"Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)."
"I love the name of honor, more than I fear death."
--Gaius Julius Caesar
With the Ides of March approaching, I thought it appropriate to use some quotes by the quote machine Julius Caesar. Caesar, as history tells us, was willing to sacrifice nearly everything to achieve his goals....sounds like a wrestler to me. Anyway, my second favorite sporting weekend of the year is this coming weekend. I look forward to the trip to New Castle each year, knowing it means arriving at the crack of dawn and leaving when it's dark. This year it's especially true, as I won't be able to make it to Conseco. It's also especially true because this has been such a crazy year for Indiana wrestling. New Castle and the other three semistates, really show off what's great about our sport. The very high quality of competition, the elation of the matches' winners, the supreme disappointment of the matches' losers, the unbridled emotions of the parents, the upsets, the OT matches...how can you not love it all?
103
Outlook: Although this is an extraordinarily deep field, featuring seven wrestlers ranked in the top-16 (would've had 8 in the top-19 if Bova had made it through), this is Pocket Hercules' (Cody Phillips) weight class to lose. Although Venezia, Farrell, Moss, Schmith, Brasier and others are formidable opponents, Phillips is simply humongous and outrageously strong for 103. Past Phillips, it's a toss-up for places 2-4. Venezia has a good shot at reaching the finals, although to do so, he will have to beat three top-16 ranked wrestlers. Easily one of the toughest draws of anyone at New Castle. Moss has the misfortune of potentially drawing Phillips in the semis. Brasier vs. Farrell is one of the elite ticket matches at New Castle. Schmith vs. Venezia is one of the elite opening round matches at New Castle. Should be a very exciting, unpredictable weight past Phillips.
Ranked:
#16 Clint Schmith, Beech Grove, 30-8
#7 Mike Venezia, Cathedral, 31-2
#1 Cody Phillips (defending state champion at 103), Union County, 37-0
#13 Garrett Brasier, East Central, 40-4
#10 Josh Farrell, Greenfield Central, 42-3
#6 Levi Moss, Ben Davis, 37-2
#11 Tom Gettinger, Connersville, 39-4
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #1 Cody Phillips
2. #7 Mike Venezia
3. #6 Levi Moss
4. #13 Garrett Brasier
All hail the champ:
Cody Phillips
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
#16 Schmith vs. #7 Venezia (opening round)--Schmith is a talented kid coming off of a disappointing weekend and it's within the realm of possibility that he can pull the upset. However, to Venezia's credit, he's been awfully steady this season against some pretty formidable competition.
#11 Gettinger vs. #7 Venezia (ticket round)--These two met up at Connersville earlier this season, with the Cathedral wrestler winning comfortably 7-0.
#13 Brasier vs. #10 Farrell (ticket round)--Farrell has shown he can beat just about anyone at this weight, as evidenced by his impressive regional performance. Brasier is a senior and I'll go with him because....well, because he's a senior. Farrell could make this pick look downright foolish.
112
Outlook: This is another stacked field, featuring three returning state qualifiers. With this impressive depth, including five wrestlers ranked in the top-10, comes a decent amount of uncertainty at the top. I would personally favor New Castle's stud soph Brendan Campbell, but Mason Todd couldn't have been more impressive last weekend, as he comfortably handled Price and especially his arch-nemesis Harvey. Campbell, Harvey, Todd, Price and McKinley are all capable of winning this weight class, and with the numbers game, at least one of these fine wrestlers will not advance. Parham vs. Harvey, Price vs. McKinley and Davis/Ling vs. Todd are all potentially exciting ticket matches.
Ranked:
#5 Jared McKinley, 42-1, Perry Meridian
#7 Brendan Campbell, 48-1, New Castle
#8 Dominique Price, 31-4, Tech
#9 Brian Harvey, 34-4, Cathedral
#10 Mason Todd, 40-1, Pendleton Heights
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #7 Brendan Campbell
2. #5 Jared McKinley
3. #10 Mason Todd
4. #9 Brian Harvey
All hail the champ:
Brendan Campbell
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Patrick Parham, Carmel, 26-7 vs. #9 Harvey (ticket round)--Parham has been on fire in the postseason, but Harvey is rock-solid and doesn't take a match off. Parham has shown the ability to rise to the occasion in the past and he'll have to do it here to advance.
