High School News

865 articles in this category

452
Indiana Tech Head Coach Mike Ester on Takedown Radio
Newly hired Indiana Tech head coach Mike Ester had a chance to talk with Scott Casber with Takedown Radio.  Here is the interview.

Click here for the Interview
436
IndianaMat.com Team Rankings Preseason 2010/2011
1. Crown Point
2. Perry Meridian
3. Yorktown
4. Castle
5. Mishawaka
6. Evansville Mater Dei
7. Penn
8. Bloomington South
9. Merrillville
10. Bellmont
11. Franklin
12.Portage
13. Roncalli
14. Jeffersonville
15. Carmel
16. Reitz
17. Cathedral
18. New Castle
19. Lawrence North
20. Center Grove

388
Team Rankings Comparison
IndianaMat.com



IHSWCA




1. Crown Point
1.  Crown Point - (261)


2. Perry Meridian
2.  Perry Meridian - (257)


3. Yorktown
3.  Mishawaka - (254)


4. Castle
4.  Mater Dei - (236)


5. Mishawaka
5.  Yorktown - (217)


6. Evansville Mater Dei
6.  Merrillville - (192)


7. Penn
7.  Bloomington South - (171)


8. Bloomington South
8.  Evansville Reitz - (166)


9. Merrillville
9.  Penn - (153)


10. Bellmont
10. Indianapolis Cathedral - (140)


11. Franklin
11. Bellmont - (123)


12.Portage
12. Castle - (122)


13. Roncalli
13. Franklin - (114)


14. Jeffersonville
14. Jeffersonville - (99)


15. Carmel
15. Roncalli - (98)


16. Reitz
16. Portage - (68)


17. Cathedral
17. South Bend Clay - (55)


18. New Castle
18. Center Grove - (52)


19. Lawrence North
19. Lawrence North - (41)


20. Center Grove
20. New Palestine - (31)








IndianaMat.com
IHSWCA


1. Crown Point
1.  Crown Point - (261)


2. Perry Meridian
2.  Perry Meridian - (257)


3. Yorktown
3.  Mishawaka - (254)


4. Castle
4.  Mater Dei - (236)


5. Mishawaka
5.  Yorktown - (217)


6. Evansville Mater Dei
6.  Merrillville - (192)


7. Penn
7.  Bloomington South - (171)


8. Bloomington South
8.  Evansville Reitz - (166)


9. Merrillville
9.  Penn - (153)


10. Bellmont
10. Indianapolis Cathedral - (140)


11. Franklin
11. Bellmont - (123)


12.Portage
12. Castle - (122)


13. Roncalli
13. Franklin - (114)


14. Jeffersonville
14. Jeffersonville - (99)


15. Carmel
15. Roncalli - (98)


16. Reitz
16. Portage - (68)


17. Cathedral
17. South Bend Clay - (55)


18. New Castle
18. Center Grove - (52)


19. Lawrence North
19. Lawrence North - (41)


20. Center Grove
20. New Palestine - (31)




389
Pound for Pound Top Wrestlers Preseason 2010/2011
Two Crown Point wrestlers lead the way with Jason Tsirtsis a consensus #1 pick by everyone that voted.  State champion Eric Roach holds down the second spot while Cadet Triple Crown winner Mitch Sliga rounds out the top three.  Indian Creek also has two wrestlers in the top 10 with Ethan Raley 5th and Aaron Stevenson 9th.
 
1. Jason Tsirtsis- Crown Point
2. Eric Roach- Crown Point
3. Mitch Sliga- Fishers
4. Cody Phillips- Union County
5. Ethan Raley- Indian Creek
6. Drake Stein- Princeton
7. Kyle Ayersman- Lake Central
8. Devon Jackson- Yorktown
9. Aaron Stevenson- Indian Creek
10. Josh Kieffer- Roncalli

448
Wrestler of the Week for November 20th
[caption id=attachment_2221" align="alignleft" width="265" caption="Michael Cheh on left of Franklin Central][/caption]
 
Michael Cheh of Franklin Central earns the first wrestler of the week for the 2010/2011 season.  Cheh had an awesome day winning the Capital City Classic.  He defeated three ranked opponents all in overtime to capture the title.  In his first match he defeated #5 Jordan Naughton of Perry Meridian, his second victory was over #11 Adam Decker of Beech Grove and his final win was over #10 Kyle White of Warren Central.

383
Class A Standings and Results
*Note the rankings are strictly based of wins and losses. Each team gets 1 point for a win and -.5 points for a loss.
 
Click on a team for more information about their wins and losses.
[standings league_id=2 group=A]

457
Class AA Standings and Results
*Note the rankings are strictly based of wins and losses. Each team gets 1 point for a win and -.5 points for a loss.
 
Click on a team for more information about their wins and losses.
[standings league_id=2 group=AA]

383
Class AAA Standings and Results
*Note the rankings are strictly based of wins and losses. Each team gets 1 point for a win and -.5 points for a loss.
 
Click on a team for more information about their wins and losses.
[standings league_id=2 group=AAA]

406
IHSWCA Team Rankings 12/2/2010
1A Team Rankings
2A Team Rankings
3A Team Rankings


1. Prairie Heights
1. Yorktown
1. Crown Point


2. Alexandria
2. Evansville Mater Dei
2. Perry Meridian


3. Eastern (Howard)
3. Bellmont
3. Mishawaka


4. Fountain Central
4. Evansville Memorial
4. Bloomington South


5. South Adams
5. New Palestine
5. Merrillville


6. Delphi
6. Whitko
6. Penn


7. Southwood
7. Jimtown
7. Evansville Reitz


8. Union County
8. Peru
8. Castle


9. Cascade
9. Garrett
9. Roncalli


10. Pioneer
10. Beech Grove
10. Franklin


Single Class Rankings
1. Crown Point
2. Perry Meridian
3. Mishawaka
4. Mater Dei
5. Yorktown
6. Bloomington South
7. Merrillville
8. Penn
9. Evansville Reitz
10. Castle
11. Bellmont
12. Roncalli
13. Franklin
14. Cathedral
15. Jeffersonville
16. Portage
17. South Bend Clay
18. Center Grove
19. New Palestine
20. Warren Central
 


