MD – Baltimore County | Archive | February, 2007

STATE FINALS: A round-by-round review of the team tournament (this just in: Mater Dei is "pretty gosh-dang good'!)

Posted on 26 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
 
GREENWOOD
ââ?¬â?? I went out on the proverbial limb last week in predicting some upsets
at this past weekend�s team wrestling state finals. And while Perry
Meridian getting bounced by Bellmont in the opening round certainly
qualified, perennial powerhouse Evansville Mater Dei made me eat my words.
 
Here�s a review of what happened in all seven matches held Saturday at Center Grove High School � right before Johnson County was attacked by sleet �
 
The 12th Annual IHSAA Team Wrestling State Finals are set for Feb. 24 at Center Grove High School, and they should be gooo-OOOOD! Following is a rundown of what to expect during each of the three rounds of competition.
 
(Hint: It says here we�re gonna have a new team champion!)
 
In retrospect: D�OH!!!!
 
Quarterfinals
Match 1: No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral (27-2) vs. No. 11 Elkhart Memorial (16-0)
Cathedral
opened a lot of eyes at the individual semistate by tying Perry
Meridian with six individual state finals qualifiers, but the Fighting
Irish ââ?¬â?? flush with nine state-ranked wrestlers ââ?¬â?? crowned four champions
at New Castle compared with only one for Perry. Of those half dozen state finals participants, five managed top-six finishes.
 
Elkhart
Memorial, which boasts five ranked wrestlers, advanced three to the
state finals. But two of them lost in the opening round, with 14th-ranked
junior Steve Stahl the only second-day participant (he finished fifth
at 145 pounds). Stahl figures to win Saturday, along with second-ranked
215-pound senior J.J. Miller.
 
After that,
however, the matchups are either neutral or favor Cathedral, whose only
losses came early in the season to then-No. 9 Warren Central (36-25)
and No. 2 Mishawaka (more on that later). The two teams do have one
early season common foe, Munster ââ?¬â?? Cathedral won 52-27, while Elkhart won 61-9.
 
Prediction: Despite that apparent discrepancy, look for a comfortable Irish win here.
 
Reality: No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral 29, No. 11 Elkhart Memorial 19
 
In retrospect: Roger that � sort of.
 
I don�t know
if you could call a five-point deficit with only four matches to go
ââ?¬Å?comfortable.ââ?¬Â But the Irish did fight through with victories from four
ranked wrestlers in those four final matches to advance.
 
Match 2: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei (22-0) vs. Avon (15-9)
This thing has
rout written all over it. The 11-time state champion Wildcats advanced
11 wrestlers to last weekend�s individual finals (six of whom garnered
top-eight finishes) and boast nine ranked wrestlers, while unranked
Avon counters with, um, zero and zero.
 
You can�t
fault the Orioles for fighting their way through to their second team
finals appearance in three years (they were runners-up to Lawrence
North in 2005), but there is every reason to think they might get
blanked here. No Avon wrestler posted a top-four finish at the
individual semistate at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, compared with the aforementioned 11 for the hometown Wildcats.
 
Just like Mater Dei, Avon
feasted on a postseason slate that included no ranked foes en route to
Center Grove. But while the Orioles slipped past Center Grove (30-28), Franklin
(31-24), and Bloomington South (28-21), Mater Dei was rolling over
Gibson Southern (80-0), Evansville Reitz (55-6), and Floyd Central
(59-9).
 
In fact, the Wildcats� closest match all year came in an out-of-state tournament in Missouri against Mt. Carmel of Chicago, and that margin was still 23 points (42-19). Mater Dei thumped the schools� only shared opponent, Bloomington South, 54-14.
 
Prediction: Yikes.
 
Reality: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 65, Avon 3
 
In retrospect: Almost perfect.
 
As in, Mater
Dei turned in an almost-perfect performance, and I was almost perfect
in predicting a shutout. Only a 3-2 loss in overtime at heavyweight
kept this from being a shutout, with the Wildcats putting up seven
pins, a technical fall, and three major decisions.
 
This, it turned out, would be the only thing about Mater Dei I got right all day. My humblest of apologies to the Wildcats.
 
Match 3: No. 3 Perry Meridian (29-0) vs. No. 8 Bellmont (20-2)
Perry Meridian
leads the state with 11 ranked wrestlers, four of whom brought home
top-seven finishes at last week�s individual finals (including
undefeated heavyweight state champ No. 2-ranked junior Chico Adams).
The Falcons have a nice blend of youth and experience, and they
certainly can lean on last year�s experience at the team finals (see
Championship below) as motivation this time around.
 
The Braves,
meanwhile, are YOUNG. Of Bellmont�s seven ranked wrestlers, six are
underclassmen ââ?¬â?? and all six of its individual state finals qualifiers a
week ago were either sophomores or juniors. We very possibly could be
talking about a Bellmont team title in 2008.
 
But this is
still 2007, and Perry Meridian will be out for blood following a
relatively disappointing last two weekends as well as last year�s
heartbreaking early elimination by Mater Dei. The two schools do have a
pair of common opponents. Bellmont downed Yorktown
50-16 in November and Bloomington South 46-27 in January, while the
Falcons posted 52-9 and 57-9 victories, respectively, right around
Christmastime.
 
Prediction:
Perry Meridian will be salivating at a possible semifinals/finals slate
of No. 2 Mishawaka and No. 1 Mater Dei, but the Falcons will NOT be
looking past No. 8 here.
 
Reality: No. 8 Bellmont 28, No. 3 Perry Meridian 28
 
In retrospect: The Falcons did an excellent job of not looking ahead � until about that 11th match when � oh, the horror �
 
Perry led
Bellmont 28-10 after the 119-pound weight class, but Bellmont came
rolling back with a pair of pins and two decisions to tie the match at
28. Amazingly, the sixth level of criteria lifted the Braves to the
upset.
 
This was a
collapse of catastrophic proportions for Perry. Breaking away from a
10-all tie with victories by three of its four state placewinners (a
6-2 win by heavyweight champion junior Chico Adams followed by pins
from 103 freshman Jacob Tonte and 112 junior Jimmy Schoettle), the
Falcons jacked the lead to 18 when third-ranked junior Brian Vest
blanked No. 6 Derek Nelson 4-zip at 119.
 
Tied at 1-1 in the third period at 125 after junior Glen Fields� escape, this was all but in the bank, right? RIGHT?!?!
 
Wrong. Bellmont sophomore Will Sheets scored a takedown, then pinned Fields at 4:56.
 
After 16th-ranked
sophomore Jacob Tassef nailed a takedown and two near-fall points to
start the match at 130, Bellmont senior Jeff Heller reversed him and
got the quick stick ââ?¬â?? IN 31 SECONDS.
 
When Bellmont
junior Doug Linthicum upset No. 18 junior Nathan Clem 7-3 at 135, the
match score was suddenly 28-25. It would come down to a ranked battle
at 140 between No. 25 junior John Leonard of Perry Meridian and No. 23
Bellmont senior Alex Hackman.
 
No worries, Falcon fans. After an early takedown by Hackman, Leonard responded with a reversal and not just one but two
three-point near falls to lead by a commanding 8-2 after one period.
The lead grew to 9-2 in the second when Leonard escaped � and then the
impossible happened.
 
Takedown,
Hackman. Two near-fall points, Hackman. A penalty point for stalling to
Hackman, making it 9-7, Leonard, heading into the third period. All he
had to do was avoid getting put on his back for an extended period of
time �
 
D�OH!
Hackman�s three near-fall points gave him the lead at 10-9, and he led
on to come all the way back from that 9-2 deficit and draw Bellmont
into a tie at 28. Enter Mr. Criteria, a dude so confusing that we�re
not even going to try to explain him.
 
Just call it karma.
 
Match 4: No. 2 Mishawaka (27-0) vs. No. 6 Merrillville (22-1)
The sexiest showdown of the first-round quarterfinals, this bad boy features a total of 15 ranked wrestlers: eight for Mishawaka and seven for Merrillville.
It also boasts THREE undefeated state champions in the Cavemen�s
second-ranked sophomore Josh Harper (112) and No. 1 senior Ian Hinton
(189) ââ?¬â?? both two-time winners ââ?¬â?? as well as Merrillvilleââ?¬â?¢s top-ranked senior Jamal Lawrence (145).
 
But Mishawaka
appears to have the better depth (barely), witnessed by seven
individual state finalists (six of whom earned top-five finishes)
compared with five and four for the Pirates. And of their six common
opponents, the two schools� outcome in a four-day span against powerful
Crown Point also signals an imbalance of power. Mishawaka rolled to a 44-15 victory, while Merrillville suffered its only loss of the season, 31-27.
 
Adding fuel to that argument is the fact that three of Merrillville�s seven ranked wrestlers failed to make it past the Merrillville Semistate, while all but one of the Cavemen�s eight made it through.
 
Prediction: Advantage, Mishawaka.
 
Reality: No. 2 Mishawaka 36, No. 6 Merrillville 27
 
In retrospect: Roger that.
 
Mishawaka
escaped here largely on a pair of upsets by unranked juniors over
fourth-place state finishers, the first coming at 152 as Caleb Norville
decisioned No. 11 senior Kyle Morris 7-2 and the second a 4-1 win at
171 as Brandon Straub shocked second-raked Joe Wing.
 
Those unexpected Ws, along with victories by seven higher-ranked Mishawaka wrestlers, enabled the Cavemen to overcome four defeats by fall.
 
Semifinals
Prediction: No. 4 Cathedral vs. No. 1 Mater Dei
The Fighting
Irish faced a best-of-the best regular-season schedule against about 10
ranked teams, while Mater Dei had to go outside Indiana to break a relative sweat. Apples and oranges? Perhaps.
 
The Wildcats
feature a lineup with eight seniors, five juniors, and just one
sophomore, while Cathedral counters with six seniors but only two
juniors ââ?¬â?? the rest are either sophomores (four) or freshmen (two). More apples, more oranges? Definitely.
 
But the Irish
young�uns are good young�uns. And with a seemingly even lineup of stars
ââ?¬â?? six top-eight individual state finals finishers for Mater Dei, five
top-six finishers for Cathedral ââ?¬â?? it appears that the Irish could
possibly take up to eight of 14 semifinal head-to-head bouts. It
all depends on how much juice Cathedral has after battling Elkhart
Memorial, because that factor should not apply in the least to Mater
Dei�s fray with Avon.
 
If the Irish
can get over the psychological juggernaut attached to ELEVEN � STATE �
TITLES � then they have the talent to pull the upset. For some
unexplainable reason (could it be those five first-round losses at
Conseco?), there appears to be an ever-so-slight ***** in Mater Dei�s
armor.
 
Cathedral will find that weak spot and pull the upset, by perhaps the very slimmest of margins.
 
Reality: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 39, No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral 20
 
In
ruh-rohspect: Never bet against a champion. Especially one that�s won
11 state titles and brings a boatload of fans three hours north and has
its own cheer section.
 
This is what
Cathedral gets for my having picked them. Upon arrival at Center Grove,
it took me the entire heavyweight match to figure out how to read the
main scoreboard. (That�s what happens when 40-year-olds don�t get their
Saturday coffee!) When senior Andrew Hemmerlein�s 4-3 overtime decision
gave the Irish a tie with Mater Dei at 10, I headed upstairs to join
the webcast crew of Dave Grenoble and Nick Antey.
 
As I was
seated, Cathedral got decked. Junior Cody Moll�s pin at 3:39 of
Cathedral freshman Sammy Oskins (oh how the Irish could have used state
runner-up frosh Brandon Wright in this one) started a three-match run
by the Wildcats that went fall, decision, fall and made it 25-10. No.
16 sophomore Calvin Sullivan�s 16-5 major decision over Zeke Zenthoefer
stopped the bleeding momentarily for the Irish.
 
But upsets of two Cathedral 10th-ranked wrestlers at 130 and 135 clinched a finals gig for Mater Dei.
 
Mmmm, humble pie tastes yummeeeeeeee �
 
Prediction: No. 3 Perry Meridian vs. No. 2 Mishawaka
Zowie. Can you ask for a better pair of semifinal showdowns? (ââ?¬Å?NO!ââ?¬Â would be the answer, thank you.)
 
These two
schools spent the entire season tucked in behind Mater Dei at Nos. 2
and 3, with Mishawaka leapfrogging Perry Meridian in the second
coaches� poll and staying there ever since. Now the Cavemen get the
chance to prove that slight superiority.
 
