2009 Junior Greco-Roman Preview

This year's Team Indiana going to Fargo isn't blessed with a lot of Juniors level experience. However, although Indiana isn't sending a complete nor especially experienced lineup, there are some formidable Greco wrestlers on this squad.

Leading the way is the highly decorated Cameron Vlahos. Vlahos is coming off of a stellar Jr. Greco Duals that saw him go undefeated, earning all-Tournament honors in the process. He was also a Cadet All-American in Greco last year and looks to build on his strong summer with a placement against the always loaded field at Fargo. It's hard to bet against Vlahos placing here, even against such powerful competition.

Another Hoosier wrestler with strong Greco credentials is Mark Collett of Jennings County. Collett placed 6th in Greco as a Cadet last year and looks to add another placement at the Junior level, spurred on by a tremendous performance at the Disney Duals.

Caleb Smith had a fine summer at the Disney Duals as well, and fared pretty well at Fargo last year, garnering a 3-2 mark in a loaded field. Michael Hummer faced a nightmarish level of early opponents last year, but he brings some solid experience to this year's campaign. It was a similar experience for Evansville North's Tony Mendoza, the lone member of the squad who participated in Jr. Greco last year.

Others with strong credentials include the beastly Ryan Stahl, 2 time state qualifier and last year's runner-up (and very nearly champion) at 140 at the IHSAA state finals. Alex Gregory has been blazing hot in 2009, parlaying a 4th place finish at 112 at Conseco into a silver medal performance at the Disney Duals this summer. Others to watch include former state qualifiers Jake McCarthy and Matt Milton, semi-state qualifiers Joe Lile, Kyle Mays, Fort Wayne's Lefever brothers, the Rieker clan, Terre Haute South's 130 lb. representatives Case and Jensen, nationally experienced Walker of Sullivan and Perry's young bucks Masengale, Witten and Robinson. Greco is its own animal, so we could have some surprising results from basically anyone on the roster. Best of luck to the kids and parents making the trek.

119 LBS

1 Zach Rieker, Columbus East

2 Steve Rieker, Columbus East, SS Qualifier

3 Alex Gregory, Penn, 4th Place 2009, Silver Medalist at Disney Duals

125 LBS

1 Baron Rieker, Columbus East, SS Qualifier

2 Michael Achenbach, Anderson

3 Jake McCarthy, Mt. Vernon, SS Qualifier 2009, State Qualifier 2008

130 LBS

1 Jordan Jensen, Terre Haute South, SS Qualifier

2 Dakota Case, Terre Haute South, SS Qualifier

135 LBS

1 Matt Milton, Center Grove, State Qualifier

2 John Walker, Sullivan

140 LBS

1 Grant Scurria, Carmel

145 LBS

CR Caleb Smith, Princeton, SS Qualifier, 3-2 last year Cadet Greco, Copper medalist at Disney Duals

1 Kyle Mays, Northridge, SS Qualifier

2 Michael Hummer, Penn, 1-2 last year Cadet Greco

3 Ryan Stahl, Elkhart Memorial, 2nd Place 2009, State qualifier 2007

152 LBS

1 Joseph Lile   Fishers  SS Qualifier

2 Nick Witten   Perry Meridian

3 Reece Lefever   Carroll (Ft. Wayne) SS Qualifier

160 LBS

CR Conner Lefever, Carroll (Ft. Wayne), SS Qualifier

1 Cameron Vlahos, Harrison(West Lafayette), State Qualifier, Undefeated at Jr. Duals, Cadet AA

171 LBS

1 Jordan Robinson, Perry Meridian, SS Qualifier

2 Kyle Masengale, Perry Meridian

189 LBS

1 Alex Corbin, Carmel

215 LBS

1 Tony Mendoza, Evansville North, 1-2 last year at Jr. Greco

2 Devin Reagan, Penn

3 Mark Collett, Jennings County, Cadet Greco 6th, SS Qualifier, Silver Medalist at Disney Duals, 5th place Asics Folkstyle Nationals 2008