By JD Greathouse
Team Race at a Glance
This is a four team race between #1 Mater Dei, #3 Columbus East, #4 Avon, and #12 Brownsburg. Brownsburg sent 14, Mater Dei sent 14, Columbus East sent 14, and Avon sent 13, respectively. Whoever can get the most through, and whoever wins the team title this weekend could be considered the favorite to hoist up the IHSAA team trophy on the floor of Banker’s Life. It looks like Mater Dei has too much firepower down low for any of the other teams to match, however, a few upsets and everything could change. If Mater Dei doesn’t win semi-state this weekend, my crystal ball tells me its Avon.
Ranked Wrestlers Galore
The Ford Center will have 87 state-ranked individuals competing on the floor this weekend. That averages out to 6+ ranked kids per weight class. Did someone say early morning fireworks?
Undefeated Wrestlers
113 Cole Ross (Mater Dei)
120 Noah Gardner (Edgewood)
120 Brayden Littell (Center Grove)
120 Blake Boarman (Mater Dei)
145 Matthew Lee (Mater Dei)
170 Nick South (Columbus East)
182 Carson Brewer (Avon)
182 Levon Bellemy (Edgewood)
195 Will Nunn (Castle)
220 Jacob Bolte (Columbus East)
106
This weight class is relatively wide open with the exception of #3 Alec Freeman of Mater Dei being the heavy favorite to win out at the Ford Center. Two freshman in Logan Miller of Brownsburg and Blaze Garcia of Avon look to challenge the Mater Dei Wildcat. Miller lost a close one to Freeman earlier in the year, and Garcia/Freeman have yet to meet.
The Front Runners
#3/#1 Alec Freeman (Mater Dei)
#8/#2 Logan Miller (Brownsburg)
#3/#12 Blaze Garcia (Avon)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
#3/12 Blaze Garcia (Avon) vs. -#5 Ayden Amento (Evansville Central) OR -/#6 Cole Gentry (Tell City)
Dark Horse(s)
Being relatively unknown and winning regionals, could Milanes pull something out of his back pocket and punch his ticket to #TheBank?
-/- Jainier Milanes (Jasper)
#BankBound Top 4
Although anything can happen in the Ford Center, there shouldn’t be too many wrenches thrown into the 106 bracket this weekend.
#3 Alec Freeman (Mater Dei)
#8 Logan Miller (Brownsburg)
#12 Blaze Garcia (Avon)
Chris Newman (Mt. Vernon Posey)
113
There’s an immense amount of young talent at this weight highlighted by #5 Cole Ross of Mater Dei. Five other competitors are worthy of challenging Ross, but only four will punch their ticket to Banker’s Life on Saturday. There’s two ticket round matches especially intriguing, and after KT Nelson topped Hayden Watson last weekend, who knows what could happen this weekend.
The Front Runners
#5/#1 Cole Ross (Mater Dei)
#6/#3 Ben Dalton (Monrovia)
#8/#4 Hayden Watson (Center Grove)
#9/#2 Gavin Alstott (Floyd Central)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Here are four state qualifier worthy competitors, and only two will advance. Ross and Castelluccio competed previously this year - Ross the 6-4 winner. Alstott and Watson have yet to compete against each other, but Watson has had more quality competition and better wins. Don’t get too comfortable as the roof could come down early when these guys take the mat.
#5/#1 Cole Ross (Mater Dei) vs. #19/#5 Nicolas Castelluccio (Bloomington South)
#9/#2 Gavin Alstott (Floyd Central) vs. #8/#4 Hayden Watson (Center Grove)
Dark Horse(s)
KT Nelson beat Hayden Watson last weekend in the Mooresville regional final, 6-2. With a very nice draw and Brownsburg wrestling especially well in the postseason it wouldn’t be surprising to see KT Nelson make the finals on Saturday.
#17/#6 KT Nelson (Brownsburg)
#BankBound Top 4
#5 Cole Ross (Mater Dei)
#8 Hayden Watson (Center Grove)
#17 KT Nelson (Brownsburg)
#6 Ben Dalton (Monrovia)
120
What. A. Bracket. 8 of the Top 20 will be here this weekend and the fireworks will start before you can even get in your seat! Conley vs. Scott and Casebolt vs. Montgomery all in round one? Blasphemy. Unfortunately, both Blake Boarman and Brayden Littell were thrown on to the same side of the bracket, so we may see a state finals match in the semifinals at the Ford Center .