As mentioned
earlier, the Falcons led everyone with 11 ranked wrestlers at season�s
end. But only two of them managed to finish among the top six in the
state last weekend, while Mishawaka had a half dozen in the top five.
 
Sure, only three of Mishawaka�s
starting 14 are seniors, but this is a program that knows how to come
up big (a state title in 1991, a runner-up finish in 2000, eight
straight team finals appearances). And Perry Meridian, which has been
the bridesmaid twice (2002, 2004) in addition to six team finals
appearances in the last eight years, also starts only three seniors. So
that�s a wash.
 
The two powerhouses shared three common opponents this year: Bloomington South, Portage, and Crown Point. The Falcons beat that trio by scores of 57-9, 44-18, and 33-20, while Mishawaka posted victories of 51-9, 50-12, and 44-15.
 
Advantage, Mishawaka.
 
Thereââ?¬â?¢s something to be said for momentum, and Mishawaka has had it of late while Perry Meridian ââ?¬â?? relatively speaking, at least ââ?¬â?? has not. Look for coach Darrick Snyderââ?¬â?¢s Cavemen to carry their collective club triumphantly.
 
Reality: No. 2 Mishawaka 43, No. 8 Bellmont 15
 
In retrospect: Well, at least I got that momentum thang right, eh?
 
Mishawaka
lucked out here as the Cavemen got to face a Bellmont squad that had
nowhere to go but down following its unbelievable comeback spanking of
Perry Meridian. Despite two-time state champ Josh Harperââ?¬â?¢s first loss ââ?¬â??
EVER ââ?¬â?? by a 4-0 score at 119 to sixth-ranked Derek Nelson, Mishawaka won 10 of the 14 matches, including five by fall.
 
Championship
Prediction: No. 4 Cathedral vs. No. 2 Mishawaka
 
Now this is some seriously
successful seeding! Unlike last year, when top-ranked Mater Dei faced
its two toughest opponents (sliding past No. 2 Perry Meridian, 25-23,
in the opener before disposing of fourth-ranked Mishawaka,
31-25, in the semifinals) before rolling over Bellmont 39-15 in the
finals, the 2007 team finals could see No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the
championship.
 
But it won�t.
Instead we get No. 1 upsetter vs. No. 2, and a dandy it should be. Both
teams should be completely pooped after two go-rounds against tough
competition, so it may come down to the intangibles. Like, say, success
in previous team state finals competitions versus just the experience
of getting there.
 
And never mind the common-opponent theory. This is a rematch of a Dec. 9 battle at the Chris Traicoff Invitational at Calumet won 32-25 by the Cavemen.
 
Final advantage, Mishawaka.
 
Mishawaka,
behind its pair of two-time individual state champions leading the way
with a combined two-year record of 136-0, celebrates its second-ever
team state championship with a tight victory � film at 11.
 
Reality: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 31, No. 2 Mishawaka 18
 
In ruh-rohspect, part deaux: Mater Dei is ââ?¬Å?pretty gosh-dangââ?¬Â good.
 
If you ask my HoosierAuthority.com partner Mike McGraw
about Goebel, he will practically fall over himself (inside joke)
talking a bout what a superb human being Mater Dei coach Mike Goebel is.
 
Wrestling coach. Football coach. Standout teacher. Involved in local government. All-around nice guy.
 
Turns out he�s pretty smart, too. And gutsy.
 
Who else would trot out a 7-2 unranked reserve wrestler to open
the state championship match ââ?¬â?? AND was moving up a weight class from
152 to 160 ââ?¬â?? against a kid who had just finished fifth in the
individual state finals a week earlier?
 
The maneuver worked to perfection as junior Stephan Lovelace ââ?¬â?? starting in place of 11th-ranked senior Frank Fabiano ââ?¬â?? flipped Mishawakaââ?¬â?¢s 13th-ranked senior Kurt Caufmann onto his back midway through the second period and finally got the stick at 3:50.
 
ââ?¬Å?Stephan came in at 160 and did a great job,ââ?¬Â Goebel said. ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s more of a ââ?¬Ë?big-playââ?¬â?¢ wrestler, so we put him in there.
 
Said Mishawaka coach Darrick Snyder:
ââ?¬Å?One-sixty killed us. You canââ?¬â?¢t tell me we wouldnââ?¬â?¢t beat them nine of
out 10 or all 10 if we wrestled again. That was a tough loss.�
 
The shocking
upset sent the sizable Mater Dei contingent into hysteria and signaled
a pattern for the rest of the match: Mater Dei would do whatever it
took to defend its team title.
 
At 171, senior
Ben Fleming registered one of Mater Dei�s trademark late-in-the-period
takedowns with 8.4 seconds left in the opening period. That was enough
to lift him to a 3-1 victory over Mishawaka junior Brandon Straub and give the Wildcats a 9-0 early lead.
 
Two-time
defending state champion senior Ian Hinton needed a big victory at 189
to get the Cavemen back in it. But his fifth-ranked foe (and
fourth-place winner at state), junior Jake Schneider, did a solid job
of avoiding getting on his back, and Hinton�s 11-4 decision drew
Mishawaka only three points closer at 9-3.
 
Mishawaka
junior Dave Balentine scored the first takedown at 215, but Mater Dei
senior Zach Goebel�s high-risk, high-reward style frustrated him the
entire six minutes as Goebel held on for a 7-4 decision to make it
12-3, MD.
 
At heavyweight, Mater Dei junior Brad Niemeier again did a fine job of avoiding surrendering back points against 11th-ranked
junior Randy Morin, another fourth-place finisher at state. Morin�s 6-1
decision again brought the Cavemen within six, 12-6.
 
Two of the next three matches went into overtime, and Mishawaka victories in two of them gave the Cavemen faithful some hope.
 
The battle at 103 was the best of the finals, with Mater Dei junior Cody Moll going up against Mishawaka
freshman Paul Beck. This seesaw battle featured three ties and three
lead changes, with Beck scoring a controversial, barely in-bounds
reversal just 17 seconds ahead of the buzzer to send it into OT at 7-7.
 
Nobody scored
in either the one-minute OT session or the first 30-second tiebreaker,
but Moll was down to start the second tiebreaker. With both diminutive
wrestlers exhausted, Moll was able to get an escape with just :04 on
the clock to make it 15-6, Wildcats.
 
Next up was a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2 as Mater Dei�s top-ranked senior Sean Herron took on Mishawaka�s other
two-time defending state champ, second-ranked Josh Harper, in a rematch
of the 112 individual quarterfinal won 2-0 by Harper. Once again Herron
was unable to score, but he continued the trend of not getting into big
trouble. Harper�s 4-0 decision once more brought Mishawaka back within six at 15-9.
 
ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve got the
greatest respect for Hinton and Harper, and we were able to keep them
to a decision,ââ?¬Â said coach Goebel. ââ?¬Å?So that was certainly important.
 
The level of comp dropped only slightly for the 112 match between Mishawaka
third-ranked senior Nick Wiesjahn and Mater Dei No. 10 junior Alex
Weinzapfel. This defensive struggle saw an escape apiece at the end of
regulation, and again no points were scored in OT.
 
In the down
position to start the first tiebreaker, Wiesjahn was awarded a penalty
point when Weinzapfel was whistled for his third caution, and he
escaped quickly just four seconds later to take a 3-1 lead. After
riding Weinzapfel out in the second tiebreak session, Mishawaka suddenly was within three at 15-12 with Wiesjahn�s absolutely critical victory.
 
It should be
noted that, for the fourth time in the match, Mater Dei had dropped a
match it was supposed to lose ââ?¬â?? but by the smallest of margins. Fans
unaware of the impending sleet outside sensed that Mishawaka had not gotten hot enough, and they were right.
 
For the second
time in the finals, it would come down to one of Mater Dei�s unranked
warriors to step up LARGE. Nursing that three-point lead, 125-pound
sophomore Zeke Zenthoefer ââ?¬â?? he of the 15 losses, tied for most on the
team ââ?¬â?? sent the Wildcats crowd into delirium with a pin of Mishawaka
junior Anthony Lewis at 3:24.
 
ââ?¬Å?We gave up
too many falls and lost too many swing matches,� said a clearly upset
Snyder. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m sick of finishing second and third. Iââ?¬â?¢m sick of losing and
I don�t buy into that silver lining ****.�
 
With four
ranked wrestlers and a former third-place state finals finisher on deck
for the Wildcats, the fat lady showed her affinity for Canadian rock
when she began singing Rush as the scoreboard flashed 21-12.
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The Mater Dei lead grew to 24-12 when 11th-ranked senior Jerry Parkinson scored a late first-period takedown of Mishawaka junior Neal Kostry at 130, then held on for a 3-0 decision.
 
The Cavemen
cut it to nine at 24-15, however, when No. 20 sophomore Steven Sandefer
broke a 3-3 tie with a second-period takedown and held off junior Drew
Lappe, 5-3, at 135. Lappe took third in the 2006 state finals at 130
but has been hindered all year with a sprained ankle, and his game
effort was appreciated by the Wildcat throng.
 
An upset at
140 drew the Cavemen within a half dozen for the last time at 24-18
when sophomore Joey Smith got Mishawakaââ?¬â?¢s first ââ?¬â?? and only ââ?¬â?? near-fall
points of the night when he reversed 11th-ranked senior Andy Siebert and picked up a pair of back points in the second period, then held on for a 7-5 decision.
 
But all that
meant was that Mater Dei would bring out its highly ranked senior duo
of fourth-ranked Nick Dewig and No. 3 Chris DeWitt to seal the deal.
Dewig ââ?¬â?? the state runner-up at 145 ââ?¬â?? got the job done with a 13-5 major
decision over Mishawaka 23rd-ranked junior Brandon Mersich, scoring a takedown with two seconds left in the first period to take a commanding 6-2 lead.
 
ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s really fitting that Dewig sealed it because he broke his hand last week (in the 145-pound state championship loss to Merrillvilleââ?¬â?¢s top-ranked Jamal Lawrence),ââ?¬Â said coach Goebel. ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s having surgery next week.
 
DeWitt, a
seventh-place finisher at Conseco, then roared back from a 4-2 deficit
after two periods at 145 with a reversal, takedown, and three back
points to win 9-5.
 
Your final: Mater Dei 31, Mishawaka 18.
 
ââ?¬Å?I **** losing to Mater Dei, but I respect the heck out of ââ?¬Ë?em,ââ?¬Â Snyder said. ââ?¬Å?Theyââ?¬â?¢re pretty gosh-dang good.ââ?¬Â
 
On the other side, a joyful Goebel was asked if winning state title after state title ever gets old.
 
ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know how this could ever get old,ââ?¬Â he said ââ?¬Å?This group of seniors ââ?¬Â¦ I just love their leadership. Iââ?¬â?¢ve known ââ?¬Ë?em since they were in diapers!
 
ââ?¬Å?This is the way it should be ââ?¬â?? the two best programs in the state slugging it out.ââ?¬Â
 
Amen.
 
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STATE FINALS: Team round-by-round preview

Posted on 24 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
 
The 12th Annual IHSAA Team Wrestling State Finals are set for
Feb. 24 at Center
Grove High
School, and they should be gooo-OOOOD! Following
is a rundown of what to expect during each of the three rounds of competition.
 
(Hint: It says here we�re gonna have a new team champion!)
 
Quarterfinals
Match 1:
No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral (27-2) vs. No. 11 Elkhart Memorial (16-0)
Cathedral
opened a lot of eyes at the individual semistate by tying Perry Meridian with
six individual state finals qualifiers, but the Fighting Irish ââ?¬â?? flush with
nine state-ranked wrestlers ââ?¬â?? crowned four champions at New Castle compared with only one for Perry. Of
those half dozen state finals participants, five managed top-six finishes.
 
Elkhart
Memorial, which boasts five ranked wrestlers, advanced three to the state
finals. But two of them lost in the opening round, with 14th-ranked junior
Steve Stahl the only second-day participant (he finished fifth at 145 pounds).
Stahl figures to win Saturday, along with second-ranked 215-pound senior J.J.
Miller.
 
After
that, however, the matchups are either neutral or favor Cathedral, whose only
losses came early in the season to then-No. 9 Warren Central (36-25) and No. 2 Mishawaka (more
on that later). The two
teams do have one early season common foe, Munster
ââ?¬â?? Cathedral won 52-27, while Elkhart
won 61-9.
 
Despite
that apparent discrepancy, look for a comfortable Irish win here.
 
Match 2:
No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei (22-0) vs. Avon (15-9)
This thing
has rout written all over it. The 11-time state champion Wildcats advanced 11
wrestlers to last weekend�s individual finals (six of whom garnered top-eight
finishes) and boast nine ranked wrestlers, while unranked Avon counters with, um,
zero and zero.
 
