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      2023 Fargo 16U Preview

      Another stellar group of young wrestlers will head to Fargo with the hopes of bringing back some hardware. Last year’s All-Americans have all moved up to the Junior age division so we’ll have plenty of fresh faces looking to make their mark on the national scene. Many of the wrestlers that will be highlighted have had an immense amount of success in the state of Indiana along with some national accolades that will help them navigate the toughest tournament in the country.
       
      Indiana has always seemed to have a ton of success at the lower weights. This year youngsters Case Bell and Jensen Boyd will be in the mix for spots on the podium. Bell was 9-0 at 16U duals and Boyd was 7-2. State placer Seth Aubin will be in the mix at 120lbs. At 126lbs Indiana will have some great representation in state qualifier Dominic Brown, state placer Eddie Goss, and tough incoming freshman Clinton Shepherd.
       
      Evan Stanley went 9-0 at 16U duals and will come in wrestling well along with state qualifier Elijah Broady. Landon Hawkins and Matthew Staples have both had a lot of national success in the past and will look to make a big splash this year.
       
      State placer Jeffrey Huyvaert and Illinois state qualifier Jairo Acuna will both be in the mix at 145lbs. State qualifiers Silas Stits and Griffin Van Tichelt will both enter the fray at 160lbs. Miguel Rojas has a few Tulsa titles to his name and will look to bring back his first Fargo hardware. Waterloo’s finest James Hartleroad has had a fantastic off-season that saw him go 8-1 at 16U duals.
       
       
      Full 16U Roster
      16U Boys freestyle
      94- Karson Bachelder
      100- Case Bell, Jensen Boyd, Jackson Frahm, Joseph Hamilton, Elijah Ogle
      106- Caleb Schaefer, Peyton Schoettle, Justin Williamson
      113- Isaac Campbell, Ty Henderson, Colin Strayer, Bradyn Volz, Samuel Westfall
      120- Seth Aubin, Gunner Butt, Lucas Day, Jett McGuire
      126- Nicholas Anderson, Dominic Brown, Edward Goss, Braylon Reynolds, Quinten Schoeff, Clinton Shepherd
      132- Elijah Broady, Brason Schortgen, Evan Stanley, William Vander Luitgaren
      138- Camden Baumann, Landon Hawkins, Kegan Jochim, Matthew Staples, Owen Trimpe
      145- Jairo Acuna, Wyatt Cooksey, Jack Davis, Thomas Gibbs, Jeffrey Huyvaert
      152- Cale Bonenberger, Corinthian Tonte
      160- Conner Hoar, Silas Stits, Griffin Van Tichelt, Zach White Jr.
      170- Coy Bender, Corwin Fuller, Xavier Smith
      182- James Dozier, Miguel Rojas
      195- Austin Reading
      220- Kaden Lambert, Everett Mcclelland, Hayden Smith
      285- Carson Andreas, Noah Fugate, James Hartleroad
       
      16U Greco-Roman
      94– Karson Bachelder
      100– Case Bell, Jensen Boyd, Jackson Frahm, Joseph Hamilton, Elijah Ogle
      106– Caleb Schaefer
      113– Ty Henderson, Aidan Smalley, Bradyn Volz
      120– Lucas Day, Jett McGuire
      126– Nicholas Anderson, Dominic Brown, Quinten Schoeff
      132– Brason Schortgen, Evan Stanley, William Vander Luitgaren
      138– Camden Baumann, Kegan Jochim, Owen Trimpe
      145– Jairo Acuna, Wyatt Cooksey, Jack Davis, Thomas Gibbs
      152– Corinthian Tonte
      160– Conner Hoar, Griffin Van Tichelt, Zach White Jr.
      170– Corwin Fuller, Xavier Smith
      182– Miguel Rojas
      195– Austin Reading
      220– Kaden Lambert, Everett Mcclelland, Hayden Smith
      285– Carson Andreas, James Hartleroad
       
      16U FARGO COMPETITION SCHEDULE (Central Standard Time)
      Monday, July 17th 
      Session VI -
      9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Championship (1 Rd) and Consolation (1 Rd) 
       
      Session VII -
      3:00 PM to 8:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Championship (1 Rd) and Consolation (1 Rd) 
       
      Tuesday. July 18th 
      Session VIII –
      9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Championship (1 Rd) and Consolation (1 or 2 Rds) 
       
      Session IX -
      3:00 PM to 8:00 PM  
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Championship & Quarterfinals (2 Rds) and Consolation (3 Rds)  
       
      Wednesday, July 19th 
      Session X -
      10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Semifinals and Consolation (3 Rds)  
       
      Session XI -
      2:00 PM to 5:00 PM  
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Consolation Semifinals, and 3rd-8th Medal Matches  
       
      Session XII –
      5:30 PM to 8:00 PM  
      16U/JR Boys Freestyle:  Parade of Champions and Championship Finals 

      Friday, July 21st 
      Session XIII -
      9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Championship (2 Rds) and Consolation (1 or 2 Rds) 
       
      Session XIV –
      3:00 PM to 7:30 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Championship (2 Rds) and Consolation (2 Rds) 
       
      Saturday, July 22nd  
      Session XV -
      9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Quarterfinals, Semifinals (2 Rds) and Consolation (3 or 4 Rds)  
       
      Session XVI -
      3:00 PM to 5:00 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Consolations, Consolation Semifinals, and 3rd-8th Medal Matches (4 Rds) 
       
      Session XVII -
      6:00 PM to 8:30 PM 
      16U/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Parade of Champions and Finals    
       
      2023 PIN Ranking (Top 15)
      Freestyle
      100- #3 Jensen Boyd
      100- #5 Case Bell
      106- #7 Caleb Schaefer
      113- #15 Colin Strayer
      126- #4 Braylon Reynolds
      126- #13 Dominic Brown
      145- #13 Thomas Gibbs
      160- #6 Silas Stits
      170- #10 Xavier Smith
      182- #7 Miguel Rojas
      220- #8 Everett McClelland
      285- #15 James Hartleroad
       
      Greco-Roman
      100- #5 Jensen Boyd
      100- #6 Case Bell
      106- #6 Caleb Schaefer
      145- #9 Thomas Gibbs
      145- #15 Jack Davis
      160- #6 Griffin Van Tichelt
      160- #7 Zach White Jr.
      170- #9 Xavier Smith
      182- #5 Miguel Rojas
      195- #9 Austin Reading
      220- #14 Hayden Smith
      285- #10 James Hartleroad
       
      Total 16U Fargo All-Americans in the past 10 years
      2022 - 3 Freestyle/ 5 Greco-Roman
      2021 - 4 Freestyle/ 2 Greco-Roman
      2020 - No Tournament
      2019 - 3 Freestyle/ 2 Greco-Roman
      2018 - 6 Freestyle/ 1 Greco-Roman
      2017 - 4 Freestyle/ 3 Greco-Roman
      2016 - 3 Freestyle/ 1 Greco-Roman
      2015 - 3 Freestyle/ 2 Greco-Roman
      2014 - 5 Freestyle/ 2 Greco-Roman
      2013 - 4 Freestyle/ 6 Greco-Roman
       

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      2023 Fargo Women's Preview

      By Mark Maldonado
       
      Team Indiana is rostering 32 women to compete at Fargo this year. In this preview we are looking at the girls who have seeding criteria from their prior nationals success at the 16U/Junior divisions.
       
      We start with the Junior division. We have a few girls who have an immense amount of experience who can contend for a national title with seven girls having seeding criteria. At 106, we have two girls who have had a lot of freestyle success. Heather Crull (Northeastern) won U17 World Team Member this year and finished 2nd and 7th at Fargo the past two years. Mackenzie Smith (Heritage Hills) is also at this weight and was a 16U Fargo Champion in 2021. She finished 7th last year in the Junior division. At 122 Rose Kaplan (West Lafayette) has had quite the year and could find herself competing for a title. In the past four months, Rose won USA Folkstyle Nationals, placed in the U20 world team trials, and went undefeated at Junior Duals in Tulsa. Looking to get back on the podium, Joy Cantu (Merrillville) at 112 and Kaylie Peterson (Evansville Central) at 152 both were Fargo All-Americans in 2021. Indian Creek’s Phoebe Dowty at 122 and Hannah Seitzinger at 127 were both place-winners at USA Folkstyle Nationals. 
       
      In the 16U division, eight of our sixteen wrestlers placed at 16U Folkstyle Nationals. Kendall Moe (Hamilton Heights) at 94 pounds is a Folkstyle National Champion and the only returning Fargo All-American for the 16U women. Elly Janovsky at 144 (Lake Central) will be a top seed after placing 4th at the U17 world team trials. She was a folkstyle national runner-up in 2022. Aleksandra Bastaic at 138 (Highland) is making her Fargo debut and is another title contender. She finished 2nd at 16U Folkstyle and 2nd at U15 Pan-Am Trials in her past two national tournaments. Southport has two Folkstyle national runner-ups who could make deep runs, Kyla Johnson (122) and Ava Mosconi (180). At 112, Amelia Murphy (Wyoming Seminary) looked stellar at Junior Duals finishing 8-0 and should be high on the podium stand this year. Isabel Kaplan (West Lafayette) has had a lot of 14U national success. She placed 4th at 16U Folkstyle nationals this year. Other national placers are middle school wrestlers Maddie Marsh (Pendleton Heights) at 132 and Ava Strayer (Crown Point) at 122. Both placed at both U15 national team trials in Spokane and at 16U Folkstyle nationals. 
       
      Rounding out the roster 
      Juniors: Kirsten Cortez (Lake Central), Omotola Aluko (Ben Davis), AnnaMae Mosconi (Southport), Emily Anderson (Hamilton Southeastern), Sian Rogers (Jeffersonville), Katelynn Hernandez (Purdue Poly), Kera Parke (Fort Wayne North Side), Michela Clifford (Columbia City).
       
      16U: Olivia Crull (Northeastern), Gracie Smiley (Brownsburg), Jaden Hughes (Frankton), Ella France (Northfield), Kylie Benoit (Hanover Central), Paige Cook (Boonville), Fanta Sall (Hamilton Southeastern)
       
      WOMEN FARGO COMPETITION SCHEDULE (Central Standard Time)
      Saturday, July 15th 
      Session I - 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM 
      16U/Junior Girls: Championship (2 Rds) and Consolation (2 or 3 Rds)
       
      Session II - 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
      16U/Junior Girls: Championship & Quarterfinals (3 Rds) and Consolation (2 or 3 Rds)  
       
      Sunday, July 16th 
      Session III - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM 
      16U/Junior Girls: Semifinals (2 Mats); Consolation and Consolation Semifinals (5 Rds)  
        
      Session IV - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
      16U/Junior Girls: 3rd-8th Medal Matches  
       
      Session V - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
      16U/Junior Girls: Parade of Champions and Finals    

       
      USA Wrestling Nationally Rankings (7/7/23)
      100 - Kendall Moe #26
      106- Heather Crull #5
      112- Amelia Murphy #25
      127- Rose Kaplan #5
      138- Aleksandra Bastaic #25
      138- Maddie Marsh #26
      144- Elly Janovsky #10
       
      2023 PIN Ranking in Bracket (Top 15)
      JR 106- Heather Crull #1
      JR 106- Mackenzie Smith #11
      JR 112- Omotola Aluko #15
      JR 117- Emily Anderson #7
      JR 122 - Rose Kaplan #7
      JR 152- Kaylie Peterson #6
       
      16U 94- Kendall Moe #3
      16U 112- Amelia Murphy #6
      16U 122- Kyla Johnson #6
      16U 122- Ava Strayer #9
      16U 132- Maddie Marsh #8
      16U 138- Aleksandra Bastaic #5
      16U 144- Elly Janovsky #7
       
      Total Female Fargo All-Americans in the past 10 years
      2022 - 8 All-Americans
      2021 - 7 All-Americans
      2020 - No Tournament
      2019 -  4 All-Americans
      2018 - 1 All-American
      2017 - 3 All-Americans
      2016 - 1 All-American
      2015 - 1 All-American
      2014 - 2 All-Americans
      2013 - 3 All-Americans

      3557 2 8

      Indiana, It’s Time to Go Bigger

      By Anna Kayser
       
      I guess the best way to start this off is with a story – my favorite wrestling story to tell, actually, and one that tells you all you need to know about where I came from and why I’m here.
       
      There’s no pretty table-setting for this story, except that I’m an Iowa Hawkeye through-and-through. I’ve been attending Iowa football games at Kinnick Stadium since I was a kid, attracted to the sports world from a young age. Wrestling, however, wasn’t on my radar. Not even as I moved up to one of the biggest wrestling high schools in the state of Iowa.
       
      Fast forward to college, my junior year in Iowa City. I don’t remember what the weather was that day in October or how I felt as I walked into Carver-Hawkeye Arena for my second ever experience with Iowa wrestling. I was blissfully unaware of what the next year or two of my life would hold for me.
       
      My introduction to the Hawkeye program had come just a few weeks earlier – yes, two and a half years into my college career, roughly 20 years into growing up in the middle of wrestling country – but that one’s not important. I was informally introduced to Hawkeye head coach Tom Brands, it was chill.
       
      It was less chill on media day as I sat facing the press conference podium at CHA, watching in fear as Brands tore apart – for lack of a better term – a reporter sitting on the other side of the room. I don’t remember what question was asked, I don’t remember the exact response. All I remember was feeling VERY in over my head.
       
      I wasn’t a fan of the sport. The opposite, in fact, bored and completely unaware of the rules in high school. So, when my editor approached me about covering Iowa wrestling a year prior, I wanted none of it.
       
      Thankfully, I changed my mind. But as I sat in that room, I couldn’t help but wonder if I made the wrong decision.
       
      Following the press conference in which I doubt I dared to even think about speaking, the cohort of Iowa media made its way downstairs to the “Room that Gable Built” for interviews with athletes.
       
      As I attempted to get my bearings on the room, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned, and there was Tom Brands: The guy that just barked at a reporter not more than 10 minutes ago.
       
      He asked me how I was doing and if everyone was treating me okay – a complete 180 in demeanor from what I had witnessed upstairs. I felt… at home.
       
      The first Iowa dual I went to was the nail in the coffin. I have no idea who they wrestled (UT-Chattanooga, maybe?) or what the score was (I wouldn’t be surprised if they shut their opponent out completely). All I remember was feeling in complete awe of the spectacle, the lone mat in the middle of thunderous applause and the deep rumble of 15 thousand fans yelling “TWOOOO” in unison.
       
      I covered Spencer Lee’s second NCAA championship, traveling out to Pittsburgh by myself with one photographer to survive only on midnight IHOP and press meals. I felt CHA rumble as Michael Kemerer defeated No. 1 Mark Hall to lead the Hawkeyes to a win over Penn State in early 2020.
       
      So, why am I here now? Because there’s nothing I love more than being able to tell the stories of tremendous athletes and what it takes to stand atop a field of excellence – and I believe Indiana is full of these stories.
       
      Wrestling is growing here, exponentially. The first dual meet I attended in Indiana blew me away, from the invested crowd to the spotlight highlighting all of the action. The State Finals, my first experience of finals action in Indiana, brought a number of separate communities together in a way that celebrated each athlete’s achievements.
       
      I saw Jake Hockaday look unbeatable as an on-paper underdog in the 120-pound state finals. I witnessed future Hawkeye Leighton Jones finally tackle (nice use of a football pun here, don’t ya think?) the walls in his mind and stand atop the heavyweight podium in February. Spending my first year covering wrestling in Indiana immersed in the Brownsburg program opened my eyes to the tight-knit community this state never fails to disappoint.
       
      The IHSAA State Finals showcase the best the state has to offer in the best way – center stage, on a single mat with a lone light on the middle circle. It’s a best-of-the-best battle. The fans are enthralled.
       
      But there’s room for growth, as there always is from youth to professional sports, and Indiana’s wrestling community has the chance foster it. The more wrestlers that have their chance at a state title – hell, even just a chance to wrestle in that arena – the more will crave that experience. The more families that come out, the more siblings, cousins or friends will want to try their hand at wrestling.
       
      As the sport grows, so do the number of powerhouses. No longer is there one powerhouse for the state of Indiana, but multiple at different levels of competition and school size, growing the sport exponentially and the exposure to smaller schools often overshadowed.
       
      And as the years progress, as the word spreads about how Indiana puts on a show for its wrestlers, the more will pack that house year after year in anticipation for the greatest spectacle in amateur sports.
       
      Those stories are here. Those kids are here. The opportunity is here. Trust me – I’ve grown in my wrestling career surrounded by the best fans, the best environment wrestling has to offer. It’s time to emulate that in the state of Indiana.

      1507

      Bulldog Breakdown: Mental Side of Hockaday’s Game Propels Two-Time Champ

      By Anna Kayser
       
      Mere seconds after securing his second consecutive IHSAA State Wrestling title in February, No. 2 Jake Hockaday ran over to his coaches’ corner, hugged assistant coach Kyle Ayersman… and flipped him down onto the mat.
       
      “We planned that far before,” Hockaday said. “I had to win it first, but right after I won I called him over and we had to do that. That was the first time [I had ever done that], I saw it on TikTok, so I thought I had to hit it.”
       
      With his Saturday night victory over No. 1 Ashton Jackson of LaPorte, Hockaday became Brownsburg’s second two-time state champion following now-Minnesota standout after being the first freshman in school history to win it all in 2022. As part of a cohort of a program-record four finalists, Hockaday’s win followed freshman 106-pounder Revin Dickman’s title, marking the first time in school history that Brownsburg has crowned multiple champions in a year.
       
      As someone all too familiar with the spotlight on the center mat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Hockaday’s confidence shined. He looked strong and light on his feet all still sets that are vital to coming out on top following a grueling wrestling season.
       
      “First of all, we were thinking of going 113 [before the season], but I decided to make the jump to 120 to not cut and just train as hard as I could all year,” Hockaday said. “I felt pretty good not cutting a lot of weight. I felt like I was quick, I was strong, and I had a huge advantage over the other guys who were cutting weight.”
       
      Hockaday looked strong, light on his feet and in his mind – all skillsets that are vital to coming out on top following a grueling wrestling season. Leading up to his 2022 run to become Brownsburg’s first freshman in school history to win a state title, that confidence wasn’t always there.
       
      At the Avon Sectional a year ago, Hockaday rolled through the bracket to the title match against conference rival Luke Rioux of the host school, an opponent he was beyond familiar with. He lost that match, 10-6.
       
      “He looked like a deer in headlights, he had no facial expression, and his face was just pale,” head coach Darrick Snyder said. “He had the pressure of the world on him. So we did a lot of work with him the next few weeks about getting his head right and trying to get him to understand that those feelings are normal.”
       
      As the No. 1 ranked wrestler at 106 pounds during the 2022 season, all eyes on the Brownsburg side were on him to win the title as a freshman. All eyes on opposing sides, however, were to take him down.
       
       
      “It was kind of hard being ranked No. 1, everyone was kind of giving me their all,” Hockaday said. “After that [loss] we had to turn the jets on, and I had to get my mental right. That’s really all we looked forward to, winning the state title.”
       
      The mental side of wrestling is something that Snyder and his coaching staff continue to put an emphasis on with their wrestlers, setting them up for success as they start to wrestle on the biggest stages not only in Indiana, but in the country.
       
      This past season, they took a number of wrestlers to the Walsh Ironman tournament to face some of the best nationally ranked competition.
       
      “The longer I coach, the more time we spend on the mental side of [wrestling],” Snyder said. “For a lot of our kids, it’s not physical. They’ve got the skills and the ability… a lot of times it’s just dealing with the pressure.”
       
      Snyder preached the same thing throughout the state series, so much so that when asked about it, Hockaday nearly recited it word-for-word: It’s just a wrestling match, that doesn’t change regardless of the scenario.
       
      “It’s helped me realize that it’s a match – I’ve wrestled thousands of them,” Hockaday said. “The only thing that’s changing is they put it in a cool venue and call it the State Finals. Really, I just had to wrestle my match and win.”
       
      And it paid off. He took what he learned last year with that lesson this season and used it to his advantage again, staying confident in himself no matter what the situation.
       
      He’s an electric wrestler when he’s on his game, and now there’s very little that makes him forget it.
       