The Front Runners
#1/#2 Brayden Littell (Center Grove)
#2/#1 Blake Boarman (Mater Dei)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
With two wrestlers who have proven themselves worthy of being on the podium next weekend, how could you not want to watch Casebolt vs. Montgomery right away? The winner could make the finals, and better yet, set themselves up for a run to the semifinals in Banker’s Life next weekend. The quarter bracket consisting of Gardner, Conley, and Scott is eye-opening as well as only one will emerge through the smoke and punch their ticket. Will two younger men dethrone Noah Gardner’s last chance at making it on the podium, or will Gardner prevail?
#9/#6 Noah Gardner (Edgewood) vs. #11/#4 Tyler Conley (Avon) OR #20/#7 Sam Scott (Heritage Hills)
#7/#5 Devin Casebolt (Castle) vs. #6/#3 Kysen Montgomery (Brownsburg)
Dark Horse(s)
With so much firepower in one weight, is there truly one dark horse at this weight? Look for Sam Scott to try and break through the first time and qualify for the state tournament.
#20/#7 Sam Scott (Heritage Hills)
#BankBound Top 4
#2 Blake Boarman (Mater Dei)
#6 Kysen Montgomery (Brownsburg)
#1 Brayden Littell (Center Grove)
#11 Tyler Conley (Avon)
126
With the Mooresville regional being loaded with talent, that set up some distasteful draws for this weekend. 6 of the Top 20 are in this bracket with this being Ray Rioux’s bracket to lose. Close behind are Kane Egli, Evan Lawhead, Cade Meier, and J Conway. Egli qualified two seasons ago at 113, and is the favorite to challenge Rioux in the finals.
The Front Runners
#4/#1 Ray Rioux (Avon)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
The quarter bracket with #17 Jeremy Clark, Landon Boe, and #14 Cade Meier is a meat-grinder. Meier and Clark have split on the year, and most likely will wrestle in the ticket round. #16 J Conway beat Meier last week and will have to get through #10 Evan Lawhead to make it to The Bank.
#17/#6 Jeremy Clark (Columbus East) vs. #14/#4 Cade Meier (Bloomington South)
#16/#5 J Conway (Floyd Central) vs. #10/#3 Evan Lawhead (Brownsburg)
Dark Horse(s)
Not a dark horse perse, but J Conway could make the finals this weekend and set himself up to make the podium at Bankers Life as a freshman in a very difficult 126 bracket.
#16/#5 J Conway (Floyd Central)
#BankBound Top 4
#4 Ray Rioux (Avon)
#12 Kane Egli (Mater Dei)
#16 J Conway (Floyd Central)
#14 Cade Meier (Bloomington South)
132
Future Hoosier, Asa Garcia, has ran through in-state competition with his only loss coming in Ohio. Rumor has it coming from #TheCounty is that Asa keeps it rolling this weekend. The battle for second is a 5th place rematch from last year between Logan Boe and Drake Campbell. With a couple of terrible draws in each half of the bracket, this weight could fall apart on Saturday.
The Front Runners
#1/#1 Asa Garcia (Avon)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Not in the ticket round, but Clay Egli has been cursed with terribly tough first round / ticket round matches throughout the course of his high school career. The senior has yet to qualify for the state tournament. Although Boe is the heavy favorite, Logan Boe vs. Joey Gordon is also a good ticket round match to watch.
#11/#3 Clay Egli (Mater Dei) vs. #18/#5 Tyler Fuqua (Franklin Community)
#7/#2 Logan Boe (Danville) vs. #19/#6 Joey Gordon (Columbus East)
Dark Horse(s)
Joey Gordon has been wrestling tough, and if he can upset Logan Boe, he could make the finals.
#19/#6 Joey Gordon (Columbus East)
#BankBound Top 4
#1 Asa Garcia (Avon)
#9 Drake Campbell (Brownsburg)
#7 Logan Boe (Danville)
#11 Clay Egli (Mater Dei)
138
The top half of this bracket is loaded with four state-ranked wrestlers, and two interesting ticket round matches. The bottom half is relatively wide open with there being only two state ranked wrestlers. An Indiana commit, Cayden Rooks is looking to run through the competition as he has done at 138 all year.
The Front Runners
#1/#1 Cayden Rooks (Columbus East)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
The Mooresville regional is subject to another tough ticket round match between #10 Blaine Mayer and #15 Jayden Reynolds. With #14 Justice Cash getting upset in tiebreakers by #19 Owen Sego, it set up yet another year of Cash getting the short end of the stick with #1 Cayden Rooks. With Cash capable of pulling things out of a hat, if anyone will derail Rooks chances of making it to The Bank, it’s Cash.