321
Indianamat.com Team Rankings 12/6
1. Crown Point
2. Perry Meridian
3. Yorktown
4. Castle
5. Evansville Mater Dei
6. Mishawaka
7. Penn
8. Merrillville
9. Portage
10. Roncalli
11. Franklin
12. Center Grove
13. Bloomington South
14. Bellmont
15. Carmel
16. Evansville Reitz
17. Cathedral
18. Westfield
19. Warren Central
20. New Palestine

305
Indianamat.com Pre-season Picks
The folks at Indianamat.com bring you their pre-season picks for 2010-2011:
 
Senior wrestler of the year:
 
Eric Roach, Crown Point: One of the reasons Crown Point just cleaned house at the Stagg tourney in Illinois, Roach is a national caliber stud and should make an impact at the next level. He and Tsirtsis form a pretty nasty duo for any team facing the Bulldogs in a dual or in a tournament.
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Ethan Raley, Indian Creek
 
Josh Kieffer, Roncalli- Kieffer had a nice showing at the Scholastic Duals this offseason, beating nationally renowned Caleb Richardson of Virginia in 3OT, costing Richardson a shot at MOW. Like his brother Justin, he always seems to be in the thick of things at the end of the year and this might be the year he breaks through and finally nabs a state title.
 
Freshman wrestler of the year:
 
Tie: Decorated wrestlers already, Carroll and LeCount could have a huge impact regarding this year's team champ, and each is capable of placing. Impressively, Boston is ranked #2 in his weight class already.
 
Chandler Carroll, Yorktown
 
Cody LeCount, Perry Meridian
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Nathan Boston, Lawrence North
 
Josh Fuqua, Crown Point
 
Team Champs:
 
Perry Meridian: Jim Tonte simply reloaded again this year. Could this be the year for an elusive state championship for the rugged crew from Indy's south side? We believe so--the Falcons fly the highest this year.
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Crown Point: It's going to be tough for anyone to take out the Bulldogs. Coach Vlink's squad looks to be in top form already and the lineup is loaded with talent.
 
Merrillville Semistate Wrestler of the Year:
 
Kyle Ayersman, Lake Central-Ayersman follows up a fine off-season looking to conquer title number two. He's a pretty safe bet, barring injury, even in a tough weight class. Note: Tsirtsis received more votes for this award, but *cough, foreshadowing* he might have won a bigger award. Roach also received a vote, but was already Senior Wrestler of the Year.
 
New Castle Semistate Wrestler of the Year:
 
Cody Phillips, Union County-The bundle of dynamite from Union County was Indianamat's pick for this award. He's already a two-time champion and looks to be a strong candidate for number three this year. He's incredibly strong and lightning quick and he can take and give a beating....a recipe for a four-timer?
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Mitch Sliga, Fishers-The Triple Crown winner looks to become Fishers first state champion this year. He's done just about everything a wrestler can do at this point in his career, short of winning state. Not having seniors Braden Atwood and Michael Johnson-Jones waiting for him in the postseason helps a bit, but it might not matter if they were still here. It's been a LONG time since anyone has beat this kid.
 
Connor Mullins, New Castle-Mullins is capable of domination and already has two state placements to his credit. It will be interesting to see how his rise in weight class impacts his season.
 
Tyler Willis, Cathedral-Like Sliga, Willis is coming off of a non-wrestling state championship. Also like Sliga, he's as tough as they come and a threat to beat anyone.
 
Evansville Semistate Wrestler of the Year:
 
Ethan Raley, Indian Creek-Raley has always been good, but a switch has apparently been flipped. Undefeated at Scholastic Duals, Super 32 National champion, state runner-up....that's just in the past 10 months. He was already a state champion. Raley is as good as Indiana has right now--he would be a threat to win state in any state in the country. The only unanimous pick among the staff.
 
 Fort Wayne Semistate Wrestler of the Year:
 
Devon Jackson, Yorktown-The junior stud very nearly knocked off our Wrestler of the Year selection at state last year. He has a strong chance to improve on his runner-up finish and hoist his first title this year.
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Daniel Meyer, Bellmont-The undersized HWT from Bellmont had a strong performance at the State Finals last year and looks to cap his high school career with a state title.
 
Surprise State Finals Team:
 
Penn: Much is expected this year of the ever-deeper Kingsmen squad led by Brad Harper. The numbers in their room suggests that a team juggernaut could be right around the corner.
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Huntington North: The Vikings have a lot of people believing they will make an appearance at Center Grove this year.
 
Bellmont: The Braves are always a threat and this year is no different. Few teams dominate their semistate like Bellmont.
 
Coach of the year:
 
Jim Tonte, Perry Meridian-Coach Tonte will likely tell you that preseason prognostication means nothing, but there are a lot of wrestling fans who believe that Tonte will finally get his elusive team title this year.
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Brad Harper, Penn-Harper has done a fantastic job of rejuvenating and uplifting the program.
 
Lance Ellis, Roncalli-It's hard to believe that he's almost as good a coach as he was a wrestler, but it's true. Ellis and crew have completely changed the dynamic of the Rebels program. They are strong, deep and well coached. The improvements in such a short time are nothing short of amazing.
 
Greg Schaefer, Evansville Mater Dei-It's impossible to fill Goebel's shoes, but Schaefer has kept the program among the elite.
 
Scott Vlink, Crown Point-Vlink finally got his team title two seasons ago and looks to add another. His teams are always hard-nosed and ready to rumble. Oh yeah, they're pretty skilled too. 
 