      “I learned that I can’t wrestle [other] people’s style,” Hockaday said. “I just have to stay calm, breathe, force my style and not do anything stupid.”
       
       

      1383 1

      Brownsburg Breakdown: Dickman Overcame Injury in State Final Run

      By Anna Kayser
      Freshman Revin Dickman wrestled through rib pain for two weeks prior to state championship
       
      On the Monday leading up to the Evansville Semi-State, freshman and 106-pound IHSAA state champion Revin Dickman suffered an injury to his ribs.
       
      When a guy is hurting in the Brownsburg wrestling room, there’s a series of check-ins that head coach Darrick Snyder goes through in tailoring practices following an injury. Depending on what level the pain is on a scale of one to 10 and if things are progressing positively from the day before, action can be limited.
       
      Over the first few days of practice, Dickman was limited. And then at the end of the week, when Snyder followed up to gauge how the pain was either improving or not, Dickman made a decision that would lead to his dominate run at the state title just over a week later.
       
      “It’s kind of a cool story about him,” Snyder recalled. “I was like ‘Alright, how are we doing and how do we feel?’ And he’s like, ‘I’m done with that coach… I’m fine. I’ve just got to wrestle with it. I’m done talking about it and I’m done adjusting my practices.’
       
      “A rib injury is no joke and he literally just didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He’s a tough kid. We had people look at him and they [told him] it was going to hurt really bad, but he could wrestle with it. He got better over the week [leading up to State], but he was definitely in some pain.”
       
      Dickman took home titles in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference and Mooresville Regional and Evansville Semi-State – the latter of which came during his injury – with a number of wins against State Finals opponent Nate Rioux.
       
      The freshman was a large part of Brownsburg’s success throughout the season, reaching the finals in all but one tournament since December. He was one of the Bulldogs’ only placers at the Walsh Ironman tournament, placing eight on Dec. 10.
       
      The adjustments that came from a number of losses on the season propelled him to success when it mattered most.
       
      “He just has very few flaws in his game,” Snyder said. “He’s a kid where getting out of state to the Ironman and Brecksville, he took losses there. He’s the type of kid that’s like ‘Okay, I lost. What did I do wrong? What do I have to improve on?’ He was a contender at the beginning of the year, but he’s not the same dude because he took those losses and learned from them.”
       
      Those larger tournaments not only improved his physical game, but the mental side of wrestling as well.
       
      Throughout the state series, Snyder reminded his wrestlers that regardless of the arena or the stakes attached to the tournament, it was just another wrestling match.
       
      The State Finals was no different.
       
      “I’ve been to other pretty big tournaments equal to this, so it had kind of already prepared me for this big tournament,” Dickman said. “I had to keep a good mindset going into this and I was excited. My mindset was good so I wrestled good.”
       
      Dickman was the first of three Brownsburg wrestlers to win their respective brackets at the State Finals, setting a school record.
       
      “We just ran out of room in our wrestling room for our wall of state champions, so that will be a fun problem to figure out,” Snyder said. “We wrestled lights out, and overall, it was an outstanding tournament. Any time three of your guys accomplish their goal, it’s pretty awesome to be a part of.”
       

      1639

      Bulldog Breakdown: 2023 State Finals Championship Round Recap

      By Anna Kayser
      Brownsburg Crowns Three Individual Champions
       
      After sending its most wrestlers to the IHSAA finals round in school history, Brownsburg crowned three individual state champions for the first time in program history on Saturday night.
       
      Revin Dickman and Jake Hockaday started things off for the Bulldogs in the final round of the tournament, with Hockaday earning his second state title in as many years. Leighton Jones capped things off in a big way with the final match of the 2023 season and his high school career.
       
      106 Title Match – No. 2 Revin Dickman over No. 4 Nathan Rioux (Avon), 3-0
       
      Freshman Bulldog Revin Dickman secured Brownsburg’s first individual state championship on the night with a 3-0 win over friend and well-known opponent Nathan Rioux. Dickman, who had won the previous five meetings between the two wrestlers, jumped on his offense to score all the points of the match in the second period.
       
      A takedown in the second period secured the win, and Dickman didn’t let up, nearly turning Rioux for back points as time expired. Defense was the name of the game in the third, and Dickman rode out to become the second Brownsburg freshman to win state in school history – just one season after teammate Jake Hockaday became the first.
       
      120 Title Match – No. 2 Jake Hockaday over No. 1 Ashton Jackson (LaPorte), 6-3
       
      Sophomore Jake Hockaday became a two-time state champion with a strong showing of both offense and defense to defeat Ashton Jackson, 6-3.
       
      After an outpouring of offense in the first period with  Hockaday leading, 4-1, the two wrestlers leaned on their defense in a gritty battle through the second period. The third period featured more fireworks, with Hockaday tacking on a takedown to offset two escapes.
       
      132 Title Match – No. 2 Joey Buttler (Whiteland) over No. 3 Brady Ison, 6-3
       
      In a match that came down to one four-point move by Joey Buttler, Brownsburg’s Brady Ison battled and never let up to place second in the 132 state title match on Saturday evening.
       
      Ison had a one-point lead in the second period before Buttler scored a takedown and back points to turn the tides, 4-1. The Brownsburg junior was able to execute his shots in the final 30 seconds of the match to narrow the score.  
       
      285 Title Match – No. 1 Leighton Jones vs. No. 5 Kelton Farmer (Evansville Memorial)
       
      After a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals last season, Leighton Jones made it look easy as he defeated Kelton Farmer for the heavyweight state title in his final high school match, 7-2.
       
      Jones got on his offense early, taking Farmer down twice to jump out to an early lead. The offense continued throughout the match, and Jones fared off shots by Farmer to hold his opponent to just two escapes. 

      1680

      Bulldog Breakdown: State Finals Consolation Medal Round Recap

      By Anna Kayser
      Two Bulldogs win third place matches
       
      The Brownsburg Bulldogs emerged victorious in two of their three consolation medal matches to begin the third session of wrestling at the 2023 IHSAA State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
       
      Ahead of four finals matches by Bulldogs tonight, Preston Haines and Gunner Henry each earned bronze medals in the center mat of the consolation matches. The two wins brought Brownsburg (117.5 team points) within 10 points of Center Grove, which is currently in second place with 127 points. Crown Point leads the team race with 145 points.
       
      No. 1 Preston Haines – Third Place Finisher at 113 Pounds
       
      Following a heartbreaking loss with a last-second reversal in the semifinal round, No. 1 Preston Haines dominated in his final match to finish in third place at 113 pounds in the 2023 IHSAA Wrestling State Finals on Saturday afternoon.
       
      Haines started on his offense early while facing No. 8 Isaac Ash of Monrovia and never let up, tacking on takedowns in each of the three periods for a 7-1 decision.
       
      The bronze medal finish by the junior follows his first, second and third place finishes at conference, regionals and semi-state, respectively. During the 2022 state series, Haines broke through to the finals and lost to 2023 120-pound finalist Ashton Jackson – a dominate opponent who will face Brownsburg’s Jake Hockaday later tonight.
       
      No. 17 Landen Haines – Sixth Place Finisher at 126 Pounds
       
      No. 17 Landen Haines finished in six place at 126 pounds in the 2023 IHSAA Wrestling State Finals on Saturday afternoon to cap off an impressive freshman campaign full of ranked upsets this weekend.

      In his final match against No. 6 Jackson Bradley of Cowan, Haines fell behind 3-0 early in the second period and trailed for the remainder of the match, dropping the battle for fifth place 5-3.
       
      No. 2 Gunner Henry – Third Place Finisher at 195 Pounds
       
      With a win over No. 3 Reid Schroeder of Southridge on Saturday evening, No. 2 Gunner Henry earned his second third-place finish at the IHSAA State Finals in two seasons with Brownsburg’s wrestling team.
       
      Henry was dominant in his 9-4 consolation victory, never surrendering his offense through the final seconds of the match. In the final minute of the third period, Henry grabbed a single led for a strong takedown to finish off the match.

      961

      Bulldog Breakdown: State Finals Session II Recap

      By Anna Kayser
      Four Brownsburg wrestlers punch finals tickets on Saturday
       
      The Brownsburg Bulldogs competed another session of successful wrestling on Saturday afternoon, sending four wrestlers through to the championship round at Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight at 7:30 PM ET.
       
      Joining the four finalists in the third session are Preston Haines and Gunner Henry wrestling for third place and Landon Haines wrestling for fifth. The consolation matches are set to begin at 4:30 PM this afternoon.
       
      106 – No. 2 Revin Dickman
       
      Revin Dickman entered Saturday’s competition as the highest-ranked wrestler still alive at 106 pounds with No. 1 Layne Horn losing his first match of the tournament yesterday, and easily proved why he’s at the top of the weight pack.
       
      After a first-period fall to kick off his tournament yesterday, Dickman made quick work of unranked Matt Baylor of Milan in the quarterfinals to secure his place on the podium with another fall in 2:51.
       
      Just a few hours later he took to the mat for what would be his second of three matches on the day and again put on a strong display of offense with an 11-1 win over No. 3 Ayden Bollinger of Delta in the semifinals. The Bulldog freshman dominated on top and executed his shots late in the match to continue to pile on points for a major decision.
       
      The 106 IHSAA Finals match to kick things off at 7:30 PM ET tonight will be a battle of two highly ranked freshmen: Dickman and No. 4 Nathan Rioux of Avon, two wrestlers who are about as familiar with each other as you can get. The two conference rivals have faced off five times this season (according to IndianaMat’s records), with Dickman narrowly emerging victorious in five decisions ranging between 1-3 points.
       
      Dickman and Rioux last faced off in the Evansville semi-state title match, with Dickman edging Rioux 1-0.
       
      113 – No. 1 Preston Haines
       
      With a 1-2 matchup to begin the final day of official IHSAA competition, Preston Haines made his way to the semifinals with a 3-1 decision of Gavin Jendreas of Crown Point in a match with implications for the team title race.
       
      The semifinals, however, were not so kind to Haines as he lost a heartbreaker to No. 6 Jackson Heaston of Indian Creek in the waning seconds of the match. With Haines holding a 1-0 following a second-period escape, Heaston scored a reversal in the final three seconds of the third period to advance to the finals at the buzzer.
       
      Haines will represent Brownsburg in the third-place match tonight against No. 8 Isaac Ash of Monrovia, a wrestler he has already faced twice during this season’s state series. Haines’ last defeat of Ash came at semi-state by an 8-0 major decision.
       
      The Bulldog junior will land on the podium for the second consecutive season after losing in the finals last year.
       
      120 – No. 2 Jake Hockaday
       
      An electric 120-pound finals matchup is set for this evening between reigning state champions as Jake Hockaday will face off against No. 1 Ashton Jackson of LaPorte, an undefeated senior and back-to-back state champion at 106 and 113 pounds, respectively.
       
      Hockaday, the 106-pound champion last season and Brownsburg’s first freshman state champion in school history, made quick work of No. 12 Carter Fielden of Garrett with a pin in 51 seconds. His semifinal battle against No. 5 Neil Mosier of Delta was much closer than each of his first two bonus-points matches to begin the tournament, with Hockaday emerging victorious with a narrow 3-2 decision.
       
      126 – No. 17 Landen Haines
       
      After losing his quarterfinal match against No. 5 Tylin Thrine of New Castle to begin the day, Landen Haines battled back to secure his spot in the fifth-place match later today.
       
      Haines took an early lead over No. 6 Jackson Bradley of Cowan with a takedown in the first period and never trailed, pulling off the upset with a 4-1 decision.
       
      132 – No. 3 Brady Ison
       
      Brady Ison’s fight to the finals match wasn’t an easy one, but he’s taken it in stride with victories over two top 5-ranked opponents in his quarter and semifinal matches.
       
      To begin the day, Ison handed No. 4 Eleazar Walker of Mishawaka just his second loss on the season to advance to a matchup with No. 1 Kyrel Leavell of Warren Central in the semis. Ison held a narrow 3-2 lead in the third period, but with one minute left to go in the match scored a takedown to extend the lead he would need for the win.
       
      Ison’s fight doesn’t get easier as he’ll face No 2, undefeated Joey Buttler of Whiteland in the finals. The Brownsburg junior has lost to Buttler twice by two-point decisions during this state series.
       
      195 – No. 2 Gunner Henry
       
      Gunner Henry will vie for his second consecutive third-place finish tonight after losing to No. 1 John Purdy in the semifinal this afternoon, 10-3.
       
      Henry’s day for the Bulldogs began strong with a 10-4 decision over No. 6 Alex Deming of Rochester. The undefeated Purdy then proved why he’s the best 195-pounder in the state, scoring two takedowns following a scoreless first period and mounting more offense in the third for a big win.
       
      In the third-place match, Henry will face No. 3 Reid Schroeder of Southridge, who lost a heartbreaker in overtime in the semifinals. The two wrestlers faced off at semi-state, with Schroeder taking the matchup via 10-8 decision.
       
      285 – No. 1 Leighton Jones
       
      After a quick pin to begin his tournament and a 5-2 decision in the quarterfinals this morning, Leighton Jones and No. 2 Paul Clark of Crown Point battled again today for a bid to the finals.
       
      Jones, who lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals last season, fought hard on defense and executed his shots on offense to defeat Clark, 6-4. He scored via a single-leg takedown in the first period and fought off a similar shot on defense to go up 3-0 in the second. Jones nearly gave up takedowns on the edge of the mat to end the second and third periods, but was able to secure the victory.
       
      The senior will face off against No. 5 Kelton Farmer of Evansville Memorial, who was pinned by Jones earlier in the state series.
       

      1197

      Bulldog Breakdown: State Finals Session I Recap

      By Anna Kayser
      Brownsburg advanced five of six wrestlers in the first half of the Round of 16
       
      After a successful start to the State Series, the Brownsburg Bulldogs didn’t falter in the first round of the State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday afternoon. With six of nine qualifiers wrestling in the first half of the Round of 16, five punched their tickets through to the quarterfinal rounds and a marathon of Saturday wrestling.
       
      In terms of the team race, Brownsburg advancing five wrestlers from the first half of the session just boosts its chance at being a strong contender for the team title. Crown Point advanced four of six wrestlers to the quarterfinals tomorrow morning.
       
      “Every point matters and it comes down to how many guys you can get onto the mat on Saturday, then we have to have a couple of guys make runs throughout the day,” Brownsburg head coach Darrick Snyder said. “There are a couple powerhouses here and it’s so top heavy – we scored 180 points at semis and got 2nd, when only a few years ago we would have won with 130.”
       
      The second half of Round of 16 bouts will feature three Bulldogs: Caden Brewer at 182, Gunnar Henry at 195 and Leighton Jones at heavyweight.
       
      “On paper, we feel like we’re the favorite. We’ve got two semi-state champions and we feel like we’re better at all three weights,” Snyder said. “Even Gunnar at 195 after placing third at semi-state, we had a stacked semi-state where any of the top four guys there could end up winning this this. Now we just have to go out and execute.”
       
      106 – Revin Dickman
       
      After compiling a 37-5 record throughout the season, Revin Dickman made quick work of Rex Moore of Manchester with a first-period fall, kicking off what would be a successful day for the Bulldogs in downtown Indianapolis.
       
      The freshman’s been dominate throughout the State Series thus far, taking home titles at the Mooresville regional and Evansville semi-state over the past two weekends to earn his place in the State Finals Round of 16.
       
      To open up Session II for Brownsburg, Dickman, who is ranked as the No. 2 106-pounder by IndianaMat, will face off against Milan’s unranked Matt Baylor. Baylor, also a freshman, is coming off a third-place finish at the New Castle semi-state after securing sectional and regional titles. Baylor’s lone State Series loss came via fall to Perry Meridian’s Hruai Lian, who Dickman defeated via 1-0 decision in a dual on Jan. 18.
       
      113 – Preston Haines
       
      No. 1 Preston Haines dominated on top against Carmel’s No. 18 Jackson Elliot to prove why he’s the top-ranked 113-pounder in the state and continue Brownsburg’s strong Friday showing. The junior jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first period and turned Elliot in the second for additional back points. He went on to beat the senior by a 14-1 major decision.
       
      Haines is set for another battle against No. 2 Gavin Jendreas of Crown Point in tomorrow morning’s quarterfinal after defeating him twice already this season at the IHSWCA 2023 Team State Duals on Jan. 7 and Hoosier Crossroads Conference tournament on Jan. 14. Crown Point’s sophomore is one of a record-setting12 qualifiers for the state tournament.
       
      120 – Jake Hockaday
       
      Brownsburg’s first freshman state champion in school history continued his school’s roll of bonus points during his sophomore State Finals on Friday, defeating No. 10 Peter Nguyen of Guerin Catholic 15-3. Jake Hockaday, who is ranked as the No. 2 120-pounder in Indiana, went 29-4 this season with first place finishes at conference, regionals and semi-state over the past month.
       
      To secure his place on the podium, Hockaday will face off against No. 12 Carter Fielden of Garrett tomorrow morning. Fielden, a freshman, is 33-8 on the season and defeated Crown Point’s Sonny Sessa to advance. Sessa had defeated Fielden earlier this season and lost to Hockaday by technical fall at the HCC tournament in January.
       
      126 – Landen Haines
       
      Freshman No. 17 Landen Haines knocked off Garrett senior No. 10 Hayden Brady on Friday afternoon with a tight 8-7 win. Haines entered the tournament with a 23-10 record following a third-place finish at semi-state last weekend.
       
      Haines will look for another upset tomorrow morning as he faced off against No. 5 Tylin Thrine of New Castle, a freshman who has yet to lose a match this season.
       
      132 – Brady Ison
       
      No. 3 Brady Ison, who has been a foundational member of Brownsburg’s lineup all season, dominated in his opening match of the State Finals with a 15-0 third-period technical fall over unranked Essiah Kamer of Fremont.
       
      After rolling over his first opponent, the junior’s battle for a spot on the podium gets tougher tomorrow morning as he is set to face No. 4 Eleazar Walker of Mishawaka in the quarterfinals. Walker, who has lost one match this season, hasn’t lost a match yet during the state series while Ison is coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes at regionals and semi-state.
       
      Ison, however, has excelled against tough opponents all season. During Brownsburg’s toughest stretch of nationally-ranked competition in December, Ison placed third at the Crown Point Carnahan Memorial Invitational and was crowned a champion at Brecksville.
       
      145 – Mason Day
       
      Facing a 1-0 deficit to No. 10 Mason Day in the second period, Indianapolis Cathedral’s No. 9 Dillon Graham tied the match and scored a third-period takedown to advance to the quarterfinals tomorrow.
       
      Day, a sophomore who entered the tournament with a 29-11 record, was Brownsburg’s first wrestler to lose in the Friday afternoon session.
       
       
       

      1453 11

      Who do you want in your corner at state? 2023 Version

      One of our favorite articles of the year is here! The premise of this is to show which coaches and let's be honest COACHING STAFFS have the most success at the most crucial times during the state series. Winning on Friday is simple, you win and you get a medal. If you lose you go home with only a ribbon from last week. Getting kids to peak at the right time is a juggling act that Barnum and Bailey would be impressed by. The coaches at the top of the list simply get things done in crucial moments and that takes years of experience along with trial and error. This article by no means says any coach is better than another, just simply looks at the data from 1992 until 2022 and shows which coaches win at state more often. 
       
      This year we have a new leader of the current coaches with the highest winning percentage on Friday night. Congratulations to everyone's favorite Osceola native Jerimiah Maggart for taking the lead! We all know there will be some coaches hot on his tail this year.
       
      Take the data as you want, but it is always a great conversation starter during this week.
       
