, NHSCA Sports Hour
Follow @NHSCARadioShow

It’s been six years since the National High School Coaches Association added a Middle School Division to the National High School Wrestling Championships - since then the number of competitors continues to increase.  

What does that mean?  It means that we should have the biggest fields ever when the national championships open April 3rd in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

To qualify for the 24^th NHSCA Middle School Championship event in Virginia Beach, every wrestler had to place in the Top 8 in his official NHSCA State Championship during the prior year.

One of the most intriguing entries is Zach Sherman at 90 pounds.  Sherman, who is an 8^th grader, competed at the varsity level this year at American Heritage High School in Florida during the 2012-13 school year.  Sherman had an incredible year finishing third in the state in Class 1A at 106 pounds. 

Last year Sherman placed 3^rd at the NHSCA’s at 80 pounds.

Then there’s Jonathan Loew of Wantagh High School in New York, who started at 99 pounds on his school’s varsity team as a 7^th grader.  Loew’s record was 25-8 this year and he’s entered at 100 pounds.

Hunter Owens (Virginia) is a 3X NHSCA Middle School All-American entered at 112 pounds.

Past NHSCA Middle School All-Americans in the field this week include: Mack Berkowitz (New York); 2X NHSCA All-American Vincent Deale (New York); Tanner Pasvogel (Minnesota); and Adam Wagner (New York);

Each competitor also will have the opportunity to score points for his state. The top three states will receive team awards, and the winning state will take home the National Championship Cup to display at their State Championships.

Last year New York crowned four champs; Virginia three; and Alabama, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Utah had once champ each.