High School News

862 articles in this category

1394 11
Hildebrandt, Olympic training camp comes to South Bend
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com

Sarah Hildebrandt is an Indiana girl.
 
And even though she now lives in Colorado Springs, Colo., the 50g Tokoyo Olympics qualifier for the U.S. has gotten a chance to come back to her back yard as the Games approach.
 
An Olympic Wrestling Training camp for women is happening June 27-July 7 at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, not far from where Hildebrandt grew up in Granger and attended Penn High School.
 
An Olympic-style tournament and simulation was begun June 28 and concludes June 29.
 
Through donors and the work of Penn head coach Brad Harper, her father Chris Hildebrandt and many others, the camp was established in Indiana as part of a circuit that came out of the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs being closed to non-residents because of COVID-19 concerns.
 
“I’m so so grateful,” says Hildebrandt, 27. “There's so much to it and then I just feel so supported and loved.
 
“It’s so special to me and it really made me emotional like when we finally got the clearance for it. So many people who have put a lot into this dream and I feel like right now we kind of all get to share that and that's really cool.”
 
Jen Seltzer, mother of two-time IHSAA state champion Zeke Seltzer (Indianapolis Cathedral Class of 2022), is an executive with Kroger and helped supply snacks.
 
Led by U.S. national women’s coach Terry Steiner, the camp includes four of six Olympians (Hildebrandt, Jacara Winchester at 53kg, Tamaya Stock Mensah at 68kg and Adeline Gray a 76kg) and many national team members. Olympic qualifiers Kayla Miracle (62kg), a 2014 Culver Academies graduate, and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Helen Maroulis (57kg) are working on strength training in Arizona.
 
Hildebrandt has been working with Harper since she was a Penn freshman and the two have been around the world for competitions. Harper will be in her corner in Tokyo.
 
Harper knows what makes Hildebrandt tick. She has to find something that makes it fun for her and cuts the tension.
 
“When you see Sarah joking and laughing it's like, yep, she's ready,” says Harper. “When she does that it means she's ready flip the switch.”
 
Hildebrandt’s using the camp to refine as Tokyo (freestyle wrestling is Aug. 4-7).
 
“I really like that to be able to recognize a mistake in the middle of a fast-paced match, correct it and convert it into offensive points,” says Hildebrandt. “It’s nice to have this atmosphere. I do feel nervous and I do feel a lot how I do in competition so I’m able to navigate those emotions as well.”
 
There are invitation-only spectators at the camp, including some adoring youngsters.
 
Those admirers help fuel Hildebrandt.
 
“If I see a picture of little girls watching us or asking for my autograph it doesn't get old every single time,” says Hildebrandt. “It’s so just inspiring and motivating.
 
“I didn’t have that growing up.”
 
With the pandemic the Tokyo Games were delayed by a year and international fans won’t be allowed.
 
Hildebrandt has learned to put the situation in perspective.
 
“If you could just let me get my shot at my medal, I won't complain about anything,” says Hildebrandt. “I won't go to opening ceremonies. I won't need any of the hoopla.”
 
Steiner points out the qualities of Indiana products Hildebrandt and Miracle.
 
For Hildebrandt, it’s here positive attitude and drive.
 
“She’s a competitor and you can see that in her family,” says Steiner. “She’s making the right choices, not just on the mat but lifestyle choices.
 
“I can never predict outcome, but I know she’s as prepared as she’s ever been stepping into a major competition.”
 
What makes 25-year-old Miracle go?
 
“She’s a very different athlete,” said Steiner. “She has a lot of confidence in herself and a very unique style. She’s very explosive and very strong.”
Steiner, who was an NCAA champion wrestler at the University of Iowa in the early 1990’s, notes that U.S. women are veteran that all six were the top seeds going into the Olympic Trials — the first time there were no trial upsets.
 
“They're very professional in what they're doing when they come in they have their plans set and they go about their business,” says Steiner.
 
“They're really dialed-in. They know what's at stake.
 
“My biggest job right now is to keep reminding them that — with or without Olympic gold — it’s not likely to change.
 