      Click here for all of the data
      Current coaches with 10+ state qualifiers from 1992-2022

      Coach Total Qualifiers Total Placers Friday % Current School Jerimiah Maggart 10 8 80.00% Jimtown Sean McGinley 121 93 76.86% Indianapolis Cathedral Darrick Snyder 106 80 75.47% Brownsburg Branden Lorek 41 30 73.17% Crown Point Chris Cooper 40 28 70.00% Columbus East Joshua Holden 19 13 68.42% Greenfield-Central Maurice Swain 24 16 66.67% Center Grove David Maldonado 88 57 64.77% Merrillville Greg Schaefer 90 58 64.44% Evansville Mater Dei Matt Schoettle 39 25 64.10% Perry Meridian Jim Tonte 112 71 63.39% Franklin Community Pat Dowty 10 6 60.00% Indian Creek Doug Welch 10 6 60.00% Zionsville Frank Bumgardner 12 7 58.33% Wawasee Bill Flatt 23 13 56.52% South Bend Riley Tony Abbott 34 19 55.88% Cowan Dan Briggs 24 13 54.17% Carroll (Fort Wayne) Phil Smith 13 7 53.85% Westfield Bob Harmon 62 33 53.23% Castle Ed Pendoski 79 40 50.63% Carmel Randy Kearby 34 17 50.00% Wabash Chad Shepherd 27 13 48.15% Western Mike Runyon 23 11 47.83% Bloomington South Brandon Sisson 19 9 47.37% Floyd Central Jim Pickard 43 20 46.51% Goshen Eric Myers 28 13 46.43% Jay County Louie Kuzdas 28 13 46.43% LaPorte Clint Gard 20 9 45.00% Rochester Lou Silverman 40 17 42.50% North Central Scott Ferguson 38 16 42.11% Evansville Reitz Gabe Cook 12 5 41.67% Terre Haute South Tony Currie 17 7 41.18% Adams Central Andy Hobbs 42 17 40.48% Peru Dan Mikesell 15 6 40.00% Mooresville Danny Struck 20 8 40.00% Jeffersonville Adam Wolf 10 4 40.00% East Central Brad Harper 78 31 39.74% Penn Larry Mattingly 36 14 38.89% Evansville Memorial Jamie Welliever 13 5 38.46% Southmont Dave Cloud 29 11 37.93% Pendleton Heights Dean Branstetter 16 6 37.50% Attica Brett Smith 11 4 36.36% Prairie Heights Johnny Henry 11 4 36.36% Harrison (WL) Doug Smoker 20 7 35.00% Eastside Andrew King 28 9 32.14% Oak Hill James Linn 13 4 30.77% New Haven Jim Wadkins 22 6 27.27% Calumet Sam Riesen 11 3 27.27% East Noble Tim Alcorn 11 3 27.27% Mount Vernon (Posey) Blane Culp 16 4 25.00% Columbia City Steven Sandefer 17 4 23.53% Mishawaka Doug Deters 13 3 23.08% Franklin County Nick Kraus 19 4 21.05% Garrett Tom Miller 18 2 11.11% Lafayette Jefferson  
      All coaches with 10+ state qualifiers from 1992-2019

      Coach Total Qualifiers Total Placers Friday % Wiley Craft 12 11 91.67% Todd Kendrick 13 11 84.62% Frank Svarczkopf, Jr. 12 10 83.33% Wade McClurg 17 14 82.35% Travis Walls 26 21 80.77% Jerimiah Maggart 10 8 80.00% Dan Gelarden 15 12 80.00% Brett Crousore 39 31 79.49% Nick Petrov 24 19 79.17% Perry Summitt 13 10 76.92% Sean McGinley 121 93 76.86% Darrick Snyder 106 80 75.47% Brian Weaver 12 9 75.00% Branden Lorek 41 30 73.17% Al Smith 26 19 73.08% Justin Smith 11 8 72.73% Rod Wartman 11 8 72.73% Chris Cooper 40 28 70.00% Keith Grant 10 7 70.00% Alan Goddard 10 7 70.00% Dennis Miesle 10 7 70.00% Duboris Dickerson 13 9 69.23% Grodie Crick 13 9 69.23% Joshua Holden 19 13 68.42% Mike Atwood 19 13 68.42% Paul Nicodemus 19 13 68.42% Lance Rhodes 31 21 67.74% Maurice Swain 24 16 66.67% Paul Voigt 15 10 66.67% Kevin Blundell 12 8 66.67% Mike Goebel 111 74 66.67% Bill Kelly 26 17 65.38% David Maldonado 88 57 64.77% Lance Ellis 17 11 64.71% Greg Schaefer 90 58 64.44% Zach Errett 28 18 64.29% Matt Schoettle 39 25 64.10% Chad Red 25 16 64.00% Jim Tonte 112 71 63.39% Matthew Behling 19 12 63.16% Brian Seltzer 40 25 62.50% Robert Emerick 29 18 62.07% Bob Jarrett 13 8 61.54% Jack Grimaldi 13 8 61.54% Rob Willman 18 11 61.11% Pat Dowty 10 6 60.00% Doug Welch 10 6 60.00% John Kopnisky 10 6 60.00% Brent Faurote 109 65 59.63% Kevin Troy 32 19 59.38% David Walpole 17 10 58.82% Russel Feigert 41 24 58.54% Frank Bumgardner 12 7 58.33% Dave Thompson 24 14 58.33% Royce Deckard 64 37 57.81% Bob Read 26 15 57.69% Steve Balash 52 30 57.69% Keith Hoffar 28 16 57.14% Kyle Poyer 28 16 57.14% Mike Smorin 14 8 57.14% Jim Nicholson 14 8 57.14% Bill Flatt 23 13 56.52% Larry Tharp 23 13 56.52% Trent McCormick 103 58 56.31% Bobby Howard 16 9 56.25% John Cook 16 9 56.25% Tony Abbott 34 19 55.88% Bob Hasseman 68 38 55.88% Lance Beehler 18 10 55.56% Danny Williams 20 11 55.00% Jamie Wingler 11 6 54.55% Jason Warthan 11 6 54.55% James Colias 11 6 54.55% Kenny Wallace 11 6 54.55% Dan Briggs 24 13 54.17% Clarence Warthan 24 13 54.17% Israel Blevins 37 20 54.05% Chris Joll 63 34 53.97% Phil Smith 13 7 53.85% Jake Harreld 13 7 53.85% Mike Ester 26 14 53.85% Bob Brennan 15 8 53.33% Bob Harmon 62 33 53.23% Jared Williams 40 21 52.50% Rex Peckinpaugh 73 38 52.05% Andy Simon 35 18 51.43% Scott Vlink 76 39 51.32% Leroy Vega 43 22 51.16% Ed Pendoski 79 40 50.63% Randy Kearby 34 17 50.00% Chris Campbell 14 7 50.00% T. Howard Jones Jr. 22 11 50.00% Mark Bruner 12 6 50.00% Mark Kerrn 38 19 50.00% Mark Kirchgassner 12 6 50.00% Kevin King 18 9 50.00% Lee Fry 10 5 50.00% Bill Yozipovich 14 7 50.00% Jim Ledbetter 28 14 50.00% Todd Sacksteder 20 10 50.00% Chris Svarczkopf 10 5 50.00% Larry Hazuga 10 5 50.00% Christopher Kern 10 5 50.00% Henry Wilk 43 21 48.84% Chad Shepherd 27 13 48.15% Dennis Lewis 27 13 48.15% Mike Runyon 23 11 47.83% Brandon Sisson 19 9 47.37% Terry O'Neill 19 9 47.37% Scott Dehart 17 8 47.06% Ryan Wells 15 7 46.67% Jim Pickard 43 20 46.51% Eric Myers 28 13 46.43% Louie Kuzdas 28 13 46.43% Cale Hoover 26 12 46.15% Rod Williams 13 6 46.15% Tony Boley 24 11 45.83% Bud Palmer 11 5 45.45% Steve Wewe 11 5 45.45% Bo Henry 11 5 45.45% Clint Gard 20 9 45.00% Rick Stenftenagel 14 6 42.86% David Caple 14 6 42.86% Lou Silverman 40 17 42.50% Scott Schwarz 26 11 42.31% Scott Ferguson 38 16 42.11% Eric Highley 19 8 42.11% Gabe Cook 12 5 41.67% Tony Currie 17 7 41.18% Steve VanderAa 17 7 41.18% Andy Hobbs 42 17 40.48% Dan Mikesell 15 6 40.00% Danny Struck 20 8 40.00% Adam Wolf 10 4 40.00% Scott Raypole 15 6 40.00% Ryan Landis 10 4 40.00% Mark Line 20 8 40.00% James Binkley 10 4 40.00% Sam DiPrimio 10 4 40.00% Gene Backes 10 4 40.00% Murray Miller 10 4 40.00% James Phillips 10 4 40.00% Kevin Taylor 10 4 40.00% Brad Harper 78 31 39.74% Steve Pugliese 23 9 39.13% Larry Mattingly 36 14 38.89% Al Hartman 36 14 38.89% Jamie Welliever 13 5 38.46% Ed Fox 13 5 38.46% Greg Gastineau 13 5 38.46% Dave Cloud 29 11 37.93% Dean Branstetter 16 6 37.50% Brett Smith 11 4 36.36% Johnny Henry 11 4 36.36% Gary Fox 11 4 36.36% Gary Schliessman 11 4 36.36% Tony Grater 11 4 36.36% Tony Starks 11 4 36.36% Derek Bocock 14 5 35.71% Matt Koontz 14 5 35.71% Doug Smoker 20 7 35.00% Mark Scott 20 7 35.00% Paul Gunsett 20 7 35.00% David Errett 20 7 35.00% Barry Humble 18 6 33.33% Josh Dommer 15 5 33.33% Jim HIttler 18 6 33.33% Robert Freije 18 6 33.33% Todd Fakes 12 4 33.33% Andrew King 28 9 32.14% James Linn 13 4 30.77% Randy Pursley 13 4 30.77% Chuck Fleshman 10 3 30.00% John Bennett 10 3 30.00% Lonnie Chamberlain 10 3 30.00% Nicholas Eckert 14 4 28.57% George Gardner 18 5 27.78% Jim Wadkins 22 6 27.27% Sam Riesen 11 3 27.27% Tim Alcorn 11 3 27.27% Ron Anderson 11 3 27.27% Blane Culp 16 4 25.00% Eric Burres 12 3 25.00% Steven Sandefer 17 4 23.53% Doug Deters 13 3 23.08% Nick Kraus 19 4 21.05% Kevin Wilkinson 10 2 20.00% Ken Houston 16 3 18.75% Denny Schwartz 16 3 18.75% Scott VanDerAa 15 2 13.33% Tom Miller 18 2 11.11% Al Thomas 10 1 10.00% Tim Sloffer 12 1 8.33% Doug Schultz 13 1 7.69%  

      2057 2 5

      2023 State Finals #WAYL2

      The phrase you hear 100's of times during a seeding meeting is always "who are your losses to?" This year 17 wrestlers will enter the state finals without a blemish on their record. On top of that there are about five wrestlers entering the tournament without a loss to an Indiana opponent. This year we have three weights without an undefeated wrestler, 160, 182, and 220lbs. In total the state qualifiers have 1047 losses of which 657 are to Indiana state qualifiers. Many of the wrestlers with out of state losses will be to eventual state qualifier also.
       
      As always if you can help with the missing data it is greatly appreciated.
       
      Random Stats
      Most losses to state qualifiers
      Gavin Bragg- 10
      Jason Rooney and Logan Haney- 9
      Max McGinley, mason Day, Isaiah Wilson, and Sonny Sessa- 8
       
      Most wins over state qualifiers
      Ashton Jackson- 11
      Eddie Goss, Aidan Torres, and Revin Dickman- 9
      Beau Brabender, Devin Kendrex, Charlie LaRocca, Luke Penola, Christian Chavez, Sam Goin, Jake Hockaday, and Leighton Jones- 8
       
      Non-State Qualifiers with the most wins over state qualifiers
      Trevor Gallagher- 7
      Evan Roudebush- 6
      Hosia Smith, Anthony Rinehart, and Luke Rioux- 5
       
      Undefeated Wrestlers106 Ayden Bollinger- Delta
      113 Jalen May- Kokomo
      120 Ashton Jackson- LaPorte
      126 Tylin Thrine- New Castle
      132 Joey Buttler- Whiteland
      132 Easton Doster- New Haven
      138 Tony Wood- Jay County
      138 Michael Major- Carmel
      138 Cheaney Schoeff- Avon
      145 Aidan Torres- Chesterton
      145 Wyatt Krejsa- Center Grove
      152 Bryce Lowery- Roncalli
      170 Delaney Ruhlman- Bloomington South
      195 Christian Chavez- Mishawaka
      195 Alex Deming- Rochester
      195 Luke Hansen- Roncalli
      285 Titus Waters- Muncie Central
       
      #WAYL2
      Who are your losses to?
       