#8 Price vs. #5 McKinley (ticket round)--These two met earlier this year, with McKinley taking a 5-0 decision. Price hasn't been able to get over the hump thus far, but the ability is there and he's faced a lot of good wrestlers in his career.
Robert Boston, Lawrence North, 25-5 vs. #7 Campbell (opening round)--Boston is a very tough kid, but he has a tall task ahead of him in the form of the Cadet Freestyle All-American Campbell.
Conrad Ling, Fishers, 32-5 vs. Aaron Davis, Roncalli, 24-11 (opening round)--Ling has had an outstanding year and Davis is coming on strong late in the season, like he did last year.
#10 Todd vs. #9 Harvey (potential finals match)--It will be difficult for these two to face each other again, but it would be great if it happens. These two wrestle like they hate each other. Pendleton Heights and Cathedral fans might even be more into it than their wrestlers. The PA announcer at Pendleton Heights had to admonish the crowd in their last meeting because things were getting so heated. Great stuff.
119
Outlook: This is a very top-heavy weight class, featuring #1 Brandon Nelsen and #2 Josh Kieffer, as well as #13 Seve Duncan and #19 Josh Julian. All four are returning state qualifiers and all but Duncan are returning state placers. Nelsen and Kieffer have been head and shoulders above everyone else in this semi-state and should meet in the finals here. Each has only one loss this year--Nelsen to Kieffer and Kieffer to Nelsen. Will Nelsen's experience and technical savvy beat Kieffer's length and physical style?
Ranked:
#1 Brandon Nelsen, Lawrence North, 36-1
#2 Josh Kieffer, Roncalli, 35-1
#13 Seve Duncan, Beech Grove, 18-7
#19 Josh Julian, Lebanon, 31-7
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #1 Brandon Nelsen
2. #2 Josh Kieffer
3. Alex Catron, New Castle, 40-2
4. Thomas Ash, Hamilton Southeastern, 24-7
All hail the champ:
Brandon Nelsen
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Catron vs. #19 Julian (ticket round)--For some reason, Julian hasn't been quite as sharp as this time last year. He's still capable of getting hot and putting together another run to Conseco. Catron has been very close to breaking through; last year, it was Seve Duncan that de-railed his state aspirations.
Levi Lanning, Alexandria, 34-8 vs. #19 Julian (opening round)--Let me tell you, these Alexandria kids can wrestle. Although Julian will be rightfully favored, Lanning is very solid and could be a darkhorse contender to advance.
#1 Nelsen vs. #13 Duncan (ticket round)--Some people suspected that Duncan tanked at sectionals to improve his draw. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but he's in a tough spot here. Unfortunately for the tough Beech Grove wrestler, there are a few things in life you can count on: water is wet, the sky is blue and Brandon Nelsen will place at state.
Thien Tran, New Palestine, 33-9 vs. Ash (ticket round)--It's very possible that one of these two kids will be wrestling at Conseco. Both are seniors with comparable records and competition faced; I'll go with Ash due to his recent hot streak, but I won't be shocked if it's Tran.
#1 Nelsen vs. #2 Kieffer (potential finals match)--They've wrestled many times, but there isn't a clear-cut favorite between the two. It's a great battle of conflicting builds and styles.
125
Outlook: Like 119, this weight class is top-heavy, featuring #1 Brandon Wright and #2 Justin Kieffer. Like 103, it's also extraordinarily deep, featuring seven ranked wrestlers. In my opinion, this is the strongest weight class at New Castle, top to bottom. Almost every match from the opening round forward is a possible barn-burner. While it's likely that Wright and Kieffer will battle for the kazillionth time for the title, spots 3 and 4 will be very interesting. For those last two spots, you have Ben Sommer, Shelbyville sectional #1 seed Jake Williams, Jordan Johnson, Jared Huff, Josh Blanton, Jason Simmons and Brent Roman battling it out. Throw in Justin Eshelman, Charlie McGinley and Dalton Millikan and you have yourself one loaded weight class.
