High School News

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683
Al Smith Invite Brackets Posted
IndianaMat.com is the first to bring you the Al Smith Invitation brackets this year. Look for more coverage of the Al Smith in the coming days.
 
Click here for the brackets

786
Al Smith Day 1 Recap and Semi-Finals Preview
The Al Smith Invitational started off with as much hype as ever this year.  The main reason for the hype was the 130lb weight class that featured 3X state champion Josh Harper, state champion Cashe Quiroga, state runner-up Frankie Porras and state 4th place finisher Will Sheets.  As usual with a tournament of this caliber there were upsets and surprises throughout the day.  One of the biggest upsets occurred at the 152lbs weight class where 8th seed Anthony Quiroz of Chesterton beat #1 seed Tyler Baker of Bellmont 3-1 in overtime.  Quiroz is only a freshman and will be one to watch the rest of the year and the next four years.  Here is a weight by weight recap and preview of the semi-finals.
 
103:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Stevens(Merrillville) vs. #4 Moore(Elkhart Memorial)
#2 Ayersman(Lake Central) vs. #3 Brooks(Warsaw)
 
There were no big upsets at 103lbs as the top four seeds all advanced to the semi-finals.  Zac Stevens, the #4 ranked wrestler in the state will take on unranked Michael Moore in the semi-finals, while the other semi-final will pit the #5 and #14 ranked wrestlers against eachother when Kyel Ayersman battles Jared Brooks.
 
112:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Brandon Nelson(Lawrence North) vs. #4 Alex Griesemer(Princeton)
#2 Paul Beck(Mishawaka) vs. #3 Travis Barroquillo(Prairie Heights)
 
Just like the 103lbs weight class there were no major upsets in the championship round.  There was a minor upset as Alex Griesemer of Princeton came from behind to beat #14 Alex Gregory in the quarterfinals.  Gregory was in the lead until Griesemer pulled out a headlock pin late in the third period.  Brandon Nelson, the #2 ranked wrestler in the state, will take on Griesemer in the top half of the bracket.  The other semi-final match will be a great one when #5 Paul Beck takes on #12 Travis Barroquillo.
 
119:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Matt Milton(Center Grove) vs. #4 Cory Hildebrandt(Penn)
#2 Matt Guerra(Mishawaka) vs. #3 Jake Lamb(Lowell)
 
For the third straight weight class all the top seeds advanced to the semi-finals.  The 9th, 10th and 11th ranked wrestlers will battle it out for the Al Smith title tomorrow.  #9 Matt Milton will take on unranked, but dangerous Cory Hildebrandt, while #10 Jake Lamb will face off with #11 Matt Guerra.
 
125:
#1 Justin Brooks(Warsaw) vs. #4 Zack Thornton(Chesterton)
#2 Anthony Napules(Merrillville) vs. #3 Aaron Garrettson(Peru)
 
While this weight class advanced the top four seeds, there still was an upset at #8 Matt Adams of Center Grove lost in the quarter-finals to #12 Zack Thornton of Chesterton.  The semi-finals at this weight will feature four ranked wrestlers.  #3 at 119lbs Justin Brooks will take on Thornton, while the other semi-final matchup will feature #4 Anthony Napules of Merriville going up against #7 Aaron Garrettson of Peru.
 
130:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Josh Harper(Mishawaka) vs. #5 Will Sheets(Bellmont)
#2 Cashe Quiroga(Lawrence North) vs. #3 Frankie Porras(Hobart)
 
This by far is the featured weight class of the tournament.  All four of these wrestlers have finished in the top four in the state, with two of them coming away with titles last year.  Add to that two other wrestlers ranked in the top 16 in the state and this is a weight class that is equal to the state finals.  Will Sheets came away with the only upset as he avenged an earlier loss to Jimmy LaRowe of East Noble to advance to the semi-finals.  #1 Josh Harper will take on #5 at 125lbs Will Sheets in the top half of the bracket while, #1 at 125lbs Cashe Quiroga will wrestle #2 Frankie Porras in the other semi-final.
 
135:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Taylor March(East Noble) vs. #5 Ben Sokol(Penn)
#2 Johnny Dillon(Hobart) vs. #3 Paul Manbu-Thompson(Warsaw)
 
Only one upset in the bracket at 135lbs, when Ben Sokol scored a late takedown to beat #4 seed Jeremy Hill of Jimtown.  The 2nd and 3rd ranked wrestlers in the state could meet in the finals if they win their semi-final matches.  #2 Taylor March will take on unranked Ben Sokol, while #3 Johnny Dillon will take on unranked Paul Manbu-Thompson.
 
140:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Steven Sandefer(Mishawaka) vs. #4 Trace Hall(South Bend Riley)
#2 Jarrod Crump(Center Grove) vs. #3 Ryan Stahl(Elkhart Memorial)
 
No upsets in this weight, but there are some great semi-final matches that includes all four wrestlers ranked in the top 11 of the weight class.  #1 and defending state champion Steven Sandefer will take on #8 Trace Hall, while the other semi-final will feature #7 Ryan Stahl wrestling #11 Jarrod Crump.
 
145:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Zach Corpe(Elkhart Memorial) vs. #5 Tyler Lymburner(South Bend Riley)
#3 Matt Goodwin(Lawrence North) vs. #7 Spencer Stockwell(Chesterton)
 
This weight had quite a few upsets as #15 Dalton Sparks fell in the quarter-finals to Spencer Stockwell.  Zach Corpe is the only ranked wrestler still alive for the championship.  #12 Zach Corpe will face Tyler Lymburner in the top half, while Matt Goodwin will face off with upset minded Spencer Stockwell.
 
152:
Semi-Finals:
#5 Drake Stein(Princeton) vs. #8 Anthony Quiroz(Chesterton)
#3 Jordan Martin(New Prairie) vs. #7 Dustin Kern(Peru)
 
This weight class featured the most upsets of the day.  Only one top four seed survived to see the semi-finals.  The upsets included Tyler Baker falling to Anthony Quiroz, Drake Stein beating Adam Keener, and Dustin Kern topping Tim Forte.  The semi-finals will be interesting as Stein will take on Quiroz in the top half and Jordan Martin the only top seed to make it out will take on Dustin Kern.
 
160:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Quinn Kurtz(Prairie Heights) vs. #4 Richard Morin(Mishawaka)
#2 Trent Busse(Bellmont) vs. #3 Kurt Monix(Lowell)
 
The semi-finals at this weight class will feature three ranked wrestlers and will definitely be an interesting semi-final.  #14 Quinn Kurtz will take on unranked Richard Morin and #7 Kurt Monix will take on #16 Trent Busse.
 