      Key
      *- State Qualifier
      (Losses/ State Qualifier Losses/ State Qualifier Wins)
      106lbs
      Ayden Bollinger- Delta(0/0/2): 
      Mason Jones- Lake Central(1/1/7): Julianna O'Campo*
      Layne Horn- Rochester(1/1/4): Ayden Bollinger*
      Matthew Baylor- Milan(1/1/1): Hruai Lian*
      Julianna O'campo- Fort Wayne Snider(2/1/5): Ayden Bollinger*, Baker(MI)
      Hruai Lian- Perry Meridian(4/2/5): Jeff McGuise, John Bissmeyer, Nathan Rioux*, Revin Dickman*
      Cameron Meier- Bloomington South(4/4/4): Isaac Campbell*, Mason Jones*, Nathan Rioux(2)*
      Isaac Campbell- Floyd Central(4/4/1): Cameron Meier(2)*, Nathan Rioux*, Revin Dickman*
      Revin Dickman- Brownsburg(5/0/9): Harrison(OH), Seacrist(OH), Smith(PA), Timar(OH), Yarbrough(OH)
      Nathan Rioux- Avon(5/5/4): Revin Dickman(5)*
      Kaleb Salazar- Wawasee(5/3/3): Cameron Meier*, Hunter Douglas, Julianna O'Campo*, Kealen Fuller, Mason Jones*
      Rex Moore- Manchester(6/6/0): Julianna O'Campo*, Layne Horn(4)*, Levi Johns*
      Xavier Chavez- Mishawaka(8/4/1):  ???(2), Benton Kanable, John Bissmeyer, Julianna O'Campo(2)*, Kaleb Salazar*, Mason Jones*
      Gunner Butt- New Palestine(8/3/1): Gavin Ash, Heather Crull, Hruai Lian(3)*, Jett McGuire(2), Joey Cline
      Connor Bayliss- Mount Vernon (Fortville)(8/5/0): Cameron Meier*, Cole Vandygriff, E'Shawn Tolbert, Gunner Butt*, Jackson Elliott*, Jett McGuire, Joey Cline, Kaleb Salazar*, Matthew Baylor*
      Logan Haney- Crown Point(14/9/0): Benton Kanable, Cameron Woods, Garcia(OH), Hruai Lian*, Kaleb Salazar*, Marinopoulos(IL), Mason Jones(4)*, Revin Dickman(2)*, Talon Jessup, Xavier Chavez*
      113lbs
      Jalen May- Kokomo(0/0/5): 
      Charlie LaRocca- Center Grove(2/1/8): Cichocki(MI), Gavin Jendreas*
      Gavin Jendreas- Crown Point(2/1/5): Mendoza(IL), Preston Haines*
      Drew Waldon- DeKalb(2/1/1): Blake Byerley, Jalen May*
      Ryan Taylor- Perry Meridian(3/2/4): Gavin Jendreas*, Preston Haines*, Quinten Schoeff
      Levi Johns- Bluffton(3/1/2): Daniel Moore, Isaiah Fye, Jalen May*
      Aiden Dallinger- McCutcheon(4/3/3): ???, Gavin Jendreas*, Isaac Ash*, Jalen May*
      Jackson Heaston- Indian Creek(4/2/1): Charlie Larocca*, Eddie Goss*, Luke Rioux, Toby Billerman
      Isaac Ash- Monrovia(6/4/2): Charlie Larocca(2)*, Luke Rioux(2), Preston Haines(2)*
      Seth Aubin- Hobart(6/3/1): Aiden Dallinger*, Charlie Larocca*, E'Shawn Tolbert(2), Gavin Jendreas*, Ryann Schmidtendorff
      Jackson Elliott- Carmel(6/6/5): Aiden Dallinger*, Charlie Larocca*, Isaac Ash*, Ryan Taylor(2)*, Tommy Frazier*
      Preston Haines- Brownsburg(9/3/4): Brown(OH), Charlie Larocca(2)*, Cichocki(MI), Dyler(OK), Jackson Heaston*, Johnson(IL), Lambers(OH), Rossell(OH)
      Tommy Frazier- Zionsville(9/5/3): Eddie Goss*, Gavin Bragg*, Gavin Jendreas*, Isaiah Schaefer*, Luke Rioux, Quinten Schoeff, Raney(KY), Ryan Taylor*, Terry Easley
      Brayden Raber- Maconaquah(9/3/0):  ???(2), Braylon McIntire(3), Drew Waldon*, Isaiah Fye, Jalen May*, Levi Johns*
      Cameron Sentner- Wawasee(10/2/0): ???, Aiden Dallinger*, Blake Byerley, Braylon McIntire, E'Shawn Tolbert, Josh Kite(2), Kamaron Straw, Matthew Senn, Seth Aubin*
      Porter Temples- Westfield(14/7/0): ???, Charlie Larocca*, Demario Ezelle, Jackson Elliott(4)*, Luke Rioux, Revin Dickman, Ryan Taylor, Ryann Schmidtendorff(2), Tommy Frazier(2)*
      120lbs
      Ashton Jackson- LaPorte(0/0/11): 
      Neal Mosier- Delta(1/1/5): Tanner Tishner*
      Tanner Tishner- Western(1/1/4): Ashton Jackson*
      Bryce Doss- New Palestine(2/2/3): Elijah Broady*, Neal Mosier*
      Isaiah Schaefer- Evansville Mater Dei(3/1/4): Jake Hockaday*, Raney(KY)(2)
      Jake Hockaday- Brownsburg(4/0/8): Butler(OH), DeLuca(NJ), Raney(KY), Stewart(IL)
      Dominic Brown- Lowell(4/4/5): Ashton Jackson(2)*, Eddie Goss*, Sonny Sessa*
      Peter Nguyen- Guerin Catholic(4/4/1): Elijah Broady*, Gavin Bragg(2)*, Neal Mosier*
      Eddie Goss- Center Grove(5/5/9): Isaiah Schaefer(2)*, Jake Hockaday(2)*, Tanner Tishner*
      Elijah Broady- Mount Vernon (Fortville)(6/4/3): ???, Bryce Doss(2)*, Dominic Brown*, Dylan Bennett, Neal Mosier*
      Carter Fielden- Garrett(8/7/2): Eddie Goss*, Isaiah McCue, Linkin Carter(3)*, Neal Mosier(2)*, Sonny Sessa*
      Linkin Carter- Eastside(9/4/4): ???, Ashton Jackson*, Bohls(OH), Carter Fielden(2)*, Estep(OH), Isaiah McCue, Nemitz(OH), Tanner Tishner*
      Logan Bickel- Cascade(9/6/0): Eddie Goss(2)*, Ethan Holloway, Jake Hockaday(2)*, Jalen May*, Jayden Owsley, Peter Nguyen*, Quinten Schoeff
      Gavin Bragg- Indianapolis Cathedral(13/10/3): Ashton Jackson*, Bryce Doss*, Dominic Brown*, Eddie Goss(2)*, Elijah Broady*, Isaiah Schaefer*, Jake Hockaday*, Moreland(OH), Quinten Schoeff, Rahul(OH), Ryan Taylor*, Sonny Sessa*
      Isaiah Wilson- Chesterton(14/8/1): Ashton Jackson(3)*, Dominic Brown(2)*, Hank Phenicie, Isaiah McCue, Linkin Carter*, Matthew Maldonado(2), Owen Bunton(2), Sonny Sessa(2)*
      Sonny Sessa- Crown Point(16/8/5): Ashton Jackson(3)*, Butler(OH), Dominic Brown*, Dylan Bennett, Eddie Goss*, Gibson(OH), Isaiah Wilson*, Jake Hockaday*, Matthew Maldonado(2), Nasdeo(PA), Rsendez(IL), Ryan(WI), Tanner Tishner*
      126lbs
      Tylin Thrine- New Castle(0/0/5): 
      Keegan Schlabach- Lakeland(1/0/4): Braylon Meyer
      Logan Frazier- Crown Point(2/0/6): Campbell(OH), Davino(IL)
      Aden Reyes- Indianapolis Cathedral(2/1/5): Sears(OH), Tylin Thrine*
      Jackson Bradley- Cowan(2/1/2): Cole Stuffel, Keegan Schlabach*
      Evan Seng- Evansville Mater Dei(3/1/3): Aden Reyes*, Raney(KY)(2)
      Cody Rowles- Jay County(3/3/1): Hayden Brady*, Jackson Bradley(2)*
      Griffin Ingalls- Fishers(4/4/2): Aden Reyes*, Jake Hockaday*, Tylin Thrine(2)*
      Hayden Brady- Garrett(4/4/1): Cody Rowles*, Keegan Schlabach(3)*
      Alejandro Ramirez- River Forest(5/6/2): Griffin Ingalls*, Guillermo Rivera(3)*, Jesus Aquino-Morales(2)*
      Chase Stephens- Tell City(5/2/1): Evan Seng(2)*, Liam Krueger, Toby Billerman, Zane Schreck
      Guillermo Rivera- Lake Central(7/5/6): ???, Ayden Campbell, Hyatt Yeager*, Logan Frazier(4)*
      Jesus Aquino-Morales- Union County(7/4/2): ???, Aden Reyes*, Blake Wolf, Griffin Ingalls*, Jack Davis, Tylin Thrine(2)*
      Hyatt Yeager- Center Grove(8/4/2): ???, Aden Reyes*, Blum(MI), Caleb Mattingly, Evan Seng*, Landen Haines(2)*, Liam Krueger
      Landen Haines- Brownsburg(10/3/2): Aden Reyes*, Chase Stephens*, Davis(MI), Garcia(IL), Hyatt Yeager*, Jett(OH), Keith Parker, Liam Krueger, McBurney(OH), Sanderfer(OH)
      Nasir Christion- Merrillville(13/7/0): Alejandro Ramirez(2)*, Ayden Campbell(2), Dalton Robson, Guillermo Rivera(3)*, Liam Bumgardner(2), Logan Frazier(2)*, Quinton Buckmaster
      132lbs
      Joey Buttler- Whiteland(0/0/4): 
      Easton Doster- New Haven(0/0/2): 
      Kyrel Leavell- Warren Central(1/0/5): ???
      Zar Walker- Mishawaka(1/0/3): Hayden Demarco
      David Maldonado- Merrillville(2/1/5): Hayden Demarco, Zar Walker*
      Odin Fortune- Evansville Reitz(2/1/1): Joey Buttler*, Landen Horning
      Mikey Kallimani- Jimtown(3/2/5): David Maldonado*, Easton Doster*, Hayden Demarco
      Justice Thornton- Columbus North(3/2/0): Brady Ison*, Odin Fortune*, Seth Syra
      Hayden Fritz- West Central(4/2/0): ???, Caleb Oliver, David Maldonado*, Griffin Van Tichelt*
      Jacob Weaver- Rossville(4/2/0): ???, Josh Johnson*, Kyrel Leavell*, Quenton Riley
      Brady Ison- Brownsburg(5/2/4): Brown(OH), Joey Buttler(2)*, King(OH), Robinson(IL)
      Keaton Morton- Perry Meridian(6/6/3): Brady Ison*, Griffin Van Tichelt*, Joey Buttler*, Kyrel Leavell(3)*
      Brody Hagewood- Prairie Heights(6/5/3): Dallas Davidson, David Maldonado*, Easton Doster*, Essiah Kamer*, Mikey Kallimani(2)*
      Griffin Van Tichelt- Crown Point(7/5/3): Brady Ison*, Brody Hagewood*, David Maldonado(2)*, Tye Linser(2), Zar Walker*
      Essiah Kamer- Fremont(8/5/1):  ???(2), Brody Hagewood(2)*, Gabe Miller, Mikey Kallimani(3)*
      Josh Johnson- Indianapolis Cathedral(9/6/1): Griffin Van Tichelt*, Keaton Morton(3)*, Kyrel Leavell*, Markour(OH), Tommy Gibbs, Trumble(KY), Wesley Harper*
      138lbs
      Tony Wood- Jay County(0/0/7): 
      Michael Major- Carmel(0/0/5): 
      Cheaney Schoeff- Avon(0/0/5): 
      Jeffrey Huyvaert- New Prairie(1/1/5): Cole Solomey*
      Cole Solomey- Kankakee Valley(1/1/4): Jeffrey Huyvaert*
      Kelby Glenn- Tell City(3/3/3): Branson Weaver*, Cheaney Schoeff*, Reese Courtney*
      Gavyn Whitehead- New Castle(3/2/1): Michael Major*, Silas Foster, Tony Wood*
      Cooper Baldwin- Peru(4/3/2): Jordan Lear, Lucas Clement*, Reese Courtney*, Tony Wood*
      Christian Arberry- Warren Central(4/2/2): Cooper Baldwin*, Gavyn Whitehead*, Michael Ortega, Romeo White
      Wesley Harper- Penn(5/5/2): Cole Solomey*, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Lucas Clement*, Michael Major*, Zar Walker*
      Brock Hagewood- Prairie Heights(5/4/0): Cooper Baldwin*, Evan Cruz, Logan Uhlman*, Lucas Clement*, Max McGinley*
      Lucas Clement- Merrillville(6/5/3): Aidan Torres*, Cole Solomey(2)*, Evan Cruz, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Max McGinley*
      Branson Weaver- Owen Valley(6/5/1): ???, Cheaney Schoeff*, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Kelby Glenn(2)*, Michael Major*
      Reese Courtney- Center Grove(8/4/6): Cheaney Schoeff(2)*, Chinavare(MI), Gates(MI), Michael Major*, Parker Reynolds, Tyler Vanover, Wesley Harper*
      Max McGinley- Indianapolis Cathedral(9/8/2): Ayoub(OH), Brady Ison*, Cheaney Schoeff*, Christian Arberry(2)*, Michael Major*, Reese Courtney(3)*
      Logan Uhlman- Adams Central(9/7/1): Aidan Carter, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Kelby Glenn*, Tony Wood(5)*, Wyatt Price
      145lbs
      Aidan Torres- Chesterton(0/0/9): 
      Wyatt Krejsa- Center Grove(0/0/4): 
      Wesley Smith- Plymouth(2/2/3): Aidan Torres*, Anthony Bahl*
      Cameron Clark- Jay County(2/2/3): Braxton Miller*, Brevan Thrine*
      Braxton Miller- DeKalb(2/1/2): ???, Luke Teusch*
      Luke Teusch- Huntington North(2/2/1): Cameron Clark*, Kolten Rhonemus*
      Brevan Thrine- New Castle(3/1/3):  ???(2), Dillon Graham*
      Luke Robards- Evansville Central(3/1/2): Cash Turner, Nayl Sbay, Wyatt Krejsa*
      Jack Todd- Pendleton Heights(3/3/0): Brevan Thrine*, Dillon Graham*, Ike O'Neill*
      Dillon Graham- Indianapolis Cathedral(4/2/4): Aiden Kiner, Wesley Smith*, Woodcock(OH), Wyatt Krejsa*
      Ike O'Neill- Westfield(4/3/2): Aidan Torres*, Dillon Graham*, Jessie Franklin, Mason Day*
      Anthony Bahl- Crown Point(6/2/4): Aidan Torres(2)*, Dominique(OH), Herriman(MI), Robinson(IL), Schneider(OK)
      Kolten Rhonemus- Delta(6/5/1): Braxton Miller*, Brevan Thrine*, Cameron Clark(2)*, Cash Turner, Luke Robards*
      Jayden Lewis- New Prairie(7/5/0): Aidan Torres(3)*, Alex Smith, Anthony Bahl*, Caleb Solomey, Wesley Smith*
      Bradley Owen- Jeffersonville(9/1/1): Alex Smith, Asher Ratliff, Braedon Spears, Brown(KY), Jase Robinson, Keegan Williams, Lee Spencer, Montoya(KY), Wyatt Krejsa*
      Mason Day- Brownsburg(11/8/1): Anthony Bahl(2)*, Bradley Owen*, Chase(OH), DiFazio(OH), Dillon Graham*, Guerra(OH), Ike O'Neill*, Luke Robards*, Silas Stits*, Wyatt Krejsa*
      152lbs
      Bryce Lowery- Roncalli(0/0/5): 
      Hunter May- Evansville Mater Dei(1/1/5): Bryce Lowery*
      Mitchell Betz- Western(1/0/5): Anthony Rinehart
      Beau Brabender- Mishawaka(4/3/8): ???, Bryce Denton*, Gavin Davis*, Silas Stits*
      Bryce Denton- Penn(4/4/2): Adrian Pellot*, Beau Brabender*, Hunter Miller*, Reese Courtney*
      Tyce DuPont- Tell City(4/3/1): Evan Roudebush, Hunter May(3)*
      Adrian Pellot- Merrillville(5/2/2):  Anthony Rinehart(2), Beau Brabender*, Evan Roudebush, Hunter Miller*
      Gavin Davis- Bellmont(6/5/7): Aidan Torres*, Beau Brabender*, Evan Roudebush, Mitchell Betz(3)*
      Hunter Miller- Wawasee(6/5/3): Anthony Rinehart, Beau Brabender(3)*, Bryce Denton*, Evan Roudebush, Gavin Davis*
      Jackson Todd- Carroll (Fort Wayne)(6/6/2): Beau Brabender*, Gavin Davis(3)*, Hunter Miller*, Wesley Smith*
      Zach Lang- Hamilton Southeastern(7/2/6): Bryce Lowery*, Mitchell Betz*, Trevor Gallagher(5)
      Christian Wittkamp- Jay County(8/5/0):  Caden Funk(2), Deaglan Pleak, Gavin Davis(2)*, Jackson Todd(2)*, Mitchell Betz*
      Silas Stits- Center Grove(9/3/3): Anthony Rinehart, Evan Roudebush(2), Gage Eckels*, Hunter May(2)*, Katschor(MI), Long(MI), Simcoe(MI)
      Gage Eckels- Ben Davis(9/6/1): Bryce Lowery*, Chase Carrington(3), Jason Rooney*, Silas Stits*, Tyce DuPont*, Zach Lang(2)*
      Jason Rooney- Westfield(11/9/2): Adrian Pellot*, AJ Steenbeke*, Beau Brabender*, Brenton Russell*, Carter Richardson*, Ethan Smith, Nathan Powell*, Trevor Gallagher, Zach Lang(3)*
      Carter Richardson- Noblesville(14/3/1): Xavier Smith, Blake Wahl(3), Bryce Lowery(2)*, Chase Carrington, Gabe Bragg, Greyson Gard, Jaylen Covington, Jesse Derringer, Larz Hughes, Trevor Gallagher, Zach Lang*
      160lbs
      Logan Farnell- Maconaquah(1/1/4): Brant Beck*
      Sam Goin- Crown Point(2/0/8): Garcia(PA), Lamer(OR)
      Nathan Powell- Carmel(2/2/4): AJ Steenbeke*, Brenton Russell*
      Luke Kemper- Evansville Central(2/0/3):  Jeb Prechtel(2)
      AJ Steenbeke- Penn(3/3/7): Conner Watts*, Sam Goin(2)*
      Brenton Russell- Warren Central(3/3/5): Andre Merritt*, Chase Wagner*, Sam Goin*
      Levi Abbott- Cowan(4/2/1): Brant Beck*, Jordan Ayres, Logan Farnell*, Silas Loshe
      Andre Merritt- Center Grove(5/3/7): AJ Steenbeke*, Davis(MI), Luke Kemper*, Marines(MI), Sam Goin*
      Brant Beck- Rochester(5/5/4): AJ Steenbeke*, Conner Watts*, Levi Abbott*, Logan Farnell(2)*
      Chase Wagner- Zionsville(5/5/4): Andre Merritt(2)*, Brenton Russell(2)*, Nathan Powell*
      Conner Watts- Jimtown(5/4/2): AJ Steenbeke*, Ben Shaffer*, Brant Beck*, Deaglan Pleak, Logan Farnell*
      Michael Hutchison- Cascade(5/5/1): Andre Merritt(2)*, Brant Beck*, Luke Kemper(2)*
      Cameron Crisp- Merrillville(8/7/0): Aidan Costello*, Ben Shaffer(2)*, Carlos Perez-Xochipa*, Chase Wagner*, Manolo Hood, Sam Goin(2)*
      Zach Huckaby- Perry Meridian(9/6/0): ???, AJ Steenbeke*, Brenton Russell*, Chase Wagner*, David Oyebode, Jason Rooney*, Nathan Powell(2)*, Sam Goin
      Braden Moore- Charlestown(9/2/0):  ???(2), Andre Merritt*, Corbin Scott, Hayden Newell, Jack Rose, John Rushenberg, Michael Hutchison*, Wojcicki(KY)
      Ben Shaffer- Chesterton(11/6/3): AJ Steenbeke*, Andre Merritt*, Chase Wagner*, Duke Myers*, Isaiah Rivas, Kenneth Bisping(3), Manolo Hood, Sam Goin(2)*
      170lbs
      Delaney Ruhlman- Bloomington South(0/0/6): 
      Noah Weaver- Rossville(2/2/3): Anthony Cashman*, Jaquan East*
      Jaquan East- Kokomo(2/2/2): Braxton Russell*, Evan Tilton*
      Duke Myers- Bellmont(3/2/7): Gavin Malone, Kyle Harden*, Noah Clouser*
      Aidan Costello- Hobart(3/3/5): Cody Goodwin*, Kyle Harden*, Noah Clouser*
      Kyle Harden- Indianapolis Cathedral(4/3/6): Aidan Costello*, Clay Guenin, Noah Clouser(2)*
      Noah Terry- Tell City(4/3/3): ???, Delaney Ruhlman(2)*, Jett Goldsberry*
      Cody Goodwin- Crown Point(4/0/2): Cramblett(OH), Flip(PA), Kelly(IL), Snyder(NJ)
      Tanner Reed- Columbia City(4/4/1): Duke Myers(3)*, Jaquan East*
      Noah Clouser- Center Grove(5/3/6): Boone(MI), Delaney Ruhlman(3)*, Vincent Tinoco
      Anthony Cashman- Warren Central(5/4/3): Aidan Costello*, Clay Guenin, Delaney Ruhlman*, Kyle Harden(2)*
      Carlos Perez-Xochipa- Harrison (WL)(5/4/2): Aidan Costello*, Cody Goodwin*, Daeveon Cheeks, Noah Clouser*, Tanner Reed*
      Jett Goldsberry- Heritage Hills(5/4/1): Gavin Malone, Noah Clouser*, Noah Terry(3)*
      Braxton Russell- Delta(5/3/1):  Clay Guenin(2), Duke Myers(2)*, Zach Wagner*
      Zach Wagner- Hamilton Southeastern(6/6/1): Ethan Popp*, Kyle Harden*, Luke Penola*, Noah Weaver(3)*
      Isaac Valdez- Mishawaka(10/7/0): ???, Aidan Costello*, Anthony Cashman(2)*, Carlos Perez-Xochipa*, Duke Myers*, Kaden Lone*, Kyle Harden*, Zymarion Hollyfield(2)
      182lbs
      De'Alcapon Veazy- Fort Wayne Snider(1/1/5): Orlando Cruz*
      Hunter Page- Monroe Central(1/1/3): Kaden Lone*
      Evan Tilton- Hamilton Heights(1/1/3): Mike Durham*
      Connor Cervantes- Griffith(1/1/2): Orlando Cruz*
      Luke Penola- Zionsville(2/1/8): Ricketts(KY), Orlando Cruz*
      Orlando Cruz- Crown Point(2/0/6): Heeg(OK), McDaniel(OH)
      Bray Emerine- Floyd Central(3/2/1): Caden Brewer*, Luke Penola*, Ricketts(KY)
      Mike Durham- Warren Central(4/3/3): ???, De'Alcapon Veazy*, Luke Penola(2)*
      Laish Detwiler- Goshen(4/4/1): De'Alcapon Veazy*, Hunter Page*, Kaden Lone(2)*
      Ethan Popp- Harrison (WL)(4/2/1): ???, Andy Warren, Connor Cervantes*, Vinny Freeman*
      Kaden Lone- NorthWood(5/5/4): De'Alcapon Veazy(2)*, Laish Detwiler*, Luke Penola*, Mike Durham*
      Brayden Tincher- Eastern Hancock(6/6/0): Evan Tilton(2)*, Hunter Page(2)*, Luke Penola*, Mike Durham*
      Jackson Fox- Columbus East(7/3/2): Bray Emerine*, Christian Chavez*, Jonathan Tanner, Julian Weems*, Shaun Glass, Spencer Fain, Trent Kersey
      Julian Weems- Center Grove(8/5/2): Adams(MI), Caden Brewer(4)*, Ethan Risner, Jaxson Walters, Luke Penola*
      Vinny Freeman- Penn(8/5/1):  ???(2), Connor Cervantes*, De'Alcapon Veazy*, Jaylen Young, Julian Weems*, Orlando Cruz(2)*
      Caden Brewer- Brownsburg(9/3/5): Barr(MI), Havill(OH), Jackson Fox*, Luke Penola*, Miller(OH), Neitenbach(OH), Orlando Cruz*, Shulaw(OH), Westpfahl(OH)
      195lbs
      Christian Chavez- Mishawaka(0/0/8): 
      Alex Deming- Rochester(0/0/4): 
      Luke Hansen- Roncalli(0/0/2): 
      Wyatt Woodall- Southmont(1/1/3): Luke Hansen*
      John Purdy- Castle(1/1/2): Reid Schroeder*
      Reid Schroeder- Southridge(1/1/2): John Purdy*
      Neil Johnson- New Prairie(3/2/4): Anthony White, Christian Chavez*, Nash Shupert*
      Kaden McConnell- Center Grove(3/3/1): Christian Chavez*, Gunner Henry*, John Purdy*
      Orlan Foster- Connersville(3/1/1): ???, Jaxon Copas, Luke Hansen*
      Chad Washburn- Kokomo(5/4/1): Alex Deming*, Armen Koltookian*, Nash Shupert*, Neil Johnson*, Peyton Cross
      Nash Shupert- Elkhart(6/5/3): ???, Alex Deming*, Armen Koltookian*, Donovan Blair*, Jackson Fox*, Neil Johnson*
      Armen Koltookian- Concord(7/5/5): ???, Alex Deming(2)*, Chance Harris, Christian Chavez*, Nash Shupert*, Wyatt Woodall*
      Gunner Henry- Brownsburg(8/3/1): Bennie(UT), Kaden McConnell*, Menifee(VA), quillin(OH), Ray(OH), Reid Schroeder*, Sell(OH), Will Clark*
      Bazle Owens- Tippecanoe Valley(10/5/0):  ???(2), Armen Koltookian*, Austin Farris, Christian Chavez*, Donovan Blair(2)*, Mickey Daring, Neil Johnson*, Preston Duffy
      Cael Albaugh- Clinton Central(10/5/0): Chad Washburn*, Elijah Cox, Jacob Jones, Neil Johnson*, Orlan Foster*, Ray Townsend, Seth Richardson, Trevor Currie, Wyatt Woodall(2)*
      Donovan Blair- Wawasee(13/5/3): Anthony White, Armen Koltookian(2)*, Austin Smith, Christian Chavez(3)*, Henry Kukelhan, Josiah Williams, Nathaniel Rosas, Parker Hart(2), Paul Dewitt
      220lbs
      Tommy Morrill- Columbus East(1/1/4): Will Clark(2)*
      Brady Beck- Rochester(1/1/3): Julante Hinton*
      Julante Hinton- Fort Wayne Northrop(1/0/2): Chance Harris
      Keagan Martin- Bellmont(2/2/3): Brady Beck*, Devin Kendrex*
      Will Clark- Crown Point(3/0/7): Gallo(PA, Shulaw(OH), Snider(OH)
      Cole Chicoine- McCutcheon(3/3/2): Alex Rose*, Jackson New*, Will Clark*
      Nate Johnson- Center Grove(3/4/1): Devin Kendrex*, Jackson Weingart, Keagan Martin*, Tommy Morrill*
      Devin Kendrex- Mount Vernon (Fortville)(4/2/8): Brandon Johnson*, Jackson Weingart(2), Tommy Morrill*
      Austin Hastings- Noblesville(4/4/4): Brady Beck(2)*, Brandon Johnson*, Devin Kendrex*
      Brandon Johnson- Lawrence North(4/4/3): Austin Hastings(2)*, Devin Kendrex(2)*
      Alex Rose- Terre Haute South(4/2/2):  Eli Hinshaw(2), Tommy Morrill(2)*
      Hadyn Ball- Triton Central(6/2/0):  , ???(3), Jackson Goodyear, Austin Hastings*
      Jayden Bartoszek- Hanover Central(7/6/1): ???, Austin Hastings*, Clayton Deutscher*, Cole Chicoine(2)*, Will Clark(2)*
      Spencer Watson- Tri-West(7/2/0):  , ???(3), Alex Rose*, Jakarrey Oliver, Josh Brown, Nate Johnson*
      Clayton Deutscher- New Prairie(8/2/1): Eli Hinshaw, Jack Aranowski(2), Jayden Bartoszek*, Jonathan Neese, Kaleb Abad, Travis Henke, Will Clark*
      Jackson New- Yorktown(10/7/1): Brandon Johnson*, Devin Kendrex(2)*, Eli Hinshaw, Hudson Kahn, Jonathan Tanner, Julante Hinton*, Keagan Martin(2)*, Titus Waters*
      285lbs
      Titus Waters- Muncie Central(0/0/5): 
      Kelton Farmer- Evansville Memorial(1/1/3): Leighton Jones*
      Dom Burgett- Hamilton Southeastern(2/1/4): Jack Milligan, Leighton Jones*
      Aramis McNutt- Highland(2/2/1): Anthony Popi*, Paul Clark*
      Jordan Cree- Rensselaer Central(2/2/1): Aramis McNutt*, Titus Waters*
      Andrew Just- Franklin Central(3/3/4): Dom Burgett(2)*, John Broadwell*
      Paul Clark- Crown Point(3/2/3): Leighton Jones(2)*, Moore(CO)
      Anthony Popi- Plymouth(4/3/3): ???, Jordan Cree*, Paul Clark(2)*
      Tyler Wright- Eastern (Greentown)(4/2/0): Brandt Thornburg, Brayden Jellison*, Mason Moran, Zac Wurm*
      Leighton Jones- Brownsburg(5/0/8): Fockler(OH), Hosia Smith, Neves(NJ), Thomas(OK)(2)
      Brayden Jellison- Elkhart(5/2/2): ???, Anthony Popi*, Christian Carroll, Peyton Kendall, Titus Waters*
      John Broadwell- Beech Grove(5/3/1):  ???(2), Andrew Just(2)*, Eli Smith*
      Zac Wurm- Adams Central(7/2/1): Joseph Orisadare, Juan Cruz(4), Titus Waters(2)*
      Eli Smith- Zionsville(8/7/1): Andrew Just*, Brayden Jellison*, Dom Burgett(2)*, Hosia Smith, Leighton Jones*, Tyler Schott(2)*
      Austin Vanover- Evansville Mater Dei(9/4/1):  , ???(3), Guillaume(KY), Jack Milligan, Kelton Farmer(2)*, Leighton Jones*, Tyler Schott*
      Tyler Schott- Center Grove(11/6/3): ???, Acosta(MI), Andrew Just*, Anthony Popi*, Austin Vanover*, Hosia Smith(3), Kelton Farmer*, Leighton Jones(2)*
       
