-
209 articles in this category
2512 5#WrestlingWednesday with Jeremy Hines: Critchfield ready for one last go in Indiana
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Nathan Critchfield was down – but he sure as heck won’t allow himself to be counted out.
Critchfield wrestles through pain each and every day. He doesn’t complain. It has become a way of life for the Evansville Mater Dei senior.
Critchfield wrestled his first three years of high school in Illinois. His best finish was third in the state meet in 2020. Then he got the news that would ultimately change his life – he had a tumor on his spine.
“My back was hurting all year and moving into freestyle season I got it checked out that May,” Critchfield said. “They just did a physical exam and I kept at it and kept wrestling. Then, in August of 2020 I was still in pain and I got checked out again. They told me I had a tumor on the inside of my spinal cord.”
The news rocked Critchfield. He knew he was going to have to endure a grueling surgery and a long road to recovery. They wouldn’t know if the tumor was cancerous until after the surgery. The diagnosis was devastating – both physically and mentally for Critchfield.
“Hearing about the tumor was shocking, to say the least,” Critchfield said. “It came at a time that was so crucial in my life. I was going into my senior year. That’s an important time in your social life and in your academics. Then hearing that you’re probably not ever going to wrestle again, that was a big hit.”
Critchfield ended up sitting out his entire senior year to deal with his medical issues. He would have graduated in 2021 but will now graduate in 2022.
His first back surgery was a 12-hour ordeal. The next week he ended up getting a MRSA infection in the incision that required another surgery. He wasn’t out of the woods yet. The first surgery had caused his legs to not work properly. That required yet another surgery.
“Between my legs and my back, I couldn’t walk for a few months,” Critchfield said.
Critchfield tried to do a little drilling in wrestling in February, even though he says he wasn’t supposed to. His legs still weren’t working the way they were supposed to work In April he had another surgery to relieve the pressure in both of his legs.
In the end, the tumor was not cancerous. And, although he’s still in pain, it’s something he has learned to live with.
“This whole ordeal has made me a different kind of person,” Critchfield said. “I have really grown in my faith. I get reminded of it all every day when I go to practice. Both of my legs hurt and my back hurts. Wrestling really sucks with the pain – but I love doing it. I put myself through it because I don’t know what else I would do.”
Critchfield doesn’t care if his opponents on the mat know about his bad back, or his issues with his legs.
“People tell me not to let others know I’m hurting,” Critchfield said. “They say to not let your opponents know you’re not feeling your best. I don’t think that would give them an edge on me though. I think it gives me a little edge, actually. They are going to wrestle a guy knowing he’s going to feel like crap and he’s still not scared. They are about to wrestle a guy that has went through hell but is still out there ready to go. That’s got to mess with them more than it does with me.”
Critchfield is currently ranked No. 2 in the state at 220 pounds. He joins a Mater Dei team that is loaded with ranked wrestlers this season.
Mater Dei has two wrestlers currently ranked No. 1 in their weight classes, both are returning state champs in Brody Baumann and Gabe Sollars. Crtichfield is No. 2 at 220. Hunter May is No. 3 at 152 pounds. Isaiah Schaefer is No. 4 at 106. Evan Seng is No. 5 at 113 pounds, Ashton Hayhurst is NO. 8 at 145 and Reed Egli is No. 13 at 120 pounds.
“This is my first year at Mater Dei and it’s been pretty fun,” Critchfield said. “It’s an interesting atmosphere and it’s a lot different than other schools. They put a lot of emphasis on wrestling for your school instead of for yourself. They have built a program and the whole community gets behind it. When you hear about the culture at Mater Dei, you never imagine how it really is until you’re a part of it.”
Mater Dei coach Greg Schaefer is glad to have Critchfield on the squad.
“Nathan is just a genuine, hard-working, hard-nosed kid,” Schaefer said. “He’s one of those guys that will be hard to outwork. He has a great attitude and seems to be extremely grateful doing what he’s doing.”
Schaefer said a lot of the kids in the Mater Dei program don’t even know what all Critchfield has been through.
“You wouldn’t even know that there was anything going on with him,” Schaefer said. “He doesn’t talk about it, and he doesn’t act like there’s any issues. It’s pretty incredible to think about what he’s been through and that he still maintains the attitude and desire to chase after his dream.”
As far as Critchfield’s wrestling abilities, Schaefer describes him as a big guy with the skill set of a little man.
“He’s very skillful,” Schaefer said. “He’s not like some of the guys that are just big bruisers. He’s more technical than most big guys. He wrestles more like a little guy.”
Critchfield has wrestled for Mauer Coughlin since he was very young. He parents used to drive him to the practices over an hour away, three times a week. There he made friends with a lot of the guys on the team and a lot of Indiana wrestlers throughout the state.
This year his goal is to go out on top. He’s seen the Indiana state finals and wants nothing more than to wrestle under the spotlight.
“My No. 1 goal is to win a state title,” Critchfield said. “I like to go as hard as I can and put it on people. I keep the pace up and make people want to quit. I make them tired, and I ride hard. I’m real tough on top – but nobody holds me down either. And I don’t quit. That’s my biggest strength. I will not ever quit.”
2362 3#MondayMatness with Steve Krah: Bluffton’s Bertsch has sights set on making history
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Landon Bertsch did not start wrestling in elementary as some top performers do. He was a swimmer in elementary school.
Then as a sixth grader, he met up with Ben Sprunger.
The winningest grappler in Bluffton High School history, Sprunger came back to his hometown to teach middle school Physical Education after college and began introducing youngsters to wrestling.
“For me it’s about numbers,” says Sprunger. “It’s about getting as many kids out, motivating them, getting them in love with the sport and continuing to develop them.”
That strategy worked with Bertsch.
“I fell in love with it,” says Bertsch. “It took me awhile to get good at it.”
By the time he reached high school, Bertsch was getting pretty good on the mat. A 132-pound Bluffton Tigers senior in 2021-22, he is a three-time IHSAA State Finals performer (qualifier in 2019 at 113 with a 39-3 record, qualifer in 2020 at 126 with 42-2 mark and sixth-place finisher in 2021 at 126 with a 24-2 ledger). His career mark 10 bouts into his final prep season was 115-7.
“He lives for wrestling,” says Sprunger of Bertsch. “That’s his thing. He puts a lot of effort into it.
“He has the grit and the toughness you can’t always coach, It’s that X Factor. Either you have it or you don’t.”
Sprunger, who is in his sixth season as Bluffton head coach, finished his high school career at 139-10 and placed three times at the State Finals — seventh at 125 as a sophomore in 1998, second at 125 as a junior in 1999 and first at 130 as a senior in 2000.
Bertsch, who also trains with the club at Bellmont and at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, has the chance to catch and pass Sprunger on the victory list and become Bluffton’s first four-time state qualifier.
For Bluffton, the IHSAA tournament series goes through the Jay County Sectional and Jay County Regional and Fort Wayne Semistate.
“I don’t plan on losing this year,” says Bartsch, who went 6-0 in the Allen County Athletic Conference Duals Saturday, Dec. 11 at Jay County and is 10-0 on the season. “I just want to be the best.
“My coach helps me and encourages me.”
It’s confidence that Bertsch has taken with him in each of his previous State Finals appearances.
“What goes through my mind is that these guys are not better than me,” says Bertsch. “They are the same level. I can beat every single guy here.”
As a freshmen, he was pinned by eventual fifth-placer David Pierson of Warren Central in the first round.
As a sophomore, Monrovia’s Ben Dalton edged him 6-4 in the Friday match on the way to seventh place.
“That still haunts us a little bit,” says Sprunger of the late takedown that eliminated Bertsch in 2020.
In 2021, he beat Wawasee’s Branden Dilley by technical fall in the first round and lost 5-3 to eventual runner-up Cheaney Schoeff of Avon in the second round on the way to sixth.
What about the down time between matches at a big meet?
“I mess around with my friends and let my body relax,” says Bartsch. “It helps me stay calm and not get too anxious or too excited.
“When it’s time to wrestle. it’s ‘go time’ again and I’m get ready to go.”
As his high school days have progressed, Bertsch has gotten bigger and become a tough defender and attacker.
“He’s growing up a little bit and filling out,” says Sprunger. “He’s stubborn on his feet. He won’t give up takedowns. If he’s on top, he’s a beast. He’s tough on his feet, too.
“He’s not scared of any opponent or any situation.”
Bertsch counts junior Austin Lewis — a returning state qualifer at 120 now at 145 — as a regular workout partner.
“They make each other better,” says Sprunger. “They both have a hunger to wrestle.”
The coach also rolls with the Tigers in practice, including Bertsch.
“He’s crazy,” says Bertsch of Sprunger. “He beats up on all of us.”
Bertsch notes that Sprunger keeps him honest and he makes it a point to stay in position.
“It allows you to set up and make shots and it allows you to have a good defense,” says Bertsch. “You’ve got to have good balance to be in good position. You’ve got to keep moving.”
When Bertsch moves on from Bluffton, he plans to go to college as an engineering major and wrestler. He has not yet decided on which school. His favorite high school subject is math and he’s looking forward to Calculus next semester.
Landon’s father — former middle school wrestler Matt Bertsch — is a civil engineer and owner at Bertsch-Frank & Associates LLC, a land surveying and construction engineering company located in Fort Wayne where his oldest son did an internship last summer.
Adams Central High School graduates Matt and Elizabeth Bertsch have three children — Landon, sophomore Alydia, eighth grader Eli and fifth grader Addie.
1471 2#WrestlingWednesday with Jeremy Hines: Columbus East's Kade Law working to finish on top
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Old western movies often ended with the hero riding off into the sunset. This signified the job was done – no matter how dangerous, or how challenging that job may have been. Columbus East wrestler Kade Law is hoping he has his riding off into the sunset moment this winter. To do that, he has to emerge as the top wrestler in his weight class at the state tournament.
“My goal is to win the state title,” Law said. “Last year I lost to the runner-up, by two. I was right there. And I definitely have improved.”
Law is currently ranked No. 2 in the 160-pound weight class, the same class he competed in last season. He’s ranked behind last year’s 152-pound champ, James Conway of Floyd Central.
“Kade is incredibly quick,” Columbus East coach Chris Cooper said. “We’ve had good kids in our room, but I don’t think we’ve ever had a wrestler that is more explosive than Kade. His quickness level is off the charts.”
Law says that explosiveness comes from confidence.
“I think it comes from being confident,” he said. “I am confidant in any shot I take. I set my feet and try to blow through my opponent.”
The quest for a state title hasn’t been an easy one for Law. As a freshman he broke his nose in practice the week of regionals.
“I was wrestling a kid in the practice room, and I got my nose broke,” Law said. “I had two nose surgeries, one right before semistate and one right before state. I had to wear a mask, and I didn’t like it at all. It was very hard to see out of.”
Law has had a total of four nose surgeries.
Two years ago he tore his MCL right before the sectional.
“I had to do a lot of physical therapy after that injury,” Law said. “When I first came back on the mat it was hard to even shoot. It took me a while to get back to where I was comfortable. I didn’t start feeling well until about mid-season.”
This year he is hoping all that bad luck is behind him. He’s ready to go out and show the type of wrestler he can be.
“Kade has improved quite a bit,” Cooper said. “He has always been a good practice, but he is getting so much more out of it this year. He’s a team leader, for sure. He pushes the guys to do their best. He’s much more vocal than he has been in the past. It’s made a big difference. I really think he has a sense of urgency now that he’s a senior. He maximizes every bit of his time in practice.”
Law has verbally committed to wrestle for Purdue next season.
“I went on an official visit, and I really connected with the guys,” Law said. “I like their coach and their philosophy. I loved how they ran practice. Purdue just felt like home.”
Law does not compete in any other sports. Wrestling is his top priority, athletically. It’s the only sport he has done growing up. When he’s not wrestling, he enjoys spending time with his family, and especially likes going boating.
Law is one of six state-ranked wrestlers on the Columbus East squad. Liam Krueger is ranked No. 10 at 113 pounds for the Olympians. Noah Lykins is No. 16 at 120. Jaden Durnill is ranked No. 14 at 182 pounds with Tommy Morrill taking the No. 10 spot at 220 pounds. Senior Ashton Hartwell is ranked No. 7 at 285. Eli Pollitt isn’t ranked in state, but he’s the seventh-rated wrestler at 145 pounds in the Evansville semistate.
“We are a real solid team,” Cooper said. “We’re ranked up close to the top. We want to win 3A duals and compete for a team championship.”
1208#MondayMatness with Steve Krah: West Lafayette’s Barket learns how to turn weaknesses into strengths
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Connor Barket is tenacious in the way he pursues wrestling — and for that matter — football.
The West Lafayette High School senior considers persistence and devotion to routine as his best athletic qualities.
“I find myself almost able to enjoy the grind,” says Barket, a 195-pounder who placed seventh at that weight at the 2021 IHSAA State Finals. He went 43-3 for his Red Devils junior season.
Also constant in the classroom, Barket sports a grade-point average near 4.0 (on a 4.0 scale) and is considering pursuing degrees in computer science, physics or engineering. He is considering studying and wrestling at Purdue University, Princeton University or Wabash College.
Dennis Barket, Connor’s father, is a former regional qualifier at Tell City High School who earned a chemistry degree at Purdue and is now a corporate executive.
Mother Donna Barket has worked as a biologist and is now a substitute teacher in West Lafayette and Frankfort as well as being in her eighth straight year as Red Devils wrestling team mom.
“She gets all the parents on the same page,” says Connor Barket. “She sorts team gear and is cheering at every match as loudly as possible.
“I’m extremely appreciative and I think most of the team is as well.”
Brother Aaron Barket (West Lafayette Class of 2018) was a semistate qualifer for West Lafayette and is now studying civil engineering at Purdue.
Rick Roseman has been coaching wrestling at West Lafayette since 1999 (2005-06 was his first as head coach) is full of praise for three-time team captain Connor.