171:
Semi-Finals:
#1 George Lopez(Northwood) vs. #5 Henry Waring(East Noble)
#2 Shelby Mappes(Center Grove) vs. #3 Bryce Grimes(Lawrence North)
 
This weight is one of the deepest in the tournament with five wrestlers ranked in the top 16 in the state.  One of the first round match-ups featured two ranked wrestlers when #7 Bryce Grimes beat #15 Kourtney Berry.  The semi-finals will feature #5 George Lopez against unranked Henry Waring and #4 Shelby Mappes vs. #7 Bryce Grimes.
 
189:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Brett Worden(Peru) vs. Daniel Sandberg(Lawrence Central)
#2 Travis Kepner(Benton Central) vs. #6 Dustin Boyd(Mishawaka)
 
This weight class featured the only unseeded wrestler to make the semi-finals, when Daniel Sandberg of Lawrence Central beat two seeded wrestlers to advance to the semi-finals.  #10 Brett Worden will take on Sandberg in the top half of the bracket, while #15 Travis Kepner will wrestle Dustin Boyd.
 
215:
Semi-Finals:
#1 Billy Baker(Bellmont) vs. #5 Christian Lentz(Mishawaka)
#2 Nathan Cleveland(Lowell) vs. #3 Kannon Keigley(New Priarie)
 
This is another great weight class that featured the top three ranked wrestlers in the state along with the #11 ranked wrestler.  The first semi-final match-up will feature #1 Billy Baker against #3 Christian Lentz and the other semi-final will feature #2 Nathan Cleveland vs. #11 Kannon Keigley.  This could easily be a preview of the state semi-finals.
 
285:
Semi-Finals:
#1 James Travis(Merrillville) vs. #4 Pablo Auces(South Bend Riley)
#3 Travis Thomas(Mishawaka) vs. #7 Daniel Meyer(Bellmont)
 
Only one big upset at this weight class, when #7 seed Daniel Meyer beat Zach Stone in overtime by pin.  This weight could feature a finals match-up of the #9 and #10 ranked wrestlers in the state.  #9 James Travis will take on Pablo Auces and #10 Travis Thomas will take on the upset minded Daniel Meyer.

450
The Clash went to Cashe
- Mishawaka defends its team title at Al Smith
 
[caption id=attachment_169" align="alignleft" width="178" caption="Quiroga vs. Harper][/caption]
 
In the most anticipated match-up of the season, one that fans throughout the state thought they would see at Calumet a month ago, Lawrence North's Cashe Quiroga solidified his claim as Indiana's best pound for pound wrestler by bumping up a weight class and defeating Mishawaka's three time state champ, Josh Harper 2-1.
 
The first period had Quiroga pressing the action with leg attacks on Harper.  Harper nicely countered two deep shots and the stanza ended deadlocked at 0-0.
 
[caption id=attachment_182" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Hungus' Perch][/caption]
 
Quiroga's decision to choose neutral to begin the second period proved to be most important because off an early single leg attempt by Harper, Cashe countered with a front headlock that he turned into a very tight nearside cradle to secure a takedown.  Quiroga patiently worked the cradle in an effort to turn Harper for the remainder of the period.  Harper gamely fought off multiple attempts by Quiroga and the second period ended with Cashe holding a slim 2-0 advantage.
 
Down by two and possible protecting a healing shoulder, Harper chose top position in the third period.  Harper went to work with his leech like riding ability to throw in leg and began to work a power half.  Quiroga was able to weather the two minute assault on his shoulder giving up only a stalling point to win this clash, 2-1.
 
In the team race, Mishawaka defended the home cave in topping Lawrence North and Bellmont by 45 and 47 points respectively.  This is most impressive because the Cavemen were missing their varsity 103 and 171 pound wrestlers.
 
FINALS SUMMARIES
 

 

 
[caption id=attachment_168" align="alignleft" width="172" caption="Ayersman vs. Stevens][/caption]
 
103: Lake Central's young freshman #5 ranked Kyle Ayersmen used superior skills on his feet to earn three takedowns on fellow Duneland grappler, #4 Merrillville's Zack Stevens to earn a 6-3 decision and his first Al Smith championship.
 
112: In another battle of highly ranked wrestlers, Lawrence North's #2 Brandon Nelson topped #5 Paul Beck of Mishawaka with a takedown off of a scramble in overtime to win 2-0.
 
119: The number two seed and tenth ranked Jake Lamb of Lowell scored a minor upset by defeating Center Grove's #9 ranked Matt Milton 6-3.  Lamb was most impressive, controlling the action throughout.
 
[caption id=attachment_174" align="alignright" width="210" caption="Brooks vs. Napules][/caption]
 
125: Three time Al Smith champ Justin Brooks of Warsaw bumped up a weight class to challenge Merrillville's outstanding Anthony Napules. Brooks sealed his third title by hitting a granby roll and locking up a Peterson early in the third period to secure an 8-5 victory.
 
135: Third ranked Johnny Dillon of Hobart escaped the hold of second ranked Taylor March of East Noble late in the third period to win a tight 4-3 decision.
 
140: Returning state champ Steven Sandefer of Mishawaka looked most impressive both days and controlled much of the action in his 4-2 victory over #7 Ryan Stahl of Elkhart Memorial.
 

 
[caption id=attachment_181" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Corpe vs. Goodwin][/caption]
 
145: Zach Corpe of Elkhart Memorial made it two Chargers in a row to the finals and put on a dominating display with his pin of Lawrence North's Matt Goodwin in 1:09.
 
152: Drake Stein of Princeton made sure that the south would be heard from as he looked very slick on his feet, scoring numerous takedowns in his 10-1 major decision of Peru's Dustin Kern.
 
160: Lowell's seventh ranked Kurt Monix looked very athletic and dangerous on his feet when he majored #1 seed and fourteenth ranked Quinn Kurtz of Prairie Heights, 13-4.
 
171: IndianaMat's rankings proved accurate again as #2 seed but higher ranked #4 Shelby Mappes of Center Grove utilized an early take down to defeat #1 seed and fifth ranked George Lopez of Northwood.
 
189: In what looked like a Greco-Roman battle, Benton Central's #15 Travis Kepner came out on top of an exciting 9-7 decision over unseeded Daniel Sandberg of Lawrence Central.
 

 
[caption id=attachment_180" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Baker vs. Cleveland][/caption]
 
215: Bellmont would not go home to Decatur without a champion as #1 ranked Billy Baker used an early takedown and good riding to top second ranked Nathan Cleveland of Lowell 2-1.
 
285: Merrillville also got their first champion late in the day when #9 James Travis scrambled for a takedown in overtime to defeat #10 Travis Thomas of Mishawaka 4-2.  This battle of juniors could be a preview of the state finals in 2010.  Or maybe this year???