       

      4597 1 1

      2023 State Finals By the Numbers

      Overall
      We often hear that the rankings don't matter and while it is true it doesn't mean they aren't very, very accurate. The staple of this website is rankings and this year Mike Reiser knocked it out of the park having 200 of 224 state qualifiers ranked including having all 16 qualifiers at 120lbs ranked. To add to the difficulty is that the rankings are locked before the first sectional whistle. Every year we lose top kids to injuries, missing weight, or running into another ranked wrestler during the tournament. 
       
      As always our information center has brackets and will be updated multiple times with information throughout the week. Bookmark this page and check it often for updates.
      Click here for the Info Center with links to download the brackets
       
      Season by season ranked wrestlers advancing to state
      *Note Mike Reiser took over the rankings in 2012
      2023- 200
      2022- 190
      2021- 186
      2020- 180
      2019- 175
      2018- 179
      2017- 169
      2016- 175
      2015- 172
      2014- 171
      2013- 171
      2012- 170
      2011- 157
      2010- 159
      2009- 143
       
      106lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Matthew Baylor (Milan)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #6 Mason Jones (Lake Central) vs. #19 Connor Bayliss (Mt.  Vernon (Fortville))
      #1 Layne Horn (Rochester) vs. #4 Nathan Rioux (Avon)
      #11 Hruai Lian (Perry Meridian) vs. #22 Logan Haney (Crown Point)
      #9 Cameron Meier (Bloomington South) vs. #5 Julianna Ocampo (FW Snider)
      #3 Ayden Bollinger (Delta) vs. #8 Isaac Campbell (Floyd Central)
      #24 Xavier Chavez (Mishawaka) vs. #23 Gunner Butt (New Palestine)
      #2 Revin Dickman (Brownsburg) vs. #13 Rex Moore (Manchester)
       
      113lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Brayden Raber (Maconaquah)
      Cameron Senter (Wawasee)
      Porter Temples (Westfield)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #11 Aiden Dallinger (McCutcheon) vs. #10 Levi Johns (Bluffton)
      #12 RJ Taylor (Perry Meridian) vs. #8 Isaac Ash (Monrovia)
      #15 Drew Waldon (DeKalb) vs. #20 Seth Aubin (Hobart)
      #1 Preston Haines (Brownsburg) vs. #18 Jackson Elliott (Carmel)
      #13 Tommy Frazier (Zionsville) vs. #6 Jackson Heaston (Indian Creek)

      120lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 16
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      None
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #16 Bryce Doss (New Palestine) vs. #23 Logan Bickel (Cascade)
      #9 Dominic Brown (Lowell) vs. #5 Neal Mosier (Delta)
      #2 Jake Hockaday (Brownsburg) vs. #10 Peter Nguyen (Guerin Catholic)
      #12 Carter Fielden (Garrett) vs. #19 Sonny Sessa (Crown Point)
      #4 Tanner Tishner (Western) vs. #25 Isaiah Wilson (Chesterton)
      #7 Eddie Goss (Center Grove) vs. #14 Elijah Broady (Mt.  Vernon (Fortville))
      #1 Ashton Jackson (LaPorte) vs. #11 Linkin Carter (Eastside)
      #22 Gavin Bragg (Cathedral) vs. #3 Isaiah Schaefer (Ev. Mater Dei)
       
      126lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Alejandro Ramirez (River Forest)
      Nasir Christion (Merrillville)
      Jesus Aquino-Morales (Union County)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #4 Keegan Schlabach (Lakeland) vs. #13 Hyatt Yeager (Center Grove)
      #14 Griffin Ingalls (Fishers) vs. #16 Guillermo Rivera (Lake Central)
      #3 Evan Seng (Ev. Mater Dei) vs. #8 Cody Rowles (Jay County)
      #17 Landen Haines (Brownsburg) vs. #10 Hayden Brady (Garrett)
      #6 Jackson Bradley (Cowan) vs. #18 Chase Stephens (Tell City)
       
      132lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Essiah Kamer (Fremont)
      Hayden Fritz (West Central)
       
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #7 Easton Doster (New Haven) vs. #18 Justice Thornton (Columbus North)
      #5 David Maldonado (Merrillville) vs. #12 Keaton Morton (Perry Meridian)
      #2 Joey Buttler (Whiteland) vs. #19 Brody Hagewood (Prairie Heights)
      #15 Josh Johnson (Cathedral) vs. #10 Griffin VanTichelt (Crown Point)
      #4 Zar Walker (Mishawaka) vs. #23 Jacob Weaver (Rossville)
      #9 Odin Fortune (Ev. Reitz) vs. #14 Mikey Kallimani (Jimtown)
       
      138lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Christian Arberry (Warren Central)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #6 Michael Major (Carmel) vs. #17 Brock Hagewood (Prairie Heights)
      #12 Kelby Glenn (Tell City) vs. #5 Jeffrey Huyvaert (New Prairie)
      #4 Tony Wood (Jay County) vs. #10 Max McGinley (Cathedral)
      #11 Lucas Clement (Merrillville) vs. #9 Reese Courtney (Center Grove)
      #1 Cole Solomey (Kankakee Valley) vs. #8 Branson Weaver (Owen Valley)
      #25 Cooper Baldwin (Peru) vs. #15 Gavyn Whitehead (New Castle)
      #2 Cheaney Schoeff (Avon) vs. #7 Wesley Harper (Penn)
       
      145lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Bradley Owen (Jeffersonville)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #3 Wyatt Krejsa (Center Grove) vs. #4 Jack Todd (Pendleton Heights)
      #5 Wesley Smith (Plymouth) vs. #11 Cameron Clark (Jay County)
      #9 Dillon Graham (Cathedral) vs. #10 Mason Day (Brownsburg)
      #15 Kolten Rhonemus (Delta) vs. #2 Anthony Bahl (Crown Point)
      #1 Aidan Torres (Chesterton) vs. #14 Luke Teusch (Huntington North)
      #23 Luke Robards (Ev. Central) vs. #8 Ike O'Neill (Westfield)
      #17 Braxton Miller (DeKalb) vs. #19 Jayden Lewis (New Prairie)
       
      152lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Carter Richardson (Noblesville)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #7 Beau Brabender (Mishawaka) vs. Jason Rooney (Westfield)
      #16 Jackson Todd (Carroll (FW)) vs. #6 Silas Stits (Center Grove)
      #1 Bryce Lowery (Roncalli) vs. #12 Bryce Denton (Penn)
      #10 Tyce DuPont (Tell City) vs. #8 Gavin Davis (Bellmont)
      #3 Hunter May (Ev. Mater Dei) vs. #22 Christian Wittkamp (Jay County)
      #14 Hunter Miller (Wawasee) vs. #13 Zach Lang (Hamilton Southeastern)
      #4 Mitchell Betz (Western) vs. #23 Gage Eckels (Ben Davis)
       
      160lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Levi Abbott (Cowan)
      Braden Moore (Charlestown)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #1 Sam Goin (Crown Point) vs. #10 Brant Beck (Rochester)
      #11 Chase Wagner (Zionsville) vs. #8 Andre Merritt (Center Grove)
      #2 Logan Farnell (Maconaquah) vs. #17 Cameron Crisp (Merrillville)
      #13 Michael Hutchison (Cascade) vs. #7 Nathan Powell (Carmel)
      #5 Luke Kemper (Ev. Central) vs. #18 Zach Huckaby (Perry Meridian)
      #15 Ben Shaffer (Chesterton) vs. #19 Conner Watts (Jimtown)
       
      170lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Carlos Perez-Xochipa (Harrison (WL))
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #4 Kyle Harden (Cathedral) vs. #15 Isaac Valdez (Mishawaka)
      #16 Jaquan East (Kokomo) vs. #22 Noah Terry (Tell City)
      #2 Cody Goodwin (Crown Point) vs. #10 Zack Wagner (Hamilton Southeastern)
      #3 Noah Clouser (Center Grove) vs. #11 Braxton Russell (Delta)
      #7 Duke Myers (Bellmont) vs. #23 Jett Goldsberry (Heritage Hills)
      #1 Delaney Ruhlman (Bloomington South) vs. #9 Tanner Reed (Columbia City)
      #19 Noah Weaver (Rossville) vs. #5 Aidan Costello (Hobart)
       
      182lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Vincent Freeman (Penn)
      Brayden Tincher (Eastern Hancock)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #6 Caden Brewer (Brownsburg) vs. #11 Laish Detwiler (Goshen)
      #3 Evan Tilton (Hamilton Heights) vs. #10 Connor Cervantes (Griffith)
      #2 De'Alcapon Veazy (FW Snider) vs. #17 Jackson Fox (Columbus East)
      #9 Bray Emerine (Floyd Central) vs. #8 Kaden Lone (NorthWood)
      #5 Luke Penola (Zionsville) vs. #22 Ethan Popp (Harrison (WL))
      #4 Hunter Page (Monroe Central) vs. #13 Julian Weems (Center Grove)
       
      195lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Cael Albaugh (Clinton Central)
      Donovan Blair (Wawasee)
      Bazle Owens (Tippecanoe Valley)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #4 Luke Hansen (Roncalli) vs. #12 Chad Washburn (Kokomo)
      #11 Neil Johnson (New Prairie) vs. #1 John Purdy (Castle)
      #10 Armen Koltookian (Concord) vs. #17 Orlan Foster (Connersville)
      #5 Christian Chavez (Mishawaka) vs. #7 Kaden McConnell (Center Grove)
      #9 Wyatt Woodall (Southmont) vs. #22 Nash Shupert (Elkhart)
       
      220lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Spencer Watson (Tri-West)
      Hadyn Ball (Triton Central)
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #3 Tommy Morrill (Columbus East) vs. #25 Jayden Bartoszek (Hanover Central)
      #5 Keagan Martin (Bellmont) vs. #7 Devin Kendrex (Mt.  Vernon (Fortville))
      #4 Austin Hastings (Noblesville) vs. #2 Brady Beck (Rochester)
      #8 Nate Johnson (Center Grove) vs. #20 Cole Chicoine (McCutcheon)
      #10 Brandon Johnson (Lawrence North) vs. #19 Jackson New (Yorktown)
      #22 Clayton Deutscher (New Prairie) vs. #11 Alex Rose (Terre Haute South)
       
      285lbs
      Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
       
      Unranked qualifiers:
      Tyler Wright (Eastern (Greentown))
       
      First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
      #2 Paul Clark (Crown Point) vs. #15 Austin Vanover (Ev. Mater Dei)
      #8 Brayden Jellison (Elkhart) vs. #18 Eli Smith (Zionsville)
      #1 Leighton Jones (Brownsburg) vs. #4 Anthony Popi (Plymouth)
      #9 Andrew Just (Franklin Central) vs. #22 Zac Wurm (Adams Central)
      #16 Tyler Schott (Center Grove) vs. #10 Aramis McNutt (Highland)
      #7 Titus Waters (Muncie Central) vs. #20 John Broadwell (Beech Grove)
      #13 Jordan Cree (Rensselaer Central) vs. #5 Kelton Farmer (Ev. Memorial)

      2530 4 7

      February Madness

      By Andrew Oberlin
       
      It’s that time of year again here in Indiana, February Madness, and I’m not talking about basketball. There is a very strong community of diehard wrestlers, fans, and coaches in Indiana for whom late January and early February is a time of excitement, anxiety, and sleepless nights. Those involved know what is at stake this time of year and for many it has been a 13 year journey . I’m going to attempt to give you some insight. In my humble opinion, Indiana’s state wrestling tournament is the toughest in the nation for a wrestler to punch a ticket through to the Indiana high school state because of the number of wrestlers in the state, the single class system for wrestling, and the lack of wrestlebacks. Indiana competes well at the national level and is one of only 5 states that has a single class for their state tournament. Furthermore, Indiana is the only state that doesn’t have wrestlebacks in their State High School Tournament.
       
      There are a lot of wrestlers in Indiana. This year, Indiana has nearly 10,000 USA Wrestling (USAW) cardholders, which earns us the rank of 5th in the nation for the number of USAW participants. USAW is the largest national organization that governs folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling in the United States; it is a separate entity from the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA). This figure doesn’t  include the middle school and high school wrestlers who do not compete in USAW events. In addition, the number of wrestlers in Indiana continues to grow as girls wrestling gains popularity. 
       
      Seedings and Wrestlebacks
      At most top-level tournaments, wrestlers are seeded so that the best wrestlers don’t face each other early in the tournament. Seeding is not an exact science, and many times decisions are based on opinions. Whoever is seeding the tournament can use things such as results of past head-to-head matches, common opponents, or individual win-loss records to determine placement. 
       
      Head-to-head is the best way to seed a tournament but many times head-to-head matches haven’t taken place, so organizers look for a common opponent and how each wrestler did against that opponent. This can be a valid way to seed, but does not always take body type and wrestling styles into account.  Individual win-loss records are generally given the least consideration when seeding wrestlers because schedules and levels of competition vary greatly. There is no perfect way to seed wrestlers.
       
      Wrestlebacks allow a wrestler to prove a seeding wrong or provide a second chance to overcome a mistake.   Wrestlebacks are done at almost every tournament wrestlers will participate in from the time they are 5 all the way through college; however, because of Gene Hackman and the movie Hoosiers, Indiana is only concerned with crowning the state champion and our state wrestling tournament does accomplish that. I kid about the movie Hoosiers... kind of. 
       
      To be clear, my point is not to go on a rant about why Indiana needs to have wrestlebacks (which I strongly believe we do). That is a battle the coaches association and wrestling community has fought ad nauseam for decades and at this point it just doesn’t look like it is going to happen. I am explaining the factors that go into the emotions our wrestlers, coaches, and fans experience every year at this time.
       
      Indiana High School State Wrestling Tournament Format
      To understand the passion that goes on at the state tournament, one must  understand what it took to get there. Many wrestlers in Indiana start their wrestling journeys between the ages of 5 and 8. They likely had thousands of hours of year-round training and more than 500 youth matches. High school wrestlers survived the gauntlet of youth wrestling and continued intense training into high school... This requires a lot of blood (literally), sweat, and tears on the part of the wrestlers, their families, and their coaches. By the time a wrestler is in high school, there is an entire support system that is emotionally invested in that wrestler’s career. There are  only 14 state champions out of thousands of high school wrestlers, so the majority of wrestlers will not end their careers reaching their ultimate goal.
       
      If you understand how our Indiana state wrestling tournament is run, you can skip this part. There are 315 schools in the state that participate in wrestling. The state tournament is 4 weeks long. Competitions take place each Saturday during the first 3 weeks and on Friday and Saturday during the 4th week. Week 1 is sectionals which consists of 8 to 10 teams with 14 weight classes. Week 2 is regionals which combine the top wrestlers from 2 sectionals. Week 3 is a semi-state which combines the top wrestlers from 4 regionals. Week 4  is a state which combines the top wrestlers from 4 semi-states. Sectionals is the only part of the tournament that uses the seeding process. After sectionals everything else is based on how the wrestler placed the week before. For regionals the first place sectional winners wrestle the 4th place winners from the opposite sectional. Second place sectional winners wrestle 3rd place sectional winners. Since there are no wrestle backs if a wrestler loses the first round of regionals they are done for the season. If a wrestler wins at regionals they advance to semi-state. Things start to get tricky at semi-state.. With 4 regionals feeding into semi-state there are a total of 16 wrestlers in each weight class and 4 different regional champs for each weight class. It’s the same formula as regionals with 1st place wrestling 4th and 2nd place wrestling third but since the pool of wrestlers has expanded match-ups are drawn at random every year. To advance from semi-state to state a wrestler must win their first two matches. For every semi-state mini bracket of 1st through 4th place regional placers only one wrestler will continue to state by winning their first two matches. The state finals are Friday and Saturday of week 4. The same type of formula used for semi-state is applied to state. At state Friday night the walk of champions takes place where they announce all the schools that have a wrestler represented at the meet. Wrestlers all wrestle once on Friday; if they don’t win that match they are done and do not advance to wrestle on Saturday.
       
      Here is an example random Semi-State bracket that could be used:

       
      February
      I hear the term March Madness all the time when they talk about the NCAA basketball tournament. For me it pales in comparison to the February Madness that happens right here in Indiana during our high school wrestling state tournament. If you have the opportunity to watch any part of the 4 week state tournament know that with every win and loss, especially when the wrestler is a senior,  you are seeing the hopes and dreams of a small community either being fulfilled or coming to end after thousands of hours of hard work. In the end winning doesn’t care about you and neither does wrestling, but those that have been part of a wrestler’s journey do and that is what matters. If you truly know what wrestling is about you know the wrestler has become a better person because of it and that is something to be proud of.  
       
      I wish you all the best during this post season and know that wrestling is training for the life that follows.
       
