2012 Evansville Semi-State Preview

Evansville Semi-State Preview

While fans from the Merrillville Semi-State surely will reign in the complaints early next week, this Saturday wrestlers from the Evansville Semi-State will come to compete at a premier venue in Ford Arena. Each wrestler looks to punch their ticket and create their own history, being the first ever State Qualifiers out of this new location, leaving Roberts Stadium as a distant memory.

106

106 looks to be a competitive weight class with returning State Qualifiers in Terrence Kennedy of Floyd Central and Damon Kuhn of Evansville Reitz with Kennedy having a tough way to go in the ticket round. With only one upperclassman you should expect to see these names in the upcoming years as well.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Terrence Kennedy (35-1 Floyd Central) vs. Jacob Brown (39-1 Castle)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Damon Kuhn (40-2 Reitz)

2. Terrence Kennedy (35-1 Floyd Central)

3. Hunter Fox (37-2 Cascade)

4. DJ Smith (29-4 Franklin)

113

At 113 it is a two horse race between Bailey Lahue (37-2 Corydon Central) and Anthony Schoettle (37-1 Center Grove) after that it’s a crapshoot for the remaining two spots at Bankers Life Field house, with many tough and battle tested wrestlers gunning for a state finals appearance.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Alex Johnson (30-8 Evansville Mater Dei) vs. Cory O’neal (36-4 Southwestern)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Bailey Lahue (37-2 Corydon Central)

2. Anthony Schoettle (37-1 Center Grove)

3. Josh Davis (34-9 Reitz)

4. Cory O’neal (36-4 Southwestern)

120

Possibly the toughest weight class in the Semi-State, 120 returns four State Qualifiers from a year ago in Luke Welch (40-0 Castle), IU Commit Alonzo Shepherd(44-3 Jeffersonville), Skyler Lykins(25-9 Franklin) and Blake Johns (34-8 Reitz). This weight class should hold a lot of matches that will be remembered for years to come.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Alonzo Shepherd (44-3 Jefffersonville) vs. Austin Spray (38-3 Southwestern)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Luke Welch (40-0 Castle)

2. Blake Johns (34-8 Reitz).

3. Alonzo Shepherd (44-3 Jeffersonville)

4. Sam Goebel (12-6 Mater Dei)

126

126 seems to be another weight that will likely be dominated by a few wrestlers. Returning SQ’s Gideon Vanhook (25-3 Reitz) and Logan Wedding ( 39-3 Ev. Memorial) look to be the front-runners of the weight, with Josh Pierre(27-7 Mater Dei) also in the thick of things, but with a very tough way to go.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Zach Batts(23-2 Cascade) vs. Josh Pierre(27-7 Mater Dei)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Gideon Vanhook (25-3 Reitz)

2. Logan Wedding ( 39-3 Ev. Memorial)

3. Zach Batts(23-2 Cascade)

4. Devin Broukal (35-6 Bloomington South)

132

With the second, fourth, twelfth, and fifteenth ranked wrestlers in the state at 132, fireworks are bound to happen. This weight to me is probably one of the most exciting to watch at Ford Arena this weekend. Look forward to the semi-finals match (assuming it takes place) between Danville’s 38-0 Junior Neal Molloy and 40-1 Senior from Evansville Reitz, Trevor Moody.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Conner Montgomery (18-1 Jennings County) vs. Tyler Hupp (27-4 Indian Creek)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Neal Molloy (38-0 Danville)

2. Tre Marler (29-1 Floyd Central)

3. Trevor Moody (40-1 Reitz)

4. Tyler Hupp (27-4 Indian Creek)

138

138 is possibly the most wide open weight with wrestlers that have losses to each other throughout the year. Jake Lannert is coming off of a 4th place finish from a year ago, yet has a tough way to go to get close to repeating that accomplishment, with a couple of very tough wrestlers standing in his way including Jennings County’s Jordan Gast and Danvilles Jordan Judy.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Jordan Gast (38-3 Jennings County) vs. Jake Lannert (36-2 Mater Dei)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Jordan Judy (36-4 Danville)

2. Brenden Kelley (38-4 Ev. Central)

3. Jordan Gast (38-3 Jennings County)

4. Gage Kelly (41-5 Scottsburg)

145

Maybe I put the cart before the horse when saying 138 was the most wide open weight. 145 is BY FAR the most unpredictable weight in the Evansville Semi State. With none of these wrestlers being household names in Indiana wrestling, look to see some fresh faces at Bankers Life Field house next weekend.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Brian Hayhurst (35-6 Ev. Memorial) vs. Tim Schuler (39-7 Columbus East)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Brian Hayhurst (35-6 Ev. Memorial)