You can�t
fault the Orioles for fighting their way through to their second team finals
appearance in three years (they were runners-up to Lawrence North in 2005), but
there is every reason to think they might get blanked here. No Avon wrestler
posted a top-four finish at the individual semistate at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, compared with
the aforementioned 11 for the hometown Wildcats.
 
Just like
Mater Dei, Avon feasted on a postseason slate
that included no ranked foes en route to Center Grove. But while the Orioles
slipped past Center Grove (30-28), Franklin
(31-24), and Bloomington South (28-21), Mater Dei was rolling over Gibson
Southern (80-0), Evansville Reitz (55-6), and Floyd Central (59-9).
 
In fact, the
Wildcats� closest match all year came in an out-of-state tournament in Missouri against Mt.
Carmel of Chicago, and that margin was still 23 points
(42-19). Mater Dei thumped the schools� only shared opponent, Bloomington South,
54-14.
 
Yikes.
 
Match 3:
No. 3 Perry Meridian
(29-0) vs. No. 8 Bellmont (20-2)
Perry
Meridian leads the state with 11 ranked wrestlers, four of whom brought home
top-seven finishes at last week�s individual finals (including undefeated
heavyweight state champ No. 2-ranked junior Chico Adams). The Falcons have a
nice blend of youth and experience, and they certainly can lean on last year�s
experience at the team finals (see Championship below) as motivation this time
around.
 
The
Braves, meanwhile, are YOUNG. Of Bellmont�s seven ranked wrestlers, six are
underclassmen ââ?¬â?? and all six of its individual state finals qualifiers a week
ago were either sophomores or juniors. We very possibly could be talking about
a Bellmont team title in 2008.
 
But this
is still 2007, and Perry Meridian will be out for blood following a relatively
disappointing last two weekends as well as last year�s heartbreaking early
elimination by Mater Dei. The two schools do have a pair of common opponents.
Bellmont downed Yorktown 50-16 in November and
Bloomington South 46-27 in January, while the Falcons posted 52-9 and 57-9
victories, respectively, right around Christmastime.
 
Perry
Meridian will be salivating at a possible semifinals/finals slate of No. 2 Mishawaka
and No. 1 Mater Dei, but the Falcons will NOT be looking past No. 8 here.
 
Match 4:
No. 2 Mishawaka
(27-0) vs. No. 6 Merrillville
(22-1)
The sexiest showdown of the first-round quarterfinals, this bad boy
features a total of 15 ranked wrestlers: eight for Mishawaka and
seven for Merrillville.
It also boasts THREE undefeated state champions in the Cavemen�s second-ranked
sophomore Josh Harper (112) and No. 1 senior Ian Hinton (189) ââ?¬â?? both two-time
winners ââ?¬â?? as well as Merrillvilleââ?¬â?¢s
top-ranked senior Jamal Lawrence (145).
 
But Mishawaka appears to have
the better depth (barely), witnessed by seven individual state finalists (six
of whom earned top-five finishes) compared with five and four for the Pirates.
And of their six common opponents, the two schools� outcome in a four-day span
against powerful Crown Point
also signals an imbalance of power. Mishawaka
rolled to a 44-15 victory, while Merrillville
suffered its only loss of the season, 31-27.
 
Adding
fuel to that argument is the fact that three of Merrillville�s
seven ranked wrestlers failed to make it past the Merrillville Semistate,
while all but one of the Cavemen�s eight made it through.
 
Advantage,
Mishawaka.
 
Semifinals
Prediction:
No. 4 Cathedral vs. No. 1 Mater Dei
The Fighting Irish faced a best-of-the best regular-season schedule
against about 10 ranked teams, while Mater Dei had to go outside Indiana to break a
relative sweat. Apples and oranges? Perhaps.
 
The Wildcats feature a lineup with eight seniors, five juniors, and just
one sophomore, while Cathedral counters with six seniors but only two juniors ââ?¬â?? the rest are either sophomores
(four) or freshmen (two). More apples, more oranges? Definitely.
 
But the
Irish youngââ?¬â?¢uns are good youngââ?¬â?¢uns. And with a seemingly even lineup of stars ââ?¬â??
six top-eight individual state finals finishers for Mater Dei, five top-six
finishers for Cathedral ââ?¬â?? it appears that the Irish could possibly take up to
eight of 14 semifinal head-to-head bouts. It all depends on how much
juice Cathedral has after battling Elkhart Memorial, because that factor should
not apply in the least to Mater Dei�s fray with Avon.
 
If the Irish can get over the psychological juggernaut attached to
ELEVEN � STATE � TITLES � then they have the talent to pull the upset. For some
unexplainable reason (could it be those five first-round losses at Conseco?),
there appears to be an ever-so-slight ***** in Mater Dei�s armor.
 
Cathedral will find that weak spot and pull the upset, by perhaps the
very slimmest of margins.
 
Prediction:
No. 3 Perry Meridian vs. No. 2 Mishawaka
Zowie. Can you ask for a better pair of semifinal showdowns? (ââ?¬Å?NO!ââ?¬Â
would be the answer, thank you.)
 
These two schools spent the entire season tucked in behind Mater Dei at
Nos. 2 and 3, with Mishawaka leapfrogging Perry Meridian in the second coaches�
poll and staying there ever since. Now the Cavemen get the chance to prove that
slight superiority.
 
As mentioned earlier, the Falcons led everyone with 11 ranked wrestlers
at season’s end. But only two of them managed to finish among the top six in the
state last weekend, while Mishawaka had a half dozen in the top five.
 
Sure, only three of Mishawaka�s
starting 14 are seniors, but this is a program that knows how to come up big (a
state title in 1991, a runner-up finish in 2000, eight straight team finals
appearances). And Perry Meridian, which has been the bridesmaid twice (2002,
2004) in addition to six team finals appearances in the last eight years, also
starts only three seniors. So that�s a wash.
 
The two powerhouses shared three common opponents this year: Bloomington
South, Portage, and Crown Point. The Falcons beat that trio by
scores of 57-9, 44-18, and 33-20, while Mishawaka
posted victories of 51-9, 50-12, and 44-15.

Advantage, Mishawaka.

 
There�s something to be said for momentum, and Mishawaka has had it of late while Perry
Meridian ââ?¬â?? relatively
speaking, at least ââ?¬â?? has not.
Look for coach Darrick Snyder�s
Cavemen to carry their collective club triumphantly.
 
Championship
Prediction:
No. 4 Cathedral vs. No. 2 Mishawaka
 
Now this is some seriously
successful seeding! Unlike last year, when top-ranked Mater Dei faced its two
toughest opponents (sliding past No. 2 Perry Meridian, 25-23, in the opener
before disposing of fourth-ranked Mishawaka,
31-25, in the semifinals) before rolling over Bellmont 39-15 in the
finals, the 2007 team finals could see No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the
championship.
 
But it won�t. Instead we get No. 1 upsetter vs. No. 2, and a dandy it
should be. Both teams should be completely pooped after two go-rounds against
tough competition, so it may come down to the intangibles. Like, say, success
in previous team state finals competitions versus just the experience of
getting there.

And never mind the common-opponent theory. This is a rematch of a Dec. 9
battle at the Chris Traicoff Invitational at Calumet
won 32-25 by the Cavemen.

Final advantage, Mishawaka.


Mishawaka, behind its pair of two-time individual state champions
leading the way with a combined two-year record of 136-0, celebrates its
second-ever team state championship with a tight victory … film at 11.
 
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STATE FINALS: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei makes it back-to-back team titles

Posted on 24 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

From ihsaa.org
 
Top-ranked Evansville Mater Dei notched its 12th overall wrestling state championship and second in a row Feb. 24 with a 31-18 defeat of second-ranked Mishawaka at Center Grove High School in Greenwood.
 
It was the 12th
overall state championship for Mater Dei, all of which have come under
the guidance of Mike Goebel. Goebel holds the record for the most
state titles in state history. Last year, Goebel broke the record
he previously shared with Harold F. Mumby of Bloomington High School, who won 10 titles from 1924 to 1945.
 
The Wildcats (25-0) cruised past Avon in the first round, 65-3, and were the beneficiary of falls by juniors Cody Moll, Alex Weinzapfel, and Drew Lappe to defeat fourth-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral in the semifinals, 39-20.
 
With the championship round beginning with the 160-pound class, Mater Dei reserve Stephan Lovelace pinned Kurt Caufmann, last week�s fifth-place finisher at the individual state finals,
to give the Wildcats a quick 6-0 lead. The closest Mishawaka could
get was 15-12 with a 3-1 overtime victory by 119-pound senior Nick Wiesjahn, but Mater Dei answered with a pin by 125-pound sophomore Zeke Zenthoefer to extend the lead to 21-12. 
 
Mater Deiââ?¬â?¢s 145-pound senior, Nick Dewig, sealed the state title with a 13-5 major decision in the next-to-last match of the evening. Dewig, the 145-pound individual state runner-up, finished the season with a record of 48-1.
 
It was the second runner-up finish for Mishawaka (29-1), which also lost to Mater Dei in 2000.
 
The match-by-match results:
 
QUARTERFINALS 
Match 1: No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral 30, No. 11 Elkhart Memorial 19
Match 2: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 65, Avon 3
Match 3: No. 8 Bellmont 28, No. 3 Perry Meridian 28 (Bellmont wins on sixth tiebreaking criteria ââ?¬â?? most 1st points scored in match)
Match 4: No. 2 Mishawaka 36, No. 6 Merrillville 27
*All quarterfinal matches began with the 145-pound weight class.
 
No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral 29, No. 11 Elkhart Memorial 19
103 ââ?¬â?? Sammy Oskins, 9, Cathedral def. Michael Moore, 10, Elkhart Memorial, decision, 6-1.
112 ââ?¬â?? Ryan Stahl, 9, Elkhart Memorial def. Michael Lovitt, 9, Cathedral, decision, 5-2 OT.
119 ââ?¬â?? Brandon Harvey, 11, Elkhart Memorial def. John Grey, 10, Cathedral, decision, 2-1.
125 ââ?¬â?? Calvin Sullivan, 10, Cathedral def. Zack Corpe, 9, Elkhart Memorial, decision, 6-2.
130 ââ?¬â?? Paul Corsaro, 12, Cathedral def. Doug Fashbaugh, 12, Elkhart Memorial, major decision, 8-0.
135 ââ?¬â?? Tony McGinley, 10, Cathedral def. Jake Leitch, 11, Elkhart Memorial, decision, 8-1.
140 ââ?¬â?? Gavin McGinley, 10, Cathedral def. Cam Hall, 12, Elkhart Memorial, technical fall, 15-0.
145 ââ?¬â?? Dakota Bowen, 12, Elkhart Memorial def. David Grothouse, 12, Cathedral, decision, 7-3.
152 ââ?¬â?? Steve Stahl, 11, Elkhart Memorial def. Conner Hofmeister, 11, Cathedral, decision, 10-4.
160 ââ?¬â?? John Schmaltz, 12, Cathedral def. Neil Silveus, 11, Elkhart Memorial, major decision, 14-5.
171 ââ?¬â?? Frank Troiano, 12, Cathedral def. Carson Sappington, 9, Elkhart Memorial, major decision, 14-5.
189 ââ?¬â?? Matt Nelson, 12, Elkhart Memorial def. Holden Crossland, 12, Cathedral, decision, 15-5.
215 ââ?¬â?? J.J. Miller, 12, Elkhart Memorial def. Robert Maci, 11, Cathedral, decision, 6-2.
285 ââ?¬â?? Andrew Hemmerlein, 12, Cathedral def. Ross Sharp, 12, Elkhart Memorial, decision, 10-4.
 