Wrestler of the year:
 
Jason Tsirtsis, Crown Point-There's not much I can say about him that hasn't already been said. He's as good as anyone in the country and, although he won't finish his HS career undefeated, he's already had more success nationally than his legendary big brother. He is the face of Indiana wrestling right now.
 
Also receiving votes:
 
Mitch Sliga, Fishers
 
Cody Phillips, Union County

363
Toe to Joe with the Kieffer Twins
1.       Who is the toughest wrestler you have faced in competition or in the practice room?
 
Justin: The toughest wrestler, I have to say Brandon Wright. He has such great head pressure and motion. He was very quick, he and I wrestled so much, it made each other very predictable. He made me so much better as a wrestler.
 
Josh: Beside my brothers Justin and Joe. It is hard but during my 10th. grade I had Mullins twice, Jackson twice, Hawkins in the State Championship. Brandon Nelson, he and I wrestled several times, he always knew what I was going to do before I did it.
 

 
[caption id=attachment_2284" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Justin Kieffer (Photo by Gary Moore)][/caption]
 
2.       How did you get started wrestling?
 
Justin: I started wrestling in 4th grade in attempts to become a better football player.
 
Josh: My dad took us to wrestling practice to make us better open field tacklers in football. My brothers and I just really enjoyed it.
 
3.       Which of you is better looking and why?
 
Justin: We both have our good and bad qualities, we are twins.
 
Josh: Me, I have all the girlfriends. I just let Justin hang out with us.
 
4.       Do you have any superstitions or rituals you do before a match?
 
Justin: I always listen to my IPOD, do the same stretches, and touch the mat at start of each match.
 
[caption id=attachment_2285" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Parade of Champions Josh on the left, Justin on the right][/caption]
 
Josh: To many to put on paper. I wear same shoes, headgear for the last three years. Both have seen better days.
 
5.       How do people tell you guys apart?
 
Justin: I have blonde hair and Josh has black.
 
Josh: He is bigger and has blond hair, I have black.
 
6.       If you didn’t wrestle what other sport would you be dominating?
 
Justin: Basketball, I played all my life and debated between that and wrestling before my 9th. grade.
 
Josh: Golf
 
7.       Describe your first wrestling match ever?
 
Justin: In 4th grade at Holy Name grade school. All I knew was the half. I used it in the first match and pinned the kid.
 
Josh: 4th. grade at Holy Name, Coach Louzon was my coach. I recall being very nervous. We were told just go out and take them down, throw the half in.
 
8.       You’re in the third period in the state finals going for your third title and down by one point with 30 seconds left and on your feet, what move are you going to hit to bring home title?
 
Justin: Blast Double
 
Josh: Low single
 
9.       Who is the most influential person in your life?
 
Justin: My parents
 
Josh: I have several, my family, between my parents,grand-parents, all my aunts and uncles and cousins. We are very close.
 
10.   You vs. Coach Ellis in his prime, who wins and why?
 
Justin: Ellis, for sure he is an absolute monster on the mat. He beat's up on me now, so I could not even imagine what he was like in his prime. It is an honor to wrestle him now, he is the best IMO, he set the bar.
 
Josh: Ellis, he is still a beast.

302
Indianamat.com Team Rankings 12/14
1. Crown Point
2. Perry Meridian
3. Evansville Mater Dei
4. Merrillville
5. Mishawaka
6. Yorktown
7. Penn
8. Franklin
9. Roncalli
10. Cathedral
11. Lawrence North
12. Bellmont
13. Carmel
14. Evansville Reitz
15. Center Grove
16. Bloomington South
17. Warren Central
18. Westfield
19. Jeffersonville
20. New Palestine
 
Please remember to post all scores on results page in order to keep rankings accurate.

504
2010 Jeff Classic Preview
by Alonzo Shepherd

 
The 2010 Jeff Classic is shaping up to be extremely competitive. The addition of #4 ranked Evansville Mater Dei definitely stiffens the competition. #6 ranked Bloomington South, #15 ranked Jeffersonville, and a very tough Jennings County team will all be in the mix as well. The tournament will feature 20 top 16 ranked individuals. There are 9 returning IHSAA State Qualifiers, 4 of those placing in the top 8. In addition to that, there are 31 Semi-State Qualifiers. Here is a breakdown of each weight class.
 
103
 
#2 ranked and undefeated Jacob Boomsma of Bloomington South will be a heavy favorite. He will likely face semi-state qualifier Evan Vibbert of Mater Dei in the finals.
 
112
 
#5 ranked and undefeated Luke Schroeder of Southwestern will likely face #9 ranked, 14-1, Alonzo Shepherd of Jeffersonville. This should be a great match as they have faced off twice in the past with Schroeder getting 1 victory in overtime and one by 1 point. However, neither one can overlook their semi-final opponents. Schroeder will likely have semi-state qualifier Gary Engleking of Jennings County and Shepherd will likely have semi-state qualifier Sam Goebel of Mater Dei, whom Shepherd defeated last week-end by a score of 11-3.
 
119
 
#1 seed semi-state qualifier Marshall Holwager will likely be in the finals against 3 time semi-state qualifier Robbie Taylor of Madison. However, he must first get by a tough freshman, Josh Pierre of Mater Dei.
 
125
 
#15 ranked Zach Henderson of Mater Dei will be the favorite and his likely opponent in the finals will be a very tough semi-state qualifier, Joey Resch of Jennings County. Henderson will likely face a tough Kevim Castro of Jeffersonville in the semi-finals and Resh will likely have semi-state qualifier Brady Meenach of New Washington.
 
130
 
#1 seed semi-state qualifier Justin Wolf of Charlestown will likely face a tough test against Jordan Schremp of Jeffersonville. #2 seed semi-state qualifier Connor Montgomery of Jennings County will likely have a very tough test against Mater Dei’s Mangold.
 

 
135
 
#7 ranked Isaiah Bradley of Muncie Southside and #12 ranked Quinn Schroeder of Mater Dei will be the likely finalists. However, Bradley will first have to get by semi-state qualifier Cory Neel of Christian Academy and Schroeder will have to get by semi-state qualifier Seth Seitzinger of Bloomington South.
 

