State wildcards

I’ve been getting a lot of questions which Section 9 wrestlers might earn a wildcard berth into the state tournament.

So I figured I’d explain the format and formula of how the wildcards are determined. There are four wildcards per weight class.

Wildcard hopefuls earn points in three ways

1. Current season record: Wins minus losses. A maximum of 45 points is allowed.

2. Bonus points: based on prior year sectional and state place finishes. This year’s section tournament is also counted.

Points are awarded in the following manor:
Section tournament first place = 30 points
Section tournament second place =25 points
Section tournament third place =20 points
Section tournament third place =15 points

State tournament first place = 85 points
State tournament second place = 75 points
State tournament third place = 65 points
State tournament fourth place = 55 points
State tournament fifth place = 45 points
State tournament sixth place = 35 points

3. Power points: This based on the past six-year history of how many place-winners a section has had in the state tournament. The power-point scale is adjusted on an annual basis. The top four sections are awarded 10 points; the middle four sections get five points and the bottom four sections get no points.
Beginning this season, the section’s highest placer at each weight earns the section’s points.

Section 9 Division I wrestlers get five points.

Wildcard lock (points unofficial)

Valley Central 145-pounder Mike D’Amato  235 points

Wildcard possibles
Cornwall 125-pounder Drew Bloss 132
Wallkill 135-pounder Steve Burger 94
Middletown senior 215-pounder Jared Rosado 94

There should be a category for special consideration. Kingston junior Kaare Stockdal deserves to go to Rochester. He’s lost two matches to Cody Ruggirello of Valley Central, a defending state champ, by a total of five points. Stockdal pinned Djimitry Georges of East Ramapo, a 2006 Section I champion, at the Eastern States. But Stockdal won’t get enough points to qualify for a wildcard. He’s placed second this season, fifth in 2007 in the section. No points are awarded for a fifth-place finish. And he hasn’t wrestled enough matches for the wins-loss criteria to help him. It’s a shame.

Official wildcard selections should be finalized Wednesday.