#10/#5 Blaine Meyer (Mater Dei) vs. #15/#4 Jayden Reynolds (Avon)
#1/#1 Cayden Rooks (Columbus East) vs. #14/#3 Justice Cash (Bloomington North)
Dark Horse(s)
With the bottom half of this bracket being wide open, and with a win over Justice Cash last week, I feel like we see more from #19 Owen Sego this weekend. If he doesn’t pull an upset over Kreitzer in the semifinals, it should be closer than we expect.
#19/#6 Owen Sego (Indian Creek)
#BankBound Top 4
#1 Cayden Rooks (Columbus East)
#8 Drew Kreitzer (Brownsburg)
#10 Blaine Mayer (Mater Dei)
#19 Owen Sego (Indian Creek)
145
Undefeated on the year, Matt Lee is on a tear and has beat up competition in both Michigan and Indiana. He will be tested by #7 Jonathan Kervin in the semifinals. Down low is a deep half bracket, with three people able to emerge from the smoke in the first quarter bracket. A tussle between #12 Burdon and #15 Fulks also looks to be in store on Saturday morning.
The Front Runners
#1/#1 Matt Lee (Mater Dei)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
The quarter bracket with Law, Hartz, and Koontz is a meat-grinder, but after Koontz fell 5-4 to #7 Kervin last weekend, I am impressed with the Edgewood freshman and look for him to make it through. #12 Burdon vs. #15 Fulks will also be a treat for the fans, but unfortunately not the wrestlers, as both deserve to punch their ticket.
-/#7 Kade Law (Columbus East) vs. -/#6 Brooks Hartz (Castle) OR #18/#8 Matthew Koontz (Edgewood)
#12/#4 LJ Burdon (Plainfield) vs. #15/#2 Jordan Fulks (Boonville)
Dark Horse(s)
On paper Matthew Koontz isn’t a favorite, but as a very talented freshman, I think Koontz will make the finals on Saturday and turn some heads. The freshman had a great Fargo this summer, and after some fall-out at Roncalli is up two weight classes and wrestling at a comfortable weight where I think he will surprise both wrestlers and fans.
#18/#8 Matthew Koontz (Edgewood)
#BankBound Top 4
#1/#1 Matt Lee (Mater Dei)
#18/#8 Matthew Koontz (Edgewood)
#7/#3 Jonathan Kervin (Floyd Central)
#12/#4 LJ Burdon (Plainfield)
152
Eli Dickens is up a few weights from last year, and after having a successful preseason he has continued to climb the ladder. As impressive as he has been, Jake Schoenegge and Nathan Conley look to challenge him in the finals, but he must not overlook South senior Elliston Ross. Ross is incredibly funky, can score a lot of points, and is difficult to score on. This bracket should be interesting, and with a couple tough ticket round matches, definitely a bracket to look forward to.
The Front Runners
#1/#1 Eli Dickens (Mater Dei)
#5/#3 Jake Schoenegge (Columbus East)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Nathan Conley has had a solid year, but #18 Brad Springer of Southridge has as well and looks to upset the UIndy commit. Springer upset #12 Heckman last weekend in the Bloomington South regional semifinal. #5 Schoenegge and #12 Heckman is also a tough ticket round match. Conley and Schoenegge are both favorites, but with so much talent in the Evansville semi-state anything can happen.
#7/#2 Nathan Conley (Avon) vs. #18/#6 Brad Springer (Southridge)
#5/#3 Jake Schoenegge (Columbus East) vs. #12/#4 Austin Heckman (Edgewood)
Dark Horse(s)
After #18 Springer’s win over #12 Heckman, it would be interesting to see him keep it going. Similarly, the quarter bracket with #15 Ross, Scott, and Hall is as wide open of a quarter bracket as we have seen, and one of those two could potentially derail Ross’s plans of punching his ticket as a senior.
#18/#6 Brad Springer (Southridge)
-/- Devin Scott (Mooresville)
-/- Isaac Hall (Jeffersonville)
#BankBound Top 4
#1 Eli Dickens (Mater Dei)
#5 Jake Schoenegge (Columbus East)
#7 Nathan Conley (Avon)
#15 Elliston Ross (Bloomington South)
160
Seven ranked wrestlers in the Top 20 highlight this bracket. Peyton Pruett is the favorite this weekend, but a rematch from the first weekend between him and Tristan Ruhlman is blooming in the semifinals. Pruett won 4-3 last time, and both have been on a roll since then. All four quarter brackets feature either difficult first round matches or terrible ticket round draws. A very fun bracket to watch, and even more interesting to see how it plays out.