“They've already won. I mean that. The attributes that win gold medals, they're showing me on a daily basis.
They’ve got to keep looking at it in a positive light and there’s an opportunity in front of them to do great things.”

1825 5 2
Two exciting opportunities for the Fort Wayne area
By Dane Fuelling
 
Decades ago, the stretch of land from Fort Wayne to Muncie was the heart of high school wrestling in Indiana. Storied programs like Bellmont, Delta and the now-shuttered high schools of Muncie South and Muncie North won 11 of the twenty-one state championships from 1974 to 1994. Since Bellmont’s title in 1994, the area has fallen behind the rest of the state. While plenty of wrestling fans around the state like to talk about the struggles of the Fort Wayne area, two men have taken big steps in their lives to put actions where others will only speak words. 
Wade McClurg has been hired to a new dual position in the Indiana Tech athletic program. He will simultaneously be assistant coach for the Warrior program and the head of its new Warrior Regional Training Center. 
 
“With the Warrior RTC,” says McClurg, “we have an opportunity to positively impact hundreds of boys and girls in the Fort Wayne community and surrounding area through the sport of wrestling.  In return, we will not only have the ability to produce elite athletes, but we will strive to form servant-leaders and mold outstanding individuals through the world’s oldest and greatest sport.”
 
On the other side of town, coach Andy Oberlin has opened a new wrestling-focused facility on Goshen Road, not far from the Zoo in Fort Wayne. Oberlin has invested much of his own personal money and time into a venture that has no guarantee of success. It is a new idea for the city, a place for clubs and teams to host camps, retreats and for visiting coaches to hold clinics. 
 
Oberlin has hooked up with ONE for sponsorship and his facility has new wall mats and wrestling mats being installed this week. He has enlisted the help of Anton Talamantes, one of the city’s all-time wrestling greats, to host the very first clinic at his facility. That will take place on June 12th. 
 
Coach McClurg was a graduate of Beech Grove High School in Indianapolis who went on to wrestle for the Greyhounds of the University of Indianapolis. In five years at the helm of the Roncalli program, McClurg won 84 duals with 18 losses and had 17 state qualifiers, including three state champions. He qualified for Team State in his final four seasons and won a semi-state title in 2019. 
 
With all that time spent on the south side of Indy, moving to Fort Wayne will be a big change for the coach. A state of the art, 25,000 square feet facility was a good place to start.    
 
For Oberlin, Fort Wayne is home and since wrestling against two-time state champion Tim Myers multiple times in his high school career at DeKalb High School, Oberlin has also seen the drop in competitiveness in the area. 
 
“The question is whether we have gotten worse or everyone else has gotten better,” says Oberlin. “But I think it is a combination of both.”
 
Oberlin feels that the strong group of wrestlers out of Griffith High School in the early 2000s, which included current IU head coach Angel Escobedo, transformed high school wrestling in Indiana and created a new, higher ceiling. 
 
“We have so many more kids competing nationally,” he says. “Just look at how many D1 wrestlers we have produced now. Things are so much more competitive now than they were 25 years ago.”
 
Both Oberlin and McClurg see potential for the sport in the state’s largest school district, Fort Wayne Community Schools. 
 
“Kids today need to see some success to get hooked on the sport,” declares Oberlin. “And when you try to get them to start the sport in high school, there isn’t much of a chance for success against experienced wrestlers. We need to change that.”
 
McClurg’s program will open in September, and with established men’s and women’s wrestling teams at the school, things might just be looking up for wrestling in our area.

28219 1 1
2021 IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open September 11th-12th
Date
September 11-12, 2021

Registration
Registration has reached capacity, please see the petition information
Click here to register
 
Petition Information
Click here to fill out the petition
 

Brackets and Streaming
TrackWrestling Link for brackets and streaming
FloWrestling streaming link

