Mishawaka Sectional Preview - 2010

The host Cavemen are the clear favorite in this sectional but rival Penn appear to be narrowing the gap. This is always one of the deepest sectionals in the state as it also includes South Bend Clay, who defeated Yorktown in a dual earlier this season, and South Bend Riley, who is rebuilding but seem to have several youngsters peaking at the right time of the season.

This sectional feeds into the Rochester Regional where they are paired with the top four placers from the Plymouth Sectional. The team champion from this sectional will move on to Jimtown High School next Wednesday where they will meet the champion from the Plymouth Sectional.

The top four seeds appear to be a step ahead of the rest of the field and I look for Mishawaka’s Grant Martsoff to come out on top. He has survived a brutal schedule that will pay dividends during the tournament.

1. Martsoff (Mishawaka)

2. Ferdig (SB Adams)

3. Johnson (SB Washington)

4. Hildebrandt (Penn)

112

Paul Beck of Mishawaka will look to secure his 3rd sectional title as he is the number one seed and clear favorite. A pack of three hungry sophomores led by Penn’s Ben Varner will battle for placing.

Movin’ On

1. Beck – Mishawaka

2. Varner – Penn

3. Gleuckart – SB Clay

4. Sailors – SB Riley

119

A very deep field at 119 is highlighted by Penn’s Alex Gregory. Gregory will be looking to pick up his first sectional championship (he was a regional champ last year) as he takes his 33-1 record over to the Cave. Gregory’s lone loss on the season was a tight 1-0 loss to perennial state title contender Brandon Nelson of Lawrence North. Upsets could very well happen at this class.

Movin’ On

1. Gregory (Penn)

2. Olsen (SB Adams)

3. Binion (Mishawaka)

4. Kazmierzak (SB Clay)

125

No clear cut favorite at 125. I see three fairly evenly matched wrestlers that will battle for the blue ribbon. Mishawaka’s Taylor Wisler has fashioned a 28-3 record with his controlling style. Not flashy, but effective. Look for Wisler to win. One of the better semi-final battles of the day should be Penn’s Tyler Chapple versus Clay’s Mitch Hartman.

Movin’ On

1. Wisler – Mishawaka

2. Hartman – Clay

3. Chapple – Penn

4. Martinez – Riley

130

Mishawaka’s Nick Schrader is quietly having an outstanding season. His lone loss was a close decision to Crown Point’s Jason Tsirtsis. Look for Schrader to have a relatively easy go on Saturday as the rest of the field will battle for placing.

Movin’ On

1. Schrader – Mishawaka

2. Manspeaker – Penn

3. Dixon – SB Adams

4. Fowler – SB Washington

135

Another very deep field awaits the fans at the 135 class. Senior Matt Guerra appears to be a step ahead of the field and should pick up a sectional championship. Don’t overlook Penn’s Grant Anglemyer, Clay’s Joe Stroud, or Riley’s Kelly Kolat. Kolat’s name alone should be worth something.

Movin’ On

1. Guerra - Mishawaka

2. Anglemyer – Penn

3. Stroud – Clay

4. Kolat – Riley

140

The top two seeds at 140 appear to be evenly matched. I look for a minor upset and think that Penn’s Ben Sokol will cap his senior year with a championship win over Mishawaka’s Anthony Eddy.

Movin’ On

1. Sokol – Penn

2. Eddy – Mishawaka

3. Acosta – SB Adams

4. Stroud – SB Clay

145

The Mishawaka/Penn monopoly on champions should end at this weight class where South Bend Clay’s junior Laquan Lunford has an unblemished record at 33-0. Penn’s Pat Davenport looks to pull off the upset.

Movin’ On

1. Lunford – SB Clay

2. Davenport – Penn

3. Marshall – Mishawaka

4. Markovich – SB Adams

152

Last year’s state runner-up at 140, Ryan Stahl, headlines the 152 weight class. He should cruise through the field at section with his high risk/high reward style. Stahl might have to tighten up his attack down the road as he appeared a little sloppy in two losses earlier at the Bellmont Invite earlier this season.

Movin’ On

1. Stahl – Mishawaka

2. Hummer – Penn

3. Alwine – SB Clay

4. Stroud – SB Adams

160

Three very talented seniors look to take home the crown at 160. Alex White of Mishawaka is the slight favorite over Penn’s Austin Kunze and Washington’s Malcolm White. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if any of those three comes out on top.

Movin’ On

1. Alex White – Mishawaka

2. Malcolm White – SB Washington

3. Austin Kunze – Penn

4. Zach Amberg – SB Clay

171

Andy Wiseman of Penn and Richard Morin of Mishawaka have separated themselves from the field at 171. The championship match could go either way but I look for the Kingman to beat the Caveman for a second time this year.

Movin’ On

1. Andy Wiseman – Penn

2. Richard Morin – Mishawaka

3. Alex Skipper – SB Adams

4. Houston Anderson – SB Washington

189

South Bend Riley’s Timmy Buckingham headlines the 189 class with his 27-3 record. He did not wrestle last weekend so he might be a little dinged up. Mishawaka’s Danny Abu-Shehab has been improving all season and will look to test the Wildcat senior along with Clay’s Justin McCray.

Movin’ On

1. Buckingham – SB Riley

2. Abu-Shehab – Mishawaka

3. McCray – SB Clay

4. Ham – Penn

215

Mishawaka’s returning state runner-up is the 800 pound gorilla in this class. The overall quality of the 215 class is top-notch with returning semi-state qualifier Eric McDaniel of South Bend Washington and young studs Devin Reagan of Penn and Joe Gallegos of South Bend Clay.

Movin’ On

1. Lentz – Mishawaka

2. Gallegos – SB Clay

3. McDaniel – SB Washington

4. Reagan – Penn

285

Returning state qualifier and human eclipse, Travis Thomas of Mishawaka is the favorite to repeat as sectional champ. He will likely face Evan Nixon of Clay before moving on to a tough regional field at Rochester next week.

Movin’ On

1. Thomas – Mishawaka

2. Nixon – Clay

3. Johnson – Penn

4. Kandzierski – SB St. Joe