 
140
 
#15 ranked Jake Lannert of Mater Dei and #16 ranked Spencer Boyd of Bloomington South will be the likely finalists. Boyd will have to first get by semi-state qualifier Lane Massingham of New Washington. Boyd will be looking for revenge after losing in overtime to Lannert last week-end.
 
145
 
145 is loaded. #7 ranked Renaldo Weekley of Jeffersonville will have a tough road to get into the finals. He must first get by #8 ranked Evan Weinzapfel of Mater Dei, whom Weekley beat last week-end in overtime. #2 seed Ben Farmer of Bloomington South must get by #6 ranked Zach Adams of Madison to get to the finals. Also in the mix is semi-state qualifier Nolan Feller of Franklin County.
 
152
 
Semi-state qualifier Levi Speth of Christian Academy got the nod for the first seed but will have to get by #15 ranked Tyler Raben of Mater Dei. Likewise, Northviews Brandon Mikesell got the second seed but will have to get by #12 ranked Sam Horrocks of Bloomington South.
 
160
 
#2 ranked John Simms of Mater Dei will be heavily favored. He is a 3 time state placer looking to get the elusive championship. He will likely face semi-state qualifier Justin Baldwin of Jennings County. Baldwin must first get by semi-state qualifier Brandon Marlin of Jeffersonville, whom Baldwin defeated earlier this season by 2 points. Other tough competition in this weight class are semi-state qualifier Jacob Hall of Charlestown and ISWA Triple Crown winner Clayton Fiddler of Bloomington South.
 
171
 
This is another tough weight class. #6 ranked Nick Manning of South Dearborn will likely face # 8 ranked Dalton Brandenstein of Mater Dei. However, Brandenstein will first have to get by #10 ranked Brock Wathen of Jennings County. Another wrestler to keep an eye on is undefeated Garrett Shepard of Paoli.
 
189
 
#3 ranked Josh Boots of Mater Dei will be heavily favored and will likely face 2 time semi-state qualifier Corey Crabtree of Muncie Southside. Crabtree will first have to get by semi-state qualifier Brandon Gunter of Batesville.
 
215
 
#1 seed and previously ranked Jimmy Pratt and will be favored. He will likely face Aaron See of Northview, but See will have to get by Dalton Young of Madison first.
 
285
 
#14 ranked Mark Collett of Jennings County will be the favorite but first he will have to get by semi-state qualifier Ryan Dewitt of Jeffersonville. #2 seed John Slaten of Charlestown will likely face #3 seed semi-state qualifier Justin VanWinkle of Mater Dei.
 
Brackets
 
103
112
119
125
130
135
140
145
152
160
171
189
215
285

506
Marion Invite Brackets
Teams:
Marion
Western
Oak Hill
Southwood
Eastern
Tipton
Eastbrook
Wabash
 
Click here for brackets

343
Overall Standings and Results
*Note the rankings are strictly based of wins and losses. Each team gets 1 point for a win and -.5 points for a loss.
 
Click on a team for more information about their wins and losses.
 
[standings league_id=2]

562
Mooresville Holiday Classic 2010 Brackets
Click here for brackets
 
Teams:
Bloomington North
Brownsburg
Castle
Charlestown
Decatur Central
Evansville Central
Homestead
Jennings County
Monrovia
Mooresville
Northview
Plainfield
Seymor
TC Howe
Whiteland
Yorktown

454
IHSWCA Team Rankings 12/15/2010
(Last ranking in parentheses)




3A Wrestling Team Rankings
2A Wrestling Team Rankings
1A Wrestling Team Rankings


1. Crown Point (1)
1. Evansville Mater Dei(2)
1. South Adams (5)


2. Perry Meridian (2)
2. Yorktown(1)
2. Prairie Heights (1)


3. Mishawaka (3)
3. Bellmont(3)
3. Alexandria (2)


4. Merrillville (5)
4. New Palestine(5)
4. Eastern (Howard) (3)


5. Bloomington South (4)
5. Jimtown(7)
5. Adams Central (UR)


6. Penn (6)
6. Evansville Memorial(4)
6. Cascade (9)


7. Franklin (10)
7. Whitko(6)
7. Fountain Central (4)


8. Roncalli (9)
8. Fairfield(UR)
8. Delphi (6)


9. Evansville Reitz (7)
9. Peru 8
9. Southwood (7)


10. Jeffersonville (UR)
10. Hanover Central(UR)
10. Tri-Central (UR)


Top 20 All Classes
1.) Crown Point (1)
2.) Perry Meridian (2)
3.) Mater Dei (3)
4.) Mishawaka (4)
5.) Merrillville (7)
6.) Yorktown (5)
7.) Bloomington South (6)
8.) Penn 8
9.) Franklin (13)
10.) Bellmont (11)
11.) Roncalli (12)
12.) Evansville Reitz (9)
13.) Jeffersonville (15)
14.) Castle (10)
15.) Cathedral (14)
16.) Lawrence North (UR)
17.) South Bend Clay (17)
18.) Jennings County (UR)
19.) Carmel (UR)
20.) Center Grove (18)

335
Team Ranking Comparison 12/15
IndianaMat.com
IHSWCA


1. Crown Point
1. Crown Point


2. Perry Meridian
2. Perry Meridian


3. Evansville Mater Dei
3. Mater Dei


4. Merrillville
4. Mishawaka


5. Mishawaka
5. Merrillville


6. Yorktown
6. Yorktown


7. Penn
7. Bloomington South


8. Franklin
8. Penn


9. Roncalli
9. Franklin


10. Cathedral
10. Bellmont


11. Lawrence North
11. Roncalli


12. Bellmont
12. Evansville Reitz


13. Carmel
13. Jeffersonville


14. Evansville Reitz
14. Castle


15. Center Grove
15. Cathedral


16. Bloomington South
16. Lawrence North


17. Warren Central
17. South Bend Clay


18. Westfield
18. Jennings County


19. Jeffersonville
19. Carmel


20. New Palestine
20. Center Grove



461
2010 Marion County Preview
By Tim Cooper
 
The Marion County Tournament is always one of the toughest in the state and this year is no different.  #2 Perry Meridian is the clear favorite, but this field is stacked with quality teams looking to knock off the defending champions.
 