“He is an amazing kid that does everything right,” says Roseman. “I can’t say enough good things about Connor Barket.
“He’s the highest-character kid I’ve ever coached. I never question what he’s doing off the mat.”
Barket likes to think of himself as the team leader, who will help out in the room and even give younger teammates a ride home.
“We’ve got a lot of young dudes,” says Barket. “I’m exposing them to the real work — on and off the mat.
“I lead the team through conditioning and the mental side. If I make the room better than will make me better.”
Roseman — or “Rosey” as his wrestlers know him — sees in Barket an ability to turn a weakness into a strength.
“You hope your kids learn from their mistakes,” says Roseman, who has observed just that in Barket.
After his freshman year at West Lafayette, Barket began going to Avon to train at Chad Red’s Red Cobra Wrestling Academy.
An East Chicago Semistate qualifier as a 170-pound freshman in 2019, Barket qualified for the 2020 State Finals as a 182-pound sophomore. He lost 6-5 with one second on the clock in the first round.
“That was an absolute brutal loss,” says Barket of his bout against Columbus East’s Noah White. I got a reversal with 10 or 15 seconds to go then he got a reversal on me to win by one.
Barket had his sight’s on a state title in 2021 after placing second at semistate and winning his first-round State Finals match. Then he lost in the second round and in his first consolation bracket bout before coming back for seventh.
“Connor’s such a steady kid,” says Roserman. “He had tough time rebounding.”
But he’s also learned from the experience.
“It’s those moments of failure that have helped me improve as a person and as a wrestler,” says Barket. “I look at myself objectively and work at what needs to get done.
“Each of my years have ended up a little bit short.”
Since last February, Barket has become even more serious about wrestling. He keeps a notebook of things he needs to work on. He’s dialed in his nutrition, exerted himself in the weight room and added yoga to his routine.
He also competed at the Folkstyle Nationals in Coralville, Iowa, Virginia Beach (Va.) Team Duals and Fargo (N.D.) Nationals.
As a junior, he made the transition from football and wrestling at 206 pounds and was around 193 for his matches.
“I was not quite as much as I wanted to be,” says Barket.
This past fall, Barket started on the defensive line (42 total tackles with 10 for loss and seven quarterback sacks) and rotated with Mariere Omonode at offensive left tackle for a team ranked No. 1 in Class 3A (the 9-1 Red Devils lost to eventual state runner-up Brebeuf Jesuit in the first round of sectional).
The 6-foot-1 Barket was about 215 when he began preseason wrestling workouts.
“I managed my weight and feel a lot bigger and stronger,” says Barket.
Omonode is West Lafayette’s heavyweight until he graduates mid-term and enters Purdue for football in January.
He is one of Barket’s workout partners.
“He’s definitely the toughest,” says Barket. “He’s got about 70 pounds on me. He’s an absolute monster.”
Swapping mat workout sessions with Barket are 2019 West Lafayette graduate Joey Kidwell (a two-time state qualifier at 220) and former Castle High School grappler and Purdue student Will Rolley.
“They’re older and stronger than me,” says Barket, who has also been known to drill with Roseman during his career.
“Rosey might be the most deceptively quick human being around,” says Barket of the Bob Freje-trained 1997 Brownsburg High School graduate and current West Lafayette elementary school physical education teacher. “His low single gets on you fast.”
Roseman says Barket has become good at attacking low and riding on top.
“For a big guy he’s as good at attacking at the knee,” says Roseman. “He has a low shot like an ankle pick or low single.”
1629#WrestlingWednesday with Jeremy Hines: Castle's Purdy ready for a big season
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
The only thing that matters on the wrestling mat to John Purdy is the result. He’s not going to showboat and he’s not going to celebrate. He’s going to step on the mat, do everything he can to defeat the man standing across from him, and then go on with his day.
He doesn’t get emotional after a big win and doesn’t revel in a heartbreaking defeat. There’s always that next match – the next opportunity to prove himself. That’s what he looks forward to.
“John doesn’t get real hyped,” longtime Castle coach Bob Harmon said. “He doesn’t celebrate. He goes out, does his job and handles himself well. He doesn’t’ get emotional.”
Purdy had a strong start to his high school career. As a freshman he won the Castle sectional at 160 pounds, then placed third in regional to qualify for the Evansville semistate. Purdy was the only freshman in the weight class at semistate. He won his first-round matchup before falling to Brownsburg senior Petyon Asberry in the ticket round. He finished his freshman campaign with a 37-4 record.
“I got caught in that match,” Purdy said. “I shot and I just didn’t finish it. It was a learning experience. I knew I was going to learn from it and use that experience to prepare for the next season.”
That preparation worked. Last year, as a sophomore, Purdy punched his ticket to state. He won both sectional and regional in the 170-pound class. At semistate he finished second behind Columbus East senior Samuel Morrill.
Purdy finished fifth in the weight class at state. Morrill was the runner-up behind East Central’s Bryer Hall.
“Winning in that ticket round of semistate was sort of getting the monkey off of my back,” Purdy said. “But I had bigger dreams than just getting to state. I want to win state. The goal is to be a state champion. So, after I finished fifth at state, I went back to work.”
Purdy wrestles with the Maurer Coughlin Wrestling club in the offseason.
Currently, he is the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the state at 195 pounds, behind Evansville Mater Dei’s Gabe Sellers. The two could potentially meet up in the same Evansville North Regional this season.
“John is a good wrestler,” Harmon said. “He’s real technical. He’s strong and he’s athletic. Getting back to state is the goal, but that’s always a big challenge. Number one, you have to get back there. It’s important to go in and win each leg of the tournament. The state tournament is designed for champions, so if you can go in as a semistate champ, that really helps you.”
In addition to wrestling, Purdy also excels on the gridiron. He is the starting middle linebacker on the Castle football squad that finished the season with a 7-3 mark. Harmon coached Purdy in middle school football and knows how his athleticism is valuable on the football field.
“He was my quarterback and running back in middle school,” Harmon said. “Now he’s a force on the field on Friday nights. You hear his name called quite a bit.”
Purdy has competed in baseball, track, lacrosse and even basketball over the years. He has found that his two passions are wrestling and football.
“I like whatever one is in season,” Purdy said. “I think I do pretty well at both.”
Castle’s season will open on Saturday. Purdy is eager to start his junior campaign.
“I think we have a pretty good team,” Purdy said.
Purdy enjoys typical high school activities outside of sports. He likes hanging out with friends and family, listening to music and working out.
“John is a good kid,” Harmon said. “He’s a good student and he’s real personable. He’s just an all-around good kid. He’s not afraid of hard work and he’s willing to put the time in to get better.”
1931#MondayMatness with Steve Krah: Solomey family has impact on Kankakee Valley wrestling fortunes
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
The house is rockin’ and it is super-loud.
Coaches, wrestlers and spectators are all yelling encouragement and instructions.
Can athletes in the circle really pick out these messages above the din?
Cole Solomey, a two-time IHSAA State Finals placer heading into his junior mat season in 2021-22 at Kankakee Valley High School in Wheatfield, says he can.
“I can hear my dad and brother,” says Cole Solomey. “I hear them everyday.
“I can hear exactly what they’re saying no matter how far away they are.”
Mike Solomey (Class of 1992) and Luke Solomey (Class of 2017) both grappled for the Kougars.
Mike Solomey is No. 2 on KV’s all-time win list at 117 (2005 graduate Dominic Willis is No. 1 at 119) and was a state qualifier at 130 pounds as a senior.
Luke Solomey made it to the “ticket round” at the East Chicago Semistate as a 160-pound senior.
Cole, the youngest of Mike and Becky Solomey’s three children behind Luke and Irelynn, was introduced to wrestling at age 4 with Caleb (son of Mike’s brother Shane Solomey, who was a 171-pounder during much of his KV mat career) coming to the sport a short time later.
“When we grew up we didn’t have the opportunities that Cole and Caleb have,” says Mike Solomey.
“(Cole) was good when he started out. He’s very self-motivated. Nobody has to talk him into going to practice. He does it on his own.
“I’m hoping to see him higher on the (State Finals) podium as the next two years go by.”
Luke is a KV volunteer assistant coach when his job of working for his dad’s roofing contractor business allows.
“Weekends in the winter time are spent in the gym,” says Luke Solomey, who joined the staff during the COVID-19 pandemic last season because spectators were not allowed at most matches and he was able to help his brother.
“I was in the corner for most of the year,” says Luke Solomey. “Cole can hear me when it’s very loud. It’s a different look in the corner — I can see something he can’t see (other wrestlers’ tendencies).”
Luke, who was known for his cradles as a KV wrestler, gives Cole a chance to work on defending that move in practice.
“One of Cole’s strengths is escapes,” says Luke Solomey. “If he’s on his game there’s nobody that can hold him down.”
Luke has also noticed Cole’s growth spurt.
“He’s grown up and out,” says Luke Solomey. “Puberty hit him pretty hard over the summer.”
Two off-season events where Cole shined were the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open (IHPO) in September and the USA Wrestling Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals in DesMoines, Iowa, in October. He was top eight at IHPO and sixth at Preseason Nationals after going out in the “blood round” in 2020.
“I wrestled a lot more offensively at Preseason Nationals (in 2021) and competed really well,” says Cole.
Third-year Kankakee Valley head coach Eric Kidwell first saw Cole on the mat when he and Brad Burvan state the Kougar Wrestling Club.
“I don’t know where he gets his drive from,” says Kidwell. “He’s very competitive. He hates losing. He has improved every year.”
“Caleb pushes Cole. He has that drive. He’s a tough kid.”
Caleb placed seventh at Frosh-Soph State last year.
Cole Solomey went 39-6 and placed seventh in the 2020 IHSAA State Finals at 120 and 27-7 and came in sixth at the 2021 state meet at 132. He finished third at the Crown Point Sectional, third at the Crown Point Regional and third at the East Chicago Semistate as a freshman then came in second, third and third at those stages as a sophomore.
It was 66 at the start of the season, but don’t ask Cole how many career wins he has.
“I only remember the losses,” says Cole Solomey. “I’ve always wanted to make a name for our school in wrestling.”
The 2021-22 season opens with a bigger, stronger Cole Solomey competing at 138 with his cousin, classmate and training partner Caleb Solomey moving up from 126 to 132 after placing second at sectional and regional and losing in the second round at semistate as a sophomore.
Both Solomey boys are 17.
“Caleb and I drill pretty hard together everyday, especially when it comes to weight-cutting,” says Cole Solomey. “His strength is on his feet with his shots.
“He hasn’t been able to get over the hump to get to the State Finals. I keep trying to push him as hard as possible every year.”
Caleb lost out on mat time in middle school because of a dislocated elbow.
Cole went up about an inch to 5-foot-9 and gained muscle in the weight room since last season. He says his “walking around” weight in 2020-21 was about 145 and now its around 150.
“Through lifting I gained more mass,” says Cole Solomey. “I’ve gotten a whole lot stronger (with my power, arms and grip) the last couple of years.”
Working out in the off-season with Chris Fleeger at Midwest Regional Training Center in New Carlisle in off-season as well as with Pete Petroff at Region Wrestling Academy in Schererville, Cole has upped his hand-fighting game.
“It creates larger shot opportunities and opens up my opponent a whole lot more,” says Cole Solomey.
“My mentality has also improved.
“I know how much more I have to give. You don’t know much more you have to give until you have to give it.”
Cole played baseball until middle school and football through eighth grade then decided to focus on wrestling.
“The off-season is about getting better and I saw other kids training year-round and passing me up,” says Cole Solomey. “Is there such a thing as too much mat time. In my perspective — no.
“The more time you’re spending on the mat those are more situations you would not be in if you’re sitting at home.
“Drilling is definitely a huge part of wrestling. Some practices where you don’t go 100 percent is where you learn (a move). Then you go into situational wrestling and get a real feel for it.”
1335#WrestlingWednesday with Jeremy Hines: Confidence grows for Southport's Nathan Smith after an impressive offseason
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Southport senior Nathan Smith is the sports editor of his school newspaper. With the success he had on the wrestling mat during the offseason, his own name might be the biggest news on his sports section this year.
Smith competed at Virginia Beach, Fargo, Tulsa and various Indiana tournaments. He placed second in the Junior Men’s Freestyle Nationals at Fargo. In Tulsa he went 7-0 in freestyle wrestling and 5-2 in Greco-Roman. He won the USAW Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals in Iowa. He also won the John Hurrle Memorial Invitational in Indianapolis and placed second at the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open.
“Nathan kind of punched some tickets this offseason,” Southport coach Nick Skinner said. “He had not been in a national final yet and he went to Fargo and finished second. That gave him confidence and let him know that he belongs at the top of the podium.”
For Smith, it was the Fargo tournament that really boosted his confidence.
“The finals made me realize I can get to anywhere I want to if I put in the work,” Smith said.
Now Smith is hoping to bring some championships home in the Indiana state tournament. He has never won a title in the state tournament. He is a three-time regional qualifier, a two-time semistate qualifier and last year he placed seventh overall at the state meet.
“I want to win state,” Smith said. “That’s the goal. I also think I’m about 36 wins off of the Southport all-time wins record. That’s something I think would be super nice to get, that all-time record. I have yet to win a county tournament, sectional, regional or semistate title. If I could get a win in all of those my senior year that would be really nice.”
The Southport sectional has had some hammers in the 106-pound class – the only class Smith has competed in during his career.
Perry Meridian’s Alex Cottey won the sectional in Smith’s freshman season. Cotton went on to finish second in the state meet.
In Smith’s sophomore year, Roncalli’s Bryce Lowery won the sectional with Cardinal Ritter’s Joshua Johnson placing second and Smith third. Lowery went on to place fourth at state and Johnson placed seventh.
Last year Smith lost to Perry Meridian’s Toby Billerman in the sectional final. There were only three wrestlers in the sectional bracket, but Billerman went on to place third at state and Smith finished seventh.
