Bobby Cox and company made things quite interesting this week with the decision to let the Randolph County wrestlers back into the tournament at the semi-state level. These additions will add 14 rat-tail matches to start the day. I hope to see the fans cheer these wrestlers on as they get a second chance this week. The Fort Wayne Semi-State is going to be very exciting with numerous great ticket-round matches. Look for the action to be hot and heavy from the beginning until the end. Thirteen wrestlers head to Fort Wayne with unblemished records on the season. They include three wrestlers from Team State Finalists Yorktown, Derek Bevans, Devon Jackson and Ross Janney. Other undefeated wrestlers include Tony Lovejoy of Bishop Luers, Brock Norton of Carroll, Austin Waite of Maconaquah, Josh Martin of Randolph Southern, Josh Ehr of South Adams, Zac McCray of Garrett, Travis Thatcher of Bellmont, Jackson Bratcher of Eastbrook, Dylan Green of Kokomo and Korey Eck of Concordia.
103lbs
Last year this weight class failed to win a match at Conseco, but it does not look like that will happen this year. The field here is very tough from top to bottom. Leading the way in Peru Senior Shannon Garrettson. He will be challenged by Chaz Busz of Whitko and Brock Bevans of Yorktown.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Chaz Busz- Whitko vs. Cody Walburn- Adams Central
King of the Hill
Shannon Garrettson- Peru
Other State Streeters
Chaz Busz- Whitko
Brock Bevans- Yorktown
Danny Hamm- Prairie Heights
112
This is another weight class that failed to have a placer at the state finals last year. This weight will also have many great matches. Early on keep your eyes on the Gonzales vs. Que match. Both were state qualifiers last year, with Gonzales being the semi-state champion at this weight class. Logan Randle of Huntington North will also be a wrestler to watch after dealing New Castle's Brendan Campbell his first high school loss.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Steven Gonzales- Delta vs. Abraham Que- Elkhart Central
Logan Randle- Huntington North vs. Derek Roe- Adams Central
Nick Crume- Jimtown vs. Alex Richman- Heritage
King of the Hill
Steven Gonzales- Delta
Other State Streeters
Logan Randle- Huntington North
Jordan Gilbert- Whitko
Nick Crume- Jimtown
119
Tony Lovejoy won a semi-state title at 125lbs last year, but has decided to drop to 119lbs for his chance at a state title this year. He will be challenged by former state placer Steven Ross, but Ross has to get by Northwestern's Matt Miller first.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Sebastian Eckert-Huntington North vs. Phillip Gerber- Bluffton
Eckert/Gerber vs. Alex Troy- Snider
Steven Ross- Concord vs. Matt Miller- Northwestern
King of the Hill
Tony Lovejoy- Bishop Luers
Other State Streeters
Alex Troy- Snider
Andy Franklin- Homestead
Steven Ross- Concord
125
Yorktown's Derek Bevans has been nothing less than impressive this season as he looks to return to the state finals for a fourth time. His main competition is Travis Barroquillo of Prairie Heights whom he defeated earlier in the year. Barroquillo has to be thinking he is living in the twilight zone as he will most likely face an Armantrout in the ticket-round for the second straight year.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Kirs Workman- Taylor vs. Lucas Willms- Fremont
Workman/Willms vs. Bobby Perry- Bluffton
Travis Barroquillo- Prairie Heights vs. Jordan Armantrout- Muncie South
King of the Hill
Derek Bevans- Yorktown
Other State Streeters
Travis Barroquillo- Prairie Heights
Bobby Perry- Bluffton
Dylan LeTourneau- Whitko
130
Devon Jackson of Yorktown has blown through his competition all year long and looks to continue to do so. The other spots in the top four at semi-state are not so easy to pick. Carlin Horman of Bellmont looks to play spoiler as he will be in the toughest quarter bracket with Collin Crume of Jimtown and state placer Dan Rothgeb of Whitko. That quarter bracket alone will be fun to watch play out.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Collin Crume- Jimtown vs. Carlin Hormann- Bellmont
Crume/Hormann vs. Dan Rothgeb- Whitko
Tucker Smith- Homestead vs. Drake Meska- Jay County
King of the Hill
Devon Jackson- Yorktown
Other State Streeters
Dan Rothgeb- Whitko
Darin Fiechter- Southern Wells
Tucker Smith- Homestead
135
This is the weight class many have been waiting for all year long. Will Brock Norton defend his semi-state title or will Yorktown's Andrew Hiestand take it from him? Or will Norton even get a ticket to state with a ticket-round match with NHC nemesis Brooks Faurote looming? Is it Saturday yet, because this will be quite a fun weight to watch.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Brock Norton- Carroll vs. Brooks Faurote- Bellmont
Andrew Hiestand- Yorktown vs. Cody Zink- Woodlan
King of the Hill
Brock Norton- Carroll
Other State Streeters
Andrew Hiestand- Yorktown
Jeremy Hill- Jimtown
Cam Matteson- Elkhart Memorial
140
This weight class is lead by Leo's Justin Beck who qualified for state in this weight last year. He cannot overlook Randolph Southern's undefeated Josh Martin though. Martin will not have an easy go at it as he will have arguably the toughest quarter bracket.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Justin Beck- Leo vs. Ryan Ntende- Goshen
King of the Hill
Justin Beck- Leo
Other State Streeters
Josh Martin- Randolph Southern
Jarod Swartz- Adams Central
Wade Thiel- North Side
145
Just like 135lbs, this weight will be very exciting to play out. Every match here is very important and no one in this weight class can be overlooked. From top to bottom, you have a possible ACAC title rematch between undefeated Josh Ehr and Bryce Schendel of Garrett. Next up is a possible match between returning state placer Dalton Sparks of Peru and Jordan Venderley of Bishop Dwenger. Moving to the bottom bracket you have Reece Lefever of Carroll and Cody Harper of Yorktown in an interesting match-up. The last quarter bracket will be interesting too, as the first round pits two NHC rivals against eachother. Levy Francois defeated Tanner Boman just a few weeks ago, but Boman is coming off sectional and regional titles. Neither of those two can overlook Huntington North's Brant Hiple either. You might need some oxygen to catch your breath after this weight class!