977
Rochester John McKee Memorial Invitational Brackets
Click here for the Rochester John McKee Memorial Invitational brackets
 
Teams Include: Northridge, Peru, South Bend Clay, Churubusco, Rochester, Plymouth, Tippecanoe Valley, South Bend Washington, Knox, Triton, Bremen, LaVille, Caston, Culver Community, TC Howe, North Miami

557
Youth "Wrestler of the Week" 01-03-09
Name: Austin Neibarger
Age: 14
Club: CIA
Tournament: Border Wars All-Star Christmas Duals in Battle Creek, Michigan
Tournament Record: 5-0 at 152 lbs.
 
Austin Neibarger wrestled for the Indiana All-Star Middle School Team at the All-Star Christmas Duals. Austin pinned all of his opponents on all-star teams from other states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. All of Austin’s pins occurred in the first or second periods of the matches. The Indiana All-Star team finished 3rd overall at the All-Star Christmas Duals and was Coached by Ed Pendoski. Congratulation and good job Austin, keep up the hard work.
 
*Special "WOW"
 
Jesse C. Terry
Age 13
LC Bears Club
 
Jesse was a member of Coach Chad Red's LC bears Club until he found out that he had been diagnosed with Leukemia. Jesse lost his hard fought battle on Dec.26th. Our thoughts and Prayers go out to the Terry's.
 
indianaMat.com Family

568
Pound for Pound Rankings 1/5/2009
IndianaMat.com Pound for Pound Rankings 1/5/2009
1. Cashe Quiroga
2. Sean McMurray
3. Josh Harper
4. Jason Tsirtsis
5. Eric Roach
6. Marcus Shrwesbury
6. Brandon Wright
8. Steven Sandefer
9. Camden Eppert
10. Briar Runyan
 
Honorable Mention
Braden Atwood
Justin Brooks
Kyle Mosier
Michael Duckworth
Adam Chalfant
Kyle Ayersman
Ethan Raley
Mark Meyers
Anthony Hawkins
 
Discuss this on the messageboard

708
Toe to Joe with Steven Sandefer
[caption id=attachment_209" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mishawaka's Steven Sandefer][/caption]
 
One of this week's two Toe to Joe's is with reigning 140lbs state champion Steven Sandefer of Mishawaka.  He is coming off a great week after winning the Al Smith Invitational, which included two pins in 8 seconds and 14 seconds.
 
1. How did you get started wrestling and how many years have you been wrestling?
When a kid on my little league baseball team(Jeremiah Maggart) got me started.  I have been wrestling for nine years.
 
2. What other interests/hobbies/sports do you participate in outside of wrestling?
I did play football until this year and I play rugby.

3. Who is the toughest wrestler you have faced and why?
Marshall Peppleman of Central Dauphin, PA, the kid is a stud!
 
4. Describe what it was like to win a team state title last year after finishing runner-up the previous year.
It felt pretty awesome, like we finally set things right.  It was a big relief!
 
5. What sport is your favorite and why?
Wrestling, it has taken me the farthest in life and paid for my college.
 
6. What is the most memorable match you have wrestled and why?
Winning my first state title my first year wrestling at Greco state.  I had to pin or tech my opponent to win and I ended up teching him.
 
7. You're in the third period in the state finals and down by one point with 30 seconds left and on your feet, what move are you going to hit to bring home the championship?
I'll take whatever he gives me, I'll keep pressuring him until he makes a mistake.
 
8. Who is the most influential person in your life? Why?
My dad, he has taught me a lot and has guided me through life and put me in the best position for college wrestling.
 
9. Do you have any superstitions or routines when it comes to wrestling?
My shoes have to feel perfect.  I might adjust them a few times.
 
10. What makes wrestling so great?
It's an individual and team sport.  You get to find out how tough you really are mentally and push the wrestlers around you.

934
Toe to Joe with Josh Harper
[caption id=attachment_215" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mishawaka's Josh Harper][/caption]
 
The second Toe to Joe this week is with three-time state champion Josh Harper of Mishawaka.  Harper is looking to become only the eighth four-time state champion in Indiana history this season.
 
1. How did you get started wrestling and how many years have you been wrestling?
My brother wrestled so I joined a club in Springfield, Illinois in second grade.
 
2. What other interests/hobbies/sports do you participate in outside of wrestling?
I'm in Stay In Bounds and I love having fun with friends.
 
3. Who is the toughest wrestler you have faced and why?
Tough question, probably Frankie Porras or Cashe Quiroga because I wrestle them a lot.
 
4. Looking forward to college, what excites you the most about wrestling for Michigan State and in the Big 10?
DI, toughest conference, everyone is good, its true competition
 
5. What state title is the one you cherish the most?
Winning my freshman year
 
6. What is the most memorable match you have wrestled and why?
Pinning John Sims to seal the win for our Team State title.
 
7. You're in the third period in the state finals going for title #4 and down by one point with 30 seconds left and on your feet, what move are you going to hit to bring home title #4?
Tough question, I have a go-to move from a lot of different ties.  It depends on who I'm wrestling I suppose.
 
8. Who is the most influential person in your life? Why?
Probably LeRoy Vega.  My friends and family have played a big role in who I am today as well.
 
9. Do you have any superstitions or routines when it comes to wrestling?
I like to get relaxes before my match so my head is clear.  I always have some song in my head the entire time I'm wrestling.
 
10. What makes wrestling so great?
It's one on one, no excuses.  There is no one to blame but yourself.  Plus, chicks dig wrestlers, but most of all it's that burning desire to compete to win.

509
Wrestler of the Week 12/21 - 1/3/2009
IndianaMat.com's

Wrestler of the Week 12/21 – 1/3/2009
[caption id=attachment_218" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Evansville Mater Dei's Jon Sims][/caption]

Evansville Mater Dei Sophomore
John Sims
Sims was 5-0 at the Evansville Mater Dei Holliday Classic including a win over defending Kentucky State Champion Luke Ervin of Union County, Kentucky.  Sims is 22-1 on the season with his lone loss coming at the Glenn Sample Classic in Cincinnati, Ohio to Tommy Sasfy of Reynoldsburg, OH.  Sims has a 2.96 GPA and has defeated state qualifier and #12 ranked Chad Welch of Castle on the season.

Honorable Mention:
New Castle SS– 103 pound freshman Cody Phillips from Union County won the Connersville Spartan Classic  and was named MOW by defeating then #1 Brian Kuhn from Evansville Reitz, # 11 Brian Harvey of Cathedral and # 13 Mason Todd of Pendleton Heights.
Fort Wayne SS– 215 pound senior Billy Baker from Bellmont won the Al Smith by beating then #3 Christian Lentz of Mishawaka and #2 Nathan Cleveland of Lowell.
Merrillville SS– 135 pound senior Johnny Dillon from Hobart won the Al Smith by defeating 3 time state placer and then #2 ranked Taylor March of East Noble.