Smith isn’t the type of wrestler that is always on the attack. He likes to feel his opponent out and learn from his style, then use the moves he feels will be the most effective.
“I’m definitely a counter wrestler,” Smith said. “I don’t take a million shots right off the rip. As far back as I can remember I have never been one to go and shoot a lot. I like to feel my opponents out for a minute or two and then go from there.”
According to Smith, he was able to make solid improvements this offseason as well.
“I had a habit of sitting the corner, which is a unique defense,” he said. “It won me a lot of matches, but also got me into trouble. I’ve improved with my down blocking and I’ve been working on a more traditional defense.”
After high school Smith hopes to wrestle at the University of Indianapolis and study exercise science. He is considering minoring in journalism as well.
“I love journalism,” he said. “I’ve been on our journal staff for three years now. I was a sportswriter for two years and now I’m the sports editor.”
For fun, Smith mostly enjoys wrestling and hanging out with his dad.
“I just wrestle a bunch for fun,” Smith said. “In the summer, it’s kind of nerdy, but I love to go hang out with my dad (Greg Smith). We do all sorts of things. We watch football, go birding, biking or just walking. I don’t even know if I like things like birding, I think I just really like to be out in nature hanging out with my dad.”
Coach Skinner says that Smith is a leader on and off the mat and a “really fun kid to coach.”
“He’s just a good kid,” Skinner said. “He is intelligent, funny and he takes care of business on the mat and in the classroom. He gets the work done and that rubs off on everyone around him.”
Smith is currently ranked third in the state at 106 pounds.
2687 1#MondayMatness with Steve Krah: Senior Bailey has already forged unprecedented career with River Forest Ingots
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Jeffrey Bailey is doing things that the wrestling program at River Forest High School in Hobart has never witnessed.
With a 2021-22 season-opening victory (takedown/near-side cradle/pin in 31 seconds) Nov. 17 against East Chicago Central, Bailey, a 106-pound senior, added to what is already the best mark in Ingots mat history at 106-12.
He went 35-5 as a freshman in 2018-19, 38-3 and an IHSAA State Finals qualifier as a sophomore in 2019-20, 32-4 as a junior in 2020-21 and became River Forest’s first state placer when he came in sixth.
As a freshman, Bailey came in fifth at Frosh-Soph State and placed second at Frosh-Soph State as a sophomore.
Bailey grappled in middle school, but he really became serious about the sport as a freshman – the same year that Mark Hidalgo became Ingots head coach.
Hidalgo, a 1989 Merrillville High School who has coached wrestling and football at several schools the past 25 years, brought enthusiasm and made the mat matter at River Forest.
“Before Coach Hidalgo got here we didn’t have a tradition,” says Bailey. “Guys just showed up.”
Bailey points to a turning-point moment during his sophomore year when Hidalgo sat him down for a heart-to-heart talk.
“He told me I have potential to do something no one has ever done in the school before,” says Bailey of the coach/Physical Education teacher. “I used to struggle with my confidence. I didn’t have confidence in anything I did.”
Suddenly, Bailey was full of tenacity and that showed in his matches.
“He knows wrestling, says Hildalgo of Bailey. He’s always watching it and trying to better him better. He’s pretty solid in all aspects, but he’s best on his feet.
“He’s been shooting doubles for years. He’s added a lot more to his arsenal over the summer and in the offseason.
“There’s a lot of good things about Jeff. He cares about this team. He pushes himself everyday in practice. He also puts in the work in the classroom. He’s a fun kid to be around. We’ve got a pretty good relationship.”
Hidalgo placed fourth at state as a senior heavyweight. He was in football, wrestling and baseball (one year) at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill., where he was coached by former Eastern Illinois University heayweight All-American Dave Klemm who had clashed with future NCAA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Bruce Baumgartner. Hidalgo was also at Purdue University for one year when Jeff Jordan coached the Boilermakers.
Marcus Shrewsbury, a 189-pound state champion at Crown Point in 2009, is Hidalgo’s nephew.
The coach was on the Bill Kelly’s East Chicago Central staff when Hector Mendez ascended to the top of the IHSAA state heap at 125 in 2002.
Hidalgo says Bailey had a real shot to win a state championship in 2021.
“This year he’s focused,” says Hidalgo. “It’s state title or bust — one of those things.”
Some chances for Bailey to get better and for fans to see him include Nov. 27 at the North Newton Invitational, Dec. 4 at the Harvest Classic (Lake Central), Dec. 11 at the Traicoff Memorial (Calumet New Tech), Jan. 8 at the Lake County Tournament (Hanover Central) and Jan. 15 at the Greater South Shore Conference Tournament (Hanover Central) – where River Forest will be trying of a third-straight title. The IHSAA tournament series includes the Jan. 29 Portage Sectional, Feb. 5 Hobart Regional and Feb. 12 East Chicago Semistate followed by the Feb. 18-19 State Finals at Gainbridge (formerly Bankers Life) Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Bailey says he has gotten to the point where he is good in the top wrestling position.
“I like to turn and a I like to ride,” says Bailey. “It happened over time. My freshmen year, I gave up reversals.”
Charles Voss, Jeffrey’s uncle, was a state qualifier at Owen Valley, but that’s the only wrestling Bailey has in his family tree.
Jeffrey’s father – DeWayne Bailey was a high school basketball standout at Maranatha Christian in Portage and his youngest son also took the court when he was younger.
“I tried, but I would get dejected and get mad,” says Jeffrey Bailey. “Everybody was so much bigger than me. I really couldn’t do anything.”
At 5-foot-8, Bailey is among the taller 106-pounders and he uses those longer limbs to his advantage.
“In scrambles I don’t get in bad positions where I’m uncomfortable,” says Bailey.
But even with parents DeWayne and Heather preparing his meals he just wasn’t going to be that big. In fact, Jeffrey tried to add weight in the off-season and go up a class or two, but it just didn’t stick.
“I burned too many calories,” says Bailey.
He does go against bigger practice partners, including senior Jonathan Schultz (126), junior Alejandro Ramirez (132) and first-year Ingots assistant Eric Keith. Schultz is a semistate qualifier and Ramirez has been to regional.
Keith was a four-time state qualifier with a state title at 140 as a Portage High School senior in 2000. His career prep mark was 170-8.
“We have smaller guys in the room, but they don’t give me the feel that I want,” says Bailey. “Wrestling stronger guys makes me better.”
Bailey trains and competes pretty much year-round, going to workouts around northwest Indiana and many Indiana State Wrestling Association events. Last year, he also went with Hammond Gavit grapplers to the Disney Duals.
After high school, Bailey can see himself wrestling college if that opportunity arises. He expects to study History and pursue a path to becoming a high school Social Studies teacher and coach.
Bailey is particularly interested in Biblical history.
“I’m a Christian,” says Bailey. “I’m always trying to learn about my faith.”
Jeffrey and his father have Bible study twice a week and have enjoyed a net series called “The Days of Noah.”
Jeffrey grew up in the River Forest area with his parents and older brother DeWayne. He enjoys walking around town now and having them ask him about wrestling. It’s a big deal there now thanks in large part to Bailey, who returns the affection.
Says Bailey, “I love my community, my parents and my coaches.”
2542 6#WrestlingWednesday with Jeremy Hines: Cowboy up! Edgewood's Cash Turner has a unique off-season training regimen
Photo by David Hughes/ BeltBucklePhotos.com
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Cash Turner doesn’t get his strength from lifting weights. His muscles are built by moving over 500 hay bales a year, splitting wood and working on his family’s 100-acre farm. He doesn’t get his grip from the gym either – that comes from holding on for dear life while trying to ride a massive bull for as long as possible. And, that fearless attitude those around him say he has – that comes from growing up with a father that was a phenomenal wrestler and then went on to become an all-around champion in the rodeo world.
The Edgewood junior is certainly not your typical wrestler. He’s the Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV vs. the Ivan Drago’s of the world. His training isn’t conventional, but it works.
“Cash is training without training, and he’s doing it a lot,” Edgewood coach Greg Ratliff said. “I remember one time he went to his grandpa’s place in Kentucky instead of going to workouts. I asked him what he did while he was there, and he told us he and his grandpa spent the week just digging post holes. Somehow, I knew he would get more out of that then he ever would by hitting our weight room.”
Turner knows two things well – rodeo and wrestling. When he’s not in wrestling season, he’s working on his rodeo skills. His only break from the rodeo is when he’s wrestling. Coach Ratliff believes the work Turner is putting in on his rodeo is only benefiting him on the mat.
“We talk a lot about multi-sport athletes,” Ratliff said. “There are a lot of crossovers. The will, the drive, and the determination he uses in bull riding carries over to wrestling. There isn’t as much footwork and agility, but all the toughness that comes with it is a big plus. I think, in a day and age where coaches are asked to do more and more and more, and wrestlers are told they need to wrestle every weekend – but the best wrestler in your room is like – I have this going on. It’s refreshing. You can do other things and still get good. As long as they are training in something, that’s going to help make them better wrestlers.”
For Cash, part of the allure of the rodeo is facing fears and overcoming them.
“The hardest thing in my life is probably trying new things,” Turner said. “I was always an avid bull rider, but my dad asked if I would want to try saddle bronc riding and bareback riding – which is basically riding wild horses. I was the most scared I’ve ever been in my life. I was going to get on a giant horse that wants to throw me off. But I did it. I overcame that fear.”
That bravery has helped Cash excel in the rodeo. He qualified for the High School Nationals in Nebraska where each state brings four representatives to compete.
“The rodeo definitely makes me tougher in wrestling,” Turner said. “I know if I can do that, I can probably put a kid my size on his back on the mat.”
Although Turner’s dad, Toby, was a very good bull rider and wrestler. He didn’t want to push those things on Cash.
“Toby placed second in state in wrestling, twice,” Ratliff said. “In the rodeo he was on the PBR circuit and was a National Champion. It’s really cool to watch their interactions with each other in the wrestling room (Toby is an assistant coach). They are both so stubborn, but his dad really didn’t want to push wrestling or rodeo on his son. As it turns out, those are Cash’s biggest passions. Cash just loves them both.”
Turner found success early in his high school wrestling career. He won the Bloomington North sectional at 106 pounds his freshman season. He then went on to claim the regional title at Bloomington South and advanced to state by placing third in the Evansville semistate. In that semistate, Turner had his favorite match in his career up until this point.
“It was the match after my ticket-round win,” Turner said. “I faced a kid that I had never beaten before, and we had wrestled many times – probably around a dozen or so. I just knew this time would be the time. I wrestled how I wrestle and ended up hitting a lat drop on him and scored a few points, then hit another funky move and ended up winning by quite a few points. So far, that was my favorite match. I was getting over an obstacle.”
Coach Ratliff remembers that match well.
“I remember it because the young man he was wrestling’s dad yelled out ‘watch out for the spladle’,” Ratliff said. “I don’t know if Cash heard it or not, but he immediately hit the spladle. He went up five points. That was an exciting match.”
Turner proceeded to place seventh in state that freshman season.
He did not make it back to state as a sophomore. He won sectional and regional for the second time in his young career, but fell short in the ticket round of semistate, losing in the ticket round to Brownsburg’s Brady Isom. Isom went on to place third in state at 126 that season.
“Last year was tough,” Turner said. “I went up from 106 my freshman year to 126 as a sophomore. That was a big jump. I knew people were going to be a little stronger than me. I went as far as I could. The ticket round loss was a tough loss, but he was a really good opponent. I took what I could from it and I’m trying to work this year at getting back to state. That’s my goal.
“I think when you’re a junior you start to get a sense of urgency you didn’t have before. When you’re a freshman and sophomore you look at wrestling and you’re like, I still have three…or two more years. Now you realize it’s coming fast and pretty soon I’ll just be done. I only have one year after this.”
Turner is coming into the season slightly hobbled. He broke his elbow in September riding a bull.
“Funny story about that,” Cash said. “I had a duck hunting trip planned with a few friends. It was going to be a few days after the rodeo. I went to the rodeo and ended up hurting my elbow. I didn’t know I broke it. I finished my events and even won some events. When we went home, I didn’t think much about it, but I put it in a sling and went to school the next day. I couldn’t bend it at all.
“I showed our athletic trainer and he looked at it and said it was definitely broken. I went to the doctor, and they put a cast from my wrist to my elbow. The first thing I told my mom was I had to see if I could shoot a shotgun with one arm. I went out and tried to shoot a few times. It was hard, but I could do it. I went on the hunting trip and even killed a few birds there. It was an interesting experience.”
Going hunting with a broken elbow, while your entire arm is wrapped in a hard plastic cast shows just how stubborn Turner is.
“He’s the kid that is always stubborn,” Ratliff said. “For example – we do a drill in practice where we set it up like it’s an overtime match. First takedown wins. He might get taken down, because his practice partner is really good at takedowns, but Cash will argue and argue about whether something was a takedown or not. He just doesn’t give up. He’s going to keep wrestling from there. The ref has to really think about it. He will tell you ‘That wasn’t a takedown, I still had a hold of his toe’.”
Turner has several plans after high school. He is currently involved in a fire science and fire safety vocational school and would eventually like to be a firefighter. He said he would like to go to college somewhere that has a fire science education program where he can get a degree in that field. He also wants to pursue the rodeo out west, where there are more opportunities in the sport.
For now, however, he’s focused on getting back to the state finals.
“That’s my ultimate goal,” Turner said. “It was great to go as a freshman and I want to get back there.”
1500 2#MondayMatness with Steve Krah: Tiny Cowan clicking along after pausing program for several years
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Wrestling has come back in a big way at a little school.
Cowan Senior/Junior High School in Delaware County folded its program following the 1994-95 for lack of interest.
As a Muncie Southside High School senior in 1989-90, Tony Abbott went 35-2 and was the IHSAA 152-pound state champion, grappled for the University of Indianapolis, served as head coach at Southside 1995-96 to 2012-13 and was inducted into the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2017.