No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 65, Avon 3
103 ââ?¬â?? Cody Moll, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Blaine Hall, 9, Avon, fall, 3:39.
112 ââ?¬â?? Sean Herron, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Nick Acosta, 9, Avon, tech fall, 17-2.
119 ââ?¬â?? Alex Weinzapfel, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Travis Keers, 10, Avon, fall, 3:33.
125 ââ?¬â?? Zeke Zenthoefer, 10, Evansville Mater Dei def. Matt Rassbach, 9, Avon, fall, 3:41.
130 ââ?¬â?? Jerry Parkinson, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Matt Haines, 11, Avon, major decision, 11-2.
135 ââ?¬â?? Drew Lappe, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Corbin Richards, 10, Avon, decision, 9-2.
140 ââ?¬â?? Andy Seibert, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Troy Taylor, 11, Avon, fall, 2:14.
145 ââ?¬â?? Nick Dewig, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Isaiah Alfs, 10, Avon, fall, 1:03.
152 ââ?¬â?? Chris DeWitt, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Adam Jackson, 10, Avon, fall, 0:54.
160 ââ?¬â?? Frank Fabiano, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Andrew Leach, 10, Avon, major decision, 14-3.
171 ââ?¬â?? Ben Fleming, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Sheridan Denson, 10, Avon, fall, 3:26.
189 ââ?¬â?? Jake Schneider, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Sean Scott, 11, Avon, decision, 9-3.
215 ââ?¬â?? Zach Goebel, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Matt McDaniel, 12, Avon, major decision, 11-3.
285 ââ?¬â?? Chuck Peregrine, 12, Avon def. Brad Neimeier, 11, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 3-2 OT.
 
No. 8 Bellmont 28, No. 3 Perry Meridian 28
103 ââ?¬â?? Jacob Tonte, 9, Perry Meridian def. Devin Amacker, 9, Bellmont, fall, 0:57.
112 ââ?¬â?? Jimmy Schoettle, 11, Perry Meridian def. Carlin Horman, 9, Bellmont, fall, 5:32.
119 ââ?¬â?? Brian Vest, 11, Perry Meridian def. Derek Nelson, 11, Bellmont, decision, 4-0.
125 ââ?¬â?? Will Sheets, 10, Bellmont def. Glen Fields, 11, Perry Meridian, fall, 4:56.
130 ââ?¬â?? Jeff Heller, 12, Bellmont def. Jacob Tasseff, 10, Perry Meridian, fall, 0:31.
135 ââ?¬â?? Doug Linthicum, 11, Bellmont def. Nathan Clem, 11, Perry Meridian, decision, 7-3.
140 ââ?¬â?? Alex Hackman, 12, Bellmont def. John Leonard, 11, Perry Meridian, decision, 10-9.
145 ââ?¬â?? Tyler Baker, 10, Bellmont def. Shawn Brown, 12, Perry Meridian, decision, 6-3.
152 ââ?¬â?? Chris Stepp, 11, Perry Meridian def. Trent Busse, 10, Bellmont, decision, 11-2.
160 ââ?¬â?? Kyle Adams, 12, Perry Meridian def. Ryan Baker, 11, Bellmont, decision, 8-4.
171 ââ?¬â?? Craig Masengale, 12, Perry Meridian def. Ben Bultemeier, 11, Bellmont, decision, 4-0.
189 ââ?¬â?? Billy Baker, 10, Bellmont def. Mike Hughey, 11, Perry Meridian, major decision, 12-4.
215 ââ?¬â?? Scott Gaskill, 11, Bellmont def. Dustin Vires, 10, Perry Meridian, decision, 5-3.
285 ââ?¬â?? Chico Adams, 11, Perry Meridian def. Clint Wurm, 11, Bellmont, decision, 6-2.
 
No. 2 Mishawaka 36, No. 6 Merrillville 27
103 ââ?¬â?? Wilson Williams, 12, Merrillville def. Paul Beck, 9, Mishawaka, fall, 1:59.
112 ââ?¬â?? Josh Harper, 10, Mishawaka def. Carlo Martinez, 11, Merrillville, decision, 9-3.
119 ââ?¬â?? Anthony Nupules, 9, Merrillville def. Adam Guerra, 11, Mishawaka, fall, 2:46.
125 ââ?¬â?? Nick Wiesjahn, 12, Mishawaka def. Andrew Kepchar, 11, Merrillville, fall, 2:30.
130 ââ?¬â?? Kyle Yarnell, 12, Merrillville def. Neil Kostry, 11, Mishawaka, fall, 5:06.
135 ââ?¬â?? Steven Sandefer, 10, Mishawaka def. Alex Ponce, 12, Merrillville, decision, 4-2.
140 ââ?¬â?? Joey Smith, 10, Mishawaka def. Mike Gates, 12, Merrillville, decision, 15-0.
145 ââ?¬â?? Jamal Lawrence, 12, Merrillville def. Tim Forte, 10, Mishawaka, fall, 3:11.
152 ââ?¬â?? Kyle Morris, 12, Merrillville def. Caleb Norville, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 2-0.
160 ââ?¬â?? Kurt Caufmann, 12, Mishawaka def. Bradley Kurczynski, 12, Merrillville, decision, 10-5.
171 ââ?¬â?? Brandon Straub, 11, Mishawaka def. Joe Wing, 12, Merrillville, decision, 4-1.
189 ââ?¬â?? Ian Hinton, 12, Mishawaka def. George Neely, 11, Merrillville, major decision, 17-4.
215 ââ?¬â?? Jake Salas, 11, Merrillville def. Dave Balentine, 11, Mishawaka, major decision, 8-0.
285 ââ?¬â?? Randy Morin, 11, Mishawaka def. James Travis, 9, Merrillville, fall, 1:30.
 
SEMIFINALS
Match 5: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 39, No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral 20
Match 6: No. 2 Mishawaka 43, No. 8 Bellmont 15
*All semifinal matches began with the 152-pound weight class.
 
No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 39, No. 4 Indianapolis Cathedral 20
103 ââ?¬â?? Cody Moll, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Sammy Oskins, 9, Cathedral, fall, 3:39.
112 ââ?¬â?? Sean Herron, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Michael Lovitt, 9, Cathedral, decision, 5-1.
119 ââ?¬â?? Alex Weinzapfel, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. John Grey, 10, Cathedral, fall, 1:08.
125 ââ?¬â?? Calvin Sullivan, 10, Cathedral def. Zeke Zenthoefer, 10, Evansville Mater Dei, major decision, 16-5.
130 ââ?¬â?? Jerry Parkinson, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Paul Corsaro, 12, Cathedral, decision, 4-2.
135 ââ?¬â?? Drew Lappe, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Tony McGinley, 10, Cathedral, fall, 2:34.
140 ââ?¬â?? Gavin McGinley, 10, Cathedral def. Nolan King, 10, Evansville Mater Dei, fall, 3:59.
145 ââ?¬â?? Nick Dewig, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Joe Gillum, 12, Cathedral, technical fall, 19-3.
152 ââ?¬â?? Chris DeWitt, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Connor Hofmeister, 11, Cathedral, decision, 4-2.
160 ââ?¬â?? John Schmaltz, 12, Cathedral def. Frank Fabiano, 12, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 3-1.
171 ââ?¬â?? Frank Troiano, 12, Cathedral def. Ben Fleming, 12, Evansville Mater Dei, major decision, 13-3.
189 ââ?¬â?? Jake Schneider, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Holden Crossland, 12, Cathedral, major decision, 9-1.
215 ââ?¬â?? Zach Goebel, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Robert Maci, 11, Cathedral, decision, 5-1.
285 ââ?¬â?? Andrew Hemmerlein, 12, Cathedral def. Brad Neimeier, 11, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 4-3 OT.
 
No. 2 Mishawaka 43, No. 8 Bellmont 15
103 ââ?¬â?? Paul Beck, 9, Mishawaka def. Devin Amacker, 9, Bellmont, fall, 1:33.
112 ââ?¬â?? Adam Guerra, 11, Mishawaka def. Carlin Hormann, 9, Bellmont, major decision, 13-1.
119 ââ?¬â?? Derek Nelson, 11, Bellmont def. Josh Harper, 10, Mishawaka, decision, 4-0.
125 ââ?¬â?? Nick Wiesjahn, 12, Mishawaka def. Will Sheets, 10, Bellmont, decision, 3-1.
130 ââ?¬â?? Jeff Heller, 12, Bellmont def. Anthony Lewis, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 5-1.
135 ââ?¬â?? Steven Sandefer, 10, Mishawaka def. Doug Linthicum, 11, Bellmont, fall, 3:42.
140 ââ?¬â?? Joey Smith, 10, Mishawaka def. Alex Hackman, 12, Bellmont, decision, 7-2.
145 ââ?¬â?? Tyler Baker, 10, Bellmont def. Brandon Mersich, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 9-5.
152 ââ?¬â?? Caleb Norville, 11, Mishawaka def. Trent Busse, 10, Bellmont, decision, 9-2.
160 ââ?¬â?? Kurt Caufmann, 12, Mishawaka def. Ryan Baker, 11, Bellmont, fall, 1:43.
171 ââ?¬â?? Ben Bultemeier, 11, Bellmont def. Brandon Straub, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 5-2.
189 ââ?¬â?? Ian Hinton, 12, Mishawaka def. Zach Cook, 12, Bellmont, fall, 0:27.
215 ââ?¬â?? Billy Baker, 10, Bellmont def. Dave Balentine, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 3-0.
285 ââ?¬â?? Randy Morin, 11, Mishawaka def. Clint Wurm, 11, Bellmont, fall, 3:09.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP
Match 7: No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 31, No. 2 Mishawaka 18
*All championship matches began with the 160-pound weight class.
 
No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei 31, No. 2 Mishawaka 18
103 ââ?¬â?? Cody Moll, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Paul Beck, 9, Mishawaka, decision, 8-7 OT.
112 ââ?¬â?? Josh Harper, 10, Mishawaka def. Sean Herron, 12, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 4-0.
119 ââ?¬â?? Nick Wiesjahn, 12, Mishawaka def. Alex Weinzapfel, 11, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 3-1 OT.  
125 ââ?¬â?? Zeke Zenthoefer, 10, Evansville Mater Dei def. Anthony Lewis, 11, Mishawaka, fall, 3:24.
130 ââ?¬â?? Jerry Parkinson, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Anthony Lewis, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 3-0.
135 ââ?¬â?? Steven Sandefer, 10, Mishawaka def. Drew Lappe, 11, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 5-3.  
140 ââ?¬â?? Joey Smith, 10, Mishawaka def. Andy Seibert, 12, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 7-5.
145 ââ?¬â?? Nick Dewig, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Brandon Mersich, 11, Mishawaka, major decision, 13-5.  
152 ââ?¬â?? Chris DeWitt, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Caleb Norville, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 9-5. 
160 ââ?¬â?? Stephan Lovelace, 11, Evansville Mater Dei def. Kurt Cauffman, 12, Mishawaka, fall, 3:50.
171 ââ?¬â?? Ben Fleming, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Brandon Straub, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 3-1.
189 ââ?¬â?? Ian Hinton, 12, Mishawaka def. Jake Schneider, 11, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 11-4.
215 ââ?¬â?? Zach Goebel, 12, Evansville Mater Dei def. Dave Balentine, 11, Mishawaka, decision, 7-4.
285 ââ?¬â?? Randy Morin, 11, Mishawaka def. Brad Neimeier, 11, Evansville Mater Dei, decision, 6-1.
 
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Wrestling team state finals LIVE Saturday on HoosierAuthority.com!

Posted on 21 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

The 12th
Annual IHSAA Team Wrestling State Finals are set for Feb. 24 at Center Grove High School and, just
like with last weekend�s individual championships, your Indiana high school
sports authority will be broadcasting the event LIVE!

Dave Grenoble
& Wendell Crook will call all the action beginning at 9:45 a.m. ET
Saturday
with the quarterfinals. To listen, simply click on the IHSAA
Webcasts/Prep
Sports Weekly link on our Home page, then locate and click on the link
to the 12th Annual IHSAA Team State Wrestling Championships under
Current Schedule. The flashing microphone will let you know when the
broadcast
has begun.

If you�re
going to the finals in person, check out Hoosier Authority�s newest business
partner ââ?¬â?? Morris Inc. Apparel. The folks from Morris will be set up at Center
Grove near the main entrance Saturday to supply all your championship IHSAA
apparel, from hoodies (every team finals participant�s name appears on the back)
and sweat pants to T-shirts, hats, and shorts!

Join
us for our coverage ââ?¬â?? both the action and the championship wear ââ?¬â?? of the
wrestling team state finals � only on HoosierAuthority.com!!!

So what do you think?
Share your thoughts in our Wrestling forum.

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STATE FINALS: IHSAA preview

Posted on 21 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

From ihsaa.org
 
Six holdovers from last year and seven wrestlers who advanced to the individual
state championship match last weekend headline the field in the 12th
Annual IHSAA Team Wrestling State Finals Feb. 24 at Center Grove High School.
 
Defending champion Evansville Mater Dei has been a participant every
year of this tournament, and the top-ranked Wildcats will attempt to win the
team title for the 11th time in 13 years. Mater Dei had six placewinners at
Conseco Fieldhouse, but only Nick Dewig made it to
the final match, finishing as the runner-up at 145 pounds.
 