Teams participating
Beech Grove, Southport, Roncalli, Perry Meridian, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central, Franklin Central, Warren Central, Park Tudor, Speedway, Pike, Decatur Central, and Ben Davis.
 
You can follow all the action at the following link.
Click here for the Trackwrestling link
 
103
This weight class is stacked with some exciting matches.  Even with Riley Newkirk moving up to 112 this weight class is still loaded with 3 ranked wrestlers in #1 Nathan Boston, #14 Barry McGinley, and #16 C.J. Whitten.  Jacob Cottey of Perry Meridian rounds out this weight class for some exciting semi finals.
 
Favorite - #1 Nathan Boston of Lawrence North
Match of the Day- This should be a great match between C.J. Whitten and Barry McGinley in the semis.
Dark Horse- Jacob Cottey
 
112
This weight class features some outstanding freshman and sophomores.  The field is led by Perry’s  #7 Cody LeCount and Lawrence Central’s #5 @103 Riley Newkirk.  Newkirk is moving up a weight for this tournament so it should be very interesting to see how he does against some very good 112 pounders.
 
Favorite- #7 Cody LeCount
Match of the Day- LeCount and NewKirk
Darkhorse- Josh King of Roncalli has been very impressive this year.  He could knock off Newkirk in the semis to take a place in the finals.  Should be a great match.
 
119
Sophomore Levi Moss stands the top of the 119 pound weight class.  The returning state qualifier of a year ago is trying to earn is second Marion County Championship.  Standing in his way are #14 Robert Boston of Lawrence North and freshman standout Gerald Dycus of Warren Central.
 
Favorite- #3 Levi Moss
Match of the Day- Boston and Moss
Darkhorse- Aidan Kenny of Perry Meridian.
 
125
There are no secrets here.  This weight class is all about Perry Meridian’s  #1 Jared McKinley and Roncalli’s #2 Josh Kieffer.  This will be the rematch to the 3 OT win for McKinley last weekend.  These two should be very accustomed to each other by the end of the season.
 
Favorite- This is a toss up, who is going to execute better.
Match of the day- McKinley and Keiffer
Darkhorse- Jesse McIntosh of Speedway
 
130
This weight class should come down to a battle between #10 at 135 Jordan Johnson and #14 Nick Bova.  Johnson finished runner up last year at 125 and Bova finished 3rd at 103.  Even with the big jump in weight Bova has really filled out and has been successful at 130 this year.  Standing in their way are Mikhail Randall of Ben Davis, Brennon Ellis of Roncalli, and Wes Hunt of Speedway.
 
Favorite — Jordan Johnson
Match of the day- Johnson and Bova
Darkhorse- Brennon Ellis of Roncalli
 
140
This weight class is wide open and features many talented wrestlers.  Top wrestlers in the group include Matt Rattay, Charlie Smith, Joe Kieffer, Clayton Davenport, and Alex Louzon.  Rattay has been very impressive this year and could face either Kieffer or Smith in the finals.  This weight class should prove to be very competitive with a lot of close matches.
 
Favorite-#5  Matt Rattay
Match of the day- #5 Rattay and #12 Kieffer
Darkhorse- Clayton Davenport of Ben Davis.
 
145
The 145 pound weight class is open for the taking as well.  #10 @140 Tiandre Edwards stand on the top with the #1 seed, while surprise #2 seed Riley McClurg is coming from the bottom half of the bracket.  Riley is a very tough wrestler and is coming back from injury, he will likely meet returning state qualifier Kyle Reidling of Warren Central.
 
Favorite- Tiandre Edwards
Match of the Day- Edwards and Reidling
Darkhorse- Clay Labarr of Lawrence Central
152
I am not sure if anyone is going to stop returning state place winner Kirk Johnson of Perry Meridian.   He is the #1 seed and looks to continue his impressive season with another Marion County Championship.
 
Favorite- Kirk Johnson
Match of the Day- Ford and Boucher
Darkhorse- Drake Duncan of Ben Davis
 
160
This weight class should be action packed all day.  This class features four runner ups from last year.  Mike Taylor was  runner up @152 and is the surprise #1 seed.  #8 Derek Harz is the #2 seed and finished runner up @ 145 last season.  Cole Kelly was runner- up at @ 160 last season and #10 Mitchell Judkins of Speedway is a two time runner up and finished 2nd @171 last year.  One these guys will improve on their performance last year and take home the title.
 
Favorite- Derek Harz of Perry Meridian
Match of the Day- Harz and Judkins, whoever wins this one takes home the championship.  Harz defeated Judkins 1-0 at the Capital City Classic.
Darkhorse- Tre Spencer
 
171
#4 Mike Smith of North Central is looking to win his second straight county title @171 at he continues on his journey to make is his 3rd trip to Conseco Fieldhouse.   Standing in his way is #2 seed Jake Masengale of Perry Meridian.  Other strong competitors in the field are Kyle English, Damon Albertson, Erick Zeleya, and Logan Brougher.
 
Favorite- #4 Mike Smith
Match of the Day- Masengale and Albertson
Darkhorse- Kyle English of Ben Davis
 
189
#11 Jeremy Haskett of Lawrence North is the #1 seed in this weight class and will have to get by Perry’s Sam Tasseff to reach the finals. Beech Grove’s Joe Mueller and Ben Davis’s Drew Craig will battle to reach the finals as well. The semi final matches should be very exciting.  Look for Haskett and Mueller to meet in the finals.   Haskett beat him 2-1 in the county last year.
 