“I started coaching my first year out of college,” says Abbott, who also owns Abbott’s Body Shop in Muncie. “I’ve had no break since I was six years old.”
With Abbott as Cowan head coach, the Blackhawks came back to the prep mat in 2016-17 — a few years after establishing club (which drew about 50 kids the first year and around 60 the next) and junior high programs with all athletes funneling into CSJHS. That happened with the advice of former Muncie Central mat coach and then-Cowan principal Jim Suding and the support of parents.
That first new era high school team had four wrestlers and the next year six. By 2018-19, Cowan had 14 grapplers and filled all 14 weight classes. The Blackhawks had 25 out the next season, including oldest son Toby, and the numbers have been at least that high in each season since then.
“We started having a little bit of success,” says Abbott. “There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears. The fun part of this whole team is that every one of the kids on my team have been Cowan kids in that club.
“We have 27 kids on the team right now. These kids were just kids and didn’t have anything to do. Now they’e wrestlers.
“They’re embracing the grind. The secret to success is there’s no secret. You’ve got to keep moving forward.”
Those wrestlers representing the Black and Gold of Cowan (enrollment below 250) won the Delaware County Tournament for the first time and claimed the school’s first sectional title (earned at Delta) in 2020-21. The Blackhawks placed fourth in the IHSCA State Duals.
As a 145-pound junior, Toby Abbott became Cowan’s first-ever regional champion and state placer (eighth).
“It happened later than I wanted it to,” says Toby of his state meet run. “I wanted to do it all freshmen and sophomore year.
“I didn’t have too many losses during the season. But it’s a good thing I did have the losses. I leaned from them.”
Abbott finished 33-5.
“At Cowan, we’re all-around wrestlers,” says Toby. “We wrestle hard and train hard.”
Toby, who also has three siblings — one older sister, one young sister and one young brother — says he would like to wrestle in college. He’s not decided on where he will attend or what he will study, though he is considering sports management or physical education.
What does Tony see in Toby the wrestler?
“He’s guy that everybody wants to coach,” says Tony Abbott. “He does what you tell him and he works hard.
“All the Cowan kids were brought up by me. They didn’t see older guys sitting around or cutting corners.”
A year-round wrestler with younger brother Levi (Class of 2024), Toby works out in the family barn, attends Central Indiana Academy workouts in Indianapolis and last summer went with a Cowan group to the Virginia Beach Duals.
“We wrestle everyday,” says Toby of he and Levi, who placed fourth at sectional and was a regional qualifier at 138 as a freshman. “He’s my practice partner in the room (the third court in the auxiliary gym where mats are no longer rolled up daily). I get him where he wants to be and he gets me where I want to be.
“We get along pretty well. My dad tries to make it pretty competitive in the room. All the coaches do.”
Cowan assistants are Casey Bradley (who wrestled at Muncie Southside and coached at Baldwin-Wallace University in Berea, Ohio), former Delta state qualifier Ronnie Goney and Cowan semistate qualifier Steve May.
Three seniors graduated from the 2020-21 Blackhawks – Garrett Smith (second at the Delta Sectional and Jay County Regional and a Fort Wayne Semistate qualifier at 285), Keagan Keesling (third at sectional and a regional qualifier at 152) and Preston White (third at sectional and a regional qualifier at 132).
Cowan does not open the season until a Dec. 2 home match against Blackford so weights and the lineup is still being sorted out.
The Keith twins — Raef (third at sectional and regional and a semistate qualifier at 106 in 2020-21) and Bowen (third at sectional and a regional qualifier at 113) shined as freshmen and are back as sophomores.
Junior Jesse May (fourth at sectional and a regional qualifier at 126) returns as does senior Austin Jones (first at sectional, second at regional and a semistate qualifier at 160), senior Malachi King (fifth at sectional at 170), senior Dalton May (fourth at sectional and a regional qualifier at 182) and junior Brandt Thornburg (fourth at sectional and a regional qualifier at 220). Regional qualifiers from 2019-20 include senior Cade Jones and junior Alex King.
There are two girls on the high school team and one is senior Cricket Morey (fifth at Girls State Finals at 98 in 2020-21).
The 2021-22 Delaware County Tournament is slated for Jan. 6 at Wes-Del with the IHSWCA State Duals Jan. 8 (site to be determined) and Mid-Eastern Conference Tournament Jan. 22 at Cowan. The Blackhawks’ state tournament series includes the Delta Sectional (Jan. 29), Jay County Regional (Feb. 5) and Fort Wayne Semistate (Feb. 12) leading up to the State Finals (Feb. 18-19).
3476 3#WrestlingWednesday: The Man Behind the Mic, Kevin Whitehead
Brought to you by EI Sports
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Thirty-two years ago a spur of the moment idea by Kevin Whitehead resulted in a monumental change to the Indiana high school wrestling state finals.
Back then, Whitehead was a table helper at the finals. He had filled in occasionally on the microphone, announcing some matches for Homer Hawkins, the main announcer at the time. Whitehead thought something was missing going in to the finals. So, he grabbed a notebook and a pencil and went on the mat asking each wrestler for information about themselves.
"I was interested in finding out a little more about the kids," Whitehead said. "So I went kid-to-kid and asked them what year they were in school, what their records were, how many falls they had and such."
At the time, all of the wrestlers in the championship round were lined up across the mat and everyone's name was announced along with their opponent. The two would run across the mat and shake hands. That was it.
But now that Whitehead had all of this extra information scribbled down in his notebook, Hawkins asked if he would like to announce introductions.
"After I announced everyone, Homer looked at me with a smile and told me to keep the microphone and announce the championships," Whitehead said. "I haven't given it up since."
Now the introductions of the finalists are a large part of the finals. Whitehead announces each wrestler, and reads off their list of wrestling accomplishments as the wrestler joins his coaches under a spotlight. After one wrestler is announced, the spotlight moves to his opponent across the mat. Then, the two wrestlers meet at center circle and shake hands.
Whitehead has been the announcer at the state finals since 1984. He lives in Kentucky, but looks forward each year to his annual trip to Indianapolis for the finals.
During his time as the announcer for the finals, Whitehead said he has witnessed major changes in the state format.
"The tournament has gotten bigger in just about every way it can," Whitehead said. "There were fewer wrestlers when I started. When I first got involved the tournament had just expanded. When I was in school there were 12 weights and four wrestlers in each weight. There were 24 semifinal matches and that gave you the finalists and the consolations. After 48 matches, it was over.
"Now we hit match 48 by about 7:30 on Friday night."
Whitehead remembers when the finals moved to Market Square Arena and when the Friday night sessions were added. He has watched as the talent level in Indiana has gotten better, and interest in the sport has greatly increased.
"Wrestling has really grown in the state in terms of the caliber of wrestling, the number of matches, the fan interest and the amount of schools that are represented," Whitehead said. "Right now it sort of gets taken for granted that we have guys wrestling for, or going to wrestle for schools like Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska and Penn State. That was unheard of not so many years ago. You might have one or two outstanding guys that would break the mold, but the quality of wrestling has increased multi-fold and that's very gratifying. That is the driving force as to why there were 33,000 people going there and watching it this year."
Whitehead has announced over 8,000 matches in his long career. He doesn't have a favorite match, but said the atmosphere this year at the state finals was great. He misses the old scoring system for the team title, and believes that created a big interest throughout the tournament.
That was what separated the great sessions from the average sessions," Whitehead said. "The team race was great when you had a few teams battling for the team title. That really hasn't happened since we went to the new format."
One of Whitehead's best memories from the finals came in the 80s. The weather was exceptionally bad and the finals got bumped from Market Square to the New Castle Fieldhouse.
"They had to wrestle it all on one day," Whitehead said. "It started early and ran late. The crowd was huge and New Castle was absolutely packed. When it was over, we all knew we can through a tough time with the weather for wrestling. We had this sense of community afterwards."
As far as announcing, Whitehead said when he calls out for the wrestlers to clear the mat for the second time, that's when things start to get serious. He says he doesn't have any go-to catch phrases from behind the microphone, but he does love the unique names. He prints the finals brackets off as soon as they are available and practices how he will say the names.
Whitehead wrestled for Franklin Central in the early 1970s. He never got past regional but was a Marion County runner-up and a sectional runner-up.
He retired from the Kroger Corporation after a long career spent in packaging development. He lives in Louisville now and spends time golfing with his son when he gets a chance, working around the house and tending to his vinyl record collection.
"I have a 45 vinyl collection with about 3,000 records," Whitehead said. "I started collecting in the 60s, but I really started in earnest when I found a great Goodwill Store near Indiana State University. At the time, vinyl was junk. But now it's very collectible."
Whitehead said he has no intentions of quitting his announcing gig at the state finals. He plans on announcing for as long as he's allowed to do so.
2028 1#WrestlingWednesday: East Central captures 3A title
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
East Central wrestling entered the Class 3A team state tournament as a bit of an unknown. The Trojans certainly didn’t leave that way.
East Central was the No. 5 seed entering the tournament, but thanks to a must-have pin by junior Ryan Bovard, the Trojans defeated Floyds Central 33-32 to capture the state title.
“That was amazing,” East Central coach Adam Wolf said. “We’ve been working hard for a long time to get to this level. It was neat just getting invited to team state, but then to win, that was great.”
The Trojans battled three formidable opponents en route to the state title. They took on Northridge in the first round, winning 40-27. In the next round East Central squeaked past Franklin 37-31 setting up the showdown in the final.
“We knew going into the last round that it could come down to the final match,” Wolf said. “By the last match the whole place was going crazy and we had a junior, first-year varsity wrestler up. Ryan Bovard knew we had to have a pin in order to win. He had all the pressure on him in the world and he came through. He will never forget that moment. He’s a great kid and I’m so glad he got that moment.”
The Trojans feel they are a bit unknown because a big portion of their schedule comes against Ohio and Kentucky teams. East Central is located just 30 minutes from Cincinnati.
“We are from an area in Indiana that isn’t though about much,” Wolf said. “We’re not in the Indy area. We’re not up north. We’re really not known around most parts of the state so us winning was probably a surprise to many.”
The Trojans have three state-ranked wrestlers. Bryer Hall is the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds. Hall, a senior, formerly wrestled for South Dearborn, but is now with the Trojans.
“Bryer transferred to us two years ago and his dad is our assistant coach,” Wolf said. “He and his family have been a huge asset to our team. Bryer is a funky wrestler. It’s hard to coach him on technique because a lot of what he does is just natural, and not normal.”
Coach Wolf’s young son, Blake, is ranked No. 12 in the state at 126 pounds. Blake is a sophomore. Last year Blake went undefeated until the ticket round at semistate where he ran into Alex Cottey, the eventual state champion.
“That was Blake’s only loss all season last year,” coach Wolf said. “I know a lot of our kids get slept on a little bit because of our schedule being teams in Ohio and Kentucky. Blake is one of those kids that works really hard and has beaten several kids that went on to place in other states.”
Senior Kole Viel is ranked No. 7 at 220 pounds.
“Kole is our football player,” coach Wolf said. “He signed to play at the University of Indianapolis. He’s wrestled since he was young though, and he’s a really solid wrestler – but he’s a stud on the football field. He’s one of our captains and he has been a big tool for us to tap into those football players and show them what wrestling brings to the table. He’s got us a lot of good athletes on the team. They look up to Kole and really respect him.”
Ben Wolf, coach Wolf’s older son, is a senior this season and is ranked No. 3 at 152 pounds in the New Castle semistate. He’s a team captain as well.
“Ben is a hard, hard worker,” coach Wolf said. “He’s quiet, but he leads with his actions. He’s the hardest worker in our room and he’s a really good wrestler, but he hasn’t had the best showing at semistate yet. We’re hoping this is the year he performs the way we know he can.”
Dylan Lengerich and Rider Searcy are also ranked in the New Castle semistate. Both are sophomores. Lengerich is No. 5 at 120 and Searcy is No. 6 at 138 pounds.
The Trojans have never had a state champion in the individual tournament, which is something the team is hoping to change this year.
“The future is to go up,” Wolf said. “We want to be relevant every year. We want to be known for good wrestling. That’s our goal this year with Bryer and Blake and some of the other kids coming up.
“I think, now that we’ve won the team state, our kids feel they can wrestle with anyone. It’s definitely something that gave us confidence and we are hoping to build on it.”
2895#WrestlingWednesday: Tell City ready for Team State
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Things are quiet in Tell City, the town named after Swiss hero William Tell. Everyone knows everyone else by name. High school sports are one of the main attractions. This year, the town is abuzz about the wrestling team – and for good reason.
The Marksmen will enter team state as the No. 1-seed in the Class A standings. They are currently the No. 2 ranked team in the class behind only their archrival, North Posey. Coach Neal Stahly can’t wait for the tournament to begin.
“Our number one goal is to win team state,” Stahly said. “That has been our goal every since the coaches association came up with team state. We know there will be 12 fantastic teams that will be there with the same goal as we have.”
Outside of team state, Stahly has high hopes for his squad. He wants everyone to make it to regional or semistate in the individual tournament.
“I want the kids to wrestle to the best of their ability,” he said.
The Marksmen are a senior heavy team this season. There are eight seniors on the 18-man roster. Seniors include Tavor DuPont, Shane Braunecker, Corey Braunecker, Nigel Kaiser, Ross Wilgus, Will Kirtley, Chance Bolin and coach Stahly’s son, Alec.
“We are definitely a senior-heavy team this year,” coach Stahly said. “We have a good group of underclassmen as well and our sophomores are really strong. We have quite a few that are wrestling year around now.
“The seniors are really close to my heart, with it being my son’s age group. They are a fun group of kids. They are tight knit. They do Christmas gift exchanges every year, with gag gifts. They just really enjoy each other’s company and they love to get out and wrestle.”