601
Indianamat.com Team Rankings 1/6/09
Full Rankings and Breakdowns can be found here:
 
1. Mishawaka (11-0)
2. Perry Meridian (8-0)
3. Evansville Mater Dei (6-0)
4. Crown Point (7-1)
5. Cathedral (9-2)
6. Bellmont (11-0)
7. Merrillville (8-1)
8. Evansville Reitz (17-0)
9. Portage (18-3)
10. Carmel (4-2)
11. Lawrence North (9-4)
12. Castle (6-1)
13. Yorktown (15-0)
14. New Palestine (20-3)
15. Penn (7-1)
16. Center Grove (15-0)
17. Elkhart Memorial (10-0)
18. South Bend Riley (6-1)
19. New Castle (28-4)
20. Westfield (28-3)
 
Honorable Mention: Franklin, East Central, Warren Central, Avon, Roncalli, Pendleton Heights.

441
If at first they don't succeed.....Trine tries again
From the edge of the mat....
 
In just four short years, Trine University, located in Angola, Indiana in the extreme northeast corner of the state, has gone from fledgling program to nationally respected, ranked program.
 
Much of the credit has to go to head coach Dan Callahan, former head coach of Fremont High School. Callahan and his staff, which includes former multi-X state qualifier and team state champ Mike Ester  (formerly of Fort Wayne Snider High School) have rapidly created a national contender at the NCAA Division 3 level.
 
Trine, currently ranked 23rd in the country and recently ranked 22nd, has a roster littered with former Indiana state contenders, qualifiers and state placers.  While there are too many Hoosier wrestlers to name, some of the notables include :


Senior 149 lber and former state 4th place finisher Kyle Pittman (130 lbs., 2004-05, Greensburg HS)
Senior 141 lber  and former state 8th place finisher Bryan Wight (112 lbs., 2004-05, Homestead HS)
Junior 133 lber and former state 6th place finisher Thomas Pompei (125 lbs., 2005-06, Hamilton Southeastern HS).
Freshman 157 lber and former state 5th place finisher Kyle Long (152 lbs., 2007-08, South Bend Washington HS)
Junior 174 lber and former state 3rd place finisher Nick Kraus (171 lbs., 2005-06 New Prairie HS)
Freshman 125 lber and former state 8th place finisher Brandon Harvey (119 lbs., 2007-08, Elkhart Memorial HS)
Kraus and Pompei were NCAA regional runners-up last year.
 
Additionally, Trine's roster features several former state qualifiers:


Tye Bowman, Clinton Central HS
Justin Wight, Homestead HS
Zach Leffel, Peru HS
Kyle Marsh, West Noble HS
Max Begovich, New Palestine HS
Also contributing to Trine's success is former Indiana standout George Markou (Peru HS). The rest of the team features a ton of other former Indiana wrestlers, as well as wrestlers from Michigan, Illinois and Ohio.
 
Trine is coming off of a couple of tough results vs. elite programs on January 8th, falling to 13th ranked Elmhurst and 28th ranked Lakeland. Still, an off night doesn't begin to diminish Trine's season, which includes a huge win over then-16th ranked Olivet in November.
 
While still in it's infancy as a program, I wouldn't bet against Coach Callahan's crew in the near future. One of the great outcomes of Trine's emergence has been the creation of another excellent place for Indiana's finest high school wrestlers to continue to wrestle at the collegiate level. Expect to see many familiar names and faces on Trine's roster in the coming seasons.
 
On a different topic, the following Indiana wrestlers are ranked in D1:

Intermat rankings:
125 #1 Angel Escobedo IU
133 #8 Reece Humphrey OSU
141 #1 Alex Tsirtsis Iowa
141 #19 Andrae Hernandez IU
157 #11 Kurt Kinser IU
165 #14 Andrew Howe Wisconsin
184 #13 Alex Dolly UNI
 

RevWrestling rankings:
125 #2 Escobedo
133 #9 Humphrey
141 #2 Tsirtsis
157 #19 Matt CoughlinIU
165 #8 Howe
 

AWN rankings:
125 #1 Escobedo
133 #7 Humphrey
141 #1 Tsirtsis
157 #10 Kinser IU
165 #9 Howe
 

WIN rankings:
125 #1 Escobedo
133 #8 Humphrey
141 #2 Tsirtsis
165 #10 Howe

509
Tyler Fleener Youth"Wrestler of the Week" 01-10-09
Tyler Fleener
12 yrs old/7th Grader
Perry Meridian Middle School
 
Tyler is currently 3-0, with wins over wrestlers from Gray Middle school of Ohio, Trinity Middle of Kentucky, and Elder of Cincinnati after bumping up a weight class to fill a whole in the line up. Perry won the tournament by 90 pts. He is a leader in the classroom and the practice room. He was a triple crown champ as a first year midget in 2005 and a ISWA Multiple State Champ and Place winner. Tyler is wrestling the 80 lb weight class this year. Keep up the good work Tyler!

578
Cavemen Survive Another Gauntlet
-- 5-0 at Bellmont Invite
 
Nobody would accuse the Mishawaka Cavemen of dodging the competition in their bid to repeat as team state champions for 2009. By looking at their schedule alone, everyone would get a pretty clear picture of whether Mishawaka would be the force they were last year.
The regular season schedule is now nearly complete. Saturday, the Cavemen defeated sixth ranked Bellmont 38-21, downed #2 Perry Meridian 29-25 along with defeating Whitko, Bloomington South and Evansville Memorial to run their season dual record to 16-0.
It does appear that Mishawaka is poised to make a strong run in defense of its state championship as they have faced nearly half of the states top twenty teams and beaten them all. If the schedule were not enough, the Cavemen have also had to battle injuries and ineligibilities that has left nearly a third of their projected preseason varsity line up either not wrestling or wrestling at something less then 100%. Rather then make excuses and wonder about 'what could have been', coach Darrick Snyder has used these hurdles as opportunities, not obstacles, for other wrestlers to step up and contribute against some of the state's best.
Saturday it was 152 pound backup, Marty Friedman who came up huge for the Cavemen. Subbing for an ailing, Tim Forte, Friedman scored a key win over #8 Blake Wood to help Mishawaka stay undefeated on the season. This was the swing match in a dual that saw Josh Harper get pinned in a tight cradle early in the second period and the Cavemen give up six uncontested points by forfeiting at the 103 lb. weight class.
It surely will be interesting to see if Mishawaka can stay healthy enough through the individual series to make it two straight or whether the likes of Mater Dei, Yorktown, Crown Point, Cathedral or Perry Meridian will be able to come up with the formula to defeat these resiliant Cavemen.