Also back to this year�s event are second-ranked Mishawaka, No. 3 Perry Meridian, fourth-ranked
Indianapolis Cathedral, No. 6 Merrillville, and No. 8 Bellmont.
 
Josh Harper (112) and Ian Hinton (189) captured their second consecutive
state titles last weekend representing Mishawaka.
Both are undefeated entering this weekend�s action.
 
Cathedral advanced five wrestlers to last Saturday�s second day, with
two ââ?¬â?? Brandon
Wright at 103 and Frank Troiano at 171 ââ?¬â?? taking runner-up honors.
 
Perry Meridian is led by heavyweight champion Chico Adams, who also is
undefeated this season. He is one of four Falcon wrestlers who advanced to the
second day of action last weekend.
 
Bellmont had two
placewinners, and the Braves are appearing in the state finals for the 10th
consecutive year after last year�s runner-up finish. Merrillville, making its second straight
appearance at this meet, boasts four placewinners, including undefeated 145
state champion Jamal Lawrence.
 
Avon returns
to the field of eight for the second time in three seasons, having placed as
the state runner-up in 2005. Elkhart Memorial is making its first trip to the
state finals.
 
STATE FINALS
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
Site: Center Grove High School, 2717 S. Morgantown Rd., Greenwood
Time: Quarterfinals begin at 10 a.m.
ET, with semifinal round and championship round to follow.
Admission: $8
Advancement: This is a single-elimination
tournament in which the winning team shall advance to the next round.
 
Quarterfinals
Match 1: No. 4 Indianapolis
Cathedral vs. No. 11 Elkhart
Memorial
Match 2: Avon vs. No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei
Match 3: No. 8 Bellmont vs. No. 3 Perry Meridian
Match 4: No. 2 Mishawaka vs. No.
6 Merrillville
 
Semifinals
Match 5: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2.
Match 6: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4.
 
Championship
Match 7: Winner of Match 5 vs. Winner of Match 6.
 
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Individual state finals webcasts archived on HA.com!

Posted on 19 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

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STATE FINALS, IHSAA REPORT: Hanover Central's Howe steals the show as junior wins 152-pound title with four technical falls

Posted on 18 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

 From ihsaa.org
 

pic
Hanover Central’s Andrew Howe looks toward the crowd after capturing the 152 crown. 
Photo by Natalie Evans

Wrestlers from 13 different schools were crowned state champions Feb. 17 at the 69th Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

 
Andrew Howe of
Hanover Central turned in the performance of the weekend. At 152
pounds, his four technical falls in the state finals were unprecedented
ââ?¬â?? no
competitor has ever achieved three technical falls, let alone four.
Howe (a perfect 48-0 this season) scored at least 20 points in every
match, and in his four state finals matches he collected a staggering
91 points, with 26 coming in a dominant performance in the title match.
 
Mishawaka
claimed two of the 14 title winners, the only school to have more than
one state champion. Cavemen wrestlers Josh Harper won at 112 in a 7-4
decision, and Ian Hinton won at 189 by a score of 10-5. Both Harper and
Hinton repeated as state champions.
 
Harper, a
sophomore, is undefeated in two years of competition, compiling 87 wins
without a loss. Hinton finishes the season undefeated with a record of
48-0. Hinton and Harper will continue their season in the Team State
Finals at Center Grove Feb. 24.
 
Matt Powless
of Evansville Memorial claimed the 171 title with a 6-3 decision. He
finishes the season with a 51-0 record. Powless is one of nine title
winners to finish the season with an unblemished record. Powless is the
first-ever participant from Evansville Memorial to represent the school
in the state finals.
 
Evansville Mater Dei brought a state-best 11 wrestlers to the finals, but only one made it to the final round. Mishawaka was next with seven wrestlers in the state finals.
 
When Eric McGill of Munster and Brennan Cosgrove of Hobart
squared off in the 140 finals, this was nothing new. The two faced each
other six times this season, each winning three. In fact, their only
losses this season were to each other. Their seventh and decisive
meeting was for the state title, with McGill taking the crown in a
close 6-5 decision.
 
Hobart junior Eric Galka, the 103 state champion in 2005, won the state title in the 130 pound weight class, beating Andy St. Germain of nearby Chesterton 9-7.
 
In the first
match of the championship round, in front of 9,170 fans, Anderson
Highland sophomore Camden Eppert came out in a Scottish plaid singlet.
The Scot won the 103 title, finishing the season 36-1.
 
Your state championship match results:
 
103 ââ?¬â?? Camden Eppert (36-1), Anderson Highland (10) def. Brandon Wright (46-6), Indianapolis Cathedral (9), dec. 6-3.
112 ââ?¬â?? Josh Harper (39-0), Mishawaka (10) def. Christopher Quiroga (47-2), Lawrence North (10), dec. 7-4.
119 ââ?¬â?? Matthew Fields (40-1), Whiteland (12) def. Taylor March (42-0), East Noble (10), dec. 3-0.
125 ââ?¬â?? Reece Freeman (44-0), Bloomington South (12) def. Thomas Churchard (46-2), Valparaiso (11), dec. 8-4.
130 ââ?¬â?? Eric Galka (48-0), Hobart (11) def. Andy St. Germain (44-4), Chesterton (12), dec. 9-7.
135 ââ?¬â?? Caleb Schmitt (47-1), Castle (12) def. David Zimmer (45-1), Angola (12), 3-2 Ultimate Tiebreaker.
140 ââ?¬â?? Eric McGill (43-3), Munster (12) def. Brennan Cosgrove (45-4), Hobart (11), dec. 6-5.
145 ââ?¬â?? Jamal Lawrence (45-0), Merrillville (12) def. Nick Dewig (45-1), Evansville Mater Dei (12), dec. 3-2.
152 ââ?¬â?? Andrew Howe (48-0), Hanover Central (11) def. Chris Dean (45-2), Northview (12), Technical Fall, 26-9, 6:00.
160 ââ?¬â?? Cooper Samuels (35-1), Floyd Central (11) def. Phillip Oudhuis (41-2), New Prairie (12), Fall, 1:22.
171 ââ?¬â?? Matt Powless (51-0), Evansville Memorial (12) def. Frank Troiano (50-2), Indianapolis Cathedral (12), dec. 6-3.
189 ââ?¬â?? Ian Hinton (48-0), Mishawaka (12) def. Chad Friend (40-1), Leo (12) dec. 10-5.
215 ââ?¬â?? George Malone (46-0), South Bend Riley (11) def. Luke Watkins (16-1), North Central (Indianapolis) (12), dec 3-1.
285 ââ?¬â?? Chico Adams (53-0), Perry Meridian (11) def. Derek Traversa (37-2), Glenn (12), Fall 2:50.
 
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State Finals Photo Diary: Individual championships

Posted on 18 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

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STATE FINALS: Class-by-class results

Posted on 18 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
 

pic
Eric Galka (top) of Hobart
defeats Chesterton’s Andy
St. Germain in the 
130-pound final.
Photo by Natalie Evans

INDIANAPOLIS ââ?¬â?? The 69th
Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals are in the books, with
all four returning state champions successfully defending their titles
Feb. 17 at Conseco Fieldhouse and another former titleist getting back
to the top of the winners� podium.

 
Using my
based-on-the-rankings preview below, I will update over the course of
the weekend the significant tournament happenings that entertained a
crowd of 25,648 in three sessions over two days. (Click here for all the completed brackets.)
 
There were no
true opening-round shockers Friday night, though the 119-pound class
carried over its antics from last year with four upsets in eight
matches, while three upsets occurred at both 125 and 130.
 
(A breakdown of Saturday�s quarterfinals, semis, and finals are forthcoming � I swear!)
 
The results:
 
103 lbs.

pic
Anderson Highland’s top-
ranked sophomore Camden
Eppert raises his arms
after
his 103-pound championship
victory over Brandon
Wright of Indianapolis
Cathedral.
Photo by Natalie Evans

A year ago, Mishawaka�s Josh Harper completed a perfect freshman season by defeating Edgewood junior Chris Lindauer,
6-3, for the 103 state title. With Harper moving up to 112, that leaves
the door open for No. 1-ranked sophomore Camden Eppert (32-1 and fourth
a year ago at 103) to fulfill his destiny. Only trouble there is Eppert
was upset for the New Castle Semistate crown by No. 17 freshman Brandon Wright of Indianapolis Cathedral, meaning Eppert theoretically got a worse draw at Conseco.

 
Not
so. Eppert has only three other ranked opponents in the top half of the
16-team bracket, and none of them are higher than sixth (Merrillville�s
35-3 senior Wilson Williams, whom Eppert could get in the
quarterfinals). Wright�s bracket, meanwhile, has five other ranked
foes, including No. 3 Evansville Reitz sophomore Alex Johns (47-2) in a
potential semifinal. That�s if Wright (41-5) can get past either No. 7
Crown Point freshman Anthony Hopkins (36-3) or ninth-ranked Columbus
North sophomore Francisco Colon (47-6) in the lower bracket quarters.
 
Session I: Everything goes according to plan except for the slightest upset, a 5-3 win by Colon over Hawkins. The top-ranked Eppert has no trouble in his opener with a 22-7 technical fall victory.
 
112 lbs.
Last yearââ?¬â?¢s champion, Danny Coyne of Beech Grove, was a senior, but his 112 finals victim by a score of 3-1 ââ?¬â?? East Nobleââ?¬â?¢s Taylor
March ââ?¬â?? was just a freshman. March has moved up to 119, making
Evansville Mater Dei�s No. 1 senior Sean Herron (43-2 and fourth last
year at 112) the favorite, right?
 
Wrong.
That�s because the lower bracket is a meat grinder and defending 103
champ Josh Harper (35-0 and ranked No. 2 at 119) waits as a possible
quarterfinals opponent ââ?¬â?? and heââ?¬â?¢s yet to lose in two years. The winner
of that showdown could get second-ranked Homestead junior Justin Wight (30-0) in the semis.
 
The top half survivor figures to be either third-ranked Warsaw sophomore Justin Brooks (40-2) or No. 4 Cashe� Quiroga of Lawrence North (44-1). Harper just beat Brooks, 9-5, for the Merrillville Semistate title.

Session I:
OK, I was lying about the no-shocker thing. Wight loses his first match
of the year to No. 21 Chesterton junior Ben Williams (41-7) ââ?¬â?? get this,
the fourth-place finisher last week at Merrillville ââ?¬â?? and itââ?¬â?¢s not even
close (8-2). All else follows from, meaning Saturday morning fans can
start drooling over the showdown between No. 1 Herron and No. 2 Harper,
who took drastically different routes in advancing. Herron was forced
to work in a 3-1 decision over fifth-ranked Franklin Central junior
D.J. Rackley, while Harper stuck No. 10 Yorktown freshman Derek Bevans
in just 38 seconds.
 
119 lbs.

pic
Matthew Fields of
Whiteland hugs his
coach after winning
the 119-pound
championship.
Photo by Natalie Evans
 

Taylor
March, the defending 112 runner-up from East Noble, has to be
considered one of the state finals� heaviest favorites at 119. Ranked
No. 1 and 39-0, the sophomore would face at most only one upper bracket
opponent with less than five losses by the time he reached the
championship round. His biggest pre-finals hiccups figure to be either
third-ranked Perry Meridian junior Brian Vest (48-1) in the quarters or
No. 3 (at 125) Mishawaka senior Nick Wiesjahn (37-5 and third at 112
last year) in the semis.

 
On the bottom, Columbia City
seventh-ranked senior Eli Michel (29-3 and eighth here a year ago)
figures to battle either No. 6 Bellmont senior Derek Nelson (37-7) or
ninth-ranked Whiteland senior Matthew Fields (37-1 and eighth a year
ago at 112) for a shot at March. March beat Nelson, 8-0, then pinned
Michel at 5:31 for the Woodlan Semistate title.
 
Session I:
Remember last year, when three returning state champions had been
ousted before the finals? Well, it wasn�t that bad, but still there
were four upsets out of the eight matches. Vest was felled 7-4 by No.
10 Evansville Mater Dei junior Alex Weinzapfel, Nelson lost a 3-2
squeaker to unranked sophomore Trace Hall of South Bend Riley, No. 11
Evansville Memorial junior Conner Zuber got pinned by unranked junior
Jeremiah Edwards of Lawrence North, and 12th-ranked
Westfield senior Steven Lange dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 25
Southwestern (Hanover) junior Michael Bartlett. March must be hatin�
it, no?
 
