Marsteller, Black top Intermat's preseason wrestling rankings

The wrestling website Intermat.com released its preseason high school rankings this week, and a pair of local products topped their respective weight classes.

The first will come as no surprise. Kennard-Dale's Chance Marsteller sits atop the 160 pound class. Marsteller had one of the finest freshman seasons ever by a Pennsylvania wrestler last fall, going 42-0 and winning a PIAA Class AAA championship at 152 pounds.

Then there is Brooks Black, the Dover native now wrestling at Blair Academy in New Jersey. Black, a junior, is rated No. 1 among the nation's heavyweight wrestlers.

One other notable: Biglerivlle's Laike Gardner was ranked 19th in the nation at 132 pounds. He was the top-rated wrestler from Pennsylvania in that weight class. Gardner was the Class AA runner-up last season at 130 pounds.

Needless to say, we should be hearing plenty from all three in the coming weeks and months.