MATCH SUMMARIES - #1 Mishawaka 38 - #6 Bellmont 21The match-ups between state champ Josh Harper of Mishawaka and state placer Will Sheets along with top ranked Billy Baker of the Braves squaring off against #7 Christain Lentz highlighted this battle of longtime state powers.
With Mishawaka holding an early 8-3 lead, Baker scored an first period takedown by dumping a single. Lentz escaped late in the period to narrow the score 2-1 at the end of the first period.
In the second Lentz escaped early to tie the score at two until Baker was able to work a front headlock into a snap down position and was able to get behind the burly Lentz to take a 4-2 lead. Lentz was able to escape before the end of the period and the score was 4-3 at the end of the second period.
Baker chose down, quickly escaped and finished a third takedown midway through the third period, extending his lead to 7-3. Lentz made a flurry late, garnered an escape and takedown to narrow the lead to 7-6. The Caveman was forced to cut Baker and attempt a takedown to tie the match but Baker was able to counter and score, ending the match 10-6.
In the second battle of ranked wrestlers, #1 Josh Harper decisioned #6 Will Sheets of Bellmont, 8-2. Harper had a minor scare as he got a tad high riding with legs and Sheets sucked him under. Sheets was unable to hold him and only got a reversal.

#2 Perry Meridian 37 - #6 Bellmont 24
Bellmont started fast with wins at 215 and HWT. At 215 #1 Billy Baker rode #5 Chris Schafer the entire 2nd period and then escaped in the third, added a late takedown to take the win 3-0. AT HWT, tiny Daniel Meyer, who doesn't look like he weighs over 200 lbs muscled Devin Schafer to his back to collect a pin in 23 seconds. Just like that the Braves had a 9-0 lead and momentum.
Perry's line-up is too strong to let momentum build and just like a number one starter is expected to end a losing streak in baseball, the Falcon's young stud, Jared McKinley made short work of Bellmont's Blake Adams, pinning him with a cradle to cut the difference to three points.
Bellmont regained the momentum by picking up three close decisions at 112, 119, and 125. The Braves led 18-6 after six matches. Next up for Perry was #4 ranked Samson Cook who cut the lead to 18-12 with a pin in 1:02.
Sticking with the baseball analogies, Cook's pin was just the start of the Falcon's 'murderer's row' from classes 130 to 160. #8 Chris Goodwin @ 135, #10 Jacob Tonte @ 140, and #7 Jacob Taseff @ 145 all collect first period pins to swing the meet score to 30-18 in the Falcon's favor.
#14 Tyler Baker of Bellmont was able to momentarily stop the bleeding with his narrow 3-2 victory over #8 Blake Wood. At 160, Perry's #9 Chris Hudgins overcame two defeats earlier in the day to major John Mahlan, and 171 Jordan Robinson decisioned Grant Melcher to put the match out of reach at 37-21.

#1 Mishawaka 29 - #2 Bellmont 25Both Mishawaka's coach Darrick Snyder, and Perry Meridian's coach Jim Tonte issued promises earlier in the week. Tonte said that he thought his team was overrated but still could could contend for a state title. Snyder only promise was that his grapplers would handle both winning and losing in a better fashion than they did last year. It turned out that Snyder was correct, the Cavemen had no issues with attitude, and Tonte was wrong, the Falcon do not appear to be overrated at all.
Mishawaka started off hot, Dustin Boyd secured a decision on Perry freshman Andre Richards 4-0 and #7 Christain Lentz scored a minor upset with his 3-0 win over #5 Chris Schafer. Lentz rides with legs as well any big man in the state and used the hook to control Schafer the entire 2nd period, despite many strong scramble attempts by Schafer. Lentz was able to get off bottom in the third and finished a low double leg takedown to take the win.
Junior HWT Caveman, Travis Thomas kept things rolling for his team when he bundled up Devin Schafer in a crossface butcher to secure a pin with 20 seconds left in the first period. At 103 Perry's Jared McKinley took a forfeit to narrow the score to 12-6.
At 112 and 119, Mishawaka got rolling again with Paul Beck picking up a major decision and Matt Guerra defeated Jason Simmons 7-1 to stretch the Caveman lead to 19-6. Perry rebounded at 125 when freshman Kirk Johnson defeated Nick Schrader 8-3.
The score was 19-9 when 130 lb. wrestlers Samson Cook and Josh Harper took to the mat. Number one versus number four in the state, it had the makings for a great matchup. Harper gained the early advantage by using a wrist tie to pass Cook and get the initial takedown. Harper then rode Cook for the remainder of the period. Cook had choice to start the second and took the top position. The long armed senior proceeded to hook up a crossface cradle on Harper. The Mishawaka faithful probably were not to worried as Harper had fought off a similar cradle attempt by Cashe Quiorga at the Al Smith meet 10 days ago. It was not to be however as Cook turned Harper with surprising ease and garnered the pin.
The Falcons cut the lead to 19-18 when eighth ranked 135 lber. Chris Goodwin defeated gritty Aaaron Mersich 7-4. In a most entertaining contest, returning state champ Steven Sandefer avoided enough close calls and headlocks that came from all angles to major Jacob Tonte 22-13. This stretched the team score to 23-18. At 145, Jacob Taseff nullified Sandefer's major with one of his own defeating Alex White of Mishawaka 14-5.
Down by one point, the Perry fans had to be feeling good as they had favored wrestlers at the next two weight classes. At 152, Mishawaka backup, Marty Friedman took eighth ranked Blake Wood to overtime and was able to finish a takedown to win 3-1. Mishawaka's Dick Morin followed up Friedman's inspiring win with a minor upset of ninth ranked Cory Hudgins, 5-2. This put the Cavemen up 29-22 with one match left. Jordan Robinson narrowed the team score to 29-25 with his decision over Mishawaka's Drew Childress.

416
After the dust has settled....
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="118" caption="The Juggernaut in action][/caption]
 
From the edge of the mat, your faithful narrator Dingo here with a look at the Good, the Great and the Ugly for Indiana wrestlers competing at the Cliff Keen National Duals at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa this past weekend.
 