       
      Indiana wrestling has been a part of my life for over 35 years. I had my high school dreams come to end without reaching my ultimate goal. I have now coached for 27 years and I have been a part of this walk and moment more times than I can remember. The photo below captures it all, a wrestler and part of his support system walking off the mat for the last time while coming to terms with the finality of it. 
       

       
      Austin Farris, the wrestler in this photo, first stepped on a wrestling mat at 4 years old with his father by his side. This is a picture of Austin walking back to the bleachers for the last time in his high school career after losing a close match. Dee Farris, his father and coach, has his hand on Austin’s back; following behind the father and son are coaches that have been with Austin on his journey since he was young.
       
       

      3812 12 18

      2023 Evansville Semi-State Preview

      By Dustin Bentz
       
      It’s that time of year!!! Triple B feels like WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, he’s walking down the streets of North Vernon and Madison Yelling, “CAN YOU DIG IT, SUCCCKKKAAAHHHHH”
       
      It’s me, it’s me, it’s TripleB and I’m here to deliver the World Famous TRIPLEB EVANSVILLE SEMI-STATE SPECTACULAR PREVIEW!!!!!!
       
      With good old 3B’s birthday being the Friday before, is there a better gift than the GREATEST SEMI-STATE IN THE STATE OF INDIANA??
       
      Evansville will be popping off Saturday, I’m actually negotiating with the IHSAA to go ahead and send us the state medals b/c we all know that THE DIRTY SOUTH SEMI-STATE is the GOLD STANDARD!!!
       
      House keeping items - 
       
      Here is the link for the Indianamat Semi-State Hub - 
       
      https://indianamat.com/index.php?/forums/topic/62910-article-2023-semi-state-information-center/
       
      From our former inside man Markio - Ford Arena info:
       
      Parking and general information about the arena can be found at www.thefordcenter.com Wrestlers can enter the arena at 7:30am for weigh-ins. Wrestlers and coaches will enter at the interior ticket office lobby (to the far right of the main lobby doors) to check in and head back. You will pick up your credentials here. The only coolers allowed are for wrestlers and must enter at the check in table through the interior ticket lobby. NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK for anyone else is allowed inside unfortunately. Not my rules, just standard building policy.  Public doors open at 8:00am CST. Enter on Main Street through the main lobby. We will look to create a separate door/entrance for those that already have tickets. $12 dollars for all session ticket, $10 for finals only.  There is NO onsite parking. Please do not have any team vehicles attempt to park in the loading dock or attached outer lot. These are reserved spots. There is no public Wi-Fi.  Please do not jump over the dasher walls to access the floor. They try to control access to the floor, so you need to enter from the lower level hallway under section 103. You wouldn't jump the wall at Gainbridge would you? lol The hospitality room for officials, etc. will be in the Corner Club. Enter from the main lobby and hang a right at the lower level hallway. If you are going to set up a camera please do not have the cord running across the aisle. You will be made to unplug any cords running across an aisle. We will have full concessions available throughout the day. Coffee and hot chocolate are also available all day as well. (get the bbq pork nachos, huge and awesome) There is no smoking on or in the Ford Center property, this includes e-cigarettes. Brackets will be updated throughout the day and posted on several of the 170 or so TVs located all over the arena. The brackets end up kind of small, but hey, they are everywhere and pretty cool. Lastly,if you are a wrestler that loses please don't kick,throw,or punch Ford Center property. We had a kid break off a door handle last year.Sent the bill to the school.   
      Nestled between two days of absolute Love (3B’s birthday on Thursday and Valentine’s Day on Tuesday) 224 grapplers will be battling to GAIN 56 tickets to the Bridge in Indianapolis next weekend!!
       
      Let’s not pull any punches, Evansville is the toughest Semi-State in the state. There were kids getting sent home at regionals that could have placed at state and the same will happen this weekend. It will be absolute Carnage, Chaos, and Heartbreak. 176 Semi-State ranked wrestlers, 107 of whom are also state ranked will take to the Ford Center Saturday  with more excitement than the pre-teens at the Jo-Jo concert the night before. We have the potential to feature, 4, yes 4 #1 vs. #2 state ranked wrestlers. We also have 7 of the 14 #1 ranked wrestlers in the state in our semi-state. 
       
      How does this work - The exclusive Evansville Championship Selection Committee (ECSC) spent 2 days in hard deliberations over their Ford Fab 4 picks. Each member selected their ballot, points were accumulated, and from there the picks started falling into place.
       
      Article features: 
       
      The Charles Barkley “Turrible”  Draws - ticket round matches that shouldn’t be happening in the ticket round!
       
      The Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers - Best first round matches!
       
      The Built Ford Tough Locks - Any weight class where the pick for champion was unanimous, makes it a Ford Tough Lock. This year we have, what may be a record, 10 yes 10 FORD TOUGH LOCKS!
       
      Ford Fab 4 - After the picks were gathered, points distributed, and the dust settled, we’ll have the Ford Fab 4.
       
      A big shout out to Navy80, BigToe19, a mystery guest picker, and The DONNIE BAKER for their contributions. I will add some commentary throughout from our great pickers.
       
      What if I didn’t agree with the ECSC or I thought they made a terrible error? Then have no fear - The TripleB Guarantee will help you sort out the madness. 
       
      Before we get started….. Is this the year for siblings??? Or are some cousins??? Or maybe Uncle/Nephews??
       
      BigToe did some digging and came up with the following families, good luck this weekend!
       
      Ash Brothers - Monrovia
      Bell Brothers - Ev North
      Haines Brothers - BBurg
      Heaston Brothers - Indian Creek
      Henderson Brothers - Vincennes Lincoln
      Rioux Brothers - Avon
      Rose Brothers - Switz County  
      Schoeff Brothers - Avon
      Smith Siblings - Heritage Hills  ( Brother/Sister ???)
      VanOver Brothers - EMD
      *Clement Brothers- Merrillville/Edgewood
       
      BigToe Regional Breakdown based off his predictions (will slightly differ from the selections ahead):
       
      Bigtoe19 Regional Breakdown:
       
      Mooresville - 25 to State, & 7 EVSS Champs
       
      Bloomington- 11 to State, 3 EVSS Champs
       
      Jeffersonville- 6 to State, 1 EVSS Champ
       
      Evansville- 14 to State, 3 EVSS Champs
       
      Without further ado—--------LET’S FREAKIN’ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
       
      106: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 7/9
      All 10 SS ranked wrestlers have navigated the waters! Every year we talk about future hammers and blue bloods filling out 106. This year is no different as names like Bloomington High School South, Avon, Brownsburg, Columbus East, and Floyd Central all litter the bracket. But there are some schools hoping to be bracket busters!
       
      106 also welcomes our first of record 10 Ford Tough LOCKS!!! 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Freshman from Columbus East Talon Jessup has had a great year, Brennan Leonard has been lurking in the shadows w/ an injury and brings 6-3 record to SS. This match will kick things off Saturday!! Another rising program, Indian Creek, will bring Jude Heaston to the Ford and a first round match w/ Brady Byrd from Washington should be the caffeine everyone needs Saturday morning!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws -  LET THE MOORESVILLE CHAOS BEGIN!!!  The Mooresville Regional, or the fifth semi-state as those #County folks have started referring to it, which always causes death draws. #4 SS ranked and returning State Participant Cameron Meier from Bloomington South will take on Monrovia’s Super Sophomore Gavin Ash. Could they both punch tickets if in a different bracket? Don’t know but this match will be great!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Gavin Ash, as mentioned above. Nate Rioux, he’s wrestled Dickman approximately 1000 times and both are Contender trained. But keep an eye on  The Castle Regional duo of Ty Henderson from Vincennes Lincoln and Brady Byrd from Washington. Both are battle tested and compete on the national level. Byrd and Dickman aren’t strangers and that match could be entertaining!
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Our first Ford Tough Lock - Revin Dickman of Brownsburg hopes to get Bulldogs from Brownsburg going early!
      1st - LOCK Revin Dickman  Brownsburg, 2nd - Nate Rioux  Avon, 3rd - Isaac Campbell Floyd Central 4th - Cameron Meier Bloomington High School South
       
      113: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 6/8
      A returning LOCK that is ranked #1 in the state and #1 in the semi-state…. And he’s not a lock, nor is he favored! 5 top ten state ranked wrestlers will look for top honors at 113 and up until a week ago returning SS champ Preston Haines of Brownsburg appeared to have it locked up again. Then the Trojans of Center Grove came a’callin, and Charlie LaRocca helped pull the weight class and regional upset! This weight class is loaded and 3 different wrestlers all got votes to win it; Haines, LaRocca and Avon’s Luke Rioux. 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - #9SS ranked and regional champ Gavin Wheeler from North Posey got a Curtain Jerker and turrible draw as he gets #8 state ranked Isaac Ash from Monrovia. Wheeler is tough and North Posey wrestles a great schedule, don’t expect him to lay down for Ash!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - Sound the FLIPPIN Sirens…. Call the EVPD, actually don’t, I follow a page called Evansville Watch and they need their own TV show, anway…. We got 2 returning state medalists going at it in the ticket round!!! #6 ranked Jackson Heaston has gone out and got challenges all season at whatever weight he wanted. #4 Luke Rioux comes from the battle hardened Contender Academy and Rioux family….. Someone really has to go home?!?!?!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Hold on, I’m still gathering myself…. Don’t sleep on the dream dashers known as the IHSAA!!!
       
      Ford Fab 4 -  It’s the first Mooresville Sweep!!! LaRocca gets the nod and the rest play out like last weekend
       
      1st - Charlie LaRocca  Center Grove, 2nd -  Preston Haines Brownsburg, 3rd - Luke Rioux Avon, Isaac Ash Monorovia
       
      TRIPLEB_GUARANTEE - Preston Haines gets the W back and gets another SS crown. 
       
      120: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 7/9
      120 features a returning semi-state champ, state champ, who hasn’t lost in the state of Indiana in over a year, has to be a lock right? NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!! Jake Hockaday is the presumptive favorite but some pickers think a Wildcat can take out a Bulldog. This weight class features 4 top ten ranked wrestlers not all are favorites to get out!
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker: Lane Gilbert has lots of state, national and even world medals. He definitely has his eyes set on finally climbing that podium next weekend, but will that cause him to overlook Cascade Cadet #23 ranked Logan Bickel? Another great first round match will feature SS #8 ranked Quinten Q Schoeff vs #10 ranked Cameron Fogle from Southridge. Fogle is a sectional champ who dropped a decision loss to Gilbert last weekend. 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - See below….. 
      Don’t sleep on…. Switzerland County wrestling has been quietly putting together the pieces for a run for a few years now. Freshman Peyton Richards comes into Semi-State undefeated and has collected a sectional and regional championship. Trips has been trying to tell people but no one will listen!!
       
      Ford Fab 4: Hockaday gets enough to cover followed by Mater Dei’s Isaiah Schaefer (we didn’t even mention him, he did get a vote to knock off Hock), Gilbert, and Richards
       
      1st - Jake Hockaday Brownsburg, 2nd - Isaiah Schaefer, Evansville Mater Dei, 3rd - Lane Gilbert Sullivan, 4th Eddie Goss Center Grove
       
      DONNIE BAKER AND TRIPLEB’S BET THE BOAT - Peyton Richards becomes Switzerland County’s first ever state qualifier… and won’t be the only Pacer going. 
       
      126: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 7/10
       
      Our 2nd LOCK at 126 and is 2x state medalist, 2x semi state finalist and a champ 2 years ago, Evansville Mater Dei’s Evan Seng. Seng has been rolling through the state tourney w 4 falls, 1 tech and 1 major. He is the heavy favorite Saturday. Yearly 126 is one of the deepest weight classes and 2023 is no different as there are some absolute hammer matches in the both first rounds and the ticket round. 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Both #8 Josiah Dedeaux of Terre Haute South and #7 Keith Parker of Ben Davis didn’t like how their seasons ended a year ago and went to work. They’ve wrestled all over the country. They have grown leaps and bounds. Dedeaux was knocked out of regionals last year by Floyd’s Vince Kessinger and this year he knocked off Kessinger for third place. Parker has flip flopped matches w/ Landen Haines the last two weekends. This match has all the makings of a barn burner, unfortunately the winner gets the LOCK Seng. 
       
      Another lights out curtain jerker features returning state qualifier Dominic McFeely from Cascade taking on super soph from 3 time 1A state champs Tell City Chase Stephens. Can the Marksmen keep rolling or will the Cadet triumph?
       
      ANNNNDDD Hold on one more match!  Brownsburg’s Landen Haines will go at it w/ Vince Kessinger from Floyd. Throw the rankings away, these dudes wrestle w/ multiple siblings. I can’t even imagine what Thanksgiving looks like at either of their houses. The Kessinger Kids, the Haines Bros…. Battles and that will come into play Saturday. Kessinger has home run capabilities and Landen can’t wait to get his Haines on…wait, bad joke, nevermind…. Don’t miss this match!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - The winner of McFeely/Stephens won’t have long to rest b/c CE’s returning state qualifier Liam Krueger waiting for them. Krueger has wins over both, though just a 2 pt decision over Stephens.
       
      Corydon’s Zane Schreck has been on a mission all year, last weekend he beat Krueger convincingly, Krueger has Dub over Yeager. One of these two are going home!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Hell is there anybody I haven’t mentioned?? Yeah there is, Remember the headlocks heard around the world last year? I guarantee Seth Cowden does, he was winning 11-0 heading into the 3rd period when Jarred Dunn dropped the boom. Last weekend Cowden lost in OT to Chase Stephens. You think that dude is happy right now? He could send Yeager and Schreck packing Saturday!
       
      Ford Fab 4: A grinder of a bracket after Seng, Krueger, Haines and Schreck all still standing at the end
      1st - Evan Seng Evansville Mater Dei,  2nd Liam Krueger Columbus East, 3rd Landen Haines Brownsburg,  4th Zane Schreck, Corydon Central
       
      132: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 8/8
       
      Here’s what we know about 132 - It’s Joey’s world and we are just trying to keep up, and after that all bets are off. Joey Buttler from Whiteland is our next LOCK as the 2x state medalist and returning Semi-State champ looks to rule the bracket. The bottom half bracket is insane. Past turrible draw recipients from last year Coy Hammack from Tell City and Justice Thornton from Columbus North both hope to avoid being on the bad side of the draws. 
       
      Hammack is a 2x qualifier, 1x medalist and was upended last year. 
      Thornton is now a 2x regional champ for Columbus North. 
      Both have Mooresville Regional draws in the form of Seth Syra and Brady Ison. 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers -  Floyd Central Freshman Hunter Banet and Jennings County’s Lane Kirchner is a homer pick for old 3B, two HHC foes going at it! Kirchner won the HHC in January, Banet took third but they didn’t cross paths. 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Coy Hammack has a celebrated career, but the grinder of Evansville doesn’t care about celebrations. In what might be one of the worst (or best??) ticket round match ups ever he gets Brownsburg 2x State Qualifier Brady Ison. It’s a shame someone’s season and possibly career ends here Saturday. This is also what makes Evansville the absolute best SS in the state. 
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Seth Syra, Avon. He was a ticket rounder last year and has a 1-0 win over Thornton this year. The pickers went w/ Thornton but can Seth Syra put a stamp on his earlier season win?  Also Odin Fortune from Reitz has never been able to punch his ticket, the pickers say he will do just that this year, but will his fortune reveal more than just a state finals birth?
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Buttler, Hammack gets the nod, Thornton gets the nod and Fortune 
       
      1st - Joey Buttler Whiteland, 2nd - Coy Hammack Tell City, 3rd - Odin Fortune Evansville Reitz, 4th - Justice Thornton Columbus North. 
       
      138: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 8/10
       
      Cheaney Schoeff is the star of this weight class. He’s a 3x state semi-finalist, defending semi-state champ is looking to finish off his career with a state ‘ship next weekend. He’s also LOCK #4! 
       
      With all 10 ranked SS wrestlers in the bracket there are a number of bangers to open this weight class and some possibly good Ticket round matches. Another Pacer punching his ticket and WildCat helping out a Bulldog?!?! 138 is LOADED!!
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Interesting 1 vs 4 to get things going Trevor Hott is ranked 18th in the state but not ranked in the semi-state. Gabe Rose is ranked 10th in the state, has beaten everyone he’s wrestled as he’s walked through the state tourney but isn’t ranked in the state! 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - Not really turrible draws, but some great blood round matches here - Rose/Hott winner vs #8/#4 Branson Weaver. Weaver has had tough L’s in the state tourney, but not an impossible draw here. 
       
      Skip down to #12/#5 Kelby Glenn, a tough 2 loss senior from Tell City and Freshman Phenom from Brownsburg #3/#2 Parker Reynolds. This match will be good, and a turrible draw!!!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Evansville Mater Dei’s Tyler Vanover has a “Dub” over Reece Courtney in a barn burner at Team State. This is another ticket round match. 
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Schoeff is a LOCK, two upsets on paper as Rose edges out Weaver and Vanover gets one on Courtney, Parker Reynolds punches his first ticket
       
      1st - Cheaney Schoeff Avon, 2nd - Parker Reynolds Brownsburg, 3rd - Tyler Vanover Evansville Mater Dei, 4th - Gabe Rose Switzerland County
       
      145: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 6/9
       
      Center Grove’s Wyatt Krejsa was one of the highlights last year when he won his ticket round match by fall in 30 seconds. There’s no surprises this year as Krejsa is our 5th LOCK. 
       
      After that there are some great first round and ticket round matches as this weight features all 10 SS ranked wrestlers, w 9 being ranked in the state. Can my boy, TripleB Trained Braedon Spears come out of one of the toughest quarter brackets and finally punch his ticket?!?! 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - State ranked wrestlers right out of the gates!!! #18 Alex Smith was winning his first round match a year ago when he got cradled with under a minute to go. Braedon Spears was up 3-2 w/ 14 seconds to go in his ticket round match when a shredded knee and reversal ended his season. With heartbreaks on their minds, these grapplers have each other in this highlight Curtain Jerker! The winner gets tough Jeffersonville Senior Bradley Owen. They both own wins over Owen but Owen is on fire right now. This will be a great ticket round match!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Cash Turner just became Edgewood’s first ever 4 time regional champion, a 2x state finalist and would be a three timer if not for Brownsburg…. Who he happens to have this year in Bulldog Sophomore Mason Day. They are both ranked top 4 in Semi State and top 12 in the state. 
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Bradley Owen as mentioned above and Tell City Senior Brayden Lain. The pickers like Luke Robards from Evansville Central but Tell City’s season has been magic, don’t count Lain out!
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Another weight, another LOCK - Kresja, Spears, Turner ekes out Day, and Robards
       
      1st - Wyatt Kresja Center Grove, 2nd Braedon Spears Madi…err.. Plainfield, 3rd - Cash Turner Edgewood, 4th - Luke Robards Evansville Central
      TRIPLEB_GUARANTEE - My man crush on Mater Dei is well documented, but what has stayed hidden is my affinity for my boy JMILL and Brownsburg - Give me Day over Turner. 
       
      152: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 8/9
       
      3 returning state qualifiers, another LOCK, and what could be a wide open quarter bracket highlight 152. 
       
      2x state medalist and a semi-finalist last year, Mater Dei’s Hunter May is the next WildCat LOCK joining teammate Wyatt Seng. The WildCats aren’t being heavily talked about which is weird, but these two LOCKS hope to pull off some hometown magic!
       
      The rest of the bracket will feature 3 great ticket round matches and another school hoping for their first ever state qualifier. 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Terre Haute South Senior and 24th state ranked Luke May is making his first trip to Semi-State, Jeff’s Senior Hayden Bartle is making this third trip to Ford, well Jasper/Ford, whatever. These seniors would both like to keep their seasons rolling into the quarters!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - 2 turrible draws - Greencastle Senior Chase Carrington is probably underranked (17/7) as he won the always tough Mooresville Regional. Tyce DuPont is a returning state qualifier that ran into Evan Roudebush last weekend. That leaves these two dudes duking it out here w/ a trip to Gainbridge on the line. 
       