The Front Runners
#4/#1 Peyton Pruett (Center Grove)
#5/#2 Tristan Ruhlman (Bloomington South)
#7/#5 Clay Singleton (Gibson Southern)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Every single match at this weight is a match to watch, and as previously stated, all four quarter brackets have great first round and ticket round matches to watch. Don’t mind me as I write down four matches here. Sollars had a close match with Ruhlman earlier in the year, #4 vs. #7 in the ticket round, #8 vs. #15 in the ticket round, and a first round match between #20 and #17. This bracket is bonkers!
#5/#2 Tristan Ruhlman (Bloomington South) vs. -/#8 Gabe Sollars (Mater Dei)
#4/#1 Peyton Pruett (Center Grove) vs. #7/#5 Clay Singleton (Gibson Southern)
#8/#3 Robert Deters (Castle) vs. #15/#6 Tucker Schank (Southridge)
#20/- Gavyn Doane (North Knox) vs. #17/#4 Peyton Asbury (Brownsburg)
Dark Horse(s)
The upstart freshman, Gabe Sollars, has had close matches all year, including Ruhlman whom he has in the ticket round. Sollars is capable of pulling a string of upsets this weekend, but would anyone be surprised?
-/#8 Gabe Sollars (Mater Dei)
#BankBound Top 4
#5 Tristan Ruhlman (Bloomington South)
#8 Robert Deters (Castle)
#4 Peyton Pruett (Center Grove)
#17 Peyton Asbury (Brownsburg)
170
This bracket isn’t as exciting as 160, but once the semifinals roll around things will start getting interesting. Blubaugh, South, Jean-Baptist, and Parkinson are all expected to make the finals with relative ease. In a battle of college commits, UIndy commit Blubaugh and IU commit South are expected to throw down in what is probably the fifth time in the last calendar year. Parkinson is the favorite to make the finals out of the bottom half of the bracket.
The Front Runners
#1/#1 Nick South (Columbus East)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Nothing too intriguing, but a battle of ranked wrestlers goes down in the ticket round with Parkinson and McPike.
#6/#2 Macartney Parkinson (Mater Dei) vs. #19/#6 Brendan McPike (Terre Haute South Vigo)
Dark Horse(s)
No one here too capable of pulling upsets in my opinion, but as always, anything can happen.
#BankBound Top 4
#1 Nick South (Columbus East)
#6 Macartney Parkinson (Mater Dei)
#7 Derek Blubaugh (Bloomington South)
#14 Thierry Jean-Baptist (Brownsburg)
182
This bracket has five state ranked individuals, and a predicted matchup between #1 Carson Brewer and upstart Mustang Levon Bellemy awaits in the finals. Bellemy and Brewer both come in undefeated on the year, and both are contenders to win a state title. A tough ticket round match between #10 Kemper and #9 Carson awaits on the bottom half of the bracket.
The Front Runners
#1/#2 Carson Brewer (Avon)
#3/#1 Levon Bellemy (Edgewood)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
With a combined three losses between the two, #10 Kemper and #9 Carson is an unfortunate matchup in the ticket round. Carson is a senior and this is his last go at making it on the floor of Banker’s Life, and Kemper looks to derail those plans. #11 Rodgers will be tested in the first round against 2018 state qualifier Presson. The winner of that match will challenge Brewer to punch their ticket.
#10/#4 McKinley Kemper (Evansville Central) vs. #9/#3 Trizton Carson (Danville)
#1/#2 Carson Brewer (Avon) vs. #11/#5 Phoenix Rodgers (Heritage Hills) OR -/- Wade Presson (Bloomington South)
Dark Horse(s)
With not one state ranked individual in the top quarter bracket, senior Will Nix looks to slide his way on the Bankers Life floor next weekend.
-/#6 Will Nix (Martinsville)
#BankBound Top 4
#3 Levon Bellemy (Edgewood)
#1 Carson Brewer (Avon)
#9 Trizon Carson (Danville)
Will Nix (Martinsville)
195
There are five ranked wrestlers in this bracket, but no ticket round matches expected to be especially intriguing. #4 Nunn and #5 Willham are expected to meet in the semifinals, with the winner to face either #16 Wampler or #17 Kenny / NR Carrier. This weight should be pretty chalky, but getting into the upperweights, anything can happen.