Ranked:
#1 Brandon Wright, Warren Central, 25-2
#2 Justin Kieffer, Roncalli, 31-3
#13 Jordan Johnson, Lawrence North, 26-12
#14 Ben Sommer, Carmel, 33-3
#15 Jason Simmons, Perry Meridian, 35-9
#16 Jared Huff, Milan, 38-4
#18 Charlie McGinley, Tech, 34-6
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #1 Brandon Wright
2. #2 Justin Kieffer
3. #14 Ben Sommer
4. #16 Jared Huff
All hail the champ:
Brandon Wright
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
#14 Sommer vs. #13 Johnson (ticket round)--They met earlier this year, with Johnson winning an OT decision. If Sommer can get by Williams, I like his chances here against the lanky Johnson.
Dalton Millikan, South Vermillion, 37-3 vs. #2 Kieffer (opening round)--Millikan had a rough regional, which helped bring about such a rough draw. Kieffer is likely just too much here but Millikan is a solid kid.
Brent Roman, Hamilton Southeastern, 31-7 vs. #15 Simmons (opening round)--Rough matchup for both kids. Roman won't be intimidated by the Perry wrestler. A pick 'em in my eyes.
#16 Huff vs. #15 Simmons/Roman (ticket round)--In another year, all three of these high caliber wrestlers might be advancing. In this stacked semi-state weight class, only one of the three will move on. All three are seniors and any of the three could move on.
Justin Eshelman, Pendleton Heights, 37-4 vs. #1 Wright (ticket round)--This was a really bad break for Eshelman, who might be the third best in the weight class. He dominated the field last Saturday, beating McGinley and Johnson with relative ease. Unfortunately, Wright, the three time state finalist, is probably a little too much for the Arabians wrestler.
#1 Wright vs. #2 Kieffer (potential finals match)--Like Nelsen vs. Kieffer, we've seen this matchup a time or two before. Also like Nelsen vs. Kieffer, it happens to be a great matchup and a fascinating confrontation of styles. Anything is possible in this match.
130
Outlook: The talent level goes down a little bit when we get to 130. It's still a fine field, featuring two top-five wrestlers, three top-ten kids and four total wrestlers in the top thirteen in the state. Leading the charge is the dynamic Connor Mullins, who should nab the top seed. After Mullins, the very experienced Tyler Clark, a two-time state qualifier, should be a solid pick for second. The third and fourth spots are very wide open and I expect some surprises here.
Ranked:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]#2 Connor Mullins, New Castle, 51-0
#5 Tyler Clark, South Dearborn, 36-2
#10 John Stringfield, Cathedral, 34-4
#13 Jacob McCarthy, Mount Vernon, 33-4
I've got a Golden Ticket:
1. #2 Connor Mullins
2. #5 Tyler Clark
3. Greg Bell, Lawrence North, 27-8
4. #10 John Stringfield
All hail the champ:
Connor Mullins
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Eli Walker, Alexandria, 39-5 vs. #13 McCarthy (opening round)--The tough freshman looks to bag some big game in the form of senior and former state qualifier McCarthy. Like the rest of his team, expect to see more and more of this talented youngster in the coming years. McCarthy might be a little too much for him at this point.
Tyler Gadient, Noblesville, 26-10 vs. #2 Mullins (ticket round)--Gadient's record is deceptive, because he's very good. He very nearly beat Stringfield this past weekend and could give Mullins a good test. Expect Mullins to pass the test.
Jordan East, Southport, 37-7 vs. #10 Stringfield (opening round)--East has a solid shot to advance here, but he'll need to beat the ever-consistent Stringfield to do so. Stringfield doesn't give anything up easily, but East is on the same level.
Eli Moore, Fountain Central, 37-2 vs East/#10 Stringfield (ticket round)--Say what you want about the different schedules these three wrestlers competed against, but 37-2 is still 37-2. Moore has a legit shot.
135
Outlook: This is a pretty evenly matched weight class, with the exception of the clear favorite, #2 Mason "The Butcher" Berryman. The returning 4th place finisher last year at state, Berryman is a legit state title threat. Berryman's heavy hands and physical style will be very tough for anyone here to handle. He should cruise to a title. Beyond Berryman, there are two other ranked wrestlers and a lot of next-tier kids. This is one of the more wide-open weights past Berryman, making it one of the most difficult to handicap.