The Good
 
 The Good starts with a young Juggernaut living in Madison, Wisconsin continuing to show just Howe good he is, even as a true freshman. Although Wisconsin's stay in the tourney was relatively brief, consisting of just 3 matches, Howe has shown that youth will be served this year at 165. Howe started off the Duals with a clutch 7-6 decision win over perennial contender Tyler Sherfey of Boise State. Some of you might remember Sherfey as the villain from Washington state who spoiled Alex Tsirtsis' bid for a Senior Nationals title with (literally) a last second takedown. Howe was one of only four victorious Badgers' wrestlers versus Boise State. Andrew helped Wisconsin avoid Indiana's fate (0 for 2 BBQ...more on that in a minute), as his 8-6 win over IU's Fightin' Paul Young was pivotal in the outcome of the dual. Simpy put, if Howe loses that match, Wisconsin loses to IU. The Juggernaut from Cedar Lake finished his tourney by beating a very solid Scott Glasser of Minnesota 6-3. In short, Howe beat everyone placed in front of him, joining top-10-ranked teammates Kyle Ruschell and Zach Tanelli as the only Badgers to win all three matches.
 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="124" caption="Alexander the Great][/caption]
 
Also falling under the category of The Good was the performance of Alexander Tsirtsis. Perhaps still smarting from his loss to Tanelli in the championship match at the Midlands, Alex joined Howe in beating everyone in front of him. Unlike Howe, Tsirtsis beat four opponents. First on the menu was Wyoming's Cole Dallasera;  tech fall victory, 16-1. Next--Minnesota's 8th ranked (Intermat) Mike Thorn; another Tsirtsis nail-biter, a 2-1 decision win. Alex didn't take his foot off the gas versus Nebraska's Curtis Salazar, earning another decision, this time by a 7-2 count. T-shirts finished the weekend as one of only four Hawkeyes to win all 4 of their matches. Alex wrapped up his fantastic day with a 10-2 major decision over Cornell's Corey Manson. Tsirtsis is continuing what has been a masterful season thus far.  He has a lot of close matches, as he has for his entire collegiate career, but this year he's winning nearly all of them.
 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Dolly is BACK!][/caption]
 
One last dose of The Good....this one from a guy who went 0-2 at the Duals. I've admitted before that I'm a big Alex Dolly fan, but all biases aside, it's great to see the gritty, gutty senior from Mishawaka back in action. Dolly lost his first match by an 11-2 score to reigning national champ Mike Pucillo of Ohio State. Alex dropped his second and last match to Michigan's Anthony Biondo by fall. I'm sure those weren't results that pleased Alex, but his past history has shown that he peaks at Nationals. With a much shortened season this year, that trend may be in jeopardy, but I wouldn't be surprised by a late season roll by Dolly. It's just great that he's back wrestling for the Panthers.
 
 
 
 

The Great
 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="600" caption="HUMP nosed viper][/caption]
 
Under almost any other situation, Tsirtsis and Howe would belong here. However, Reece Humphrey won the Most Outstanding Wrestler award at the duals. He did so in spectacular fashion, downing Intermat's #2, #4 and #17 ranked 133 pounders. Reece's undefeated weekend began with a pin of UNI's Josh Baldridge. Hump was just getting started, as he followed up the fall with a dominant 10-3 decision victory over All-American Mike Grey of Cornell. At this point, the rout was on, and Humphrey next added a 19-7  major decision over Missouri's Taylor Crane. Next up was Reece's biggest win of the season, and one of the biggest of his career--a 6-4 win over Boise State's 2nd ranked Andrew Hochstrasser. Not content with an already very impressive performance, Hump capped off his weekend with a huge 5-4 decision over last year's 125 lb. national runner-up and current 4th-ranked 133 lber, Jayson Ness of Minnesota. Reece got out to an early lead and held on to beat the extremely dangerous Ness, a notorious pinner. Hump finished as one of four Bucks to win all of their matches. This is a prime example of Humphrey's improved conditioning coming into play this season. With his march through some of the elite competitors in his weight class, Reece has put himself in a position that might see him with a high seed at Big 10s and Nationals. It's conceivable that Hump might join Tsirtsis and Escobedo as Hoosiers ranked #1 in their weight class this season. It is unknown whether or not the former Lawrence North standout busted out some of his dance moves after his huge performance, but who could blame him if he did?

OK, now for The Ugly

 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="136" caption="IU][/caption]
 

I hate to go negative, especially against my beloved Hoosiers. However, this has been a strange season in Bloomington. The season, which has featured some puzzling individual losses by IU veterans and a poor Midlands performance (Scott Kelly excluded), took another tough turn at the Duals, as IU was blanked 35-0 by an admittedly very strong Iowa State team in the opening round of action. It's baffling that a team as talented as IU could be completely shutout, even against an elite team like ISU. To their credit, the Hoosiers fought back hard in their consolation match against Wisconsin, losing a tight one to the Badgers. For the record, I can't criticize a bunged-up Angel Escobedo for losing to a very tough Tyler Clark of Iowa State. Like all IU wrestling fans, I'm hoping against hope that his shoulder holds up adequately through Big 10s and Nationals. Otherwise, this could be a disappointing season for the former Griffith stud.
Speaking of former Griffith studs, Andrae Hernandez continues to struggle at his new weight. While his first round battle with Nick Gallick was a fairly encouraging 4-2 loss, his 13-4 major decision setback to Tanelli was a continuation of what has been a very, very rough season for the former All-American. This performance on the heels of a poor Midlands performance has this IU fan wondering--What, exactly, is eating Andrae Hernandez this year?
 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="129" caption="What's eating Andrae Hernandez?][/caption]
 


While on the subject of former IU All-Americans who would just as soon forget this season to this point, there was a Matt Coughlin sighting at the Duals. Coughlin went 1-1, losing a tight 3-1 decision to #5 Cyler Sanderson of ISU and beating Wisconsin's Ben Jordan 3-2. It was nice to see that Matt was back in action, as Coughlin was supplanted this season by Kurt Kinser. It's a shame that two of IU's finest wrestlers are in the same weight class, and it would be great if both could somehow participate at Nationals. I know I'm not the only IU fan with his fingers crossed for the rest of the season. The talent is there, the experience is there....the word snake-bitten comes to mind as a description of the season thus far.
 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="124" caption="Ouch! Snakebitten like IU!][/caption]
 


Despite IU's struggles this season, this has been a stellar season for Indiana wrestlers. Tsirtsis and Escobedo have spent many weeks as the men to beat in their weight classes, and it's possible that Humphrey might ascend to that position as well. Hump and Tsirtsis appear to have excellent chances to obtain valuable high seeds at Big 10s and Nationals; it kind of goes without saying that Escobedo could conceivably run the table if his shoulder holds up. Howe and Kinser are beating elite wrestlers at their respective weights and are extremely capable of becoming All-Americans this season. Guys like Hernandez, Dolly, Navy's Casey Caldwell, Walpole, Young, PU's Chris Kasten and Nick Corpe and Northern Illinois' Bryan Deutsch
have all had excellent moments this season and might be darkhorses when the postseason rolls around. Combined with the success Indiana's high school wrestlers had this past offseason, this is one of the stronger seasons for Indiana wrestling that I can remember. I can't wait to see how this all plays out.
 