The team has just one junior this season in Gage Meunier. There are six sophomores: Coy Hammack, Kelby Glenn, Brayden Lain, Collin Kessens, Tyce DuPont, Jack Skeen and J.C. Buckendahl.
Currently none of the Marksmen wrestlers are ranked in the state, but coach Stahly believes that will change soon.
“Coy Hammack is a returning state qualifier,” Stahly said. “He wrestles year around and it really shows. He is really becoming a leader on this team. We have been on lock down for a lot of this season so hopefully once he starts getting some matches he’ll climb into those rankings.”
Hammack qualified for state at 106 pounds last season. He will wrestle 113 this year.
Two Marksmen wrestlers are ranked in the always tough Evansville semistate. Shane Braunecker is ranked eighth in the semistate at 145 pounds and Kaiser is ranked sixth at 170.
Shane and Corey Braunecker are twins. Corey is the class President.
“They are both funky wrestlers,” Stahly said. “They’ve had a lot of success with twisting their bodies in ways they shouldn’t be able to do. Off the mat you wouldn’t be able to meet a more modest pair of twins. They are soft spoken, polite and very intelligent.”
Nigel is one of the team’s best all-around athletes.
“He was a cross country runner until his sophomore year when he switched to play football,” Stahly said. “He plays football, wrestles and plays baseball. He runs like a gazelle. Last year he finally started using his length in wrestling and it’s really improved him.”
Stahly considers Kirtley to be the team’s vocal leader this season, but said his squad really handles leadership by majority.
“Not one of them look for any individual accolades,” Stahly said. “They truly are a team. They hold each other accountable, too. They look out for each other and make sure everyone is doing their best on and off the mat.”
This is the 50th year for Tell City High School. The wrestling team has never had a state champion, which is something they would love to change.
“We have actually never had a state champion in any sport,” Stahly said. “We have had medalists in various sports. In wrestling we have had six or seven medalists.”
Tell city has had just two wrestling coaches over the last 20 years – which coach Stahly believes gives the team a sense of consistency.
Stahly is from Michigan. When he came to Tell City he fell in love with the place.
“This place is perfect. We have the Ohio River at our doorstep. We are close to Evansville, Nashville, Louisville and Indianapolis. Our county is about 75 percent National Forest – so we have a lot of hunting, fishing and camping we can do. People come to our town and they get that old-time feeling. We have a main street that is lit up at Christmas time. It’s like a throwback. It’s just a great place to live.”
As for team state, Stahly looks forward to a possible matchup with North Posey.
“They are the No. 2 seed and the No. 1 ranked team in class A,” Stahly said. “They are our biggest rival. They have done a tremendous job of getting their team to be a premier 1A team in the state. They are tough, hard-nosed kids that are hard as hell to pin and they don’t quit. We really look forward to that battle.”
8800 1 3#WrestlingWednesday: Jennings County getting a major upgrade
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Howard Jones is, without a doubt, the face of Jennings County wrestling. Jones has coached the Panthers for over four decades (41 years to be exact). And during those 41 years he’s always had to do things the hard way. That’s all about to change.
Jennings County has started the construction of a one-of-a-kind wrestling facility. Jones believes this might be the only dedicated wrestling venue for a high school in the Midwest, and possibly even the entire country.
The new, five-million-dollar venue will feature seating for over 800 fans. It will have four full-size mats down with the ability to remove some seating and go up to six full size mats. The 24,000 square feet venue will also have two locker rooms and a coaches’ office.
“We expect this to make our wrestlers feel like first-class athletes,” Jennings County Athletic Director Cory Stevens said. “They are going to have a facility that no other wrestlers in the region or in the state will have. We hope this attracts others to use it as well, for camps and things of that nature.”
For Jones, this is a dream come true. His wrestlers have practiced in a balcony overlooking the basketball gymnasium. The school has two balconies on each side of the gym, and the wrestling team was often so large that it had to split the team up and use both sides.
“I was lucky enough to have real good assistant coaches over the years,” Jones said. “I would go on one side and the assistants would go on the other. Sometimes we would divide by weight class. Sometimes we would divide by varsity and junior varsity.”
The wrestlers would also have to move the 800-pound mats that were stored in various places throughout the school down to the gym floor for invitationals or dual meets.
“Needless to say, it was an inconvenience, at the minimum,” Jones said. “We didn’t get the lighter mats until about four years ago. We always had to end practice early if there was a girls or a boys basketball game.”
Jones didn’t much believe that the program was getting its own venue when he was first told about it. He had heard similar talk before. One time the school was going to build a 4.7-million-dollar facility that would house three basketball courts, a weight room, a track and a wrestling room. Ultimately that got voted down by the community.
This time around school superintendent Teresa Brown told Jones that it was going to happen.
“One day she told me ‘Coach Jones, we’re going to get you that wrestling room.’,” Jones said. “I didn’t believe her. That was about three years ago. Then, at the first of the year, she steps into the gym and said to me ‘Don’t you doubt me coach Jones, don’t you doubt me’.”
Jones has had a hand in the design of the facility. He has looked at places like Purdue for inspiration and has tried to emulate what he knows works.
“It’s been a very emotional time for me,” Jones said. “I have thought our kids deserved something better, but maybe not this elaborate, for years. I questioned why it was going to be so good. The principal at the time said ‘Howard, why can’t we have the best for our kids?’ That made sense to me. I think this state-of-the-art facility will be what’s best for our kids.”
For Jones, the principal’s statement got him thinking.
“I’m pretty conservative with things,” Jones said. “When he said that to me, I started thinking differently. I started thinking why not. The school wants to be greedy for the kids and it really shows.”
The wrestling facility isn’t the only thing to get a major upgrade at the school. The baseball and softball fields got a multi-million-dollar upgrade. The weight room doubled in size. The football field got new turf. The tennis courts are getting a facelift. But, the largest change, is the wrestling renovation.
According to Stevens, this might not have ever happened if it weren’t for the influence Jones has had on the students and the community through wrestling.
“They say it has a lot to do with me, but it’s really for the kids,” Jones said. “The kids deserved better and we’re getting there. The educators care for the kids. But since this announcement I’ve had hundreds of people call or contact me about how much wrestling has done for them. That was done without this kind of facility. It’s not that we create champion wrestlers. It’s important that we realize we’re creating champion kids.”
This has been an emotional journey for Jones. Former wrestlers are working on the building of the new facility and even the companies that put in the bids for the construction were ran by some of Jones’ former wrestlers.
“Each of our six elementary schools have former wrestlers of mine that are coaching,” Jones said. “All but one of my assistants were coached by me. The middle school – all but one of the coaches was coached by me. It makes me very proud. One of the things that probably puts things in perspective for me the most is that I had a principal at one of the elementary schools come up to me and said ‘Howard, I’m tired of going to principal meetings and hearing about your wrestling program.’ But wrestling is a fraternity, not just within the school, but it creates a strong bond for life.”
Stevens hopes to see other schools build similar facilities for their programs in the future.
“We hope this inspires other schools to do something similar,” Stevens said. “Everyone is going to benefit from this – not just the high school, but the younger kids as well. Wrestling is a sport that does great things for kids. The more we can inspire other kids, the better. I was not a wrestler, but I see the value the sport offers for kids today.”
12443 1#MondayMatness: Indianapolis Cathedral runs state title streak to three
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
With a few exceptions, the cast of characters changed. But the plot was the same for Indianapolis Cathedral: Win Indiana’s high school wrestling team championship.
“You always want to set your expectations high,” said Irish head coach Sean McGinley. “We thought going in we had a legitimate shot to be very successful. We had several goals and one of our goals was to win a state title. We were able to accomplish that.”
Cathedral traveled across town to Bankers Life Fieldhouse and took the program’s third straight title and fourth overall Saturday, Feb. 22 at the 82nd annual IHSAA State Finals.
“I’ve said it before, Friday night is always key,” said McGinley after the latest hoisting of the state trophy. “Our goal is not a state championship, it’s to get through Friday night. That’s our state championship adage. We got five out of eight which gave us a chance. We thought we were still in it. Saturday morning was the big round for us. We went five for five with several kids getting bonus points. Bonus points probably made the difference. We were getting them but
(eventual runner-up) Crown Point and (third-place team Evansville) Mater Dei was also getting them.”
Two of the eight State Finals qualifiers in the 2020 field were finalists on Cathedral’s 2019 state title-winning squad.
“This year’s team was way different from last year,” said sophomore Zeke Seltzer, who won the 2020 crown at 120 pounds after placing second as a freshman at 113. “The only people we had returning to State was me and Elliot (Rogers). Logan (Bailey) was returning, but he didn’t make it last year.”
“We had some guys step up for sure.”
What was the difference between standing on the second step of the podium and the top for Seltzer?
“I’ve been working for this for a whole year now,” said Seltzer. “It feels great to finally get it.”
Rodgers was a state champion at 152 as a junior and finished third at 160 in 220 as a senior.
Five of eight Irish wrestlers in the field earned state placement in 2020. Besides Seltzer and Rodgers, senior Holden Parsons (285 pounds) was a champion, senior Bailey (138) a runner-up and senior Tyler Wagner (170) a fourth placer.
“For me it was my faith,” said Parsons. “God got me through it and made sure I wasn’t nervous and everything. My coaches were there for me in my corner. They knew what we needed to do. hey knew how to keep me calm.”
Parsons talked about the team approach to the season.
“We keep a constant pace,” said Parsons. “As it goes along, we start picking it up. During the postseason, we taper on and off. That just keeps our gas tanks up and our lungs burning so we’re ready to go 100 percent when it comes time to put the pedal to the metal.”
“Everybody knew we had to get bonus points to keep up with Crown Point. They are a great team. They had great wrestlers. They are phenomenally-coached.”
Senior Jacob Huffman (195), junior Johnny Parker (182) and sophomore Evan Dickey (106) competed Friday night but did not advance to Saturday.
It was an extra-big weekend for the Seltzer family. Not only were there the team and individual championships, assistant Brian Seltzer (Zeke’s father) was inducted into the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame the day after the State Finals.
When the Irish reigned over the IHSAA in 2019, seniors Jordan Slivka (first at 160), Alex Mosconi (second at 145) and Lukasz Walendzak (eighth at 126) were there along with Rodgers and Seltzer. At the 2018 State Finals, Cathedral was represented by junior Slivka (first at 145), sophomore Rodgers (second at 152), senior Zach Melloh (second at 138), junior Alex Mosconi (second at 132), sophomore Bailey (third at 106), junior Walendzak (fourth at 120), senior Jacob Obst (seventh at 285)senior Jacob Obst (seventh at 285) and qualifiers senior Anthony Mosconi (160), sophomore Caleb Oliver (113) and freshman Andrew Wilson (126).
5203 2#WrestlingWednesday: Fulks ready for his first trip to Bankers Life
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Last Saturday when Jordan Fulks pinned Terre Haute South Vigo’s Moses Hamm in the ticket round of the Evansville semistate, he did something that hasn’t been done by a Boonville wrestler in 13 years. He advanced to the state tournament.
“The last guy to make it to state from our school was Sam Derosett,” Fulks said. “He coached me when I was in middle school.”
Fulks, a junior, is currently ranked No. 5 at 152 pounds. He is 43-1 on the year with his lone loss coming in the semistate championship to No. 4-ranked Logan Boe.
“Jordan is scrappy wrestler,” Boonville co-coach Dustin Wilke said. “He’s a good wrestler on his feet. He moves his hands and feet very well. He has a lot of pins and racks up a lot of points.”
Last season Fulks finished the year with a 36-2 mark. He lost in the first round of semistate.
“I had a knee injury last year that really set me back a few months,” Fulks said. “It became a motivation thing, I guess. I advanced to semistate with a knee injury and that really inspired me because I knew if I could make it that far, hurt, then when I got better I could go even further.”
Fulks is a year-around wrestler. It’s the only sport he participates in.
“He’s got a real drive to be successful in wrestling,” Wilke said. “I’ve known him for several years. He was in our youth feeder program. He was on our travel team. I helped coach him in middle school. When he was getting a little older, I asked him what he wants to be – and he said a state champion. He asked what he needs to do to make that happen. He’s always looking for insight and he’s always trying to improve.”
Fulks believes his best attribute in wrestling is his confidence.
“I’m a confident wrestler,” he said. “I go out there and I’m confident in my moves and that I can hit them. I never go out thinking I can win every match, but I think I am going to wrestle my match, every time.”
Friday night Fulks will go up against Huntington North’s No. 12-ranked Cody McCune (36-2). Both wrestlers are looking to place for the first time at state. McCune advanced last year, but did not place.
2945 1#MondayMatness: ‘Compete’ mantra leads Western Panthers to mat success
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
When the “Parade of Champions” begins circling the mats at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Friday, Feb. 21, the Western Panthers will be well-represented.
Coming off the program’s second semistate team championship and first since 1994, Western will have senior Hunter Cottingham (42-2 at 132 pounds), juniors Braydon Erb (42-3 at 285) and Anthony Martin (39-3 at 106) and sophomore Hayden Shepherd (39-5 at 138) competing on Indiana high school wrestling’s biggest stage.
Shepherd placed second at the Fort Wayne Semistate and the other third finished third.
Seven of eight Western wrestlers at the semistate were first-round winners and Cottingham, Erb, Martin and Shepherd won in the “ticket round” to give the Panthers 53 of their meet-winning 72 points.
“I think we picked up a few bonus points along the way,” says Western head coach Chad Shepherd. “It was a group effort for sure.”
Shepherd says his team is especially strong at the lower weights.
“I’ve said a couple of times this year that not that we’d beat them all, but there’s not a team in Indiana that I’d be afraid to wrestle from 106 to 138 because we’re pretty good,” says Shepherd. “Our guys go out and compete and they work hard.”
Shepherd, a Western graduate, explains his philosophy.