Ranked:
#2 Mason Berryman, Anderson Highland, 29-0
#14 Matt Rattay, Lawrence North, 27-9
#16 Wayne Black, Pike, 35-2
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #2 Mason Berryman
2. #16 Wayne Black
3. #14 Matt Rattay
4. Josh Williams, Warren Central, 32-8
All hail the champ:
Mason Berryman
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Brandon Davis, Western Boone, 32-4 vs. Williams (ticket round)--This is senior versus senior, each sporting a pretty impressive win/loss record. Williams' schedule is the difference for me.
John Blanton, Alexandria, 36-6 vs. #16 Black (ticket round)--Blanton is just a sophomore, but he's a talented youngster and it's not a reach at all to say that he could advance. Blanton first has to get by senior Austin Shell, North Vermillion, 33-4.
Levi Rose, New Castle, 44-5 vs. #14 Rattay (ticket round)--Both are battle-tested and Rose has the advantage (pressure?) of wrestling on his home mat. Rattay tends to keep matches pretty close, whether winning or losing, so this one might be up for grabs until the very end of the match.
140
Outlook: This is a very solid weight class, although it is lacking the big guns of all the previous weight classes. There are six ranked wrestlers here, with #10 Grant Scurria leading the list. Scurria's portion of the bracket is pretty nightmarish, as his first match is versus a former state qualifier and his ticket match could be a rough one as well. There is no clear-cut favorite to speak of, and surprises are almost a certainty. Looking at the bracket, more so than any other weight at New Castle, every match is compelling and almost every kid is capable of advancing. You won't find your state champion here, but any of the four seeds from here will be capable of winning Friday night at Conseco.
Ranked:
#10 Grant Scurria, Carmel, 28-3
#12 Brady White, Westfield, 42-4
#13 Cody Fellers, New Castle, 47-4
#18 Kirk Johnson, Perry Meridian, 40-3
#19 Bailey Kesterman, Triton Central, 38-5
#20 Tiandre Edwards, North Central, 30-7
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #13 Cody Fellers
2. #10 Grant Scurria
3. #18 Kirk Johnson
4. #20 Tiandre Edwards
All hail the champ:
#13 Cody Fellers
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Braydon Alley, Hamilton Heights, 26-10 vs. #18 Johnson (ticket round)--Assuming Alley can get by a tough senior in Justin Enright (Centerville, 37-9), this should be a great matchup. Alley was very nearly the regional champion and had to beat two tough wrestlers to advance to the championship. Johnson has almost literally wrestled everyone in the state at 140 and had a great offseason as well. Johnson by a nose.
JR Corman, New Palestine, 19-9 vs. #10 Scurria (opening round)--The former state qualifier Corman is always capable of a big match and has been in this position before. Scurria has had an outstanding year and should be able to hold off the senior.
Mason Gesell, Union County, 39-4 vs. Haydon Buck, Tri-Central, 32-3 (opening round)--Both kids are sporting glittering records. Gesell very nearly knocked off Fellers last week. Buck wasn't as sharp, but he's talented. Gesell should win and face Scurria.
Matt Irick, Hamilton Southeastern, 33-6 vs. Kameron James, Pike, 28-7 (opening round)--I have no clue who will win this one. Both survived tough regionals and either could win this match and the next to advance to the state finals. The winner will likely get the explosive #20 Edwards.
#12 White vs. #19 Kesterman (opening round)--An awful opening round matchup for both kids, but a great one for the crowd. Like most of the matchups at this weight, it's anybody's guess who will win. The winner will likely get #13 Fellers in another potentially great bout.
145
Outlook: This weight class features two undefeated, very impressive wrestlers in Patrick Robinson and Montrail Johnson. It has three ranked wrestlers because Johnson is unranked, likely due to lack of information about him. The kid is a stud and he definitely passes the look test. It's sometimes difficult to gauge how good someone is unless they're facing excellent competition, but Johnson absolutely owned Pendleton Heights: two pins and a tech, each more impressive than the last. Robinson, the Purdue recruit, has been dominant all year and has faced better competition than Johnson. They are on the same side of the bracket, so someone else will finish second. As with a number of other weights, surprises won't be surprising.