Favorite- #11 Jeremy Haskett
Match of the Day- Mueller and Haskett
Darkhorse- Drew Craig
 
215
#10 Logan Cooper sits at the top of the 215 pound weight class in the county.  He is looking for his 1st Marion County Championship.  #13 Jake Tucker of Roncalli and Pike’s Justin Sanders will wrestle to see who comes out of the bottom part of the bracket to face Cooper in the finals.
 
Favorite- #10 Cooper
Match of the Day- Cooper and Tucker
Darkhorse- Austin Netherton
 
285
Even without #10 Michael Cheh in this weight class it is still the most competitive of the entire tournament.  There are 6 or 7 guys who if they are on their game can come away with a championship.   This field includes #4 Willie Henson, #5 Eric Thigpen, #12 Jordan Naughton, #13 Kyle White, #15 Adam Decker, Southport’s Jon Cleary with a 15-1 record, and Speedway’s Jared Schall with a 16-2 record.
 
Favorite- Willie Henson
Match of the day- Henson and Thigpen
Darkhorse- Kyle White (returning state qualifier)

441
East Central Indiana Classic 2010
Click here for brackets
342
Indianamat.com Team Rankings 12/21
1. Crown Point (12-0)
2. Perry Meridian (9-0)
3. Evansville Mater Dei (9-0)
4. Merrillville (12-0)
5. Mishawaka (12-2)
6. Yorktown (23-1)
7. Lawrence North (8-4)
8. Penn (7-3)
9. Roncalli (13-1)
10. Bellmont (15-2)
11. Cathedral (7-3)
12. Center Grove (10-1)
13. Westfield (16-3)
14. Franklin (8-5)
15. Carmel (5-1)
16. Evansville Reitz (15-0)
17. Bloomington South (5-2)
18. Warren Central (4-2)
19. Jennings County (19-1)
20. Jimtown (12-0)

618
2010 Al Smith Invite - Pre-Seeds
Members of the Indiana Mat staff have put together the following projected seeds for Mishawaka's Al Smith Invitational. These are NOT the official seeds and are intended for entertainment purposes only.
 
103
1. Nathan Boston - Lawrence North
2. Danny Hamm - Prairie Heights
3. Riley Newkirk - Lawrence Central
4. Santo Marciano - Munster
5. Michael Garza - Merrillville
6. Cody Flickinger - Elkhart Memorial
7. Scott Fozo - Mishawaka
8. Zach Davis - Penn
 
112
1. Jarrod Brooks - Warsaw
2. Aurelio Medina - Munster
3. Alex Sparks - Lawrence North
4. Anthony Schoettle - Center Grove
5. Sam Ferdig - South Bend Adams
6. Grant Martsolf - Mishawaka
7. Corey Gettig - Penn
8. Jake Carlile - Columbus East
 
Others to consider - Zeke Weese - Rochester, Jacob Girod - Bellmont

1191. Kyle Ayersman - Lake Central
2. Adam Garcia - Merrillville
3. Robert Boston - Lawrence North
4. Baron Reiker - Columbus East
5. Lymen Stoneburner - Mishawaka
6. Jacob Davis - Penn
7. Bobby Keuneke - Bellmont
8. Max Brutus - Lawrence Central

1251. Layten Binion - Mishawka
2. Alex Griesemer - Princeton
3. Nick Crume - Jimtown
4. Tyler Chapple - Penn
5. Zach Reiker - Columbus East
6. Braxton Simpson - Peru
7. Kaleb Chambers - Jasper
8. Garth Simpson - Rochester
 
Others to consider - Kalib Jackson - East Noble, Joe Boots - Prairie Heights

1301. Alex Gregory - Penn
2. Travis Barroquillo - Prairie Heights
3. Taylor Wisler - Mishawaka
4. Collin Crume - Jimtown
5. Jordan Johnson - Lawrence North
6. Al Padilla - Merrillville
7. Steven Reiker - Columbus East
8. Alex Kastafaros - Chesterton
 
Others to consider - Andre Butts - Lawrence Central

1351. Chris Kastafaros - Chesterton
2. Kenny Hughes - Lowell
3. Kris Roberts - Elkhart Memorial
4. Bryce Shoemaker - Lawrence Central
5. Trevor Manspeaker - Penn
6. Dewey Melcher - Bellmont
7. Tristan Macri - Mishawaka
8. Zach Slough - Jimtown
 
Others to consider - Michael Escobedo - Lake Central, Adam Steele - Prairie Heights, Tyler Householder - East Noble

1401. Bradley Wartman - Lake Central
2. Matt Rattay - Lawrence North
3. Ryan Ntende - Goshen
4. Brooks Faurote - Bellmont
5. Tim Shuler - Columbus East
6. Lucas Rieke - East Noble
7. Joey Kelly - Chesterton
8. Chris Felske - Michigan City
 
Others to consider - Zach Hays - Center Grove

1451. Dantrell Goodman - Elkhart Memorial
2. Grant Anglemeyer - Penn
3. Brandon Reynolds-Smith - South Bend Riley
4. Sidney Logan - Mishawaka
5. Anthony Stebing - Bellmont
6. Javier Avalos - Merrillville
7. Matt Hill - Jimtown
8. Clay LeBarr - Lawrence Central

1521. Spencer Hays - Center Grove
2. Cam Matteson - Elkhart Memorial
3. Luke Smith - Munster
4. Darius Marshall - Mishawaka
5. Will Busse - Bellmont
6. Zach Meyers - Jimtown
7. Mike Hummer - Penn
8. Joe Zigler - New Prairie
 
Others to consider - Kelly Kolat - South Bend Riley, Zach Sandefur - Merrillville, Jacob Schroder - Rochester
 


160
1. Anthony Quiroz - Chesterton
2. Sean Mappes - Center Grove
3. Michael Taylor - Lawrence Central
4. Alex Stewart - LaPorte
5. Alex Lymburner - South Bend Riley
6. Zach Johnson - Columbus East
7. John Mahlan - Bellmont
8. Ryan Chandler - Prairie Heights
 