125 lbs.
With
Munster senior Eric McGill ââ?¬â?? the defending state champ here and a
HoosierAuthority.com contributing blogger ââ?¬â?? having grazed on up to 140,
that leaves the door open for this year�s only undefeated 125-pounder
in the field, Bloomington South�s No. 1-ranked Reece Freeman (40-0).
Freeman finished fifth at 119 last year and figures to roll through the
lower bracket this weekend, with his stiffest test probably coming in a
semifinal bout with East Central No. 4 senior Joseph Hollstegge (38-1).
 
Up top, Valparaiso
second-ranked junior Thomas Churchard (43-1) figures to have it almost
as easy, though a quarterfinal joust with the 2005 112-pound state
champion, Beech Grove fifth-ranked senior Ethan Harris (35-4), could
surprise.
 
Session I:
125 did not escape the weirdness, either, as two of the three upsets
came from unranked competitors. Most eye popping was No. 10 Adams
Central senior Tyson Bercot�s 8-7 heartbreaker to Portage junior Chad Allen, but Prairie Heights
senior Travis Smoker also drew notice with his 4-3 upset of No. 19
Hobart sophomore Johnny Dillon. The other surprise was No. 18 Griffith
senior Steve Siokos� 10-4 victory over No. 12 Western senior David
Shepherd. Saturday morning�s quarter between easy winners Churchard and
Harris should be a war, with the survivor figuring to meet Freeman (a
9-4 winner over Carmel sophomore Will Mascaro) in the finals.
 
130 lbs.
Bloomington Northââ?¬â?¢s Dustin Bruce ââ?¬â?? the 130 runner-up a year ago to Mooresvilleââ?¬â?¢s Alexander Warren ââ?¬â?? has moved up to 135, as have last yearââ?¬â?¢s fifth- (Angolaââ?¬â?¢s
David Zimmer) and eighth-place (Warren Central�s Josh Norris)
finishers. That sets the stage for a battle of East Central senior No.
1 Jacob Fleckenstein (fifth last year at 125) vs. Hobart junior No. 2 Eric Galka (the 103 state champion in 2005).
 
However,
that matchup of 46-and-ohs would occur in the upper bracket semifinals,
making for one whale of an anti-climax. The lower half, on the other
hand, appears to be wide open. Six of the eight wrestlers are ranked,
led by No. 3 Warren Central senior Chris Conte (40-6), No. 6 Tipton
sophomore Levi Rutledge (44-2), and undefeated No. 21 Brandon Brown of
Carroll (Fort Wayne).
 
Session I:
A pair of Top 10 wrestlers went down at 130, with Rutledge losing 10-5
to No. 15 Chesterton senior Andy St. Germain and No. 7 West Noble
junior Kyle Marsh falling ââ?¬â?? literally, in 64 seconds ââ?¬â?? to Southwestern
(Hanover) No. 22 junior Michael Harmon. Center Grove senior No. 19
Blake Harvey also was shocked by an 18-3 technical fall at the hands of
Brown. So it appears easy advancers Galka and Fleckenstein will meet in
the semis, with Conte now an overwhelming favorite to come out of the
bottom.
 
135 lbs.
Last year�s runner-up, Hobart�s Brennan Cosgrove, has moved up to 140. But the defending eighth-place 135-pounder is Warsaw junior Matt Elvidge (40-2), and he�s ranked No. 1 here. However, Elvidge was upset at last week�s Merrillville Semistate
in the semifinals and finished third to unranked Glenn senior Asa Ennis
(31-1). That monkey wrench means that 135 may be one of the most open
classes this weekend.
 
Opposite
Elvidge in the upper bracket is Castle senior No. 4 Caleb Schmitt, a
potential semifinal opponent should he get past Zionsville senior No. 9
Graham Youngs (43-1) in a possible quarterfinal. Angola�s 42-0 senior
David Zimmer ââ?¬â?? ranked fourth at 130 ââ?¬â?? faces a potential lower bracket
quarterfinal bout with Floyd Central senior No. 3 Jake Missi (41-2),
with the survivor likely challenging Bloomington North senior No. 7
Dustin Bruce (14-3), the defending state runner-up at 130, in the semis.
 
Toldja this was wide open.
 
Session I:
The action at 135 saw the night�s only slaying of a No. 1 as Elvidge
dropped a 10-4 decision to unranked Fort Wayne Snider senior Jordan
Quinn. (That semistate upset obviously did not bring good karma for
Elvidge.) And No. 20 Mishawaka sophomore Steven Sandefer sprang a mild
upset with his 5-4 decision over No. 14 Maconaquah senior Seth
Verbosky. That makes for a hellacious bottom foursome of Zimmer vs.
Missi and Bruce vs. Ennis, the unsung standout to this point of the
postseason. With no No. 1 or No. 2 left at 135, it would make perfect
sense for the unranked Ennis to roll all the way to a title.
 
140 lbs.
Defending state champ Andrew Howe of Hanover Central moves up to 152, making Fairfield
senior No. 3 Rhys Canaday (43-0) ââ?¬â?? seventh here last year ââ?¬â?? the top
returner. Canaday should cruise into the upper bracket semifinals,
where either Hobart
junior No. 2 Brennan Cosgrove (42-3 and the defending 135 state
runner-up) or fifth-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral sophomore Gavin
McGinley (39-1) figure to await.
 
But lurking on the bottom half of the 140 draw is top-ranked Munster
senior Eric McGill (39-3), the defending 125 state champ. McGill
appears to have one of the easiest first three rounds of any highly
ranked competitor this weekend ââ?¬â?? he faces No. 7 nine-loss New Albany
senior Martin Woodrome in the first round and possibly No. 8 Jennings
County senior Bobby Willis (49-2) in the semis.
 
Session I:
140 brought a return to normalcy as nobody in the next three weight
classes got upset. The top three experienced varied results in moving
on as McGill earned a 9-1 major decision, Cosgrove beat No. 11
Evansville Mater Dei senior Andy Siebert 5-2, and Canaday pinned
unranked Anderson Highland freshman Sammy Bennett in 1:21. Could
HoosierAuthority.com blogger McGillââ?¬â?¢s dream of a No. 1 vs. No. 2 ââ?¬Å?Game
7� with Cosgrove become reality Saturday night?
 
145 lbs.
Last
year�s runner-up, Cooper Samuels of Floyd Central, has moved up to 160,
making last year�s fourth-place finisher, Merrillville senior No. 1
Jamal Lawrence (the only Hoosier ranked nationally ââ?¬â?? 11th at 152 by Wrestling 411), the favorite. But Lawrence has plenty of competition, not the least of which is a probable lower bracket quarterfinals date with Plainfield senior No. 2 Collin Carlucci.
 
But
Carlucci (34-1) ââ?¬â?? one of four wrestlers at this weight with only one
loss ââ?¬â?? is still smarting from a 13-5 whupping he took for the 145 Evansville Reitz Semistate
title from Evansville Mater Dei senior No. 4 Nick Dewig (44-0). Dewig
should make it to the upper bracket finale, where he could face either
one-loss Culver Academies senior No. 3 Garrett James (46-1 and a
disappointing third at the Merrillville Semistate) or one-loss
Greensburg senior No. 5 Michael Pittman (38-1).
 
In other words, 145 is loaded.
 
Session I:
No surprises here as the loaded class went as planned, with six of the
eight survivors boasting records of one loss or less. This is one of
only two weights (the other being 112) where the top four ranked
wrestlers all remain, and things will get crazy early as No. 1 Lawrence
and No. 2 Carlucci duke it out in the quarterfinals. A James-Dewig
semifinal would be equally juicy. No matter what goes down, whoever
wins this thang will have earned it big time.
 
152 lbs.
Last
year�s fourth-place finisher, Ben Davis senior No. 2 Cahmelan Porter,
returns again and should have little trouble reaching the upper bracket
semifinal � where he should run into virtually unbeatable Andrew Howe
of Hanover Central. Howe (44-0) is ranked No. 1 and has lost only once
in his three-year high school career ââ?¬â?? in the 130 championship two
years ago to three-time state champion Reece Humphrey of Lawrence
North. That�s 142-1 if you are counting.
 
The bottom half features perhaps the weakest bracket of the tournament. A pair of one-loss seniors ââ?¬â?? No. 6 Eric Henning of Carmel
(44-1) and eighth-ranked Chris Dean (42-1) of Northview ââ?¬â?? should meet
in the quarterfinals, with the survivor facing no higher than a 12th-ranked opponent for the right to try to become Howe�s second victim in 147 matches.
 
Session I:
Again, no damage done here to the tops as only two matches were
relatively close. A pair of hot quarterfinals awaits as Howe faces No.
3 Evansville Mater Dei senior Chris Dewitt while Henning and Dean
square off, with that survivor likely facing Porter in the semis.
 
160 lbs.

pic
Floyd Central’s Cooper
Samuels (35-1) celebrates
his 160-pound state title
with his coach.
Photo by Natalie Evans
 

Last year�s fourth-place finisher, Joe Wing of Merrillville,
has moved up to 171, but returning sixth-place 160-pounder Indianapolis
Cathedral senior John Schmaltz returns with a perfect record and the
No. 1 ranking. The 37-0 Schmaltz should cruise into the upper bracket
semifinal, where Floyd Central junior Cooper Samuels (unranked despite
a stellar 45-1 record and a runner-up finish at 145 a year ago) or
Greenfield-Central No. 7 junior Caleb Freeman should await.

 
The lower bracket finds five Top 12 wrestlers, including one undefeated (28-0 Peru
senior No. 8 Derrick Duke) and three ââ?¬â?? Perry Meridian senior No. 2 Kyle
Adams (48-1), New Prairie senior No. 5 Philip Oudhuis (38-1), and
Greencastle senior No. 12 Chris Pingleton (43-1) ââ?¬â?? with one loss. Adams
opens with Pingleton (only third at the Evansville Reitz Semistate), while Duke starts off with fourth-ranked Culver Academies junior Branden James (44-4), a disappointing fourth at the Merrillville Semistate.
 
Should
we see a 1 versus 2 Schmaltz-Adams championship duel, the former has
the upper hand by virtue of his finals victory at the New Castle Semistate.
 
Session I:
Ding-ding-ding! A pair of upsets rocked the crowd back to life at 160,
where Samuels thumped Freeman 10-3 (though it should be noted that
Freeman was basically wrestling from his knees due to a leg injury) and
Pingleton downed Adams 9-5. That sets
the table for Schmaltz ââ?¬â?? a 17-1 tech fall winner over unranked
Scottsburg senior Scott Hughes ââ?¬â?? to waltz into the finals as he needs
only to beat No. 23 Bellmont junior Ryan Baker and then an unranked
semifinal opponent. But then that�s why they put on the headgear, isn�t
it?
 
171 lbs.
Mishawaka�s
Ian Hinton has moved up to 189, leaving a pretty clear-cut road for
last year�s sixth-place finisher, Evansville Memorial senior No. 1 Matt
Powless (47-0), to face Merrillville
senior No. 2 Joe Wing (43-1) in the finals. Wing took fourth at 160
last year and has a relatively easy path to the championship, with No.
17 Frank Troiano of Indianapolis Cathedral (45-1) possibly his biggest
obstacle in the lower bracket semis.
 
Up
top, Powless has a tougher draw, with a potential battle with fellow
undefeated No. 4 Ryan Konrath of Jimtown (40-0) looming in the
semifinals. Also of note for Powless is a probable quarterfinals date
with Crown Point junior No. 8 Andrew Szymborski (35-4), whom Wing beat
for the Merrillville Semistate title and whose mom has written a
journal for HoosierAuthority.com (thanks, Diana!).
 
Session I:
No shockers here as only two of the matches ââ?¬â?? Wingââ?¬â?¢s 5-4 decision over
No. 16 Rushville senior Robert Beeler and Szymborski�s 3-2 win over
unranked Noblesville senior John Tchoula ââ?¬â?? were especially close.
Powless won by fall at 3:00 over No. 19 Garrett senior Beau Schendel
and appears destined for that semifinal hookup with Konrath, an
impressive 12-3 winner over No. 5 Greencastle senior Robert Bittles.
 
189 lbs.
Northridge
senior No. 3 Joe Gibson (33-5) and fourth-ranked Leo senior Chad Friend
(37-0) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, at 189 a year ago and
are in opposite brackets this year. Friend looks to have the better
matchups in the lower half (just three other ranked foes), with
Evansville Mater Dei junior No. 5 Jake Schneider (39-1) appearing to be
his only threat in a possible semifinal battle.
 