Ranked:
#6 Patrick Robinson, Hamilton Southeastern, 25-0
#10 Kyle Riedling, New Palestine, 22-9
#17 Derek Harz, Perry Meridian, 31-10
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #6 Patrick Robinson
2. #17 Derek Harz
3. Montrail Johnson, Tri-Central, 42-0
4. #10 Kyle Riedling
All hail the champ:
#6 Patrick Robinson
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Ross Hoggatt, South Vermillion, 37-3 vs. #17 Harz (ticket round)--Assuming Hoggatt can get by talented sophomore Clint Nicholson (Pendleton Heights, 23-12), he has a shot at Harz. Like all Perry wrestlers, Harz is a grizzled veteran and used to the big stage and that might be the difference.
Kiefer Uphaus, Centerville, 32-4 vs. #10 Riedling (opening round)--Uphaus has a great shot to advance by beating Riedling. The New Pal wrestler had a rough weekend at Perry Meridian, but it will all be a distant memory if he can come up big in this match. 50-50 matchup.
Zach Heald, Greenfield Central, 28-5 vs. #6 Robinson (ticket round)--Robinson should win this, but Heald is a threat.
Jordan Maple, Connersville, 34-7 vs. Tre Spencer, Pike, 29-8 (opening round)--Both are talented kids with excellent records against tough competition. Should be a good one. The winner gets Johnson in another good one.
152
Outlook: Despite almost stumbling last weekend against Austin Neibarger, Sam Bennett comes in as a strong favorite. Bennett has already had a sterling career and will continue his career at Northern Illinois next year. This weight class would've been even more exciting if not for the loss of Jacob Tonte. Even without Tonte and New Castle's #18 Dusty Bennett, there are four ranked wrestlers here and twice that many kids capable of advancing. Bennett should sew up a top seed for Conseco, but past that is a mystery.
Ranked:
#1 Sam Bennett, Anderson Highland, 34-0
#8 Nick Manning, South Dearborn, 36-2
#13 James Frascella, Carmel, 24-6
#17 Austin Neibarger, Cathedral, 33-5
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #1 Sam Bennett
2. #8 Nick Manning
3. #17 Austin Neibarger
4. #13 James Frascella
All hail the champ:
#1 Sam Bennett
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Robert Hawthorne, Crispus Attucks, 33-6 vs. #13 Frascella (ticket round)--It would be a great story to see the Attucks wrestler and regional champ Hawthorne advance to state.
Taylor Evans, Clinton Central, 36-2 vs. #17 Neibarger (ticket round)--Evans has been on the cusp before and he has the experience advantage. However, Neibarger is not your average freshman and Evans will have to be in top form to advance.
Mike Taylor, Lawrence Central, 34-8 vs. #8 Manning (ticket round)--Although each wrestler has a tough opening match, this would be a great ticket bout. Manning's a solid favorite, but Taylor is explosive and dangerous.
160
Outlook: This is a very deep weight class, led by #2 Tyler Willis. Willis was strongly tested last weekend by Quinton Brooks, which has to boost the confidence of the field at New Castle. There are no easy opening round matches and some great wrestlers won't even make it to the ticket round. There are two top-five wrestlers, five wrestlers in the top-thirteen, and six ranked wrestlers altogether. In addition, the bracket is chock full of dangerous kids like Sam Shoaf, Jake Hockenbury, Jake Evans, Cody Becker, Dylon Gregg and Mark Brown.
Ranked:
#2 Tyler Willis, Cathedral, 36-1
#4 Jake Jennings, New Palestine, 38-2
#11 Von Wasson, New Castle, 49-1
#12 Curtis Anderson, Carmel, 29-4
#13 Quinton Brooks, Lawrence North, 32-7
#16 Jeremiah Oliver, Pike, 35-3
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #2 Tyler Willis
2. #13 Quinton Brooks
3. #11 Von Wasson
4. #16 Jeremiah Oliver
All hail the champ:
#2 Tyler Willis
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Sam Shoaf, Fountain Central, 39-3 vs. #4 Jennings (opening round)--Jennings put himself in the unenviable position of having to beat Shoaf and Willis to qualify for the state tourney. While he has been magnificent all year, he lost to Hockenbury last week and now has a tough road starting with the senior Shoaf.