      Speaking of Roudebush and that tough Mooresville Regional, Silas Stits of Center Grove hit a road bump last weekend named Gage Eckels from Ben Davis. Now we get the turrible draw of two top ten ranked wrestlers in the state as Stits will take on Roudebush for a chance to advance!!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. And speaking of Gage Eckels, the Giant might be already making plans for state but West Washington Senior Wyatt Johnston along w/ teammate Mason Jones gave the Senators their first wrestling regional championships last weekend. Don’t sleep on Johnston punching that ticket!
       
      Ford Fab 4 - LOCK Down May, Dupont in a nailbiter, Eckels, and Roudebush gets the nod
       
      1st - Hunter May Evansville Mater Dei, 2nd - Evan Roudebush Bloomington South, 3rd - Tyce DuPont Tell City, 4th - Gage Eckels Ben Davis 
       
      TripleB GUARANTEE: Center Grove shocked the state last weekend when they upended Brownsburg for a regional title. If the Trojans wanna add a SS title, they need Stits. Give me Stits!
       
      160:  State ranked/Semi State ranked = 5/8
       
      Jeb Prethcel has put himself together a season - 33-0, Bo Henry Champ, SIAC champ, Spartan Champ and has made it unscathed to Evansville. Will Evansville be his undoing? NOPE, ANOTHER LOCK FOR THE JASPER WILDCAT!! 
       
      Outside of that there is what might be the most fun quarter bracket in the tourney and some great blood matches
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Just highlight this quarter bracket as anything can happen - Charlestown’s Braden Moore, Mooresville’s Corbin Scott, Cale Hickok from Bloomington North, and Peyton Bell from Evansville North. The votes for the winner of the quarter bracket were split between Hickock and Bell, which means this first match could feature a state qualifier!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - 2 years in a row Cascade’s Michael Hutchinson has shown he has all the tools to be a medalist and now 2 years in a row the bracket gods have not been kind. This year he gets Jeb Pretchel, the weight class LOCK. Great kid, Great family (his dad introduced me to Hey Dudes like 6 years ago!) Come On HUTCH!!!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Decatur Central  Junior David Oybode spent some of the year at 170 before coming down, Luke Kemper is a stud. But don’t count out Oybode!
       
      Ford Fab 4 - LOCK Precthel, Center Grove’s Andre Merritt (The reason Hutch has the death draw), Kemper, and Hickok gets the nod
       
      1st - Jeb Prechel Jasper, 2nd - Andre Merritt Center Grove, 3rd - Luke Kemper Evansville Central, 4th - Cael Hickok Bloomington North
       
      TripleB GUARANTEE: Give me Peyton Bell, he has SS experience, tough Evansville area. 
       
      170: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 5/8
       
      Hey we finally don’t have a LOCK….. Just kidding, Delaney Ruhlman is as close to LOCK as one gets. He’s a 3 time state qualifier and returning two time runner up. He’s on a mission… Gold medal in his sight. 
       
      There’s an interesting quarter bracket brewing as rumors swirl about Noah Clouser and his knee. How bad is it? Will he give it a go? Will he pull out? How does this affect the weight and quarter bracket?
       
      A freshman looking to make a splash, Heritage Hills Jett Goldsberry has had some good wins and puzzling losses. Can the frosh put it together and become a State Qualifier? 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers - SS #6 ranked Noah Sumner from Martinsville and #7 Spencer Turner from Mater Dei will be competitive, unfortunately the winner gets Ruhlman. 
       
      And watch the quarter bracket featuring Regional Champ Teagan Trotter from Jennings Co, Maddox Vernon from Southridge, Austin Bell from Evansville North, and Noah Clouser from Center Grove. If Clouser pulls out, all bets are off and it’s a free for all. Man, maybe even if his knee is banged up bad enough it might be  free for all. 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - SS ranked #3 Vincent Tinoco from Whiteland and SS ranked #4 Noah Terry from Tell City will hook up in the Quarters. Winner goes to state, the loser goes home. Turrible, Turrible, Turrible draw!!!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Noah Clouser, yeah he’s picked to get through but w all eyes on him and his coaches planning all week, the Trojan might just figure out how to get through and survive!
      Also don’t count out Teagen Trotter from Jennings County. Trotter is a Regional Champ and w/ Clouser banged up, can an unranked Trotter be the beneficiary of the bad luck?
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Lock Lock Lock Denlany Ruhlman from Bloomington South, Clouser figures it out, Tell City gets another and Goldsberry JETTS through!
       
      1st - Delaney Ruhlman Bloomington South, 2nd - Jett Goldsberry Heritage Hills, 3rd - Noah Clouser Center Grove, 4th - Noah Terry Tell City
       
      Donnie Bakers Bet the Boat Shocker of Saturday - Jasper’s Victor Peter gets to workout w/ Jeb  Precthel every day….. Victor will be the VICTOR over Goldsberry and advance. Take that Randy!
       
      182: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 7/12
      After a run of 7 straight LOCKS, Navy80 said naaahhhhh enough of that. The LOCK wasn’t top SS ranked Caden Brewer but rather Highlander Bray Emerine, Navy likes Brewer. 
       
      This weight class does appear to be a 2 horse race w/ Emerine and Brewer, but there could be several spoilers littered throughout the bracket. Jackson Fox made his 182 debut at sectionals and promptly knocked off always game Van Skinner two weeks in a row. Speaking of Skinner, a two time ticket rounder who took John Purdy to the limit last year in the first round of SS. This is Skinner’s last chance, can he knock off Emerine in the ticket round?
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - This is the first weight class were nothing really jumps off the page. The only opening match between two ranked wrestlers is Emerine vs. #9 Alex Ramsey of Ben Davis. 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Call me a homer…. Van Skinner is a stud that has shown multiple times he could be on the podium. His SS draw has gone - Gabe Sollars, Gabe Sollars, John Purdy. This year he gets Bray Emerine. It’s a turrrrrrrrrilble draw….. for Emerine as the Madison Cub finally punches that ticket (*Warning those thoughts are those strictly of TripleB)
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Richard Alexander, on paper, would be the favorite over Jackson Fox. It’s more of an issue that the Olympian dropped late and I just wasn’t sure where to place him. Fox is the favorite, Alexander has big moves and has had a great year. Don’t sleep on Alexander getting one over Fox here. 
       
      Donnie Baker was either in a meat coma by this point of just sleeping but he stirred and started yelling “Johnson, JOHNSON I SAY!!” I asked him what he meant and like a bear he arose and bellowed “I SAID CALE JOHNSON OVER WEEMS!!”
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Despite Navy 80’s Pleas, Donnie’s Demands, and TripleB Guarantees - Emerine is the favorite, followed by Weems, Brewer and Fox
       
      1st - Bray Emerine Floyd Central, 2nd - Julian Weems Center Grove, 3rd - Caden Brewer Brownsburg, 4th - Jackson Fox Columbus East

       
      195:  State ranked/Semi State ranked = 5/10
       
      After taking a small detour of a weight class without a lock, we have resumed our normal activities with our 9th LOCK, Castle’s John Purdy. Purdy is pretty good and a 2x time state medalist. He’s currently ranked #1 in the state and SS. 
       
      Purdy might be a lock, but weight class features the #1, #2, #3 and #7 state ranked wrestlers. 
       
      Brownsburg’s Gunnar Henry is a returning state semi-finalist, Purdy is a 2x medalist,Southridge’s Reid Schroeder is a 2x qualifier and a medalist last year. Kaden McConnel from Center Grove knocked off Henry last weekend! The semis here should be lights out!
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - SS#5 Blake Driver from Whiteland vs SS#8 Parker Hart from Heritage Hills will be entertaining. The only other first round match of SS ranked wrestlers is #7 Stevie Drake vs #1 Purdy. 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Another homer selection - Scottsburg Sophomore Bryson TANK Mata is an alum of the Bentz DoJo. He’s 42-1 and won both Sectionals and Regionals in dominating fashion, pinning everyone. Imagine if Gunnar Henry had stayed at Pekin Eastern? These two would have battled multiple times!  Now these sophomores will go at it for a chance to go to state. Turrible draw for……. Henry!!!!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. It only took 12 weights to get here, but this our first “chalk” weight where the pickers all picked the same 4 kids to advance. There were some disagreements on the order that’s about it
       
      Ford Fab 4 - LOCK and Chalk - Purdy, Henry, McConnel, Schroeder
       
      1st - John Purdy Castle, 2nd - Reid Schroeder Southridge, 3rd Gunnar Henry Brownsburg, 4th - Kaden McConnell Center Grove 
       
      220:   State ranked/Semi State ranked = 6/10
       
      STOP THE PRESSES… STOP THE PRESSES…. After having everything ready and my TRIPLEB_Guarantee of Clay Martin ready, he’s disappeared!!! Abracadabra!! Gone!! Good thing I was the odd man out and I blame it on my wildcat obsession. We also do not have a lock here, with 3 returning State Qualifiers and no medalists, it’s a 3 man between Tommy 220, Alex Kissed By A Rose, and Nate “Dog” Johnson! Also a dark horse looms at 220 as Tecumseh Senior Mason Hines brings in a 34-2 record along w/ a Old Capitol Classic, PAC, Sectional and Regional. Despite all that, he’s not ranked in the Semi-State…. Yeah I messed up…
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Give me #9 Spencer Watson from Tri-West and #10 Malachi Rios from Charlestown. Both have 30 plus wins, the winner gets Mason HInes and they both have to feel like that was the best draw possible. 
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws -Eli Henshaw is a2 time Semi-State Quarter finalists. He’s battled all year w/ Alex Rose - They both have 2 wins over each other. But Rose’s wins have came at Sectionals and Regionals. This leaves Hinshaw, ranked #8 in state and #3 in Semi State, taking on #8/#2 Nate Johnson from Center Grove in the ticket round. Two big boys going at it, this is Hinshaw's last shot… Trips says FIREWORKS BABY!!!!!
       
      Don’t sleep on…. Jakarrey Oliver of Whiteland has been in the talks of being a state qualifier for a few years. This year he just hasn’t been able to solve Nate Johnson. Good news is, he doesn’t have Nate Johnson, he has Alex Rose. I wouldn’t look past Oliver, he’s tough and capable of grabbing the Dub.
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Tommy 220 was almost a lock, but Alex Rose got some gold love. They are followed by Johnson and Hines
       
      1st - Tommy 220 Morrill Columbus East, 2nd - Alex Rose Terre Haute South, 3rd - Nate Johnson Center Grove, 4th - Mason Hines Tecumseh
       
      Joe, Joe, Joe don’t ya know - Secret guest picker says Hinshaw over Johnson!
       
      285: State ranked/Semi State ranked = 6/10
      Let’s just get this out of the way, Leighton Jones should be going for his third state championship. I refuse to acknowledge 2 years ago and I wasn’t around last year. So in Trips eyes, he IS a 2x state champ. He’s a 4x sectional, 3x regional, 2x SS and now a 3x LOCK! 
       
      This is also a weird bracket where one wrestler got more people votes, but another got more points. That’s the only time this happened in 2023. HWT also had 7 unique individuals get votes, also the most of any weight class in 2023. 
       
      Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers - Don’t run to the bathroom yet… there’s some matches here worth sticking around for. #6 Hunter Kolley from Heritage Hills and #10 Ben Land from Jeffersonville will feature two big dudes looking for big moves. Land was an ISWA Cadet Triple Crowner a year ago. 
       
      Here’s another interesting one - SS #7 Ben Craig has two losses, both to Patrick McMahon from Columbus East. He’ll take on State ranked #15 (but not ranked in SS) Austin Vanover from Mater Dei. Some like Vanover to move on!
       
      Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Columbus East Heavyweight Senior Patrick McMahon is in his first year of being a varsity wrestler and he’s done okay, just kidding he’s done phenomenal. He’s won the Columbus East Invite, Hoosier Hills Conference, Sectionals, and Regionals. He’s currently ranked #19 in the state and #3 in the semi-state. He will go to battle w/ State ranked #16 and #4 semi-state ranked Tyler Schott from Center Grove. Both have good wins this year, this match should be fun. 
       
      Don’t sleep on…. The already mentioned Austin Vanover and Kelton Farmer as a champ. Kelton is a 2x State Qualifier, Jones has shown he’s not invincible. I could totally see a Kelton Farmer win here and a Leighton Jones 3rd state championship next weekend. 
       
      Ford Fab 4 - Our last LOCK, Leighton Jones of Brownsburg leading an absolute crew of studs behind him. Austin Vanover had 3 voters rank him 4th, but Bryce Mills had 2 rankers place him 3rd. So Mills gets the nod!
       
      1st - Leighton Jones Brownsburg, 2nd - Kelton Farmer Evansville Memorial, 3rd - Tyler Schott Center Grove, 4th - Bryce Mills Owen Valley 
       
      TripleB_Guarantee - Erick Ousley finally gets out of my shadow and gets him a state qualifier that he can claim all on his own, Patrick McMahon will punch his ticket!
       
      Man we made it…….let’s end w my favorite - food recommendations
       
      Hilltop Inn - Fried Brain sandwiches. Brains aren’t your thing? Turonis is a local pizza place that’s dynamite. Like German? Gerst Haus is phenomenal. Want to head out for some adult beverages? Go to Franklin St, Gerst Haus is there and a number of other watering holes and great restaurants. I’m never up early enough for Breakfast so I have no clue. I hear the nachos at the Ford are great and worth the $. And a tradition on the way home used to be Stoll’s Country Diner (RIP). 
       
      It’s been a pretty dramatic year for TripleB. I’m just happy to be here, typing this letter. My life took a huge turn the Monday after semi-state last year. My health bottomed out and for about a week we weren’t sure I was going to see another Semi-State. That being said, I can’t freaking wait to be there Saturday. Have a great time Saturday, I love the Evansville Semi-State experience. I’ll be there slumming around, feel free to say hey, you can’t miss me! Good luck to all my coaching buddies and all 224 grapplers. Use this to pump you up and get mad bc you were slighted and parents have fun with this as we at Indianamat are just trying to bring attention to our favorite sport, wrestling!
       
      See everybody at the FORD and onto The Bridge!
       

      19296 4 4

      2023 State Finals Info Center

      Schedule
      Friday, Feb. 17, 2023
      Session 1
      Gates open at 12:30 pm ET
      Parade of Champions at 1:30 pm ET
      First Round Weight Classes 106 - 145 begin at 2 pm ET 
      First Round Weight Classes 152 - 285 begin at 5:30 pm ET
       
      Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023
      Session 2
      Gates open at 8 am ET 
      Quarterfinals begin at 9 am ET with Semifinals to follow
      Fieldhouse cleared of all spectators following Semifinals
      Session 3 
      Gates open at 3:30 pm ET
      Consolations at 4:30 pm ET with State Championships to follow at 7:30 pm ET
       
      Location
      Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis 
       
      Admission 
      $15 per session; $25 all sessions. Reserved seating only (no general admission). Tickets are not available yet but tickets will be digital only through your mobile phone and may be purchased via Ticketmaster.com (service fees apply). Show your ticket purchase verification on you mobile phone at the admission gate. 
       
      Television
      Saturday's state championship bouts in each weight class will air live on Bally Sports Indiana.
       
      Streaming
      All matches on Friday and Saturday, including Saturday night’s championship round, may be viewed via live stream for a subscription fee of $15 via IHSAAtv.org.  If you have a FloPro+ plan, you may also view the livestream at FloWrestling.com.  Saturday night’s championship round can also be found on the Bally Sports+ app.
       
      State Finals Pairings Show
      Click here to watch the pairings show
       
      Social Media
      IHSAA on Twiiter
      IndianaMat on Twitter
       
      Brackets
      IndianaMat Brackets with both State and Semi-State rankings
      State-StateSSRankings.pdf
      IndianaMat Brackets with State Rankings only
      State-StateRankingsOnly.pdf
      TrackWrestling Brackets
       
      Semi-State Results
      East Chicago Semi-State Results
      Evansville Semi-State Results
      New Castle Semi-State Results
      New Haven(Fort Wayne) Semi-State Results
       
      Pick'em Contests
      Pick'em Standings after semi-state
      State Pick'ems

      Gorilla Radio
      High School Wrestling Weekly State Preview
      Gorilla Radio episode 154 bracket breakdown
       
      Featured Articles
      State Finals by the Numbers
      State Finals #WAYL2
      State Finals Media Guide
      Who do you want in your corner?

      6087 8

      2023 Semi-State Information Center

      Date: Saturday February 11, 2023
      Admission: $12 per person. Children age 5 and younger admitted free.
      Advancement: The top four place winners in each weight class advance to the state finals.
      Streaming: A bundled package that includes access to all four semi-state sites, as well as next weekend's state finals, is available via IHSAAtv.org for $25. Access to all four semi-states only is available for $15. If you have a FloPro+ plan, you may also view the livestream at FloWrestling.com.
       
      1. East Chicago Central (John C. Baratto Athletic Center) | 9 am CT
      Feeder Regionals: Crown Point, Hobart, Logansport, Penn.
      TrackWrestling Brackets
      IndianaMat Brackets
      Pick'ems Link
       
      2. New Haven (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum) | 8:30 am ET
      Feeder Regionals: Carroll (Fort Wayne), Goshen, Jay County, Peru.
      TrackWrestling Brackets
      IndianaMat Brackets
      Pick'ems Link
       
      3. New Castle (New Castle Fieldhouse) | 9 am ET
      Feeder Regionals: Frankfort, Pendleton Heights, Perry Meridian, Richmond.
      TrackWrestling Brackets
      IndianaMat Brackets
      Pick'ems Link
       
       
      4. Evansville F.J. Reitz  (Ford Center) | 9 am CT
      Feeder Regionals: Bloomington South, Castle, Jeffersonville, Mooresville.
      TrackWrestling Brackets
      IndianaMat Brackets
      Pick'ems Link
       
      All-Time Pick'em History
      Click here to see where you stand in the all-time history of IndianaMat(and even BEFORE) pick'ems
       
      Podcasts
      High School Wrestling Weekly
      Gorilla Radio #151 East Chicago along with 106lbs and 126lbs from New Castle
      Gorilla Radio #152 with Dustin Bentz talking about Evansville
       
      Articles
      Evansville Semi-State Preview

      7187 2 1

      2023 Regional Streaming Links

      Crown Point Regional
       
      Hobart Regional Opening Round and Semi-Finals
      Hobart Regional Finals
       
      Penn Regional
       
      Jay County Regional
       
      Carroll Regional Mat 1
      Carroll Regional Mat 2
      Carroll Regional Mat 3
       
      Richmond Regional
       
      Mooresville

      Jeffersonville
       

      2156 1 3

      Bulldog Breakdown: The Football Player, Part 2

      By Anna Kayser
       
      If you’re on the outside looking in as Brownsburg wrestling approaches the 2023 State Series, you may not know or see that there is a lot different about Leighton Jones now compared to last season.  
       
      For one, his bathroom mirror is covered in words written in dry erase marker.
       
      To explain how Leighton has grown into who he is today, we have to go through what happened in the IHSAA State Championships last year.
       
      As the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in the state, Leighton was the odds-on favorite to win the championship after losing his ticket round match during his freshman year and placing third at state as a sophomore. However, the viewpoint was a lot sunnier from the outside looking in on a kid who had high prospects for his future and a solid season on the purple Brownsburg mat.
       
      Internally, he was exhausted.
       
      Following his official, game day visit to the University of Iowa in which they secured a statement win over Indiana University in early September 2021, nothing slowed down for Leighton. His recruitment was peaking, with multiple football and wrestling programs looking to woo him into a commitment.
       
      However, the offers weren’t coming from football programs, not yet. Indiana had offered Leighton a full scholarship package to wrestle for the Hoosiers in Bloomington. So, he had options, but there was only one option that he was really looking for.
       
      “In the back of his mind, he was still wanting football but knew that he was going to have more control over his own destiny with wrestling,” Marshall Jones, Leighton’s dad, said. “So that added much more pressure.”
       
      Leighton’s quiet, describing himself ‘lead by example’ type of figure until his senior wrestling season when he really strived to fill the ‘senior heavyweight’ shoes and instill accountability in his teammates. So, when the stress started creeping up, it didn’t present itself until the toll became physical.
       
      “[Leighton] internalizes a lot, doesn’t say too much, so we didn’t really see too much stress until a tournament up in Crown Point [in December],” Marshall said. “He was just so tentative, lost [by one point] and Leighton should have beaten him, probably should have majored him if nothing else. You could tell that he wasn’t wrestling like Chad [Red] had taught him to wrestle.”
       