Others to consider - Eric Deluna - Merrillville, Tony Rodriguez - Hobart

1711. Drake Stein - Princeton
2. Ryley Kankenson - Bellmont
3. Ashton Brierly - Columbus East
4. Joe Peco - Hobart
5. Joe Tucker - Jasper
6. Brandon Weinkauf - Jimtown
7. David Stevens - Penn
8. Brandon Douthitt - Lawrence North
 
Others to consider - Tyler Reinoehl - Mishawaka

1891. Brandon Dillenbeck - Goshen
2. Kourtney Berry - Merrillville
3. Jeremy Haskett - Lawrence North
4. Alex Skipper - South Bend Adams
5. Chase Spears - Elkhart Memorial
6. Ross Hoover - Warsaw
7. Tony Sanchez - Chesterton
8. Tanner Adams - Jimtown

2151. Taylor Grubb - Prairie Heights
2. Travis Thatcher - Bellmont
3. Devin Reagan - Penn
4. Jack Seaman - Munster
5. Jaylen Clark - Lawrence Central
6. Brandon Daniels - Goshen
7. Mike Nickson - Merrillville
8. Galen Robinson - Lake Central

2851. Daniel Meyer - Bellmont
2. Eric Thigpen - Lawrence Central
3. Eric Forrest - Jimtown
4. Braxton Eby - Mishawaka
5. Nathan Schnell - Jasper
6. Tyler Van Luu - Calumet
7. Pat Biancardi - Lake Central
8. Gabe Miller - Penn
 
Others to Consider - Thomas Emmitt - Columbus East

394
Parity Makes Appearance at Al Smith Invitational
The 2010 edition of the Mishawaka's annual winter break wrestling extravaganza, the Al Smith Invitational, will likely be more tightly contested than it has been in recent memory.  Seven of IndianaMat.com's top twenty teams are set to do battle on Wednesday and Thursday and no one appears to have set themselves apart after the brackets were released Sunday afternoon.
 
Arch rivals #8 Penn and the host #5 Mishawaka lead the way with eight seeded wrestlers each.  #4 Merrillville and #20 Jimtown both have seven seeded wrestlers.  Perennial state powers #7 Lawrence North and #10 Bellmont check in next with six seeded wrestlers.  #12 Center Grove has five seeded wrestlers.  Other schools that appear primed to have a say in the team race include Elkhart Memorial, Columbus East and Prairie Heights.
 
Unlike the team race, the majority of the weight classes seem to have clear favorites this year.
 
Weight Class Previews
 
103
 
This year's most hyped frosh, Lawrence North's Nathan Boston is the number one seed and the number one ranked wrestler in the state.  He earned his lofty ranking by making mincemeat out of everyone he has faced this year.  Included in Boston's path of destruction is the second seeded and fourteenth ranked Santo Marciano.  Boston defeated the Raging Calf 17-5 a couple of weeks ago at Calumet.  Expect a closer match on Thursday, but not close enough to make Lawrence North coach Jared Williams sweat too much.  Other wrestlers to keep an eye on are #16 Michael Garza of Merrillville and Codey Flickinger of Elkhart Memorial.
 
112
 
The 112 pound class is one of the deeper classes at Mishawaka this year with many fine wrestlers not earning seeds.  At the top is defending 103 champion and 4th ranked Jarred Brooks of Warsaw.  Brooks will look to shake off some rust after missing the first half of the season.  The top half of the bracket has many other fine wrestlers such as Zech Weese of Rochester, Grant Martsoff of Mishawaka, and Anthony Scholettle of Center Grove.  None, however, appear to have the ammo to take down Brooks.  The bottom half of the bracket is absolutely brutal.  Up to seven of the wrestlers in this half of the bracket have legitimate shot at the finals.  Third seeded and thirteenth ranked Aurelio Medina of Munster is my pick but state placer Danny Hamm of Prairie Heights, Lawrence North's Alex Sparks, and South Bend Adams' super soph Sammy Ferdig will all provide stiff challenges to Medina.
 
119
 
Another clear favorite appears at the top of the bracket at 119.  Lake Central's Kyle Ayersman was the state champ last year at 112 and has picked up where he left off last year.  The number one seed, Ayersman, did suffer his only loss of the season in the finals of the Al Smith last year.  Second seeded and 5th ranked Robert Boston of Lawrence North comes into the tournament on a hot streak after defeating highly ranked Levi Moss of Ben Davis in the finals of the Marion County Tournament.
 
125
 
Yet another clear front runner headlines the 125 lb. bracket with Mishawaka's 3rd ranked Layten Binion.  Binion appears to have separated himself from the field after a breakout campaign as a sophomore which saw him place 7th in the state at 119.  Binion has signature wins this year over former state runner-up Dustin Kief of Franklin and 6th seeded Tyler Chapple of Penn.  It is unfortunate that Merrillville's Adam Garcia is on the same side of the bracket as I believe he might be the second best wrestler in the bracket.  Princeton's veteran Alex Griesemer might just navigate the bottom of the bracket on his way to the finals.
 
130
 
Alex Gregory's decision to wrestle at 135 for the tournament probably made the 130 weight class as wide open as any this year.  This class is still the deepest of any at Mishawaka.  Prairie Heights' top seeded Travis Barroquillo won two out of three matches with seconded seeded Taylor Wisler of Mishawaka last year and they are ranked third and fourth respectively in the state.  The lower seeds are not far behind and they include Merrillville's Al Padilla, Lawrence North's Jordan Johnson, Jimtown's Collin Crume, Penn's Trevor Manspeaker, and Columbus East's Zach Reiker.  Four unseeded wrestlers with 2 or fewer losses make this class outstanding.
 