Stud List
2021 Stud List

Location:
The Plex South
5702 Engle Rd
Fort Wayne, IN 46804
 
Event Schedule
Weigh-ins
Saturday September 11th from 1:00-4:00 pm EST Wrestling Session 1
Weights: 109, 129, 155, and 173
Saturday September 11th from 5:00-9:00 pm EST Wrestling Session 2
Weights: 116, 135, 148, 198, and 288
Sunday September 12th from 9:00 am-1:00 pm EST Wrestling Session 3
Weights: 123, 141, 163, 185, and 223
Sunday September 12th from 1:00-6:00 pm EST  
Weigh-In Information
Saturday September 11th from 1:00-4:00 pm EST
*Note: No weight change fee No Satellite Weigh-ins Weigh-ins will be in a singlet or NFHS approved two-piece uniform  
Entry Fee
$40 Registration by September 8th at 10:00pm EST or 800 paid entries, whichever comes first. No membership card is required to wrestle You must pay online by credit card ONLY! Per TrackWrestling policy there will be no refunds of paid entries.  If the event is canceled due to COVID-19 we will issue refunds to everyone. Online registration ONLY will be accepted this year. Registration will be cut off at the first 800 paid entries or September 9th at 10pm EST whichever comes first. Please note we had had around 650 preregistered entries the past four years and we sold out the past two years. The Tournament Committee will retain the right to add up to an additional 25 wrestlers, at their discretion, via a petition process, after the entry cutoff. Information about the petition process will be posted within a day after registration closes. Once we reach the entry limit registration will be shut down. After that point the ONLY way to enter is through a petition.
  Tournament Gear and Apparel

3X Gear is the official gear distributor for the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open. They will be on hand with a full selection of tournament apparel and other wrestling apparel and supplies.
 
Spectators
$15 per person cash only to be purchased at the door during weigh-ins or before each session.
 
Age Groups
Students currently enrolled in 7th-12th grades will be wrestling in one division.

Awards
Top 4 will receive medals and the top 4 will qualify for Super 32 early entry
 
Contact
Joe Caprino
joe@Indianamat.com
 
Wrestling Information
-Wrestling will take place on Saturday September 11th and Sunday September 12th, 2021
-Weight Classes: 109, 116, 123, 129, 135, 141, 148, 155, 163, 173, 185, 198, 223, 288
-Wrestlers in 7th-12th grade may participate
-Double elimination wrestle-backs to 4th place
-Period lengths 2-1-1 Championship 1-1-1 Consolation
-Overtime will be 1 minute sudden victory neutral and 30 second rideout
-We will seed 4-16 wrestlers so please include your state or national credentials when registering 
-2020/2021 NFHS rules will be utilized, except the overtime modification
-Wrestling will be on full mats
-Singlet or approved NFHS uniform is required
-College out of bounds rules will be utilized.
-Headgear is not required, but recommended
-Mouthpieces are required if you have braces
-Wrestlers need to be clean shaven when they step on the mat, long hair is allowed.
 
Seeding Information
Each wrestler that qualifies will be given a "Separation Criteria" from the list below. The criteria are ranked in order.
1. Nationally ranked in FloWrestling or MatScouts rankings
2. State Champion/IHPO Champion
3. State 2-3/IHPO 2-4
4. State 4-5
5. State 6-8
6. State Qualifier/IHPO Top 6 or 8
7. Other Credentialed athletes that deserve separation
 
With these groups we will determine seeds.  Here is an example
If we have 2 wrestlers with #1 criteria, 4 with #2, 2 with #3, 2 with #4 and 5 with #5 this is how it will work.
 
The top two seeds will be the two wrestlers with #1 criteria in a random order
Seeds 3-6 will be the wrestlers with #2 criteria in a random order
Seeds 7-8 wrestlers with #3 criteria in a random order
Seeds 9-10 wrestlers with #4 criteria in a random order
Seeds 11-14 wrestlers with #5 criteria in a random order
The seeds will be determined randomly by TrackWrestling. 
 
Host Hotel
Hampton Inn- Fort Wayne Southwest
8219 West Jefferson Blvd.
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46804
Booking Link: https://group.hamptoninn.com/hf9te9
Group Name: INDIANA MAT
 
College Coaches
We will offer a special college coaches package for $50. Please follow this link to preregister in advance.
You may pay in advance or pay if you are not attending the event and want the entry database using this button
Click here for the PayPal link.
The package will include:
Registration list of all high school aged wrestlers with name, address, grade, weight, accomplishments, GPA, and college test scores* Admission to the tournament and floor access for up to two coaches. Preliminary entry list sent after registration closes  
*Tournament entry information with addresses and contact information will be sent the week after the event and will have all high school aged wrestlers that opted to have information released to coaches.
 
