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Does Independence keep the title for another year? What are your predictions? I believe it will be super close but I believe the title will change hands. I predict.

1. Point Pleasant
2. Independence
3. East Fairmont

The team title in AA this season is going to be a potential cliffhanger. Let’s review the facts.

RETURNING TEAM POINTS:

Using the chart below:
Champ = 16
Runnerup = 12
Third = 9
Fourth = 7
Fifth = 5
Sixth = 3
Qualifier = 1

East Fairmont leads with 59 points.
Independence returns 52 points.
Point Pleasant brings back 32 points.


RETURNING STATE TOURNAMENT QUALIFIERS (STQ):

Point Pleasant returns 10 STQs.
East Fairmont has 7 STQs due back.
Independence has 6 + 1 = 7 STQs walking their halls. A returning STQ from Greenbrier West is now at Independence.

RETURNING STATE TOURNAMENT FINALISTS:

East Fairmont returns 2 champions
Independence returns two runner ups
Point Pleasant does not return any finalists from the 2018 season

INCOMING FRESHMEN:

I am unclear on how many incoming freshmen both East Fairmont and Independence has. When the subject of freshmen is brought up, two names are mentioned at Point Pleasant. These two are predicted to make an impact at the state tournament.

REGIONAL IMPACT:

The overall landscape of WV wrestling in AAA, AA and A is going to be down this season. Many schools have few to zero returning state tournament place winners. AAA region 4 and AA/A region 1 will not be the slaughter houses they have been the past two seasons. With this being said, I predict Point Pleasant, East Fairmont and Independence all three stand a very good chance at qualifying 100% of their team. Which team(s) can build a full 14 wrestler line up?

WILD CARDS & WHAT IFS:

1. East Fairmont possesses the best returning wrestler that did not participate in last season’s state tournament. How does he factor in?
2. Independence returns a JV wrestler who defeated an eventual state 5th place winner.
3. Independence has another wrestler back that spent the 2017/2018 year out of state and improving his wrestling game.
4. Can all three teams get all of their top wrestlers into the line up? Do log jams cost a team a state title? Everybody is going to need all hands on deck this season.
5. How do Point Pleasant’s non-placing STQs stack up against East Fairmont and Independence’s 2018 B teamers? Many of these Point STQs won 1 to 2 matches in last season’s state tournament.
6. The pill could really be a factor in deciding the team title in 2019. East Fairmont is in region 1. Independence is in region 3. Point Pleasant is in region 4. The pill will stack two schools against each other in the early rounds while the third school could have an easier path.


WSAZ

Unless there has been a schedule change, all three schools should meet up at the WSAZ and give us a 30 day notice as what to expect at the state tournament.

Word on the street is that wrestling in the state of West Virginia is going to be cancelled this year. Because the Wvssac can not figure out how they could mess up the state tournament worst then they have the previous two years.

Frank wrote:Word on the street is that wrestling in the state of West Virginia is going to be cancelled this year. Because the Wvssac can not figure out how they could mess up the male extra working state tournament worst then they have the previous two years.

I agree, it's probably going to be cancelled. The chances are 70:30....