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Since its inception in 2000, Brusly has won nine of the 14 Division III state championships.  Only Guy Mistretta's Redemptorist teams from 2001-2003 and Eric Desormeaux's Holy Cross Tigers of 2011 have interrupted Coach Jimmy Bible's tenure as the coach of the Division III champions.

While the Panthers have the most top-eight-seeded entrants, they only have two #1 seeds.  Last year's runners-up, the John Curtis Patriots, are tied with the Rayne Wolves in that category, with three #1 seeds.  Brusly has two #2 seeds whereas the Patriots have none, but the Patriots have six wrestlers seeded between #3 and #5 while the Panthers only have three seeded in those spots.  The battle for the state championship may be tougher than many people expect.

To prevent jinxing anyone by predicting they will win a state championship, the following wrestlers should read no more: all of you who just displayed optimistic glints in your eyes.

John Curtis and Brusly have chances to settle perceived seeding discrepancies only in the quarterfinals of 160 lbs. and 220 lbs.  Other than those two matches, which require the Panther and Patriot wrestlers involved to make it through a first round match, no other Patriot vs. Panther matches are anticipated if seeding holds.  Should such matches occur they will entail a seeded competitor vs. one who was not seeded.  Should #1, #2 and #3 seeds perform as expected, this championship will be earned in the wrestle-backs. 

Brusly is led by Trevor Schermer at 132 lbs., a junior vying to win his third state title and keep pace with his brother Austin, who graduated in 2012 with four.  Junior Wyatt LeJeune is seeking his first title at 120 lbs. after finishing second last year.  Baret Sanchez is a returning state champion, but is a #2 seed at 113 lbs.  Should he make it to the finals again his opponent is expected to be top-seeded Raymond Bushnell of Basile, another returning state champion.  Koby Mancuso is seeded #2 at 152 lbs. and recently placed a very respectable second place at the Greater Baton Rouge Championships.  The Panthers have won their own Brusly Invitational, placed fourth at the Sam Sara Invitational and 11th at the Louisiana Classic, 13 spots ahead of their closest Division III competitors, North Vermillion and Rayne.  Their 10-13 dual meet record only accounts for one match against a Division III opponent.  When not wrestling against Division I or Division II schools, the Panthers are apt to be wrestling teams from Oklahoma, Texas or Florida.

The mainstay of the John Curtis team all year has been senior Spencer Lemoine who is 26-0 with tournament championships at the Brusly Invitational, the John Curtis AA, A, B & C Championships and the Ken Cole Invitational.  Lemoine might have left even more opponents in his wake but was only able to wrestle his first match on December 13th (something to do with some game at which the Patriots won a state championship and were recognized as the #1 team in the nation).

Curtis has a #1 seed at 106 lbs. in sophomore Prentice Spurlock.  He is expected to meet Thomas Jefferson's Logan Griffin in the finals.  The two have met three times this season, with Griffin winning the first match 7-4 but Spurlock taking the second match 4-3 and, most recently, a third 2-2 in an "Ultimate Tie-breaker" at the District 9-2A Championships.  Also seeded #1 for the Patriots is Baron Clofer at 170 lbs.  Clofer has 14 wins versus only three losses, all of which came by wrestlers from Division I schools.

A possible "sleeper" for the Patriots is at 160 lbs. in G'Corey Fullilove.  Though the sophomore only has 10 wins, he only has one loss to a Louisiana wrestler (not including a medical forfeit) and none of the higher seeds at 160 lbs. have yet had the pleasure of his acquaintance.

Not to be overlooked is North Vermillion.  Six of their nine seeded wrestlers are seeded #4 or higher.  Owning 21 victories, top-seeded senior Anthony Scalisi's nine losses do not include any from Division III wrestlers.  Seeded second for the Patriots are Colin Laird (145 lbs.), Damon Vincent (160 lbs.) and Colin Vaughn (182 lbs.).

138 lbs. should prove very tough and, if it runs according to the seeds, last year's state runner-up at 145 lbs., Brent Matherne of Thomas Jefferson, will meet last year's state champion at 138 lbs. in Grand Lake's Joshua Wicke.  For the aforementioned Rayne Wolves, Billy Marcantel (195 lbs.) and Brennan McKnight (220 lbs.) are looking to repeat as state champions.  Austin Bohne, at 160 lbs., is the other top seed for the Wolves.  Also attempting to retain his state champion's status is Redemptorist's Grant Godso.  A November 8-6 loss to East Ascension's Michael Bernard worked out fine for Godso, who rose to the occasion at the Sam Sara in the final seconds to give Rummel's Tyler Frame his only non-injury related loss of the season.  The Bearkats of Bossier have a #1 seed at 182 lbs. in Jaden Oliver, who placed second last year while seeded only sixth.  De la Salle junior Alex Martin is competing for his second state title in the 152 lbs. weight class.

[Editor's Note: My apologies for the delayed publication of this segment.  Division III is too often mentioned last in written accounts.  It was the same for Division II prior to the emergence of Division III.  Not known widely enough is that one Division II wrestler from Metairie was not even mentioned with other local area Division II winners after winning his second title in his own Time-Picayune.  Such minor sleights are nothing about which to fret.  Much less to stew upon for three decades until sanity is replaced by a defensive arrogance abrogating all logic unless it suit's one's maladjusted needs.

For now there are only the other wrestlers in your bracket with which to concern yourself.]

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