Past Results
2020 Results(707 wrestlers from 16 states)
2019 Results(610 wrestlers from 11 states)
2018 Results(605 wrestlers from 12 states)
2017 Results(607 wrestlers from 10 states)
2016 Results(647 wrestlers from 11 states)
2015 Results(580 wrestlers from 11 states)
2014 Results(586 wrestlers from 14 states)
2013 Results(598 wrestlers from 10 states)
2012 Results(444 wrestlers from 8 states)
2011 Results(254 wrestlers from 9 states)
2010 Results(171 wrestlers from 9 states)  
 
IHSAA Rules
Regarding Coaching at the IHPO
15-2 During School Year Out-of-Season
15-2.1 Individual Sports (Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Wrestling)
a. Students may participate in non-school contests as individuals or as members of a non-school team in non-school contests provided that participation during school time is approved by the school principal or his/her designee.
b. Coaches, from a member school coaching staff, may coach students in that sport if NOT under the organization, supervision and operation of the member school.
c. Member schools may not organize, supervise or operate athletic practices or interschool athletic contests.
d. Member schools may not provide school-owned uniforms (jerseys, shirts, shorts, pants, singlets, or swimsuits, etc.) worn by the student in non-school contests.

1450
2021 Women's Nationals Preview
This week the women get a change to make some world teams in Texas. The annual Women’s Nationals(formerly Body Bar) is taking place with competition at the 14U, U15, Cadet, Junior, and U23 age levels. There will be 19 competitors from Indiana participating with some doubling up in age divisions. Competition starts today and will run through Sunday.
 
UWW Juniors
Four girls will be taking the mat in the Junior age group. Leading the way is Alara Boyd who was a team member in 2019. She was 4th at the Olympic Trials and is a favorite to make another world team. Three others that are still in high school will take the mat against a mixture of high school and college stars. State champions Trinity Malave and Torieonna Buchanan will be at 50kg and 53kg respectively. The last one to participate is Delta’s state runner-up anna Krejsa at 57kg.
 
U23
Three girls will be on the mats for this age division with two of them doubling up as both Alara Boyd and Torieonna Buchanan will also participate in the Junior division. Mishawaka’s Salome Walker will be the other competitor in this division. She attends McKendree University with Boyd and will wrestle at 59kg.
 
UWW Cadets
Indiana will have six representatives in the cadet division at the Women's Nationals. Wrestlers that are doubling up include Heath Crull, Rianne Murphy, and Trinity Malave. The three that are going only this division include Devyn Moore at 49kg, Sydney Delois at 53kg, and Kaylie Petersen at 65kg. Moore was an IHSGW runner-up in 2019 and an ISWA freestyle champ this year. Delois was 4th at the IHSGW finals along with being a runner-up last week at ISWA freestyle state. Petersen was champion at both ISWA state and IHSGW state this year.
 
U15
This is the largest representation for Indiana natives at this age division with 9 participants. This is a young and tough group of girls that will be tough outs and we could see more than one on the Pan Am team. Leading the way is Rianne Murphy who is attending Wyoming Seminary currently. Heather Crull was second at middle school state against the boys and placed 8th in freestyle against the boys. The O’campo sisters, Ysabella and Julianna, have both had a lot of success within the state and could surprise some folks in Texas. Amelia Murphy has had some success within the state and should be one to watch at 42kg. Joy Cantu is the daughter of former Hobart placer John Cantu and is another one with a lot of success within the state.  Highland’s Aleksandra Bastaic and Pendleton’s Maddie Marsh will both be at 54kg and have won multiple ISWA titles during their short careers.
 
