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Sam Fisher appeared in Flowwrestling ranking at #16 in the 182 lbs weight class
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Having a wrestler from Fauquier County and Fauquier HS. earning a National Wrestling Ranking status does not happen every season. Well in fact it has only happened once before.
Last week Flo Wrestling published its pre-season National wrestling ranking as Sam Fisher appeared in this ranking at #16 in the 182 lbs weight class.
Rankings can be found here: 2018-19 High School Wrestling Rankings - Oct. 31st
I wonder if this could be because Sam Fisher father is the head coach of Fauquier HS?
Or, if this could be that Sam is a 2X returning 4A Virginia State Champion from Fauquier HS?
Or, if this could be that Sam lift weights, trains year-round, and simply eats the right foods?
Or, if this also could be that Sam consistently reviews his videos of his matches and learns from his mistakes?
Or, maybe it’s all of this and his dedication to the sport of wrestling is finally paying off. Surely his skill level and performance on the wrestling mat can be significant enough to have FloWrestling place him on a list in the 2018 National Ranks.
I still cannot put a finger on it yet, but it might be that Sam been participating, competing and placing in high nationally ranked wrestling events?
This past summer July 14-20, Sam Fisher earned a well-publicized 7th place finish in the 182lb Cadet Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, N.D. Sam then followed that up by taking a 3rd place in the 182lb Greco Roman USMC USA Wresting Cadet Nationals Tournament. Going 5-2 in Freestyle and 5-1 in Greco put him on the podium twice and on the radar for a national rankings spot.
To see more national caliber competition, this past October, team Fauquier traveled to the Super 32 Challenge. Ranked as one of the toughest high school tournament in the country and as Sam continues to prepare for the 2018-19 high school season once again managed to earn three wins on day one of the Super 32 Challenge to rest in the 182 lbs Quarter-Finals.
After winning his quarterfinal match in the first round of day 2, Sam made the Semi-Finals round. A huge achievement for Sam as this was the first time that a Fauquier County wrestler had ever wrestled to the Semi-Finals. For more than a decade, team Fauquier has competed in the Super 32 Challenge placing previously only as high as a 7th or 8th placement.
The remaining 3 matches that Sam wrestled were against top ranked guys with a close loss to the #2 ranked Assad, a win over the #10 ranked Turley, and another close loss to the #12 ranked Elam. Sam finished with a 5-2 record and placed 4th at the Super 32 Challenge.
With a fun fact that had Sam earning the highest placement of any Fauquier wrestler and just another reason to be considered a slot for Sam on the National ranking.
Below is Sam Fisher’s results in the 2018 Super 32 Challenge:
RD 64: Sam Fisher won 19-5 over Zack Merlino (NJ).
RD 32: Sam Fisher won 11-5 over Nick Mihajlovich (IL).
RD 16: Sam Fisher won 9-1 over Neamiah Diggs (PA).
Quarter Finals: Sam Fisher won 7-2 over Trey Sizemore (OH).
Semi-Finals: Sam Fisher lost 5-1 to Abe Assad (II).
Cons Semi-Finals: Sam Fisher won 3-2 over Jackson Turley (VA).
Cons Finals: Sam Fisher lost 6-3 to Rocky Elam (Mo).
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Taking this momentum and with just another week of training after the Super 32 Challenge, Sam Fisher entered himself in an Pre-Season College wrestling event - The Hokie Open in Roanoke on Nov. 4th. Sam once again battled to an outstanding 2nd place.
Competing in the 184-weight class and in the college freshmen and sophomore division Sam went 4-1 and took home the silver. Although the national ranking had been published before this wrestling event one has to think we should see movement forward in the rankings.
Below is Sam Fisher’s results in the 2018 Hokie Open:
RD 32- Samuel Fisher won 17-2 over Seth Bell - Emmanuel College.
RD 16 - Samuel Fisher won 10-7 over Zebrandon Gant - Newberry College.
Quarter-Finals - Samuel Fisher won 7-2 over Cole Maddox - Campbell University.
Semumi-Finals - Samuel Fisher won Hunter Delong - West Virginia University.
Finals - Samuel Fisher lost 9-3 to Victor Marcelli - University of Virginia.
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Questions for Coach Fisher:
Q: So, what are these national ranking and what does this mean moving forward?
D. Fisher: "There are a handful of wrestling specific websites out there that publish national high school rankings. Flo Wrestling has become one of the most widely respected and accepted rankings in the wrestling community. Although all rankings are subjective and somewhat arbitrary in nature, their practical value is realized in that they are heavily relied upon by college coaches from a recruiting perspective."
Q: Some might argue or think and feel that Sam Fisher should be ranked even higher? Any wiggle room to see him break into the top 10?
D. Fisher: "Although it is nice to see his hard work and effort recognized via a top 20 ranking, the end goal is to be the best wrestler possible coming out of high school. To that end, rankings mean nothing. He will need to continue to improve his positioning, evolve is technique, and increase his strength and improve his application of that strength."
Q: With Walsh Ironman the first week in December followed two weeks later with the Beast of the East, it seems these two elite High School wrestling sanctioned events would be important for Sam. What’s does the schedule have for Sam that could help him in the National Ranks?
D. Fisher: "He must continue competing at the highest levels to continue to uncover areas of weakness and address those areas. Our schedule this year will help him see that level of competition. If he continues to evolve and improve, the rankings will track accordingly."
Having a Nationally ranked wrestler from Fauquier HS. seems cool and exciting. Yes, Nick Cook a Fauquier Graduate from 2008 and a 2X Virginia State runner-up was ranked 5th in the country his senior year.
With Fauquier High School wrestling team aligned to participate in the Walsh Ironman on Dec. 7th and 8th and the Beast of the East set for Dec. 22nd and 23rd we should expect to see a new national ranking published again sometime after those high school events.
Questions for Sam Fisher
Q: Wrestling in the Hokie Open, what’s that like? That’s right you just took second in a field of 21 college wrestlers.
Sam Fisher: "Wrestling in the Hokie Open was honestly like wrestling at any other high school tournament, the only real difference is the length of the matches. After warming up beside all these college wrestlers any timidity I had previously pretty much disappeared, and I was able to go out and wrestle with the same mindset as I would in any high school tournament which is to dominate, score points and win"
Q: You have participated in the Beast of the East the past two years but Walsh Ironman rest as the second event on the schedule. How excited are you for the wrestling events in December?
Sam Fisher: "I am extremely excited for Ironman this year, it is one of if not the toughest in season tournament in the country and being able to compete in it is a great opportunity to go out and hopefully beat some of the best guys in the country.
Wrestling at beast this year is again an extremely exciting opportunity to make some noise on the national stage and move up the rankings while representing Fauquier."
As we start the 2018-19 wrestling season and team Fauquier has another National ranking wrestler, we will have to wait to see what success the season can provide. Get ready folks, as Junior Sam Fisher looks to get revved up to take on his second half of his high school career, we should expect to see Sam Fisher on the board and a force on the mat.
Fauquier Past Post Season Results:
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS: 2018 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 1972 | 1971
REGION CHAMPIONS: 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010
STATE CHAMPIONS: 2016 | 2015 | STATE RUNNER-UP: 2018 | 2017 | 2014 | 2009
Other related Links:
Fisher Wrestles to Become Cadet Double All American
Ironman and Escape the Rock added to the 2018-19 Fauquier Wrestling Schedule
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