“Basically, my thing is go out and compete, don’t take anything for granted,” says Shepherd. “Win the matches you should win and along the way maybe pick off a couple that maybe you shouldn’t win.
“The guys buy into that.”
Cottingham is now a four-time state qualifier and is looking to get past the first round for the first time.
Shepherd was a state champion at 135 in 1991 and went to Indianapolis after placing third at semistate and stressed that to Cottingham.
“It can be done,” says Shepherd. “We need to get through that first night and get on the podium.”
Cottingham likes to be aggressive.
“If I can get to my offense, I don’t think too many people can stop me.” says Cottingham. “I’ve just got to find my rhythm.”
“Right now it’s survive and advance. I have to keep fighting.”
Western won the 2A title at the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association State Duals in 2018-19 and placed third in 2019-20.
“Our team was definitely different this year,” says Cottingham. “Our main core group of guys stuck together and some freshmen came in and helped us this year. We’ve progressed into a pretty solid team.”
Cottingham and Hayden Shepherd are regular drill partners.
“We push each other around,” says Cottingham.
Shepherd says Erb is still getting acclimated in grappling with wrestlers closer to the 285 limit.
“He’s at 250,” says Shepherd of Erb. “For a heavyweight, that’s not huge. He’s probably the smallest heavyweight that go through (the Fort Wayne Semistate) weight-wise.”
“Braydon can wrestle with those guys.”
Erb says this year’s squad excelled more in the tournament format.
“We can really get on teams and win them,” says Erb, who tumbles in the practice room with assistant coach Tommy Skinner and occasionally with brother Braxton Erb (Western Class of 2017).
Martin experienced his first wrestling season as a freshman and has been varsity the past two seasons. He was semistate qualifier in 2019and lost in a quick first-round pin.
“Anthony probably put in as much work as any of them over the summer between open workouts, the weight room and going to tournaments,” says Shepherd. “It paid off.”
Martin assesses his strengths.
“I’m a lot stronger than most of the 106-pounders I wrestle,” says Martin. “I’m pretty fast. I’m better at staying on my feet and getting takedowns.”
Martin says the coaching staff tells him to stay mentally strong through his matches and to “keep wrestling.”
Martin’s regular workout partners are juniors Aidan Belt (120) and Justin Brantley (126), who were also semistate qualifiers along with senior Chandler Ciscell (126) and freshman M.J. Norman (182).
“(Belt and Brantley) are always pushing me,” says Martin. “There’s a real good middle schooler — (eighth grader) Tanner Tishner. He just won middle school state (at 95 pounds). He’s not very big, but his technique is crazy. He pushes me a lot, too.”
Hayden Shepherd is the coach’s son.
“For him to make it to the State Finals in his first two years is pretty good,” says Chad Shepherd.
Hayden Shepherd is impressed with his team.
“We’ve got some really good dudes – guys who go out there and get us some bonus points and win us some matches,” says the younger Shepherd.
Finishing well is the coach’s advice that echoes in Hayden’s ears.
“Win the third period,” says Shepherd. “If you win the third period, it’s likely you’ll win the match.”
What does State Week look like for the Western Panthers?
“We’re going to focus on getting our weight down, keeping our conditioning and we will work on a few things we should have done (at semistate),” says Shepherd. “We’re not going to reinvent the wheel. We got to the State Finals wrestling certain way and that’s how we’re going to wrestle.”
3927 1 3#WrestlingWednesday: Eldred ready for last run at state
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
A little brotherly love has fueled Westfield’s Carson Eldred to wrestling greatness.
Eldred set a goal his freshman year to beat his older brother Evan’s school record for pins and career wins.
“I asked Carson his freshman year what his career goals were going to be,” Westfield coach Phil Smith said. “We knew he was going to be pretty special. He said he wanted to beat his brother, Evan’s career pin record and wins record.”
Carson broke the pins record at his school during the Mooresville tournament this season. He’s five wins away from the career wins record.
“I told him after the tournament that he broke the record,” Smith said. He was like ‘uh, that’s cool.’ “
His reaction points to the type of person, and wrestler Eldred is. He doesn’t get emotional during the highs, or the lows.
“He can keep a stone face no matter what,” Smith said. “You don’t know what he’s going to do out on the mat. Every time he wrestles, he wants to prove something. He always wants bonus points and falls. He doesn’t get too up or too down.”
Eldred seeks perfection in everything he does. His grade point average is 4.15. He hasn’t missed a day of school in four years. He has never missed a wrestling practice.
“He’s honestly the best wrestler I’ve coached,” Smith said. “He’s the most gifted wrestler I’ve had, without a doubt. He absolutely hates to lose. In everything we do he hates losing. It doesn’t matter if it’s sprints, drills, wrestling the coaches or anything else. He will do whatever it takes to win at any cost.”
Currently Eldred is ranked No. 4 at 120 pounds. He is a sectional and regional champion and will take on Southport’s Khua Thang in the first round of the New Castle semistate on Saturday. He is 36-1 on the season with his lone loss coming at the hands of Cathedral’s No. 1-ranked Zeke Seltzer.
Part of the reason behind Eldred’s success is his early training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His father owns a Jiu Jitsu training facility and he learned from a young age some of the keys of the sport.
“Jiu-Jitsu helps with my movement in wrestling,” Carson said. “I haven’t done it much in a while, but when I was younger, I trained a lot with my family. It really helps you when you’re in uncomfortable positions. You don’t panic and you can find a way out of them.”
Carson is most comfortable in scrambles. His unorthodox style makes him dangerous in any position.
“He can ride anyone on top,” Smith said. “He scores a lot of his points from the top position. He’s a talented mat wrestler. He finds points from the bottom position as well and has some crazy reversals. He’s really refined his craft to be a great wrestler from any position.”
After the high school season is over Eldred will likely not wrestle competitively again. He will attend Purdue University where he is a direct admit to the engineering program.
“It’s going to be a little tough,” he said. “I’ve been wrestling since I was in kindergarten. It’s been a big part of my life. It will be a hard adjustment not interacting with teammates or getting a chance to wrestle in front of fans again and have people cheering for you. It will be different. But I’m excited to focus on my schooling as well.”
For now though, the focus is on getting to that state championship match.
“I’m just following in my brothers’ footsteps,” Eldred said. “They both (Dillon and Evan) made it to state. I want to outdo them.”
6412 5#MondayMatness: Merrillville is more than about creating championships
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Merrillville High School has enjoyed many championships in David Maldonado's 15 years as head wrestling coach.
Since that first season in 2002-03, the Pirates have appeared in the IHSAA Team State Finals three times (2006, 2007 and 2008) and won 12 sectionals, seven regionals and four semistates as a team.
Merrillville has had three top-three places for the Coaches Cup (team score at individual state tournament) on Maldonado's watch with a third in 2005, second in 2006 and third in 2007.
There have been nine individual state title-takers ” junior Wesley English at 145 in 2005, senior Javier Salas at 119 in 2006, senior Dexter Latimore at heavyweight in 2006, senior Jamal Lawrence at 145 in 2007, sophomore Bobby Stevenson at 170 in 2013, junior Jacob Covaciu at 145 in 2015, junior Shawn Streck at heavyweight in 2015, senior Jacob Covaciu at 160 in 2016 and senior Shawn Streck at heavyweight in 2016.
Latimore (heavyweight) and Lawrence (145) were senior national champions in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Streck (Purdue) and Covaciu (Wisconsin) moved on the college wrestling.
The number of state qualifiers during Maldonado's time at Merrillville is 68.
Including his time at Noll, Maldonado went into the 2016-17 season with a dual-meet record of 301-86, including 261-46 with the Pirates.
But that's not the only way to define success for Maldonado, himself a state champion at 130 as a junior in 1993 and state runner-up at 135 as a senior in 1994 at East Chicago Central.
David Maldonado, a member of the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame as an individual (along with brother Billy) and as part of the famed Maldonado family (six of David's uncles and several cousins, sons and nephews have been or are wrestlers), gets as much satisfaction for the relationships built and life lessons taught as the crisply-executed headlocks and underhooks.
For the Merrillville coaching staff, which also features Gene Bierman, Bobby Joe Maldonado, Paul Maldonado, Tim Maldonado, Joe Atria and Tom Kelly, wrestling does not only build character, it reveals it.
We work every match to get better, Maldonado said. That's all the matters. As long as we do that, everything else will take care of itself. The medals, awards stand, all that stuff takes care of itself.
For some kids, it happens sooner. For some kids, it happens later.
Years ago, Maldonado got into the habit of addressing each of his wrestlers immediately after their match.
It could be a high-five, a word of encouragement or a constructive criticism. He wants the wrestler ” and the wrestler's parents ” to know that he cares.
A son to parents born in Mexico who teaches Spanish at Merrillville, Maldonado also builds these relationships in the classroom.
We're all in this together, Maldonado said. Let's communicate. Some coaches and teachers are afraid to call home and talk to parents. I'm not.
Maldonado, who was also a folkstyle senior nationals champion as a high schooler and then placed third twice and second once in the Big 12 Conference while grappling for Iowa State University and placing second at two more freestyle nationals, takes time every week to talk with parents.
It's a lesson he learned from his coach at Iowa State ” Bobby Douglas, a former NCAA champion and Olympian.
Those little things that coaches do to help, Maldonado said. More than anything else, you need to build that relationship with kids. I always feel like we had a successful season because of those relationships and getting better.
It's about being better at everything ” a better athlete, a better wrestler, a better person.
Maldonado knows that teenagers can see right through you if you are not genuine. But show that genuine caring and by season's end, they'll be willing to run through a wall for you.
But the relationships start long high school for many wrestlers. Maldonado is there at kids wrestling club practices and meets and knows them long before they put on a purple singlet for MHS.
Maldonado also tries to enjoy the ride and wants those around him to do the same.
He knows that wrestling season can be a grind and it's easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment.
We need to just be grateful for having the opportunity and cherish it no matter how it turns out, Maldonado said. At the end of the year, there's only going to be one happy kid per weight class or one happy coach.
At the end of the day, you've still got to be able to look at yourself in the mirror.
4195#MondayMatness: Elkhart Lions are on the horizon, but now it’s about Central’s Blazers and Memorial’s Chargers
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Elkhart’s two high school wrestling programs — Central and Memorial — have been well-represented on the statewide stage over the years.
The Blue Blazers and Crimson Chargers have produced plenty of sectional, regional and semistate winners and state placers. Dave Riggle (98 pounds in 1973) and Barry Hart (119 in 1983) won state championships in a Central singlet.
Dan Kratzer (145 in 1973), Aaron Moss (135 in 1993), Nick Iannarelli (103 in 1999), Sean Drury (103 in 2003), Chris Miller (112 in 2004), Nick Corpe (171 in 2005) and Steve Stahl (189 in 2008) reigned over Indiana on behalf of Memorial. There were also state runners-up finishes for Chargers Frank Cockerham (heavyweight in 1981), Brent Lehman (119 in 1988), Sean Drury (103 in 2003), Ryan Stahl (140 in 2009), Zack Corpe (152 in 2010) and Christian Mejia (113 in 2016).
With the two becoming one known as the Elkhart High School Lions in 2020-21, Central and Memorial are in their final postseason push.
With their performances Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Goshen Regional, six — Central’s Eric Garcia (first at 126), Peyton Anderson (second at 170), Sea Davis (first at 220) and Jacob Sommer (third 285) and Memorial’s Kamden Goering (third at 160) and Clayton Lundy (first at 170) — have advanced to the Feb. 15 Fort Wayne Semistate at Memorial Coliseum. The top four placers in each weight division there will move on to the first round of the IHSAA State Finals Feb. 21 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“It’s very exciting,” says senior Garcia, who is 30-8 in 2019-20. “This is the best thing to happen to me throughout this whole six-year journey in wrestling (including junior high). It’s a big part of my life.”
What got Garcia his 8-6 victory against Northridge sophomore Jasper Graber in the regional finals?
“I’ve been praying for it, really,” says Garcia, who topped Graber 12-7 in the Elkhart Sectional championship. “It’s all in God’s hands. Not mine.”
Garcia says finishing his moves on the opponent’s legs has been key to his recent success.
“I used to have trouble,” says Garcia. “I would get the leg and stop right there. I wouldn’t go through.”
Garcia has reflected on the last season of Elkhart Central wrestling.
“I’ve thought about that a lot,” says Garcia. “It’s the community. It brings us all together. We all become as one.”
“It’s the last year. I know I have to put in a lot of effort to go through senior year.”
While Central and Memorial have not officially come together yet, Garcia says the idea of a unified Elkhart is happened.
“It’s already there,” says Garcia. “It’s just one big community.”
“Wrestling always brings people closer. You really get to meet a lot of good people. Even with the two schools going head-to-head, you still become close to those people.”
Davis (33-5) earned an 11-1 major decision against Northridge senior Omar Khaoucha in the regional final a week after beating him 6-4 for an Elkhart Sectional title.
“I controlled the tempo of the match really well,” says senior Davis.
“I controlled him when I was on-top and controlled the pace when we were both neutral.”
“That’s what I try to do well in most of the matches I wrestle. In my losses this season, I haven’t controlled that at all and I’ve been in bad positions.”
Davis has thought more about his final high school season than the last one for Central wrestling.
“I want to make my coaches proud,” says Davis.
He has enjoyed the rivalry with Memorial over the years and trying to be the program that owns the city title.
What does Davis think a unified Elkhart Lions will look like?
“For one thing, there will be a lot more people on the team,” says Davis. “There will be a lot more talent on the team and we’ll go to further heights.”
Anderson (25-9) was a regional runner-up, losing 8-4 to Lundy in the finals (Lundy won 11-3 when the two met for a sectional championship).
“I worked hard all week,” says senior Anderson of what it took to advance to semistate. “I’ve been putting in lots of effort.”
Each wrestler gets ready for a match in his own way. For Anderson, he sees his warm-up as very important.