[caption id=" align="alignleft" width="127" caption="Indiana darkhorses][/caption]
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Well, this dingo is tired.  
[caption id=" align="alignnone" width="124" caption="One tired dingo][/caption]
 
See you all next time at the edge of the mat.

553
Hoosier Hills Conference Brackets
Click here for the Hoosier Hills Conference brackets
 
Teams include: Bedford North Lawrence, Columbus East, Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, Jennings County, Madison, New Albany, Seymour

496
Mid-States Conference Brackets
Click here for the final Mid-States Conference brackets
 
Click here for the final team scores
 
Teams include: Decatur Central, Franklin, Greenwood, Martinsville, Mooresville, Plainfield, and Whiteland

474
Wrestler of the Week 1/5 - 1/10/2009
IndianaMat.com

Wrestler of the Week 1/5 - 1/10/2009


 
 
[caption id=attachment_273" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Perry Meridian's Sampson Cook][/caption]
 


Perry Meridian Senior
Sampson Cook
Cook was undefeated at the Bellmont Super Duals including a win by fall over then #1 ranked and 3 time state champion Josh Harper from Mishawaka.  Cook, a state qualifier last season, is currently 16-1 on the season and has moved to #2 in the rankings after his performance this past week.  Cook's lone loss came to the hands of IndianaMat Pound for Pound #1 Cashe Quiroga at the Marion County Tournament.  Cook's future plans include joining the United States Marine Corps.


 

Honorable Mention:
Fort Wayne SS -  145 pound senior Jordan Dulaney from Yorktown.  Dulaney was undefeated at the Franklin Super 6 this past Saturday including a win over Seyka of Holt, Michigan.
 
Evansville SS -  119 pound senior Alex Johns from Evansville Reitz.  Johns won the Lafayette 5 Star Classic in Lexington, KY and was named most outstanding wrestler while defeating 2 time Kentucky State Champion Matt Zarth of Lexington Henry Clay.
 
Merrillville SS - 119 pound junior John Petrov from Hanover Central won the Lake County Tournament while beating Al Smith champion and now #11 Jake Lamb of Lowell in the championship match.

509
Toe to Joe with Joe Arthur
[caption id=attachment_268" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Bloomington North's Joe Arthur][/caption]
 
This week's Toe to Joe is more of a Joe to Joe with Joe Arthur of Bloomington North High School.  Arthur was a Cadet National Champion in 2007 in the heavyweight division.
 
1. How did you get started wrestling and how many years have you been wrestling?
My father introduced me to wrestling. My father is BEST friends with Joe Van Deventer, father of the legendary Heath Van Deventer. Joe told My Dad that I should give it a try. I was always bigger than anyone my age and therefore I started on the mats throwing side headlocks when I was 4 years old.
 
2. What other interests/hobbies/sports do you participate in outside of wrestling?
I love football! And I also participated in track my freshman and sophomore years. My favorite thing to do in my spare time is hunting and fishing. I enjoy the outdoors very much. I also enjoy farming. There is nothing better then getting out on a BIG International Tractor and tilling up some land in southern Indiana.
 
3. Who is the toughest wrestler you have faced and why?
The toughest wrestler I have ever faced would be Atticus Disney from Kansas. Atticus gave my first defeat ever. Atticus is a redshirt freshman on a full ride scholarship to Minnesota.
 
4. What are your future plans after high school?
I plan to attend a 4-year school and either wrestle or play football, or both. I want to study some kind of Agriculture, or Criminal justice
 
5. What are more exciting matches to watch, the lightweights or the big guys and why?
I am a big guy so of course the big guys.  Not many of us cut weight so it all comes down to who has worked harder in the offseason, and during the season. And it is very exciting to see guys who look like they are not very mobile but really they are very agile!
 
6. What is the most memorable match you have wrestled and why?
My National championship match in Fargo, North Dakota is my favorite match yet. I really enjoy wrestling freestyle a lot. Being on that stage and everyone in the Dome watching you it was truly memorable, and something I will never forget. I can remember we were at St. Josephs College for the camp before we went to Fargo.  It was right after a practice and I was all hot and sweaty and I can remember looking in a mirror and asking myself are you the best freestyle heavyweight in the nation.  Automatically my mind said yes I believe you are and I really focused on that after I didn't all American in Greco. That was a turning point in my wrestling career.
 
7. You're in the third period in the state finals going for your first title and down by one point with 30 seconds left and on your feet, what move are you going to hit to bring home the title?
I would have to say foot sweep to a single and finish with a treetop.
 
8. Who is the most influential person in your life? Why?
My father because he just pushes me, and makes me understand how important certain things in life are.
 
9. Do you have any superstitions or routines when it comes to wrestling?
Yes I wear the exact pear of underwear and socks every weekend. I do wash them but it is a must have when I'm off to a meet. I just don't feel right without them!
 
10. What makes wrestling so great?
It is a ONE man sport. You have one goal go out and at the end of the match get your arm raised and you know you did what needed to be done. If you lose there is none else to blame but yourself

297
Indianamat.com Team Rankings 1/11/09
Full Rankings and Breakdowns can be found here:
 
1. Mishawaka (17-0)
2. Evansville Mater Dei (8-0)
3. Crown Point (11-1)
4. Cathedral (10-2)
5. Perry Meridian (14-1)
6. Merrillville (10-2)
7. Bellmont (16-2)
8. Evansville Reitz (20-0)
9. Portage (21-4)
10. Lawrence North (9-4)
11. Castle (7-1)
12. Yorktown (21-0)
13. New Palestine (23-4)
14. South Bend Riley (7-1)
15. Carmel (4-3)
16. Center Grove (16-0)
17. Penn (7-2)
18. Elkhart Memorial (11-0)
19. Warren Central (9-10)
20. Hamilton Heights (18-2)
 
Honorable Mention: Franklin, East Central, Avon, Roncalli, Pendleton Heights, New Castle, Westfield.

461
Woodlan Invitation Brackets
Click here for Woodlan Invitations brackets
 
Teams include: Bishop Luers, Bluffton, Churubusco, Elmhurst, Fremont, Greenville(Ohio), Leo, Wayne Trace(Ohio), and Woodlan

463
Hooser Conference Brackets
Click here for the Hoosier Conference brackets
 
Teams includ: Twin Lakes, Delphi, West Lafayette, Rensselaer, Tipton, Sheridan, and Benton Central

363
Hoosier Hills Showdown
This weekend will be the annual tournament for the Hoosier Hills Conference. There will be 96 wrestlers competing, but only 14 champions will stand tall. There are a few returning champions and runner ups, but there are a few standouts I HAVE to mention.
 