The Front Runners
#4/#1 Will Nunn (Castle)
#5/#2 Nick Willhalm (Greenwood)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
In a battle of seniors, Carrier and Kenny duke it out in round one with the winner expected to punch their ticket, and challenge Wampler in the semifinals. Similarly, in a battle of state ranked individuals, Nunn and Hardy square off, although Nunn is considered the heavy favorite.
-/#4 Dylan Carrier (Evansville Central) vs. #17/- Dakari Kenny (Pike)
#4/#1 Will Nunn (Castle) vs. #19/#8 Destin Hardy (North Knox)
Dark Horse(s)
Stine has wrestled close matches all year, and will most likely wrestle Bloomington South transfer Nolan Wampler. Wampler has been relatively dominant, but as two seniors, I can see Stine potentially pulling an upset.
-/#7 Griffin Stine (Martinsville)
#BankBound Top 4
#4 Will Nunn (Castle)
#16 Nolan Wampler (Bloomington South)
#5 Nick Willham (Greenwood)
#17 Dakari Kenny (Pike)
220
Six state ranked grapplers headline this weight class with #1 Jacob Bolte the favorite to run through the Ford Center on Saturday. His biggest test will come early in the ticket round against #7 Micah Dodson, who fell to #12 Lawson Aiken last weekend. Three tough ticket round matches highlight this weight, so when the big boys come around make sure you stay in your seat and don’t go running to the bathroom.
The Front Runners
#1/#1 Jacob Bolte (Columbus East)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Fireworks are on deck in the ticket round as two people who should be on the podium in Bolte and Dodson wrestle in the ticket round, and then four other state worthy individuals duke it out in order to punch their ticket to #TheBank.
#13/#5 Will Stewart (South Spencer) vs. #11/#3 Jayden Williams (Avon)
#1/#1 Jacob Bolte (Columbus East) vs. #7/#2 Micah Dodson (Martinsville)
#12/#4 Lawson Aiken (Brownsburg) vs. #19/#6 Macray Robinson (Gibson Southern)
Dark Horse(s)
Josh Howell won regionals last week and does not have another state or semi-state ranked opponent in the ticket round. He’s the favorite to advance, and could potentially keep it close with the Aiken / Robinson winner.
-/#7 Josh Howell (Terre Haute South Vigo)
#BankBound Top 4
#1 Jacob Bolte (Columbus East)
#12 Lawson Aiken (Brownsburg)
#11 Jayden Williams (Avon)
Josh Howell (Terre Haute South Vigo)
285
Similar to 220, 6 ranked guys highlight this weight class, with a regional rematch between #3 Dorian Keys and #4 Muhammad Sidibe planned to go down in the finals. The bottom quarter bracket features three semi-state ranked grapplers, two of which are ranked in the state. The winner will test Keys in the semifinals. Adversely, Sidibe will be tested in the ticket round by #14 Haire. This is a great way to finish out the day as the big boys have great matches to watch all weekend.
The Front Runners
#3/#2 Dorian Keys (Brownsburg)
#4/#1 Muhammad Sidibe (Ben Davis)
Bank or Bust - Ticket Round Matches to Watch
Two ticket round tussles feature state ranked wrestlers looking to punch their tickets. Gentry vs. Kramer is a #16 vs. #20, and Haire vs. Sidibe is #14 vs. #4. Another one to not overlook is Biddle vs. Breivogel on the top quarter bracket. Upsets are brewing southwest and all you have to do is make the trip to the Ford Center!
#15/#8 Jack Biddle (Plainfield) vs. -/#7 Aaron Breivogel (Gibson Southern)
#14/#4 Allen Haire (Terre Haute South Vigo) vs. #4/#1 Muhammad Sidibe (Ben Davis)
#16/#3 Robbie Gentry (Mooresville) vs. #20/#6 Wyatt Kramer (Southridge)
Dark Horse(s)
Brevogel has been quiet this year, but the match between him and Biddle should send him to state. Breivogel lost 1-0 to Biddle previously this year. Should Brevogel derail Biddle’s plans to make it on the floor of Banker’s Life as a senior?
-/#7 Aaron Breivogel (Gibson Southern)
#BankBound Top 4
#3 Dorian Keys (Brownsburg)
#4 Muhammad Sidibe (Ben Davis
#20 Wyatt Kramer (Southridge)
Aaron Breivogel (Gibson Southern)
Recommended Comments