#4 Jennings vs. #2 Willis (ticket round)--This has to be one of the premier ticket matchups, not only in New Castle, but in the entire state. Willis had a huge gash on his head that required frequent and extensive wrapping, so hopefully that won't play a role in this huge match.
Jake Hockenbury, Decatur Central, 20-7 vs. Jake Evans, Clinton Central, 35-3 (opening round)--The two Jakes will battle for the right to likely face Von Wasson. Hockenbury pulled the huge upset last week over #4 Jennings and is capable of pulling another. Evans is a very tough, underrated wrestler--two of his three losses are to Anderson.
#12 Anderson vs. #13 Brooks (ticket round)--Assuming Brooks can beat the very tough Mark Brown (East Central, 36-7), these two should battle for the right to advance to Conseco. Anderson already owns a win over Brooks this season, but Brooks was pretty impressive at Regionals. Should be very tight regardless of the winner.
171
Outlook: 171 features defending state champ and Ohio University signee Michael Duckworth. Duckworth has a very tough path to a semi-state title this year, but last year's was no picnic either and he survived. Including the Union County standout, there are seven ranked wrestlers here--this is a truly loaded field, with 12 participants with 28 or more wins this season. It's very possible that four of the ranked kids will not advance, as returning state qualifier Anthony Bill looms large in the bracket.
Ranked:
#1 Michael Duckworth, Union County (defending state champ at 171), 42-0
#11 Kevin Moats, Tipton, 38-3
#14 Scott Moore, Fountain Central, 31-3
#17 Mike Smith, North Central, 34-2
#18 Mitchell Judkins, Speedway, 29-5
#19 Mike Phelps, New Palestine, 32-4
#20 Jacob Howenstein, Zionsville, 32-5
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #1 Michael Duckworth
2. #17 Mike Smith
3. #11 Kevin Moats
4. Anthony Bill, Bishop Chatard, 30-3
All hail the champ:
#1 Michael Duckworth
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
#14 Moore vs. #19 Phelps (opening round)--Wow, this bracket is almost tragically full of quality wrestlers. Moore and Phelps are two of the better 171s in the state, and they have to fight for the right to face the defending state champion at this weight. It's a real shame that neither of these kids is likely to advance. This should be a war.
#18 Judkins vs. Bill (ticket round)--Judkins has been in the mix in central Indiana for a couple of years now and could definitely win two matches at New Castle. He has a tough opener against Craig Fairley (Crawfordsville, 29-6).
#20 Howenstein vs. #11 Moats (ticket round)--Assuming Howenstein can get by the tough Roncalli wrestler Jake Bartley (21-10) and Moats can get by Rushville's Jon Flanary (35-5), this should be a dogfight to grab a spot in the state finals.
Dakota Gruell, Greenfield Central, 31-10 vs. #17 Smith (ticket round)--Gruell is red-hot and coming off of a regional title over some high quality wrestlers. Smith is a returning state qualifier and finished 2nd in a brutal regional.
189
Outlook: This is a very intriguing weight at New Castle, partially because it's the semi-state debut of uber-frosh Mitch Sliga. Sliga, Michael Johnson-Jones and Ibragim Komilov are pretty solid bets to advance. The final spot is pretty wide open. Not the deepest weight, but there is some quality at the top and it should be an exciting battle for the last spot.
Ranked:
#3 Mitch Sliga, Fishers, 38-1
#4 Michael Johnson-Jones, Warren Central, 36-1
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #4 Michael Johnson-Jones
2. Ibragim Komilov, North Central, 18-1
3. #3 Mitch Sliga
4. Andre Richards, Perry Meridian, 31-11
All hail the champ:
#4 Michael Johnson-Jones
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Kevin Wilger, South Dearborn, 31-9 vs. Richards (ticket round)--Assuming each wins his opening match (Richards' opener against Carmel'S senior Spencer Morris (23-14) is the tougher of the two), we should be treated to the fine wrestling of the soph Richards and senior Wilger and the vocal stylings of caliboy189.