      The next weekend, he was beaten again – this time by a takedown with five seconds left in an overtime period.
       
      “You could see in Leighton’s face, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this,’” Marshall recalled.
       
      The pressure from both his sports colliding over the winter months was beating down on Leighton. His schedule was packed, moreso than any normal high school junior beginning the college search. It wasn’t just academics he was looking at; he was reaching for a place that would help him grow toward the next level of athletics. A place that would help him reach his goals of the NFL.
       
      In the back of his mind, Leighton had already found the perfect spot: Iowa City. But without the offer on the table – without many offers on the table at all – he was still an overly active recruit.
       
      “I would come home from wrestling, and I would eat and get on the phone with four different programs,” Leighton said. “By the time I got off the phone every night, it would be 10:30-11 [at night] and I would have to do the same thing over again the next night.”
       
      Leighton was actively texting in the Jones family group chat almost every single day – someone called him, wanted to talk to him, or followed him on Twitter. It was constant.
       
      He was being bombarded from all sides. Schools were calling about both wrestling and football, people around him were continuously reminding him of their expectation for an individual title in February, and his drive diminished with mounting stress placed on his shoulders.
       
      “I just wasn’t having fun,” Leighton said. “I was kind of in my own head.”
       
      In seeing all of the stress and anxiety bubble to the surface in a physical way, the Jones family sought help from a sports psychologist, recommended by a friend whose son was in a similar boat.
       
      For six weeks through the end of the wrestling season, Leighton was taught coping skills to handle all the weight on his shoulders. He was also taught to narrow his focus in on what was right in front of him.
       
      “Just that six-week period that we sought that professional help was huge,” Laurie said. “Leighton is a big picture kid – he would look at the big picture, he would look at the challenges ahead and he would kind of overwhelm himself. We got him seeing someone who had him focus, step-by-step, on what he needed to accomplish things and have that focus and mental strength to handle the stress.”
       
      The family also allotted some down time, a window for Leighton to have no responsibility and hopefully avoid burnout. That free time came in the form of Sundays at home.
       
      “We made sure he had time, especially on the weekends, just to have complete down time because if he didn’t, then he couldn’t have given too much more,” Laurie said. “Just giving him that amount of time that we had on those weekends, we tried not to talk about anything as far as any stress of any sports especially after he was done competing on Saturdays.
       
      “On Sundays after his workout, he had very little responsibilities because we just wanted him to still be able to manage and be a kid.”
       
      They also got Leighton back into the Red Cobra wrestling room, bringing him back to his wrestling roots with something Marshall felt like he was missing.
       
      Leighton had the physical tools he needed to succeed on the mat, but the mentality of wrestling always dominates.
       
      “It was just more of a mental thing of keeping his mind set and getting him to believe in what he’s capable of doing,” Red said. “Me personally, I thought he was a state champion his sophomore year, I thought he was capable of it his junior year and now we’re in his senior year. That’s our plan, that’s definitely his plan, and hopefully we’ll get that job done coming into February.”
       
      Meanwhile, the Jones family watched as other recruits around the Midwest began to collect offers and commit to schools, creating their own timeline in their minds.
       
      They were looking for the shoe to drop, that offer from the University of Iowa that would – finally – solidify Leighton’s future.
       
      “That’s what [Leighton] really wanted,” Marshall said. “He fell in love with the campus the first time we stepped foot on it. Every place we went, he compared it back to Iowa.”
       
      Come January, the official offers began to ramp up: Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, Illinois State, Toledo, Miami (Ohio), Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Ball State, Bowling Green and Ohio.
       
      He already knew where he wanted to go, but he was made to wait for it. Iowa was locked in on him – as was Purdue, which would officially offer him around the same time – but knew he had a state championship run to focus on during the time.
       
      As the influx of offers came in, so did the high-pressure tournaments designed to award only the best-of-the-best with a bid to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in February.
       
      For those around him, wrestling season was leading up to a hopeful heavyweight state title – again, he was ranked No. 1 in the state. For Leighton, it was a countdown.
       
      “I came into state and was like, ‘Alright, I have four matches left.’ And after Friday night, I was like, ‘Alright, three matches left.’ And then it was semifinals, and I was like ‘Alright, two more matches and I’m done.’” Leighton said. “I just wanted to get it over with. I was confident, but I wasn’t having confident feelings just going into the whole thing.”
       
      Leighton won his first two state matches by three and two-point decisions, respectively. He was then defeated in the semifinals by an 8-5 decision and dropped to the third-place match.
       
      “I think he, just like all of us, was devastated. We felt like we were the best heavyweight, and it was hard to watch him lose because I know how bad he wants it,” Brownsburg head coach Darrick Snyder said. “Honestly, I just gave him a hug and we didn’t really immediately talk about it. There’s nothing to be said, especially the guys who have trained the right way and they really want to win it.”
       
      He bounced back from the loss with a shutout of his next opponent for third place, 6-0, adapting his goals to accomplish what ended up being right in front of him.
       
      With wrestling season in his peripheral mirror, the waves of relief came in a rush for Leighton.
       
      “The coaches told him they did not want to offer him during wrestling season because they knew it was hard enough, and once Iowa offers an offensive lineman… that recruit just starts to blow up,” Marshall said. “They didn’t want to do that to him while he was still on the hunt for the state championship.”
       
      On Monday morning, less than 48 hours after his junior wrestling season came to a close, Leighton got the call he had been waiting for from the George Barnett, the Hawkeyes’ offensive line coach, with one message: ‘Don’t forget why you liked Iowa.’
       
      As promised, the programs started calling. The Jones family even had a visit set up to go visit Notre Dame, Leighton’s favorite school growing up.
       
      Despite the increased attention and pressure to open his mind to somewhere other than Iowa, the answer didn’t change: Thanks, but Iowa’s the place.
       
      “He was like, ‘I don’t want to go,’ and we were like ‘You don’t want to go to Notre Dame? You don’t just want to go see?’” Laurie said. His answer was the same, as his mom remembers it: “No, I don’t. I feel like I’m lying to these people pretending that I’m interested. I’m not interested.”
       
      On Feb. 26, mere days after receiving his call from Iowa and tons other from programs now eyeing him, Leighton announced his commitment with a tweet saying, “Iowa City, I’m coming home.”
       
      From the beginning, he knew that’s where he wanted to be. On Dec. 21 when he signed his national letter of intent, he officially became a Hawkeye.
       
      “Every place we visited just never quite checked all the boxes like Iowa did,” Laurie said. “It’s got this feel that makes you want to go back.”
       
      It goes back to the list of accomplished Iowa football players who wrestled in high school, too. Iowa has a strong resume of building former wrestlers into forces to be reckoned with on the offensive line and seeing the success of Hawkeyes in the NFL was a sticking point for the Brownsburg heavyweight.
       
      “I’ve always wanted to play in the NFL – that’s always been there,” Leighton said. “And then when I got offered to Iowa, I was like ‘Alright, I can make this happen. If it’s anywhere, it’s here. Right when I committed, I realized I could be something special, and they told me that too.”
       
      Now, that eight-, nine-year old kid who Chad Red called “NFL” has a real shot at continuing to make his dreams come true – as long as he doesn’t look too far ahead of where his feet lie.
       
      Although Leighton is now removed from regularly seeing a sports psychologist, he still puts into practice coping mechanisms to keep his stress and anxiety at a low level. The things that stuck with him will also take him through to his first year as a student-athlete at Iowa.
       
      One of the biggest things he learned is to write all his goals on his bathroom mirror, so he has a visual each day of what is in front of him and can see all that he’s accomplishing each day.
       
      “Once he started to focus on the small things, it was so much better,” Laurie said. “That’s going to be a tool he’s absolutely going to have to use next year and we see him still using it now. I mean, his bathroom mirror is all covered up and written on with everything he wants to accomplish this year in wrestling.”
       
      It’s not uncommon for football players to forgo their second semester senior year to join their college programs for spring practice. That wasn’t an option on the table for Leighton, and the Iowa coaches wanted to see him accomplish his goals on the wrestling mat.
       
      “There are a lot of kids that wouldn’t be wrestling right now – he’s on a full ride to go play football at Iowa,” Snyder said. “It would have been real easy for him to say, ‘I’m going to Iowa,’ but he wants to help us win and wants to try to win a state title.”
       
      So, that’s where he’s headed. He’s received his meal plan and workout program in the mail from Iowa, but the first step is to tackle what awaits him at sectionals, regionals and then state at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
       
      “I can definitely tell I’m embracing it this year, my last season,” Leighton said. “I’ve put in so much work since third grade to get to this point, and I just want to finish it out on the right note.”
       

      2120 1 4

      Bulldog Breakdown: The Football Player, Part 1

      By Anna Kayser
       
      At the beginning of his recruitment process with the Iowa Hawkeye football program, Leighton Jones was handed a piece of paper.
       
      “There were about 15 or 16 wrestlers who have made All-Big Ten [on that paper]. All-Big Ten isn’t easy at all to do,” Leighton said. “It wasn’t just all the guys that wrestled, it was all the guys that placed or were state champs.”
       
      On Wednesday, Dec. 21, the rest became history.
       
      Leighton’s career has been building toward the opportunity to add his name to the list of Iowa football players with wrestling in their blood. Both sports went hand-in-hand from the very beginning, and together helped his skills grow to the level of a future Division I football player.
       
      Picture him at four-years-old – something that’s a far cry from the current 6-foot-4, 275-pound offensive lineman who sports a Brownsburg singlet from November to February. That age is really where this story begins, when he was handed a mini jersey and set of waist flags for an upcoming fall season of flag football.
       
      Even at that age, a competitive nature snuck through his quiet persona. Football season then transitioned into wrestling season – as it would for the next 14 years of his life – and Leighton took his first steps onto a mat as part of Brownsburg’s youth wrestling club.
       
      “A lot of people were scratching their heads and calling me silly,” Leighton’s dad, Marshall Jones, said. “But you’ve got to start them early, right?”
       
      Once he started, there was no stopping for Leighton. Four years later at about eight years old – his second-grade year, as he describes it – he was locked into playing football. The same soon followed with his love of wrestling, when he met Chad Red of Red Cobra Wrestling Academy in Avon during his third-grade year.
       
      “He absolutely loved it from day one, so we knew it was something that was going to take off,” Laurie Jones, Leighton’s mom, said. “I think just being involved in all these activities, they gave him immediate friends from early on and he’s such a social kid. All of these teams – I’ve got pictures where some of the boys he’s with right now, they’ve been wrestling together since Leighton was five or six. That’s how deep it runs.
       
      “Forming these relationships was easy for him and then all of the sports time, that’s how he identified himself. We knew that he might actually be really good at both of these things.”
       
      Even from a young age, one could probably guess what role Leighton would play on the Brownsburg high school wrestling team. He was already bigger than a lot of kids his age, especially those in the wrestling room.
       
      “So, he either had to go against a lot of older guys or he just didn’t have training partners,” Marshall said. “His best friend’s dad and I kind of agreed that we would keep the boys together to play youth football because they didn’t have anyone else to drill against. With wrestling, there was no one else.”
       
      That’s where the shift to Red Cobra came into play. He would step into the room and immediately be wrestling kids the same size as him, regardless of whether or not they were a few years older.
       
      The strides he made at the academy level were immeasurable, due to his hard work and dedication to the sport. From the beginning, Red saw something special.
       
      “I was just continuously seeing him growing, every year he continued to get better from day one coming in,” Red said. “I would always call him NFL just because he was a big kid, but he moved extremely well for his size and again, he had a great work ethic – never complained, always worked… he was always up at the front, one of the leaders of the pack.”
       
      With his strong foundation set in both football and wrestling, Leighton’s drive and focus was locked completely into his opportunities in sports. 
       
      “That’s one thing that I’ve seen him do time and time again,” Marshall said. “He’ll go in and kind of assess [the situation], and once he has things [measured up], he locks it and it’s full steam ahead.”
       
      Thus began a routine of constant travel for opportunities that Leighton couldn’t miss out on as he began to build the foundation for the football player and wrestler he is today. Opportunities that include, most recently, a selection to play at the US Army Bowl at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium in Texas just last month. 
       
      “Having your dad as a coach is pretty special,” Leighton said. “He’s always looking out for me, making sure I’m doing the right thing and always [trying] to give me the best chance at every opportunity, whether it’s taking me across the country for wrestling or going to football camps, whatever it was.”
       
      The turning point of going down the sports-dominated road came with its challenges – challenges that often can extinguish the flame of enjoyment from young athletes early on.
       
      For Leighton, the key to growing up and continuously having fun in the two sports that dominate his life began at home.
       
      While Marshall is the designated coach in the household, Laurie is the force of power balancing out the scales to make sure they don’t tip too far into the pressure of being an athlete.
       
      “My mom looked at my school stuff, my social stuff and made sure I was able to hang out with friends and have a normal childhood on top of going to tournaments every weekend,” Leighton said. “I felt like I was living a high school life in middle school just being on the road traveling non-stop. She’s made sure I was having a good time when I wasn’t in football and wrestling.”
       
      For Laurie, school was the biggest thing. If Leighton worked as hard at school as he did on the football field or in the wrestling room, his future would be there waiting for him when the time came.
       
      The social component, that came easy. He had developed relationships with his peers at Brownsburg from the early onset of sports, and they grew up together from the attraction to athletics.
       
      “He has a natural desire to please and to work hard, so that work ethic he put right into school,” Laurie said. “And the relationships that he was forming spending all of these times with these families, it was just the perfect combination.”
       
      With the well-rounded approach to Leighton’s development from an early age, it showed the future Division I football player that there was more to life than sports. It took the pressure off that side of his life, allowing him to thrive in it.
       
      “It really went a long way and at the time I didn’t really notice it,” Leighton said. “I mean, nowadays, kids are cutting weight from like first grade and all of a sudden, they get to high school and want to quit. I feel like it kind of helped me make sure I wasn’t burnt out and just enjoyed the sport for what it was, rather than living and dying through it.”
       
      The outside support for other aspects of his life helped Leighton’s drive stay strong in both football and wrestling. Working hard and staying focused in every aspect of his life is what sparked Iowa’s interest in him in the first place.
       
      Following 6 AM workouts at Red Cobra, Leighton would make his way to Brownsburg football’s first-period weightlifting session. One day, that dedication to both sports went noticed and ultimately led to his commitment to the Hawkeyes.
       
      “Iowa [defensive line] coach Kelvin Bell was there to talk to some other football recruits, just watched him work out and was really impressed with his work ethic,” Marshall said.” That [sentiment] just kept going with the [other] contacts at Iowa.”
       
      Leighton’s hard work throughout his early high school years paid off, and his recruitment process rocketed with Iowa at the front and center. The interest shown from a number of college coaches who saw the combination of skills from football and wrestling was instrumental in how he would move forward.
       
      “I honestly thought I was going to wrestle in college all the way until my sophomore year… I started getting recruited a lot more [in football] and that piqued my interest,” Leighton said. “I realized I could be a pretty big football recruit and go somewhere big.”
       
      At the time, Jones was coming off a tough semifinal loss at the 2021 IHSAA State Tournament but finished strong in third place with a major decision against one of the best heavyweights in the state.
       
      It wasn’t only his physicality that made Jones stand out, but his strong mentality.
       
      “What was interesting, almost unilaterally regardless of the school, they almost talked to him more about his wrestling than football,” Marshall said. “I think it was that validation that, here’s a kid that’s competing at the highest levels in wrestling. A lot of the coaches were talking about his resiliency.”
       
      In June 2021, following his sophomore year at Brownsburg, Leighton and Marshall took another cross-country trip for three total Big Ten camps in the span of a week, unofficially kicking off his recruiting process.
       
      The trip, which took the Jones family all the way to Lincoln, Neb. for a freestyle camp and back east to Happy Valley for a Penn State football camp, made its first stop in Iowa City for Leighton’s first taste of Iowa football.
       
      “When he went out to a camp at Iowa for an afternoon and was a defensive lineman, all the other coaches were noticing his footwork and hand skills and were like, ‘He’s a wrestler, right?’” Marshall said. “[Iowa head coach] Kirk Ferentz called him out and spoke to him personally – one out of like 200 linemen campers – and said, ‘You wrestle, right?’ That kind of became the discussion point.”
       
      At their cores, wrestling and football are very different. Football is entirely a team mentality – as an offensive lineman, specifically, Leighton plays a crucial part in making sure plays develop the way they’re meant to. Wrestling, on the other hand – while there is still somewhat of a team component, moreso in some competitive environments than others – leans hard into an individual drive to succeed.
       
      When you lose in football, it’s a full team loss. The emotional and mental weight that comes from wrestling is often completely different.
       
      “I always kind of preferred football because it’s obviously easier,” Leighton said with a laugh. “When you lose, you don’t feel [that immense, individual pressure].”
       
      Having an individual mentality instilled in him from an early age improved his growth on the football field, one of the ways the two sports go hand-in-hand.
       
      When it comes to reaching his goals and focusing in on the individual fundamentals that will ultimately help the Iowa football team when he takes to the turf.
       
      “I always have my goals in mind and where I’m trying to get to,” Leighton said. “That goes along with preparing more and being honest about my weaknesses and strengths, as well as the role I play on the team.”
       
      Leighton is able to tap into that team mentality too, especially in the leadership role he plays during Brownsburg wrestling practices.
       
      “I was always kind of a ‘lead by example’ guy, but this year my goal was to be more vocal,” Leighton said. “I mean, the senior heavyweight – most people will listen in the room, and if they don’t then you’ve kind of got to get into them a little. It’s really helped a lot, now they just kind of know [what to expect] every day when they walk into the room and to work hard.”
       
      Fundamentally, wrestling and being an offensive lineman pair well when developing skills. Leighton is a strong, quick athlete whose abilities on the wrestling mat translate well to the gridiron.
       
      “Wrestling and football complement each other in such a way that you don’t get burnt out on wrestling because the training is so tough if you train year-round,” Marshall said. “[Leighton] would train year-round in wrestling that was just really complementing his footwork, his hand-fighting and his actual mental game.”
       
      The Iowa football program is a leader in developing successful wrestlers to become some of the best offensive lineman in the game. Tristian Wirfs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tyler Linderbaum of the Baltimore Ravens are two recent, strong examples coming out of Kinnick Stadium.
       
      When going through his recruiting process, the love of building their offensive line with former wrestlers is what drew him in on the Hawkeye program.
       
      “Leighton fits the mold of many former Iowa offensive linemen that have come before him here in Iowa City,” Tyler Barnes, Director of Recruiting for Iowa football said via email. “He is a relentless competitor both on the football field and on the wrestling mat. He competes in both sports with a dominant mentality, and we love the chip he has on his shoulder. Leighton is one of those guys who can flip the switch once he starts competing and those are the guys opponents should worry about.”
       
      Leighton went on an unofficial visit in July of 2021, one month after the camp that got him noticed by Ferentz. In September he visited again, this time taking in the experience he might have running onto the field in Iowa City one day.
       
      “I went on a gameday visit to their first game in 2021 vs. [Indiana], and it was the most incredible thing I’ve ever been to,” Leighton said. “You don’t get that…anywhere else. I thought it was pretty special.
       
      “I realized it was different, and that as long as the coaches weren’t going to leave, they were honest, and they wanted what’s best for me and would push me [to reach my goals].”

      2715 14

      2023 IHSAA State Finals Schedule

      Per
      https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/wrestling/2022-23-tournament?round=state-finals
       
      Friday, Feb. 17, 2023
      Session 1
      Gates open at 12:30 pm ET
      Parade of Champions at 1:30 pm ET
      First Round Weight Classes 106 - 145 begin at 2 pm ET 
      First Round Weight Classes 152 - 285 begin at 5:30 pm ET
       
      Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023
      Session 2
      Gates open at 8 am ET 
      Quarterfinals begin at 9 am ET with Semifinals to follow
      Fieldhouse cleared of all spectators following Semifinals
      Session 3 
      Gates open at 3:30 pm ET
      Consolations at 4:30 pm ET with State Championships to follow at 7:30 pm ET

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