Bulldog Breakdown: IHSWCA Dual State on Deck for Tough Bulldog Squad

By Anna Kayser

After a month of individual focus for the Brownsburg wrestling team with the Walsh Ironman, Carnahan and Brecksville-Broadview Heights Invitationals alongside few one-on-one duals in December, the team focus returns on Saturday as the Bulldogs look for their first IHSWCA Dual State championship since 2019.

“This weekend isn’t the official IHSAA state champions, but to me whatever team wins dual state any year, that’s the best team,” head coach Darrick Snyder said. “I love it when you go into it and the best kid on your team is just as important as the least talented kid on your team.”

Over the past month, the Bulldogs have taken strides from top to bottom in individual performance to prepare them for the switch to a team mentality and having a strong lineup through all weight classes.

At the Ironman Invitational from Dec. 9-10, Revin Dickman (106) and Leighton Jones (HWT) each earned a spot on the podium to in one of the toughest high school tournaments in the country, leading the Bulldogs to place 20th out of 119 teams. One week later, they finished in third place of the Carnahan Invitational at Crown Point with Gunnar Henry (195) winning his bracket and three others reaching the finals.

To round out December, seven Bulldogs took to the podium on another tough stage, with Brady Ison (132) being crowned as a champion of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Invitational and Dickman and Jones following in second place of their respective weight classes.

And in the middle of the gauntlet of tough, nationally ranked competition have been practices mapped around these wrestlers peaking at the right time and keeping their bodies fresh for a run at the postseason. Dual meets have gone by the wayside, with Brownsburg’s last dual coming exactly one month ago on Dec. 6 vs. Avon.

“Our schedule is so much different with being able to go to Ironman and Brecksville… we’re just doing a lot of individual tournaments,” Snyder said. “Which, I think if we’re trying to get our guys national exposure and knock off some nationally ranked guys, that’s probably the best route.”

That improvement during the season – and even the strides they make in the summer and in the school months leading up to wrestling season – ultimately strengthens the program to a point where they are in the running for state titles in any arena.

Now that they’ve faced some of the toughest competition in the country, both the mental and physical aspects of wrestling have been strengthened to set up Brownsburg for a run this weekend and in February.

“I always tell the guys to get as good as you can and keep improving, and that helps the team,” Snyder said. “Whether it’s in a dual meet or it’s at individual state, if you get to a point where you can compete for [an individual] state title in Indiana, you’re going to help us win an Indiana [team] state title and you’re certainly going to help us in a dual meet. We just focus on them continuing to improve.”

The team mentality comes into play when looking at the scoreboard and the overall team race in an event like this weekend, and that’s the biggest difference between wrestling for an individual title and taking the mat in a dual meet.

There’s also the ability to pick each other up following individual losses, scoring bonus points to offset opponents’ points on the scoreboard.

“I think our guys are very unselfish and that’s something I think we’ve kind of created within our culture,” Snyder said. “Our guys know that if they’re the clear-cut better wrestler, they can’t go out and win 5-4, they’ve got to score bonus points. They don’t always do it, but that’s their goal. And our guys that are kind of getting beat up on and falling behind, they know they have to fight off their back and survive because it’s all about the team.

“There are some rounds where my best kids walk out and I’m like ‘Get me bonus’ and they’re like, ‘Got you, coach.’”

The 4A bracket of the IHSWCA State Duals tournament will take place on Brownsburg’s home turf as they look to battle through a bracket of strong competition.

As the No. 2 seed, the Bulldogs open with No. 7 Indianapolis Cathedral and will have to get through either No. 3 Center Grove – a tough opponent to battle in half of the bracket – or No. 6 Evansville Mater Dei. On the other side of the bracket awaits No. 1 Crown Point, which won the tournament in 2022.

“I’m excited to compete as a team with everybody right there,” Snyder said. “I know our guys are too, we’ve had a great week of practice. We don’t need to say anything, do anything – we talk about winning dual state and IHSAA state, and they were locked in on Monday. They’re ready to roll.”