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Josh Ehr- South Adams vs. Bryce Schendel- Garrett
Dalton Sparks- Peru vs. Jordan Venderley- Bishop Dwenger
Reece Lefever- Carroll vs. Cody Harper- Yorktown
Tanner Boman-Dekalb vs. Levy Francois- New Haven
Boman/Francois vs. Brant Hiple- Huntington North
King of the Hill
Josh Ehr- South Adams
Other State Streeters
Jordan Venderley- Bishop Dwenger
Reece Lefever- Carroll
Brant Hiple- Huntington North
152
Returning state placer Zach Corpe of Elkhart Memorial is the class of the field here. His stiffest competition will come from East Noble's Jimmy LaRowe who will have to battle it out with a tough Nick Duke in the ticket round. Other than that, keep your eyes on Garrett Weber of Leo who is always exciting to watch.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
John Malan- Bellmont vs. Zack Zurbrugg- New Haven
Nick Duke- Marion vs. Jimmy LaRowe- East Noble
King of the Hill
Zach Corpe- Elkhart Memorial
Other State Streeters
Garrett Weber- Leo
Jimmy LaRowe- East Noble
John Mahlan- Bellmont
160
This weight class looks to be fairly cut and dry with four wrestlers heads and shoulders above the rest. Thankfully, the bracket gods separated these four wrestlers. Leading the way is undefeated Zac McCray of Garrett. He will look to make his first state finals appearance. Following closely is arch nemesis Conner Lefever of Carroll and Bellmont's Ryley Hankenson. Zeke Lloyd of Marion had a close match with Lefever earlier in the year and could set up an interesting semi-final match.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Zeke Lloyd- Marion vs. Cody Conrad- Heritage
King of the Hill
Zac McCray- Garrett
Other State Streeters
Conner Lefever- Carroll
Ryley Hankenson- Bellmont
Zeke Lloyd- Marion
171
There are lots of landmines in this weight class. Look no further than Austin Striggle's match-up with undefeated Jackson Bratcher. Bratcher is the favorite, but he cannot overlook the super-sophomore. Other wrestlers to watch are Churubusco's Jordan Hamilton and Trent Castner of Yorktown.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Jackson Bratcher- Eastbrook vs. Austin Striggle- Whitko
Logan Counterman- Prairie Heights vs. Logan Raypole- Carroll
Trent Castner- Yorktown vs. JB Singer- Goshen
King of the Hill
Jackson Bratcher- Eastbrook
Other State Streeters
Jordan Hamilton- Churubusco
Trent Castner- Yorktown
Logan Counterman- Prairie Heights
189
This is another interesting weight class with some very fine competitors. Leading the way is Bellmont's Travis Thatcher who is undefeated on the season. He cannot overlook the Scotts, Taylor of Heritage and Darryn of Marion. Taylor Scott beat Darryn Scott earlier in the season.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Taylor Scott- Heritage vs. Carson Sappington- Elkhart Memorial
Brandon Dillenbeck- Goshen vs. Peter Waikel- Bishop Dwenger
King of the Hill
Travis Thatcher- Bellmont
Other State Streeters
Taylor Scott- Heritage
Darryn Scott- Marion
Brandon Dillenbeck- Goshen
215
This weight class will get a jumpstart with three pig-tail matches. After that we get into the mix right away. Returning state qualifier Dylan Green will get tested from the get-go by either Adam Chalfant or Matt James. If you see Scott Neff of Yorktown you will think he belongs on the basketball court, but he has proved himself on the wrestling mat with impressive wins last week at Jay County.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Taylor Grubb- Prairie Heights vs. Seth Biberstine- Southern Wells
Andrew Chalfant- Winchester vs. Matt James- Jay County
Chalfant/James vs. Dylan Green- Kokomo
Scott Neff- Yorktown vs. Shane Hendrickson- Elkhart Memorial
King of the Hill
Dylan Green- Kokomo
Other State Streeters
Scott Neff- Yorktown
Seth Biberstine- Southern Wells
Andrew Bultemeier- Bellmont
285
Not many people will leave before the heavyweights are done this year. This weight class has two undefeated wrestlers along with two others that entered the state tournament undefeated. Great match-ups include undefeated Korey Eck of Concordia and Bellmont's Mighty Mouse Daniel Meyer in the ticket round. Also, do not overlook Jay County fourth place finisher Elijah Justice of Blackford.
Early Round Bracket Buster Matches
Korey Eck- Concordia vs. Daniel Meyer- Bellmont
Jacob Clark- Goshen vs. Elijah Justice- Blackford
Evan Floyd- Northwestern vs. Ross Janney- Yorktown
King of the Hill
Ross Janney- Yorktown
Other State Streeters
Jacob Clark- Goshen
Jim West- South Adams
Korey Eck- Concordia
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