Gibson,
meanwhile, finds five other ranked foes in the top half, including a
probable quarterfinals match with top-ranked Ian Hinton of Mishawaka.
Yikes. The 171 state champ last year and 171 runner-up in 2005, Hinton
(44-0) moves up one class and has lost just once in his last 130
matches.
 
If March is one prohibitive favorite at 119, then Hinton is the other at 189.
 
Session I:
Zero upsets at 189, where only three of the matches ââ?¬â?? Schneiderââ?¬â?¢s 3-2
decision over unranked Whitko senior Bryan Boggs, No. 16 Valparaiso
senior Brandon Tritle�s 6-3 win over unranked Indianapolis Chatard
junior Michael Dum, and No. 17 Crown Point sophomore Marcus
Shrewsburyââ?¬â?¢s 1-0 eclipse of unranked Carmel senior Josh Sturek ââ?¬â?? were
close. Making matters worse for future Hinton foes is not only a
lackluster 9-2 victory over unranked and 11-loss Crawfordsville
sophomore Chaz Brock, but also that a typo in the official program says
Ian ââ?¬Å?Hinderââ?¬Â is the defending champion (dââ?¬â?¢oh!).
 
215 lbs.
The
eight placewinners from a year ago were all seniors, meaning somebody
new will take home the 215 title this year. (Carlos Mencia alert:
DEE-dee-DEE!!). North Central (Indianapolis)
senior No. 21 Luke Watkins (13-0) and Penn senior No. 3 Jeremiah
Maggart (38-8) ââ?¬â?? both moved up after placing fifth and eighth,
respectively, at 189 last year.
 
Unluckily
for Maggart ââ?¬â?? who barely qualified after finishing fourth at the
Merrillville Semistate ââ?¬â?? the 215 lower bracket is the only one out of
28 in the entire state finals where every wrestler is ranked. And it
includes top-ranked South Bend Riley junior George Malone (42-0).
 
Watkins
hardly catches a break with five ranked opponents on top where,
strangely, the two wrestlers with the best records (Watkins and 37-1
Norwell junior No. 23 Hunter Harper) have the worst rankings. Thus, it
seems pretty wide open for who gets to tackle Malone in the finals.
 
Session I:
The final upset of the evening came at 215, where Harper beat No. 14
Greensburg senior Bobby Scudder 10-3. Malone, meanwhile, got past a
tough first-round opponent in sixth-ranked Brown County
junior Chandler Coffey 6-2 and figures to easily make the finals as the
three remaining foes in his bracket have a combined 18 losses.
 
Heavyweight
Benton
Central senior Bryan Benner finished fifth here a year ago and comes to
Conseco with a No. 1 ranking and a 46-1 record. That one loss, however,
came in the Merrillville Semistate semis to Mishawaka
junior No. 11 Randy Morin (42-3), who then lost in the finals to Glenn
senior No. 20 Derek Traversa. Benner could get another shot at Morin in
the lower half semifinal, but he will have to first get past
second-ranked Perry Meridian junior Chico Adams (49-0) in the quarters.
 
Despite
that low ranking, Traversa (34-1) has by far the best record of the
upper bracket eight ââ?¬â?? and he doesnââ?¬â?¢t have to wade through Adams,
Benner, or Morin to get to the finals. Assuming he stays hot, Traversa
would probably face Martinsville senior No. 4 Dustin Beliles in the semis. The prize? Wading boots.
 
Session I:
Ixnay on the ockers-shay at heavyweight, where the third No. 1 vs. No.
2 quarterfinal of Saturday morning is set. While Benner certainly had
no breather in a 3-0 win over unranked Evansville Reitz junior Zachary
Campbell, Adams scored a first-period
pin of the wrestler with the most defeats in the state finals: 16-loss
unranked Fort Wayne Luers senior Aaron Myers. We�ll see if all that
extra rest pays off and Chico can be the man.
 
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STATE FINALS: Session I overview

Posted on 17 February 2007 by alexanderscot.

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
 

pic
Eighth-ranked Derrick Duke of
Peru (right) wraps his arm
around No. 4 Branden James
of Culver Academies in this 160-pound match.
James won, 7-0.
Photo by Natalie Evans

INDIANAPOLIS ââ?¬â?? The 69th
Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals completed Session I Feb.
16, meaning half the field is on its way home after getting
eliminated. Then again, that leaves 112 wrestlers still alive (click here for updated brackets) in search of 14 state championships as we head into Saturday�s quarterfinals at Conseco Fieldhouse.

 
Using my
based-on-the-rankings preview below, I�ve updated the significant
first-round happenings that entertained a crowd of 8,431. In a
nutshell, there were no true shockers Friday night, though the
119-pound class carried over its antics from last year with four upsets
in eight matches, while three upsets occurred at both 125 and 130.
 
The results:
 
103 lbs.
A year ago, Mishawaka�s Josh Harper completed a perfect freshman season by defeating Edgewood junior Chris Lindauer,
6-3, for the 103 state title. With Harper moving up to 112, that leaves
the door open for No. 1-ranked sophomore Camden Eppert (32-1 and fourth
a year ago at 103) to fulfill his destiny. Only trouble there is Eppert
was upset for the New Castle Semistate crown by No. 17 freshman Brandon Wright of Indianapolis Cathedral, meaning Eppert theoretically got a worse draw at Conseco.
 
Not
so. Eppert has only three other ranked opponents in the top half of the
16-team bracket, and none of them are higher than sixth (Merrillville�s
35-3 senior Wilson Williams, whom Eppert could get in the
quarterfinals). Wright�s bracket, meanwhile, has five other ranked
foes, including No. 3 Evansville Reitz sophomore Alex Johns (47-2) in a
potential semifinal. That�s if Wright (41-5) can get past either No. 7
Crown Point freshman Anthony Hopkins (36-3) or ninth-ranked Columbus
North sophomore Francisco Colon (47-6) in the lower bracket quarters.

Session I: Everything goes according to plan except for the slightest upset, a 5-3 win by Colon over Hawkins. The top-ranked Eppert has no trouble in his opener with a 22-7 technical fall victory.

112 lbs.
Last yearââ?¬â?¢s champion, Danny Coyne of Beech Grove, was a senior, but his 112 finals victim by a score of 3-1 ââ?¬â?? East Nobleââ?¬â?¢s Taylor
March ââ?¬â?? was just a freshman. March has moved up to 119, making
Evansville Mater Dei�s No. 1 senior Sean Herron (43-2 and fourth last
year at 112) the favorite, right?
 
Wrong.
That�s because the lower bracket is a meat grinder and defending 103
champ Josh Harper (35-0 and ranked No. 2 at 119) waits as a possible
quarterfinals opponent ââ?¬â?? and heââ?¬â?¢s yet to lose in two years. The winner
of that showdown could get second-ranked Homestead junior Justin Wight (30-0) in the semis.
 
The top half survivor figures to be either third-ranked Warsaw sophomore Justin Brooks (40-2) or No. 4 Cashe� Quiroga of Lawrence North (44-1). Harper just beat Brooks, 9-5, for the Merrillville Semistate title.

Session I:
OK, I was lying about the no-shocker thing. Wight loses his first match
of the year to No. 21 Chesterton junior Ben Williams (41-7) ââ?¬â?? get this,
the fourth-place finisher last week at Merrillville ââ?¬â?? and itââ?¬â?¢s not even
close (8-2). All else follows from, meaning Saturday morning fans can
start drooling over the showdown between No. 1 Herron and No. 2 Harper, who took
drastically different routes in advancing. Herron was forced to work in
a 3-1 decision over fifth-ranked Franklin Central junior D.J. Rackley,
while Harper stuck No. 10 Yorktown freshman Derek Bevans in just 38
seconds.

119 lbs.
Taylor
March, the defending 112 runner-up from East Noble, has to be
considered one of the state finals� heaviest favorites at 119. Ranked
No. 1 and 39-0, the sophomore would face at most only one upper bracket
opponent with less than five losses by the time he reached the
championship round. His biggest pre-finals hiccups figure to be either
third-ranked Perry Meridian junior Brian Vest (48-1) in the quarters or
No. 3 (at 125) Mishawaka senior Nick Wiesjahn (37-5 and third at 112
last year) in the semis.
 
On the bottom, Columbia City
seventh-ranked senior Eli Michel (29-3 and eighth here a year ago)
figures to battle either No. 6 Bellmont senior Derek Nelson (37-7) or
ninth-ranked Whiteland senior Matthew Fields (37-1 and eighth a year
ago at 112) for a shot at March. March beat Nelson, 8-0, then pinned
Michel at 5:31 for the Woodlan Semistate title.

Session
I: Remember last year, when three returning
state champions had been ousted before the finals? Well, it wasn�t that bad,
but still there were four upsets out of the eight matches. Vest was felled 7-4
by No. 10 Evansville Mater Dei junior Alex Weinzapfel, Nelson lost a 3-2
squeaker to unranked sophomore Trace Hall of South Bend Riley, No. 11
Evansville Memorial junior Conner Zuber got pinned by unranked junior Jeremiah
Edwards of Lawrence North, and 12th-ranked Westfield senior Steven
Lange dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 25 Southwestern (Hanover) junior Michael
Bartlett. March must be hatin� it, no?

125 lbs.
With
Munster senior Eric McGill ââ?¬â?? the defending state champ here and a
HoosierAuthority.com contributing blogger ââ?¬â?? having grazed on up to 140,
that leaves the door open for this year�s only undefeated 125-pounder
in the field, Bloomington South�s No. 1-ranked Reece Freeman (40-0).
Freeman finished fifth at 119 last year and figures to roll through the
lower bracket this weekend, with his stiffest test probably coming in a
semifinal bout with East Central No. 4 senior Joseph Hollstegge (38-1).
 
Up top, Valparaiso
second-ranked junior Thomas Churchard (43-1) figures to have it almost
as easy, though a quarterfinal joust with the 2005 112-pound state
champion, Beech Grove fifth-ranked senior Ethan Harris (35-4), could
surprise.

Session
I: 125 did not escape the weirdness, either,
as two of the three upsets came from unranked competitors. Most eye popping was
No. 10 Adams Central senior Tyson Bercot�s 8-7 heartbreaker to Portage junior
Chad Allen, but Prairie Heights senior Travis Smoker also drew notice with his
4-3 upset of No. 19 Hobart sophomore Johnny Dillon. The other surprise was No.
18 Griffith senior Steve Siokos� 10-4 victory over No. 12 Western senior David
Shepherd. Saturday morning�s quarter between easy winners Churchard and Harris
should be a war, with the survivor figuring to meet Freeman (a 9-4 winner over Carmel sophomore Will
Mascaro) in the finals.

130 lbs.
Bloomington Northââ?¬â?¢s Dustin Bruce ââ?¬â?? the 130 runner-up a year ago to Mooresvilleââ?¬â?¢s Alexander Warren ââ?¬â?? has moved up to 135, as have last yearââ?¬â?¢s fifth- (Angolaââ?¬â?¢s
David Zimmer) and eighth-place (Warren Central�s Josh Norris)
finishers. That sets the stage for a battle of East Central senior No.
1 Jacob Fleckenstein (fifth last year at 125) vs. Hobart junior No. 2 Eric Galka (the 103 state champion in 2005).
 
However,
that matchup of 46-and-ohs would occur in the upper bracket semifinals,
making for one whale of an anti-climax. The lower half, on the other
hand, appears to be wide open. Six of the eight wrestlers are ranked,
led by No. 3 Warren Central senior Chris Conte (40-6), No. 6 Tipton
sophomore Levi Rutledge (44-2), and undefeated No. 21 Brandon Brown of
Carroll (Fort Wayne).

Session
I: A pair of Top 10 wrestlers went down at
130, with Rutledge losing 10-5 to No. 15 Chesterton
senior Andy St. Germain and No. 7 West Noble junior Kyle Marsh falling ââ?¬â??
literally, in 64 seconds ââ?¬â?? to Southwestern (Hanover) No. 22 junior Michael
Harmon. Center Grove senior No. 19 Blake Harvey also was shocked by an 18-3 technical
fall at the hands of Brown. So it appears easy
advancers Galka and Fleckenstein will meet in the semis, with Conte now an
overwhelming favorite to come out of the bottom.

135 lbs.
Last year�s runner-up, Hobart�s Brennan Cosgrove, has moved up to 140. But the defending eighth-place 135-pounder is Warsaw junior Matt Elvidge (40-2), and he�s ranked No. 1 here. However, Elvidge was upset at last week�s Merrillville Semistate
in the semifinals and finished third to unranked Glenn senior Asa Ennis
(31-1). That monkey wrench means that 135 may be one of the most open
classes this weekend.
 