“I have to be in the right mindset,” says Anderson. “I walk around by myself and don’t think of anything.”
“I don’t think about it. I just try to go do what I know.”
Anderson is pleased to still be representing Central on the mat. He also looks to the future, though he won’t be involved as an student-athlete.
“It’s nice to go as far as a I can for the school as a whole,” says Anderson. “It’s going to be interesting how it pans out next year with the teams.”
What’s his relationship to the grapplers on Elkhart’s west side?
“I love them,” says Anderson. “We wrestling with them at RTC’s all the time. They’re good guys. It’s fun.
“I’ll be back for (the Lions).”
Sommer (29-10) assessed his regional performance.
“I wrestled hard and I had a hard hand fight,” says junior Sommer. “I just stayed in front of my opponents and had better conditioning.”
As a heavyweight, Sommer has the distinction of being the last Elkhart Central wrestler to win an Elkhart Sectional title.
He is focused on the current season and will worry about the Elkhart Lions when the time comes.
“We’ll figure out what happens next year with everything,” says Sommer. “I wrestled in the off-season with a lot of (Memorial’s) kids. It’s not going to be too different.”
Goering (29-5) has his take on why he’s in the semistate and aiming even higher.
“I just pulled the trigger,” says Goering. “I believe in myself.”
“I’ve just been following through (in matches) with what I’ve been doing in practice. I’ve been continuing to gas my tank up.”
“I give all glory to God. Through Him, I can do all things.”
As for the last season of Elkhart Memorial wrestling, Goering has enjoyed the experience.
“It’s exciting. It’s kind of surreal,” says Goering. “It’s cool to be a part of. Other than that, it is what it is.”
Lundy (36-5) goes to the semistate after winning his second regional crown (he reigned at 160 in 2019).
What pulled him through in his most-recent championship?
“Just the determination that comes with the sport in general,” says junior Lundy. “It’s always my drive to keep myself high-spirited and keep my mentality strong during matches.”
“(Wrestling) consumes me. The competition is unlike anything else. I just have to keep my confidence up and know I have what it takes. I’ve put in the work to get here. I can’t let any lapses happen and just come out strong and keep it that way for the whole tournament.”
Lundy has looked at the last go-round for Memorial wrestling.
“It has a special meaning to it,” says Lundy. “I’m the last Elkhart Memorial sectional champion and the last Elkhart Memorial regional champ. I’m hoping to keep that rolling.”
Lundy says the Charger-Blazer rivalry remains until the end of this season and then it becomes about the Lions.
“Right now, it’s a matter of trying to beat each other and keep the big rivalry going,” says Lundy. “Next year, we’re going to be helping each to push into the state series.”
Zach Whickcar (Elkhart Central Class of 2006) and Brian Weaver (Elkhart Memorial Class of 1996) are the head coaches of the city’s two programs.
They both took a look at the present and the future.
“(Garcia, Anderson, Davis and Sommer) have a common characteristic in that they all work really hard,” says Whickcar, who is in his eighth season as Blazers head coach. “They’re focused. They’re dialed-in. They love to wrestle. When you practice and it’s fun and not work, that goes a long way.”
Central wrestling is winding up and Whickcar is soaking it up.
“I haven’t thought about the last ride per se, but it’s bittersweet,” says Whickcar. “There are a lot of challenges ahead of us. I’m just living in the moment, hanging out with these guys and enjoying what little time we have left.”
“I’m glad we ended with this group.”
Whickcar says he plans to apply to be the head coach for Elkhart High School wrestling. He notes that the two middle school teams have more than 60 wrestlers and there are quality returners expected at the high school level.
“Every senior is going to have a tall task,” says Whickcar of the first Elkhart Lions team. “We want to do it right. We want to create at culture. We’ve got to be in it together. We’re a family. We’re going to get better.”
“Whoever leads the program, it will be in good hands with the kids we have coming back. I love Elkhart athletics. Anything I can do to help keep that moving in the right direction, I’ll do it. It’s not about me, it’s about (athletes).”
Including assistant and head coaching duties, Weaver is in his 21st season of coaching wrestling at Memorial.
“This season has been a little rough,” says Weaver, who placed seventh at 130 pounds at the 1996 IHSAA State Finals. “We were down to 13 guys with only seven guys on our varsity roster, forfeiting 42 points (in dual meets).”
“Our main focus was the state tournament. For dual meets, we had to take those 42 points out of the equation. We’d go out and wrestle our matches and see where we’re at head-to-head.”
Weaver talked about Goering and Lundy.
“Kamden and Clayton are different kids,” says Weaver. “They both have a certain work ethic. They push each other when they wrestle with each other. The biggest thing is they have to believe in themselves to get to where they want to go.
“We just have to keep reaching our goals.”
Weaver says not yet decided if he will apply to be head coach of the Elkhart Lions.
“I’ve enjoyed the ride,” says Weaver. “It gets emotional when you think about it.”
Weaver and Whickcar are long-time friends.
“Zach and I get along extremely well,” says Weaver. “Our programs are very similar to each other. In the off-season,we work together and do tournaments together.
“Whatever happens to Elkhart wrestling, it’s going to be for the best if I’m the head coach or not or if Zach gets it. I’d like to have him on my staff if I get it. I believe he would feel the same way if he gets it.”
Weaver notes that rosters have shrunk in Elkhart sports at the middle school and high school levels. If students are taking seven classes, they must be passing six.
“It’s kind of hard to get your participation numbers up if you can’t get it done in the classroom,” says Weaver. “That’s been our biggest struggle: getting the kids to accomplish what they need to in the classroom so they can do the athletics.”
6963 6 5#WrestlingWednesday: Gilbert's big dream will not be deterred
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
For as long as Sullivan freshman Lane Gilbert can remember he has dreamed about having his hand raised at the Indiana High School wrestling state championships.
He’s done more than dream about it. As a young kid he would go into the wrestling room at Sullivan High School and act out having his hand raised. It didn’t matter that nobody else was around him. In his imaginary scenario he always emerged victorious. No obstacle stood in his way. No opponent could beat him. He was the champ. That dream would never be taken away.
The dream was much different than real life for Gilbert. In real life, he has had far more hardships than one kid should experience. He’s overcome situations that would break others. Through it all, he’s come out stronger.
To get a clear picture of just how tough Lane Gilbert is, it is important to dive into his uncomfortable past.
Gilbert’s mother, Rachel, became Indiana’s first female sectional champion in wrestling. She won the 103-pound class in the North Knox sectional in 2002. Rachel was going places in life. News agencies had reported on her wrestling journey, because at the time, female wrestlers were still very new in the state. She had some colleges showing interest in her.
But Rachel began facing a more formidable opponent than anyone she went up against on the mat. She started battling an addiction with drugs. Lane’s father had his own battles with drug addiction.
For Lane’s father, that addiction would eventually lead to a prison sentence.
Young Lane didn’t want to miss an opportunity to visit his dad, even if that meant going to the prison any time he could.
“Lane worshipped his dad,” Lane’s wrestling coach and grandfather Roy Monroe said. “Lane never failed to go see him. He always wanted to see him.”
Tragically, Lane’s father developed cancer while in prison and ultimately died due to the disease.
“That was really rough on Lane for a while,” Rachel said. “His dad was a drug addict for a long time and Lane always held out hope that one day he would get better. Once he got sick, that was probably the hardest thing. Lane stayed strong through the whole thing.”
At nine-years-old Lane did something no kid his age should ever have to do. He stood up in front during his dad’s funeral and sang a special song.
“I don’t know how he did it,” Monroe said. “That’s almost an impossible thing to get through, and he did it. He toughed it out.”
That’s what Lane always does. He toughs things out. He toughed it out when his mom was having her struggles. He toughed it out seeing his dad in prison, and then watching as cancer slowly took its toll. He toughed it out when his uncle Jordan, who had taught Lane quite a bit about wrestling, died in a fiery car crash. No matter what life threw at Lane, he toughs it out.
Perhaps he gets his fighting spirit from his grandfather. Roy has been a major part of Sullivan wrestling for over 30 years. He’s watched his daughter struggle with drug addiction. He lost his son in that tragic car accident. He’s experienced heartache and he remained the rock Lane needed in his life. Lane could always stay the night at Roy’s house. He could always get the right words from his grandpa. And, on the wrestling mat, he could look to Grandpa Roy for direction as well.
“He’s my role model,” Lane said. “He’s nice to everyone. He’s a good coach. He’s all the things you can think of if you were to make the perfect person – that would be how I describe him.”
But Lane’s toughness also comes from his mom.
In a time when people frowned on girls wrestling against boys, she held her ground. In fact, she and Roy had to go to the Sullivan school board to even get approved to wrestle back in her high school days.
Later, as has already been alluded to, Rachel battled a fierce drug addiction. But, for Lane’s sake – and for her sake, she fought through and emerged victorious. She is currently a Dean’s List student working to become a nurse.
“I am so proud of her,” Roy said. “I’ve been a counselor. I’ve went into the jails and counselled drug addicts. I’ve seen them come in and out of addiction. The real truth is, only about one percent of drug addicts make it to where she is now. It’s so hard to overcome, but she’s done it. And she’s a great mom.”
She is also very, very protective of Lane and worries almost to a fault about the decisions he makes in his own life.
“After having made the decisions at a young age that I made, I saw first-hand what can happen and how quickly everything can just spiral out of control,” Rachel said. “One mistake and everything can be gone. I have that fear in the back of my mind that he’s of the age and he could make the wrong choices. I’m almost too hard on him, but I am terrified because I know what can happen and I keep my eye on him. I do trust him. He’s seen what can happen and how bad things can get.”
Lane knows when his mom tells him to keep on the straight and narrow, it’s because she cares.
“I have so much respect for my mom,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot from her.”
One thing Lane has learned is to never doubt himself. This summer when he was a third alternate for the Pan-American games, he let doubt creep into his psyche. After the first two qualifiers couldn’t attend the games, Lane got the call to participate. But, going into the event, he felt like he really didn’t belong.
Boy was he wrong. Lane went undefeated in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. News of his success quickly spread throughout the town of 6,500 people. When he arrived home, he was given a police escort through the streets.
“Oh my gosh,” Rachel said. “The town put on this whole show when he returned. The police and emergency vehicles all met up on the north end of town. He had no idea it was going to happen. There were fans from all over our town and they all followed him to the high school. It was so cool. He was so surprised.”
Currently Gilbert is 28-1 on the season and ranked No. 5 at 113 pounds. He has carried the confidence he developed during the Pan-American games over to the season. Now he knows he belongs. Now he knows that dream he played through his head so many times growing up isn’t just a dream – it’s an attainable goal.
“I’ve been coaching at Sullivan for 13 years as head coach and I’ve been there 30 years as an assistant,” Monroe said. “I’ve never seen anything like him. I look at Lane, with his skills and what he’s been through, and I just know that adversity isn’t a problem anymore. He can do whatever he sets his mind to do.”
As for Rachel, well, she says nowadays she’s just like any other wrestler’s mom.
“I’m still up in the stands screaming my head off,” she said. “But when I’m shouting, at least I know which moves to shout. The other moms look at me and ask what they should be yelling.”
4406 3#MondayMatness: Portage heavyweight Dancy making up for lost mat time
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Some are introduced to wrestling as toddlers and go on to enjoy plenty of success. Others come to the mat for the first time as teenagers and shine in the circle.
The second scenario describes Damari Dancy, a 17-year-old senior heavyweight at Portage High School.
After winning the Portage Sectional title Feb. 1, Dancy goes to the Feb. 8 Hobart Regional at 27-2 in just his second full season as a wrestler.
A basketball player as an eighth grader, Dancy went out for that sport his freshmen and sophomore years of high school (2016-17 and 2017-18) and was cut each time.
The second cut ushered in his introduction to a new way of life.
“I went across the hall to the wrestling room,” says Dancy. “They accepted me.”
A few weeks later, he was competing in his first-ever wrestling event — the junior varsity Duneland Athletic Conference tournament — and suffering a season-ending broken wrist.
“My mom didn’t want me to wrestle after that,” says Damari, the son of Rachel Hawkins and the fourth of eight children (five boys, three girls).
But that was not the end of wrestling for Dancy. He spent that winter watching his friends compete and practice. He was there at Lake Central for the Harvest Classic taking in all the quality competition.
“That’s when I fell in love with it,” says Dancy.
When he was healed, Dancy began training. He went to the freestyle/Greco-Roman state tournament and went a combined 0-4. He told his coaches he was not going to stop and began working on wrestling year-round.
As a Portage junior, Dancy took part in the Harvest Classic. There he faced Hobart junior Mark Mummey.
“I took him down the first time,” says Dancy. “Then he took me straight to my back and pinned me.”
Dancy used the moment to fuel the rest of his season. He placed third at the Portage Sectional and third at the Hobart Regional, using a double-leg takedown to best Mummey 4-2 in overtime in the consolation match. He then finished fourth at the East Chicago Semistate and qualified for the IHSAA State Finals at 220. He was 21-13 for the 2018-19 season after being pinned on Friday night by North Montgomery junior Drew Webster, who went on to place fifth.
That experience taught Dancy something.
“I can actually do it,” says Dancy. “I can actually compete with the good guys. It helped me build my confidence.”
“I’m not just some random guy. Guys have to practice everyday to watch out for me.”
Portage head coach Andrew Bradbury saw the change in Dancy.
“He was starting to believe he’s pretty good and holding himself to a high standard,” says Bradbury. “His technique is improving in all areas. He’s pretty technical, especially in the neutral position.”
At 6-foot-2, Dancy has been carrying about 245 while competing in the 285 division as a senior.
“I wrestle like a little guy,” says Dancy. “I go for ankle picks a lot. I go for a low single (leg takedown) and drive through. Once I’ve got the ankle, I don’t feel endangered. I’m really comfortable in that position.”
While many heavyweight matches are of the 1-0 and 2-1 variety and full of underhooks, that’s not Dancy’s preference.