2. Brayden Montgomery (13-2 Danville)

3. Alex Bassemier (32-6 Mater Dei)

4. Chase Singleton (27-7 Gibson Southern)

152

152 is a weight jam-packed with wrestlers that are well-deserving of a State Finals appearance. Many of these wrestlers are not only accomplished in high school wrestling but also recognizable from the Freestyle and Greco ranks. This weight also has one of the best (or worst depending how you look at it) ticket round matches in the state with the potential to see second ranked and once beaten Senior, Blake Rueger of Reitz High School wrestling eighth ranked Senior hailing from Bloomington High School South, Ethan Farmer.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Blake Rueger(40-1 Reitz) vs. Ethan Farmer (39-2 Bloomington South)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Blake Rueger(40-1 Reitz)

2. Quincy Richey (36-0 Brown County)

3. Colt Burnette (39-1 Mitchell)

4. Zach Adams (33-6 Madison)

160

At 160 you’ll see the studs pull away with the top 3 places. Jacob Underwood (37-1 Martinsville), Swade Oser (51-0 Heritage Hills) and Tsali Lough are a class above everyone else at this weight. The Oser and Underwood semi finals match looks to be one that could potentially be a placement match next weekend.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Casey Abell (34-6 Forest Park) vs. Brock Warner (35-6 Center Grove)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Swade Oser (51-0 Heritage Hills)

2. Tsali Lough (40-2 Terre Haute South)

3. Jacob Underwood (37-1 Martinsville)

4. Brock Warner (35-6 Center Grove)

170

170 is a relatively even field with a ton of talented wrestlers such as Clayton Fiddler of Bloomington South, Austin Warren of Castle, Brandon Marlin of Jeffersonville and Austin Bowman of Franklin, just to name a few; vying for a spot to wrestle Friday night. There is one stand-out however, in Sean Mappes (38-0 Center Grove). From watching him in past off seasons and looking at this years results the kid seems to have all the tools to be wrestling under the lights next weekend with hopes of capturing the State Title at 170.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Clayton Fiddler (36-5 Bloomington South) vs. Aaron King (38-4 Reitz)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Sean Mappes (38-0 Center Grove).

2. Clayton Fiddler (36-5 Bloomington South)

3. Austin Warren (37-3 Castle)

4. Brandon Marlin (40-5 Jeffersonville)

182

182 is also one of those weights that all wrestlers seem to have a shot at taking. The only undefeated wrestler, Dalton Brandenstein of Mater Dei, has had close matches with some of the wrestlers in this bracket.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Jackson Randall (31-5 Floyd Central) vs. Gabe Konerding (47-5 Heritage Hills)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Dalton Brandenstein (39-0 Mater Dei)

2. Dakota Thacker (36-5 Bloomington South)

3. Brock Wathen (36-2 Jennings County)

4. Gabe Konerding (47-5 Heritage Hills)

195

At 195 it is a one man show with Dane Maurer running through Ford Arena like a Mustang.(had to drop a car reference somewhere) I expect to see Dalton Halbig in the finals with the younger Maurer ,but not really having any say in what is going to happen. We’ll see though as that is why they wrestle it out.

Best Ticket Round Match:

Elijah Curtley (32-3 Jeffersonville) vs. Benjamin Bird (28-3 West Vigo)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Dane Maurer (38-0 Mater Dei)

2. Dalton Halbig (36-4 Princeton)

3. Elijah Curtley (32-3 Jeffersonville)

4. Dylan Jones (26-4 Avon)

220

About this time is where everyone begins to stand up, stretch and head for the concession stands, but for this weight, I would advise against it. 220 has the second, fifth, eighth, ninth and fourteenth ranked wrestlers in the state. This is one of those weights that true wrestling fans are losing sleep over the anticipation of seeing.

Best Ticket Round Match: (actually it’s a first round match)

5th ranked Iyan Bass(41-0 Jennings County) vs 9th ranked Mason Schnarr (28-5 Reitz)

Ticket Punchers:

1. Keith Knura (31-0 Indian Creek)

2. Iyan Bass(41-0 Jennings County)

3. Jared Boehm (50-1 Heritage Hills)

4. Aaron See (38-4 Northview)

285

The same idea applies for 285 as it did for 220. You get to watch possibly the most exciting heavyweight in the state go to work. Kaden Suter is as strong as any heavy weight in the state and as quick and agile as a 126 pounder. He will have his work cut out for him however, as he should meet 13th ranked Nathan Wright of Mater Dei in the semi finals..

Best Ticket Round Match:

Trevor Phillips (37-0 Mitchell) vs. Winner of Breen/Snyder

Ticket Punchers:

1. Kaden Suter (39-0 Martinsville)

2. Trevor Phillips (37-0 Mitchell)

3. Nathan Wright (36-1 Mater Dei)

4. Jesse Hohl (35-7 Ev. Central)

There is the Evansville Semi-State preview; sorry if there are any errors as I did it on short notice. I hope everyone makes it to Ford Arena to watch some very exciting wrestling and to see which wrestlers make history as the first State Qualifiers in our new venue.

Best of luck this weekend,

Grenadier2012