At 119lbs, New Albany junior Tim Martin is the #1 seed. He has only 3 losses on the season and he looks very strong. He was a champion last year and is in the driver's seat to come away with anther title. He was undefeated at the conference duals, so defending his title should not be a problem.
 
At 130lbs #1 seed Joe Reitman of Jennings County looks very strong at his new weight class, but Brett Walker of Jeffersonville, Aaron Witt of Floyd Central, and Nestor Rodriguez of New Albany look to knock off the senior for the HHC title.
 
At 140lbs, #16 ranked Luke Armand of Jennings County looks to take this weight class as he will have a little competition in Darien Tatgenhorst of Jeffersonville. He is the younger brother of senior 189 Tyler Tatgenhorst, a semi-state qualifier last year that was previously ranked.
 
Finally, Jonathan Clark of Jefferson will look to reclaim the HHC title he won as a sophomore.  Clark is currently ranked #3 in the state along with being a state qualifier last year. He looks tough this year and you will most likely see him at Conseco again.
 
In the HHC it all comes down to which team will win it all. Floyd Central has beaten every team heads-up, but can they do it in a tournament? The Jeffersonville Red Devils have came close to beating the #2 ranked team Evansville Mater Dei and have a record of 22-7 on the season. Can the Red Devils win it? We will see on Saturday which team will reign supreme. Good luck to all teams this weekend. And please bring your "A" game. Have a good weekend everyone!

403
Youth "Wrestler of the Week" 01-19-09
Isaiah Kemper
11 years old
6th grade Thompkins Middle School/Evansville Central
 
 Isaiah won the Fern Creek Annual Invitation going 4-0 in the 117 lb weight class, 15-2, Fall,7-5 OT and a 4-2 victory in the finals. Isaiah followed that up by placing 1st in the Princeton Folkstyle Open over the weekend going 3-0 with 3 falls. Congratulations from everyone at indianamat.com

326
Northern States Conference Preview
No Clear Favorite in Northern States Race
- Jimtown, New Prairie appear strongest
 
The theme of the 2009 Northern States Conference wrestling tournament appears to be depth. The team that will take the crown will likely be the one that can place the most wrestlers in the most weight classes as no one team appears to be dominant.
Both Jimtown and New Prairie appear to have the depth necessary to carry themselves to a team title but Knox may have a say in the outcome as they will bring many outstanding grapplers to the clash Saturday at Jimtown High School. Following is a weight class breakdown of the meet:
 

103 –
 
Matt Lindsey of Triton brings a 21-1 record to Jimtown Saturday with his only loss coming to Jacob Schroeder of Rochester. Michael Wireman is the second seed with a 20-8 record.

112 –
 
This class appears to wide open as each of the seeded wrestlers beat one or more of the other seeds. LaVille’s Sean Webb (20-8) is the top seed, followed by Glenn’s Travis Mowery (15-8), Jimtown’s Zach Slough (14-6), and Knox’s Dakota Martin (17-10).

119 –
 
Knox’s ninth ranked Danny Bradley is the class of the field with his 25-0 record. Second seeded Kaleb McCallum of Glenn has bumped up to 119 late in the season and brings a 24-8 record to the table.

125 –
 
A two man battle looks to be waged here as number one seed Collin Crume (28-6) of Jimtown might face off with second seeded Kyle Hernandez of Knox (25-4) in the finals.

130 –
 
Another weight class where the top seeds all own victories over each other, this weight class seeds went based on winning percentage with Bremen’s Justin Bogart (23-5) earning the #1 seed, New Prairie’s Joe Zigler (25-7) at number two, Knox’s Devann Biddle (14-4) at three and Jimtown’s John Michael Moore (23-9) at four.

135 –
 
Jimtown’s returning semi-state qualifier Jeremy Hill (33-3) is the clear favorite here and he is the one seed, New Prairie’s Aaron Jeske (20-8) and LaVille’s Danny Kline (20-8) are the number two and three seeds respectively.

140 –
 
New Prairie’s dangerous Dillan Escobedo (15-13) earned the #1 seed based on victories over second seeded Darius Stevens (22-9) of Triton and #3 seed Matt Hill (20-11) of Jimtown.

145 –
 
Niles Goodman of New Prairie (20-9) is the one seed followed by LaVille’s Preston Pittman (15-12) and largely untested Mike Stout (10-4) of Culver.

152 –
 
Jordan Martin of New Prairie looks to be the class of the field with his 23-4 record. Knox’s Mike Hernandez (20-9) and Glenn’s Josh Dunbar (21-11) both look to challenge for a spot in the finals as the second and third seeds respectively.

160 –
 
A three man battle shapes up at 160 where top seeded Jimmy Krause (19-8) will battle New Prairie’s second seeded Ryan Balanow (23-6) and Triton’s third seed, Zach Clark (27-5).

171 –
 
This may be the deepest weight class of the meet. Jimtown’s Zach Spurgeon enters battle tested and as the top seed. Second seeded Robert Molebash of Culver owns a victory over state ranked Reece Farnham of Northridge and Knox’s Adam Winebrenner (3rd seed) has an outstanding 25-4 record. 4th seeded Dylan Senff (18-5), along with unseeded Jake Cornell (23-6) and New Prairie’s Jeff Jurczak (19-7) appear very capable of upsetting the big guns at this weight class. **NOTE: Triton’s eighth ranked state qualifier Blake Hoffer was injured last Saturday and is taking a week off to heal for sectionals.

189 –
 
Knox’s Alex Windbigler brings an outstanding 25-5 record to the top seed and he will be chased by New Prairie’s second seeded Eric Singleton (20-8).

215 –
 
New Prairie’s third ranked Kannon Keigley (31-1) is the clear favorite here. He has one loss on the season to Lowell’s second ranked Nathan Cleveland. Keigley has a win over highly regarded Christain Lentz of Mishawaka and will be looking at the conference meet as way to springboard him to a deep tournament run over the next month.

HWT –
 
John Glenn goliath Craig Fitzgerald (ranked second in the state) and Jimtown senior Zack Stone (ranked #15) appear to be class of this field. Fitzgerald, undefeated on the year, is the returning conference champ and placed 6th in the state last year. Stone is a semi-state qualifier from last year and placed 3rd at the Al Smith tournament. There was no head to head match-up as Stone was dinged up earlier in the year when Glenn and Jimtown matched up

413
Allen County Athletic Conference Brackets
Click here for the full program
 
Click here for brackets only
 
Teams include: Adams Central, Garrett, Leo, Woodlan, Southern Wells, South Adams, Heritage, and Bluffton.