Opposite
Elvidge in the upper bracket is Castle senior No. 4 Caleb Schmitt, a
potential semifinal opponent should he get past Zionsville senior No. 9
Graham Youngs (43-1) in a possible quarterfinal. Angola�s 42-0 senior
David Zimmer ââ?¬â?? ranked fourth at 130 ââ?¬â?? faces a potential lower bracket
quarterfinal bout with Floyd Central senior No. 3 Jake Missi (41-2),
with the survivor likely challenging Bloomington North senior No. 7
Dustin Bruce (14-3), the defending state runner-up at 130, in the semis.
 
Toldja this was wide open.

Session
I: The action at 135 saw the night�s only
slaying of a No. 1 as Elvidge dropped a 10-4 decision to unranked Fort Wayne
Snider senior Jordan Quinn. (That semistate upset obviously did not bring good
karma for Elvidge.) And No. 20 Mishawaka sophomore Steven Sandefer sprang a
mild upset with his 5-4 decision over No. 14 Maconaquah senior Seth Verbosky. That
makes for a hellacious bottom foursome of Zimmer vs. Missi and Bruce vs. Ennis,
the unsung standout to this point of the postseason. With no No. 1 or No. 2
left at 135, it would make perfect sense for the unranked Ennis to roll all the
way to a title.

140 lbs.
Defending state champ Andrew Howe of Hanover Central moves up to 152, making Fairfield
senior No. 3 Rhys Canaday (43-0) ââ?¬â?? seventh here last year ââ?¬â?? the top
returner. Canaday should cruise into the upper bracket semifinals,
where either Hobart
junior No. 2 Brennan Cosgrove (42-3 and the defending 135 state
runner-up) or fifth-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral sophomore Gavin
McGinley (39-1) figure to await.
 
But lurking on the bottom half of the 140 draw is top-ranked Munster
senior Eric McGill (39-3), the defending 125 state champ. McGill
appears to have one of the easiest first three rounds of any highly
ranked competitor this weekend ââ?¬â?? he faces No. 7 nine-loss New Albany
senior Martin Woodrome in the first round and possibly No. 8 Jennings
County senior Bobby Willis (49-2) in the semis.

Session
I: 140 brought a return to normalcy as nobody
in the next three weight classes got upset. The top three experienced varied
results in moving on as McGill earned a 9-1 major decision, Cosgrove beat No.
11 Evansville Mater Dei senior Andy Siebert 5-2, and Canaday pinned unranked
Anderson Highland freshman Sammy Bennett in 1:21. Could HoosierAuthority.com
blogger McGillââ?¬â?¢s dream of a No. 1 vs. No. 2 ââ?¬Å?Game 7ââ?¬Â with Cosgrove become
reality Saturday night?

145 lbs.
Last
year�s runner-up, Cooper Samuels of Floyd Central, has moved up to 160,
making last year�s fourth-place finisher, Merrillville senior No. 1
Jamal Lawrence (the only Hoosier ranked nationally ââ?¬â?? 11th at 152 by Wrestling 411), the favorite. But Lawrence has plenty of competition, not the least of which is a probable lower bracket quarterfinals date with Plainfield senior No. 2 Collin Carlucci.
 
But
Carlucci (34-1) ââ?¬â?? one of four wrestlers at this weight with only one
loss ââ?¬â?? is still smarting from a 13-5 whupping he took for the 145 Evansville Reitz Semistate
title from Evansville Mater Dei senior No. 4 Nick Dewig (44-0). Dewig
should make it to the upper bracket finale, where he could face either
one-loss Culver Academies senior No. 3 Garrett James (46-1 and a
disappointing third at the Merrillville Semistate) or one-loss
Greensburg senior No. 5 Michael Pittman (38-1).
 
In other words, 145 is loaded.

Session
I: No surprises here as the loaded class went
as planned, with six of the eight survivors boasting records of one loss or
less. This is one of only two weights (the other being 112) where the top four
ranked wrestlers all remain, and things will get crazy early as No. 1 Lawrence and
No. 2 Carlucci duke it out in the quarterfinals. A James-Dewig semifinal would be
equally juicy. No matter what goes down, whoever wins this thang will have
earned it big time.

152 lbs.
Last
year�s fourth-place finisher, Ben Davis senior No. 2 Cahmelan Porter,
returns again and should have little trouble reaching the upper bracket
semifinal � where he should run into virtually unbeatable Andrew Howe
of Hanover Central. Howe (44-0) is ranked No. 1 and has lost only once
in his three-year high school career ââ?¬â?? in the 130 championship two
years ago to three-time state champion Reece Humphrey of Lawrence
North. That�s 142-1 if you are counting.
 
The bottom half features perhaps the weakest bracket of the tournament. A pair of one-loss seniors ââ?¬â?? No. 6 Eric Henning of Carmel
(44-1) and eighth-ranked Chris Dean (42-1) of Northview ââ?¬â?? should meet
in the quarterfinals, with the survivor facing no higher than a 12th-ranked opponent for the right to try to become Howe�s second victim in 147 matches.

Session
I: Again, no damage done here to the tops as
only two matches were relatively close. A pair of hot quarterfinals awaits as
Howe faces No. 3 Evansville Mater Dei senior Chris Dewitt while Henning and
Dean square off, with that survivor likely facing Porter in the semis.

160 lbs.
Last year�s fourth-place finisher, Joe Wing of Merrillville,
has moved up to 171, but returning sixth-place 160-pounder Indianapolis
Cathedral senior John Schmaltz returns with a perfect record and the
No. 1 ranking. The 37-0 Schmaltz should cruise into the upper bracket
semifinal, where Floyd Central junior Cooper
Samuels (unranked despite a stellar 45-1 record and a runner-up finish
at 145 a year ago) or Greenfield-Central No. 7 junior Caleb Freeman
should await.
 
The lower bracket finds five Top 12 wrestlers, including one undefeated (28-0 Peru
senior No. 8 Derrick Duke) and three ââ?¬â?? Perry Meridian senior No. 2 Kyle
Adams (48-1), New Prairie senior No. 5 Philip Oudhuis (38-1), and
Greencastle senior No. 12 Chris Pingleton (43-1) ââ?¬â?? with one loss. Adams
opens with Pingleton (only third at the Evansville Reitz Semistate), while Duke starts off with fourth-ranked Culver Academies junior Branden James (44-4), a disappointing fourth at the Merrillville Semistate.
 
Should
we see a 1 versus 2 Schmaltz-Adams championship duel, the former has
the upper hand by virtue of his finals victory at the New Castle Semistate.

Session
I: Ding-ding-ding! A pair of upsets rocked
the crowd back to life at 160, where Samuels thumped Freeman 10-3 (though it
should be noted that Freeman was basically wrestling from his knees due to a
leg injury) and Pingleton downed Adams 9-5. That
sets the table for Schmaltz ââ?¬â?? a 17-1 tech fall winner over unranked Scottsburg
senior Scott Hughes ââ?¬â?? to waltz into the finals as he needs only to beat No. 23
Bellmont junior Ryan Baker and then an unranked semifinal opponent. But then
that�s why they put on the headgear, isn�t it?

171 lbs.
Mishawaka�s
Ian Hinton has moved up to 189, leaving a pretty clear-cut road for
last year�s sixth-place finisher, Evansville Memorial senior No. 1 Matt
Powless (47-0), to face Merrillville
senior No. 2 Joe Wing (43-1) in the finals. Wing took fourth at 160
last year and has a relatively easy path to the championship, with No.
17 Frank Troiano of Indianapolis Cathedral (45-1) possibly his biggest
obstacle in the lower bracket semis.
 
Up
top, Powless has a tougher draw, with a potential battle with fellow
undefeated No. 4 Ryan Konrath of Jimtown (40-0) looming in the
semifinals. Also of note for Powless is a probable quarterfinals date
with Crown Point junior No. 8 Andrew
Szymborski (35-4), whom Wing beat for the Merrillville Semistate title
and whose mom has written a journal for HoosierAuthority.com (thanks,
Diana!).

Session
I: No shockers here as only two of the
matches ââ?¬â?? Wingââ?¬â?¢s 5-4 decision over No. 16 Rushville senior Robert Beeler and
Szymborskiââ?¬â?¢s 3-2 win over unranked Noblesville senior John Tchoula ââ?¬â?? were
especially close. Powless won by fall at 3:00 over No. 19 Garrett senior Beau
Schendel and appears destined for that semifinal hookup with Konrath, an
impressive 12-3 winner over No. 5 Greencastle senior Robert Bittles.

189 lbs.
Northridge
senior No. 3 Joe Gibson (33-5) and fourth-ranked Leo senior Chad Friend
(37-0) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, at 189 a year ago and
are in opposite brackets this year. Friend looks to have the better
matchups in the lower half (just three other ranked foes), with
Evansville Mater Dei junior No. 5 Jake Schneider (39-1) appearing to be
his only threat in a possible semifinal battle.
 
Gibson,
meanwhile, finds five other ranked foes in the top half, including a
probable quarterfinals match with top-ranked Ian Hinton of Mishawaka.
Yikes. The 171 state champ last year and 171 runner-up in 2005, Hinton
(44-0) moves up one class and has lost just once in his last 130
matches.
 
If March is one prohibitive favorite at 119, then Hinton is the other at 189.

Session
I: Zero upsets at 189, where only three of
the matches ââ?¬â?? Schneiderââ?¬â?¢s 3-2 decision over unranked Whitko senior Bryan Boggs,
No. 16 Valparaiso senior Brandon Tritle�s 6-3 win over unranked Indianapolis
Chatard junior Michael Dum, and No. 17 Crown Point sophomore Marcus Shrewsbury�s
1-0 eclipse of unranked Carmel senior Josh Sturek ââ?¬â?? were close. Making matters
worse for future Hinton foes is not only a lackluster 9-2 victory over unranked
and 11-loss Crawfordsville sophomore Chaz Brock, but also that a typo in the
official program says Ian ââ?¬Å?Hinderââ?¬Â is the defending champion (dââ?¬â?¢oh!).

215 lbs.
The
eight placewinners from a year ago were all seniors, meaning somebody
new will take home the 215 title this year. (Carlos Mencia alert:
DEE-dee-DEE!!). North Central (Indianapolis) senior No. 21 Luke Watkins (13-0) and Penn senior No. 3 Jeremiah Maggart (38-8) ââ?¬â?? both moved up after placing fifth and eighth, respectively, at 189 last year.
 
Unluckily
for Maggart ââ?¬â?? who barely qualified after finishing fourth at the
Merrillville Semistate ââ?¬â?? the 215 lower bracket is the only one out of
28 in the entire state finals where every wrestler is ranked. And it
includes top-ranked South Bend Riley junior George Malone (42-0).
 
Watkins
hardly catches a break with five ranked opponents on top where,
strangely, the two wrestlers with the best records (Watkins and 37-1
Norwell junior No. 23 Hunter Harper) have the worst rankings. Thus, it
seems pretty wide open for who gets to tackle Malone in the finals.

Session
I: The final upset of the evening came at
215, where Harper beat No. 14 Greensburg senior Bobby Scudder 10-3. Malone,
meanwhile, got past a tough first-round opponent in sixth-ranked Brown County
junior Chandler Coffey 6-2 and figures to easily make the finals as the three
remaining foes in his bracket have a combined 18 losses.

Heavyweight
Benton
Central senior Bryan Benner finished fifth here a year ago and comes to
Conseco with a No. 1 ranking and a 46-1 record. That one loss, however,
came in the Merrillville Semistate semis to Mishawaka
junior No. 11 Randy Morin (42-3), who then lost in the finals to Glenn
senior No. 20 Derek Traversa. Benner could get another shot at Morin in
the lower half semifinal, but he will have to first get past
second-ranked Perry Meridian junior Chico Adams (49-0) in the quarters.
 
Despite that low ranking, Traversa (34-1) has by far the best record of the upper bracket eight ââ?¬â??
and he doesn�t have to wade through Adams, Benner, or Morin to get to
the finals. Assuming he stays hot, Traversa would probably face Martinsville senior No. 4 Dustin Beliles in the semis. The prize? Wading boots.

Session
I: Ixnay on the ockers-shay at heavyweight,
where the third No. 1 vs. No. 2 quarterfinal of Saturday morning is set. While
Benner certainly had no breather in a 3-0 win over unranked Evansville Reitz
junior Zachary Campbell, Adams scored a
first-period pin of the wrestler with the most defeats in the state finals:
16-loss unranked Fort Wayne Luers senior Aaron Myers. We�ll see if all that
extra rest pays off and Chico
can be the man.

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