“I feel more comfortable in high-scoring matches,” says Dancy. “I like to get at least two takedowns in the first period. If not, two takedowns in the second period.”
Bradbury looks at Dancy and does not see a normal heavyweight. For one thing, he is among the team leaders in takedowns.
“He’s more than capable of wrestling in that heavyweight style by pummeling in,” says Bradbury. “But he mostly uses a technical, shot-oriented style of wrestling.”
“It’s a lot easier for him to lower his level and get in his shots. He does a good job of picking and choosing his shots. He does get into clinches or ties.”
“Some of his best wrestling comes off his motion.”
Dancy won a Greco-Roman state title in the summer.
“It was positioning for me,” says Dancy. “I was creating positions with arm drags. I didn’t throw anybody.”
He placed third in both the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open and Preseason Nationals in Iowa and has used his quickness and agility to enjoy success in his last high school season. He has drawn some attention from college wrestling programs and has bumped up to heavyweight with that in mind.
Damari lives with brother Dimonya Dancy and the two enjoy working on computers. Dancy would like to study computer since in college. Dancy has joined a program proud of its tradition and has become one of the team’s leaders, especially since so many talented wrestlers graduated after the 2018-19 season.
“We needed somebody to step up,” says Bradbury, who tapped Dancy and Ty Haskins (who was a state qualifier at 120 in 2019 and a sectional champion at that weight in 2020) for the task. “We need them to help lead this team to where we need to be.”
“We let Damari know we have high expectations and he needs to lead that. He took on the challenge.”
“We lot of first-year varsity wrestlers at the beginning of the year. It was rough (Portage placed fourth in the Duneland Athletic Conference meet and it’s three dual losses came to powerhouses Crown Point, Chesterton and Merrillville). We feel like we can do some good things in the state series.”
Leadership styles are not the same for Haskins and Dancy.
“Ty, he’s the vocal guy,” says Dancy. “I try to do it by example. I’m not that vocal.”
“Practices at the beginning of the year were so hard. They helped us build physical and mental strength. We know we can be good. We work everyday to get to that point.”
Dancy often finds working out with sophomore Cory Hill (who placed third at sectional at 220) or assistant Montell Pace.
“He goes all out and scrambles with low singles,” says Dancy of Pace. Assistants Kyle Keith and Mark Devyak tend to work more with the upper weights while Eric Keith and Jose Torres are with the smaller wrestlers.
Pace is a Merrillville High School graduate. The rest of the staff went to Portage.
Bradbury, a 1999 graduate, placed seventh in the state as a junior and was state runner-up as a senior — both at 119. He and 112-pounder Eric Keith were both members of the Indians’ state runners-up at the 1998 Team State Finals.
“Tradition, it’s extremely important,” says Bradbury, who came back to Portage as an assistant in 2018-19 after serving as head wrestling coach at Seminole Ridge in Palm Beach County, Fla., a school built in 2006. “We’ve always expected to compete at a high level and be one of the best teams in the state.”
3105 1 3#WrestlingWednesday: Farrell prepping for and trip to Bankers Life
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Last year, when J.D. Farrell was a junior at Fishers High School, he saw that a German foreign exchange student was struggling understanding her math assignments and he knew he had to help her.
“She was struggling with translating her math work and I helped her,” Farrell said. “She didn’t have many friends and I wanted to be there for her to help with that as well.”
That’s what Farrell does. He helps others. He helps his teammates in wrestling understand how to do certain moves. He helps them know what it takes to be successful on the mat.
He also takes a certified nursing assistant (CNA) class and frequently goes to nursing homes to help the elderly. One day he plans to go into the medical field.
“I see people that maybe are struggling, or are less fortunate, and I want to help them any way I can,” Farrell said. “In the wrestling room I don’t just want to improve myself, I want to make everyone better. Outside of wrestling I see others struggle and I feel I’m called to help them. My heart pulls me toward them. God put those people in my life for a reason.”
As nice, polite and helpful as Farrell is off the mat – don’t expect mercy from him on it. He is currently 29-1 this season and ranked No. 4 at 195 pounds. His lone loss came at the hands of returning state champion Silas Allred. Last season he qualified for the state tourney but lost a hard-fought match in the opening session and didn’t place.
“I use my length to my advantage,” Farrell said. “I’m very offensive with my attacks. I look at my opponent’s attacks and plan to not give up anything to them. My goal is to not give anything to my opponent or ever let the ref decide the outcome of a close match.”
Allred, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the class, feeds through the same New Castle semistate as Farrell. Before the season Farrell had the choice of going up a weight to avoid Silas, but that’s not what he wanted to do.
“I see Silas as an opportunity,” Farrell said. “If I see him in semistate, I wouldn’t have to face him early in the state tournament. He is very technical and a great wrestler. When I wrestled him earlier this season, I was not satisfied with how I did. I got to know him pretty well at CIA and he’s a great guy.”
Farrell is a third-generation wrestler. His grandfather wrestled and loved the sport. His dad, Brent finished second in the state during his high school career and his uncle, Brad, was a fifth-place finisher.
“Wrestling is in my family,” Farrell said. “My grandpa liked wrestling a lot and then my uncle and dad started and they saw a lot of success. My brother, Crew Farrell, is in middle school and he’s kicking butt right now.”
Fishers’ coach Frank Ingalls sees Farrell wrestling under the lights in the state finals.
“I’m expecting him to make it to the championship match,” Ingalls said. “He’s 29-1 right now with something like 22 falls. When we need him to bump up to 220, he still gets the job done and usually gets us six point.
“J.D. is a good Christian kid. He’s good in school. He’s a good leader. He does everything you ask him to do and he works hard in the offseason as well.”
During the offseason Farrell wrestled in many big tournaments, but he didn’t go to the Super 32. Instead, he hopped on a plane and traveled to Germany. As it turns out, Farrell finally got the nerve to ask that girl who was struggling with her math homework to be his girlfriend. He asked her toward the end of her stay in America, and she said yes.
“The long-distance relationship is tough,” Farrell said. “But I was glad I missed the Super 32 to go see her. It gave me the break I needed in wrestling, because I had been pushing so hard. When I came back I was ready to get back at it.”
Now, like so many other high school athletes, Farrell has his goal set at making it to the state finals.
“I have gone to the finals with my dad for as long as I can remember, and now I want to close my high school career out by wrestling there myself,” he said.
2592 1#MondayMatness: After missing a junior season, Peru’s Sturgill focused for last high school go-round
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Trey Sturgill can hear his coach’s words of advice ringing in his ears.
“He’s always told me to never live with regret,” says Sturgill, a 113-pound senior competing for Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Famer Andy Hobbs at Peru High School. “I’m
determined. I’m driven. My job is to get the job done and be the best person I can be.”
Sturgill, who Hobbs likes to call “Pancake” after a mat move of the same name, says he excels from the top position.
“I’m a dog on top,” says Sturgill. “I like to get the pins.”
So far, 65 of 96 career victories have come by fall. Sturgill (30-3 in 2019-20) won the 113 title at the Three Rivers Conference meet Saturday, Jan. 25 at Maconaquah.
“He’s got a pretty good skill set,” says Hobbs of Sturgill. “He’s very savvy.”
Sturgill missed all of junior season with an injury he can trace back to the freshmen-sophomore state when he was a freshmen. He continued to wrestle through his sophomore year, qualifying for the 2018 IHSAA State Finals at 106.
“I really wanted to make my state run,” says Sturgill.
The pain got to be too much and examination revealed Trey had four torn tendons and a broken shoulder. He them fixed and began physical therapy.
“I wanted to be stronger for my senior season,” says Sturgill, who was cleared to wrestle the week after the 2019 State Finals. His off-season included meets in Michigan and Ohio. “My shoulder is doing fantastic right now.”
Sturgill has multiple workout partners at Peru from 106 to 138.
“We have a pretty open room,” says Sturgill. “Each kid’s different. It helps me with my defense and what to look for in a real match.”
Trey is not the first member of his family to step into the circle.
His father, Bill Sturgill, wrestled for Northfield High School and was a semistate qualifier.
Trey was hooked on the sport when Bill took his youngest boy to a Peru Wrestling Club event at 3.
Brother Peyton Sturgill, who graduated from Peru in 2016, was a two-time state qualifier. Half brother Kane Rockenbaugh (Peru Class of 2013) was a semistate qualifier. Mother Rana has been there to cheer them on.
Peyton Sturgill is on his way to earning his college degree and becoming a math teacher. Trey Sturgill has sights set on teaching high school physical education.
“I’m still deciding on wrestling (in college),” says Trey. “We’ll see how this season goes.”
Away from wrestling, Sturgill likes to play disc golf at courses in Peru or Wabash.
“I like getting out and enjoying the fresh air and nature and being with my buddies,” says Sturgill.
Hobbs, a Tipton High School graduate, is in his 34th season as a wrestling coach and 25th season as head coach at Peru.
“I’ve enjoyed every year of it,” says Hobbs, who has 453 dual meet victories and leads a Tigers program with the motto is “ No Magic, Just Hard Work!!!.”
The veteran coach teaches his grapplers to “never walk past a piece of trash on the ground” and to “be humble enough to prepare and bold enough to compete with the very best!”
“You control what you can control and don’t worry about the other guys,” says Hobbs, who has produced 41 state finalists — 39 at Peru and two while coaching at Princeton. “You drop the hammer and take more shots.“
“Those are the ways you have success in the sport.”
Hobbs, who is also a health teacher, believes in having and following a plan.
“We’re specific with everything,” says Hobbs. “With nutrition, we avoid process sugar and drink a lot of water.
“We get sleep, wash hands and wear hat and a coat. Everybody’s got to
learn that curve.”
Hobbs’ coaching staff features Daric Fuller (two-time state qualifer), Zak Leffel (two-time state qualifier), Colin Quin (two-time sectional two-time sectional champion), Jordan Rader (three-time state qualifier and 2018 state runner-uo at 170), Kegan Kern (four-time semistate qualifier and Al Smith Classic finalist) and Chris McKinney (conference and sectional champion). Fuller (history), Leffel (math), Quin (P.E.) and McKinney (chemistry and physics) are teachers. Rader is an Indiana University student. U.S. Air Force vet Kern is Miami County Sheriff. Kern owns his own law firm. McKinney served two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Army.
3283#WrestlingWednesday: Dunasky looking to be the Golden Eagles' first state qualifier
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Guerin Catholic has had a wrestling program for 15 years. Senior Jeff Dunasky is hoping to finally give the program its first state qualifier.
Dunasky has already accomplished many firsts for the Golden Eagles. He’s the first sectional champion the school has had in wrestling. He’s the first two-time sectional champion. He’s the first Circle City Conference champion. But, being the first state qualifier would be the icing on the cake for the Guerin senior.
“I want to do something nobody else has ever done from our school,” Dunasky said. “It would mean so much to me. It would be the reward for all the hard work I’ve put in. All the weight cutting. All the grinding out of hard tournaments. But it wouldn’t just be for me. It would be an accomplishment for my coaches and my practice partners as well. It would be something for the whole school.”
Last season Dunasky fell just short of earning a trip to Banker’s Life Fieldhouse for the state finals. He lost in the ticket round of the New Castle semistate to Warren Central’s Antwaun Graves.
“Last year when Jeff lost in the ticket round, the next Monday he was back in the room hungry to get better,” Guerin coach Andrew Fleenor said. “We watched the state finals the next week and then he wrestled at the Indy Nationals that next weekend. He went everywhere during the offseason. He made Team Indiana. He went to Fargo. He did the Disney Duals. He wrestled several places with the Indiana Outlaws. We were in Brownsburg’s room quite a bit. He trained a lot at Carmel USA with Coach Pendoski. He pushed himself to get better.”
On the mat Dunasky likes to push the pace. He is a takedown artist and has great conditioning. That has helped him climb to the No. 9 spot in the 145 rankings this season.
“He’s quick,” Fleenor said. “He pushes the pace. He has over 500 takedowns in four years. He’s really good on his feet.”
Dunasky agrees with his coach’s assessment.
“I would describe myself as fast-paced and a little bit funky,” Dunasky said. “I am comfortable in awkward situations and I like to use that to my advantage. I go hard and enjoy pushing the pace.”
Dunasky’s favorite wrestling moment in his career so far was winning his first sectional title two years ago.
“That was our school’s first sectional title,” Dunasky said. “It was a big moment for us. It was very memorable. I had people in the school and in the community congratulating me and saying they were proud of me. That really fired me up to get better. I feel like positive reinforcement leads to positive results. That’s why I really started pushing myself even harder.”
In the wrestling room Dunasky often times acts as another coach in the room, helping the younger wrestlers understand moves and wrestling philosophy.
“He definitely fills the leadership role on our team,” Fleenor said. “It’s like having another coach in the room. The team follows his lead, for sure. Without a doubt he sets the tone for our team.”
In addition to chasing the dream of being a state qualifier, Dunasky wants to leave his legacy at Guerin Catholic. He says his faith is the most important thing, but he also wants people to know that hard work can pay off.
“Jeff will be the most decorated wrestler to ever come through our program,” Fleenor said. “He will leave a legacy that other kids will strive for. He’s 114-32. He’s a two-time section champ, three time regional qualifier, two-time semistate qualifier. He won the Mooresville Holiday tournament twice. He’s our first ever conference champion and he won the Robert Porter Invite in Chicago this year.”
Off the mat Dunasky likes to dabble in many things. He enjoys playing video games, rock climbing and even ice skating.
“There are a lot of things to life outside of wrestling and I like to explore all those things,” he said.
When it comes to his future, he plans on going to college although he’s not certain if he will wrestle or not. He does want to stay involved in the sport. Like is the case with his hobbies, he also has several interests for his possible career. He has considered agriculture, criminal law or even something in technology.
“I have a lot of interests and it’s really hard to narrow those down.
Important Information
We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.