Jacob Poynter, New Palestine, 25-9 vs. Komilov (ticket round)--Poynter is a very solid wrestler, but Komilov absolutely manhandled Pendlton Heights' opponents, winning with three dominant falls.
215
Outlook: This is a competitive field without a strong favorite. By the rankings, Balbach should win it, but in reality there are four or five kids with a shot at the semi-state crown. Cooper beat Balbach last weekend. There is very good depth here.
Ranked:
#6 Sam Balbach, Mount Vernon (Fortville), 35-4
#12 Logan Cooper, Perry Meridian, 23-4
#13 Arthur Wright, Tech, 33-3
#17 Jake Buchanan, Cathedral, 30-4
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #12 Logan Cooper
2. #13 Arthur Wright
3. #17 Jake Buchanan
4. Kyle Smitherman, Pendleton Heights, 35-6
All hail the champ:
#12 Logan Cooper
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Andy Jacquet, Clinton Central, 31-6 vs. #13 Wright (opening round)--Team Indiana member Jacquet has a draw that would wake most wrestlers up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. In order to advance, he will have to knock off regional champion Wright, then turn around and beat #6 Balbach or Forman. Needless to say, a tough row to hoe for the Bulldog wrestler
Ron Forman, South Dearborn, 28-4 vs. #6 Balbach (opening round)--Don't be too surprised if Forman trips up the highly ranked Balbach. A rough regionals performance might have cost Forman a good shot at qualifying for state.
#13 Wright vs. #6 Balbach (ticket round)--Assuming each ranked wrestler takes care of business against tough first round opponents, it sets up a huge ticket match. Wright was sharp last week, but nearly fell to Kevin Gaughan (North Central, 36-10). Wright won it OT on a tough stalling penalty against Gaughan.
Jason Pedigo, Zionsville, 28-11 vs. Smitherman (opening round)--Smitherman lost two very, very close matches last weekend or he might've been regional champ. Pedigo was, in fact, a regional champ.
Sam Carnes, Westfield, 33-12 vs. Gaughan (opening round)--These two wrestlers are both hard-nosed grinders. Gaughan was excellent last weekend, whereas Carnes lost to a wrestler he beat the week prior. The winner likely gets Logan Cooper.
285
Outlook: Liks last year, this is not the strongest field in New Castle. Last year's heavyweight competition featured the biggest upset in a while at this semi-state, when Ethan Cuevas was pinned unexpectedly by Rockville's Jake Wimsett. No one here this year is quite in Cuevas's class, but there are some tough kids like Dylan McBride, Ben Jackson, Willie Henson, Blaec Gray, Caleb Miller, Trent Wallace and Kyle White competing for the crown. As wide open as any weight at New Castle. Unlike last year, I would be willing to bet that at least one of the advancers places at Conseco.
Ranked:
#12 Ben Jackson, Milan,
#14 Willie Henson, North Central,
#17 Dylan McBride, Crawfordsville
I've got a Golden Ticket:
[caption id=attachment_1790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="On to Conseco]
[/caption]1. #17 Dylan McBride
2. #14 Willie Henson
3. #12 Ben Jackson
4. Blaec Gray, Rushville, 26-4
All hail the champ:
#17 Dylan McBride
Potential surprises/Epic matchups:
Eric Thigpen, Lawrence Central, 20-5 vs. Roddreckis Harris, Northwest, 31-3 (opening round)--This battle of Indianapolis-based juniors could come down to experience. Former semi-state qualifier Thigpen has the edge there. The winner has to face McBride.
Wesley Stokes, Cathedral, 18-7 vs. #12 Jackson (ticket round)--Stokes is kind of hit or miss, but when he's hot, he can beat some good wrestlers.
Caleb Miller, North Vermillion, 31-4 vs. #14 Henson (ticket round)--Henson has wrestled a very tough schedule and that might be the edge in this matchup between two tough heavies.
Trent Wallace, South Vermillion, 35-6 vs. Gray (opening round)--Wallace finished third in a pretty tough sectional and regional for heavyweights. Gray finished second in his regional and this one could go either way. The winner will likely face regional champ Kyle White (21-8) of Warren Central.
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