135
 
The addition of Penn's Alex Gregory to the 135 bracket made a strong field even stronger.  There are not the same number of kids here with state wide credentials (yet) but there is plenty of talent.  I would expect Gregory to have little trouble with the top half of the bracket.  The four seeds in the bottom half have four total losses.  I like Steven Rieker of Columbus East to become the Olympians' first Al Smith finalist.
 
140
 
The 140 class features two returning state placers and two other ranked individuals.  Lake Central has another top seed in Bradley Wartman.  Wartman has a 5th place state medal(at 135) on his resume which garnered him the top seed over Lawrence North's Matt Rattay who placed 7th at 135.  Throwing a monkey wrench into the equation is Bellmont's Brooks Faurote who defeated Wartman in the 3rd place match at last years tournament.  Goshen's Ryan Ntende has Al Smith hardware from last year as well and comes in as the four seed.
 
145
 
Calling any weight class weak at the Al Smith Invite does not make sense but 145, 152, and 160 probably do not have the depth that many of the other class possess.  What this often means is that there is an opportunity for some relatively unknown wrestlers to make a name for themselves on the statewide scene.  At 145, Elkhart Memorial's Dantrell Goodman(12th ranked) is the number one seed and highest ranked wrestler. Penn's Grant Anglemyer is ranked thirteenth and the number two seed.  I like Merrillville's Javier Avalos to author a couple of upsets on his way to finals where he will likely face Anglemyer.
 
152
 
Elkhart Memorial has two number one seeds in a row with standout Cam Matteson topping the 152 bracket.  He must be ready to go right off the bat as he faces unseeded but very tough Kelly Kolat of South Bend Riley in the first round. This entire bracket seems wide open.  I like Munster's underrated Luke Smith to upset Matteson in the semis on his way to the finals where he might meet sixth seeded Darius Marshall of Mishawaka in the finals.  Marshall is a big match veteran.  Honestly it would not surprise me to see any of about eight different wrestlers in the finals at 152.
 
160
 
There has been no sign of Chesterton's Anthony Quiroz in any results this year but the former state runner up is scheduled to make his first appearance this year at the Al Smith as he is top seed.  He should have a couple of tests if he wishes to defend his championship as he will probably have to defeat Prairie Heights' Ryan Chandler, Columbus East's David Johnson and LaPorte's top gun and Duneland Conference rival, Alex Stewart.  If Quiroz can navigate that minefield, he will likely face the winner between ninth ranked Sean Mappes of Center Grove and fourteenth ranked Michael Taylor of Lawrence Central.
 
171
 
If there is a sure thing at this year's tournament, it is Drake Stein of Princeton. Ranked first in the state, defending state champion, and two time Al Smith champ are just the tip of the Stein resume.  He is a Purdue recruit as well as a national greco runner up.  His likely finals opponent is Bellmont's second seeded and fifth ranked Ryley Hankenson.  Other challengers include ranked wrestlers, Joe Peco of Hobart (14th), Aston Brierly of Columbus East(12th) and undefeated Brandon Weinkauf of Jimtown.
 
189
 
189 should be a deep and exciting class with no clearcut favorite.  State qualifier Brandon Dillenbeck of Goshen is the number one seed and ranked ninth in the state.  He should be tested on his side of the bracket by NLC rivals Ross Hoover of Warsaw and Chase Spears of Elkhart Memorial.  The four seeded wrestlers in the bottom half of the bracket have two total losses.  Included in this foursome is fourth ranked Kourtney Berry of Merrillville(2nd seed), Jimtown's dangerous Tanner Adams(3rd seed), Lawrence North's undefeated and underrated Jeremy Haskett (6th seed), as well as 21-1 Alex Skipper of South Bend Adams.
 
215
 
The Bellmont fan brigade will be in Mishawaka until the end as the Braves have secured the top seed at both 215 hand heavyweight.  Travis Thatcher claimed the top spot at 215 based on his 7th place finish at state last year as well as an Al Smith title at 189.  Second seed Taylor Grubb of Prairie Heights also has a state medal on his resume.  Grubb is currently ranked third and Thatcher 4th in the state.  Not far behind these two are the third seeded Devin Reagan of Penn and Munster's fourth seed Jack Seaman.  These two are ranked 7th and 8th respectively.  All four have been tested in the first half of the season so the semi finals should be very exciting.
 
285
 
Bellmont's little big man, Daniel Meyer tops the heavyweight bracket as he looks to add an Al Smith championship to his already impressive body of work.  Meyer uses his quickness and hustle to outwork most heavyweights he has encountered over the past three years of battling the big boys.  If Jimtown's second seeded Eric Forrest can get to the finals he might possess the right combination of size and athleticism to cause Meyer some headaches in the finals.

575
2010 Al Smith Coverage
[caption id=attachment_2673" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="2010 Al Smith Team Champions Penn High School Photo by Paul D. Tincher][/caption]

Brackets and Team Scores
updated throughout the tournament
Individual Brackets
updated through finals
Team Scores
updated through finals
 
Broadcastsport.net's Brackets
Note: These are not the official brackets and may have errors.  These however will be updated more often than the official brackets above.

Pick'em Game
Click here to test your luck and skill
Click here to trash talk

Articles
Parity Makes Appearance at Al Smith Invitational
Al Smith Pre-Seeds

Discussion Links
Al Smith Bracket Discussion
Al Smith Tournament Discussion

Broadcastsport.net's Coverage Links
Click here for video coverage

Other Information
Weigh-in Times: Wednesday & Thursday, Dec. 29th and 30th 8:00 AM
*Note: No weight allowance on the first day
Coaches Meeting: Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 (Apprx.) 9:15 AM
Wrestling Time:
Wednesday, December 30th, 2010 (Apprx.) 10:30 AM
We will wrestle until there are four wrestlers in the losers' bracket and four wrestlers in the winners' bracket.
Thursday, December 30th 9:00 AM
Small Break between each round
Introduction to Finals 1:30 PM
Finals shortly after 1:30PM introductions