14U
This age division will see five representatives from Indiana. Both Aleksandra Bastaic and Maddie Marsh will be doubling up age divisions here. The others include a pair of girls from Muncie in Paislee Chambers and Ella Gahl. Gahl won ISWA freestyle and folkstyle titles while she was runner-up at middle school state. Chambers was 2nd at freestyle state and middle school state, while winning a folkstyle title. Lastly, Olivia Crull will take the mat for Indiana. She was a runner-up in both ISWA freestyle and folkstyle state while finishing third at middle school state.
 
Brackets
https://arena.flowrestling.org/event/2c98bfde-365d-1d75-26b1-ca5128585398
 
Schedule
Friday, May 7th
Session I - Preliminaries
UWW Junior Women
9:30am to 1:00pm
 
Session II - Quarterfinals, semifinals, consolations
UWW Junior Women
2:00pm - 6:00pm
 
Session III - Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
UWW Junior Women
6:00pm - 8:00pm
 
Saturday, May 8th
Session IV - Preliminaries
14U & 10U girls
9:00am - 12:30pm
 
UWW Cadet Women
10:00am - 12:30pm
 
Session V - Quarterfinals, semifinals, consolations
UWW Cadet, 14U & 10U Girls
1:30pm - 4:30pm
 
Session VI - All placement matches
14U & 10U
4:30pm - 6:00pm
 
Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
UWW Cadet Women
6:00pm - 8:00pm
 
Sunday, May 9th
Session VII- Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations
UWW U23, UWW U15, 12U & 8U Girls
9:30am to 2:00pm
 
Session VIII - All placement matches
12U & 8U Girls
3:00pm - 4:30pm
 
Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
UWW U23 and UWW U15 Girls
3:00pm - 5:00pm
 
Participants
Division Weight Name Club 14U Girls 119 lbs Aleksandra Bastaic Highland Wrestling Club 14U Girls 119 lbs Maddie Marsh Indiana Girls Wrestling IGNITES 14U Girls 127 lbs Ella Gahl Spartans Wrestling Club 14U Girls 136 lbs paislee chambers Spartans Wrestling Club 14U Girls 92 lbs Olivia Crull Indiana Girls Wrestling IGNITES U15 Women 42 kg Amelia Murphy Crown Point U15 Women 42 kg Ysabelle Ocampo Penn Wrestling Club U15 Women 46 kg Heather Crull Indiana Girls Wrestling IGNITES U15 Women 46 kg Julianna Ocampo Penn Wrestling Club U15 Women 50 kg Joy Cantu Legends of Gold Las Vegas U15 Women 50 kg Rianne Murphy Wyoming Seminary U15 Women 54 kg Aleksandra Bastaic Highland Wrestling Club U15 Women 54 kg Maddie Marsh Indiana Girls Wrestling IGNITES U15 Women 58 kg Ella Gahl Spartans Wrestling Club U23 Women 53 kg Torieonna Buchanan Team Green Wrestling Club U23 Women 59 kg Salome Walker McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club U23 Women 65 kg Alara Boyd McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Women 46 kg Heather Crull Indiana Girls Wrestling IGNITES UWW Cadet Women 46 kg Rianne Murphy Wyoming Seminary UWW Cadet Women 49 kg Devyn Moore Region Wrestling Academy UWW Cadet Women 49 kg Trinity Malave Munster UWW Cadet Women 53 kg Sydney Delois Indiana Girls Wrestling IGNITES UWW Cadet Women 65 kg Kaylie Petersen Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club UWW Junior Women 50 kg Trinity Malave Munster UWW Junior Women 53 kg Torieonna Buchanan Team Green Wrestling Club UWW Junior Women 57 kg Anna Krejsa Delta UWW Junior Women 65 kg Alara Boyd McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club  

1886 6 2
ISWA State, Junior and Senior Nationals Preview
We are in full swing of the international styles and this weekend will be no different as three big events are taking place. First, we have the ISWA Freestyle and Greco-Roman state finals at Avon. The two other events will run simultaneously in Iowa. The UWW Junior World Team Trials and Senior Nationals will be held in Coralville, Iowa.
 
ISWA Freestyle and Greco-Roman State Finals
Over 900 wrestlers are currently registered for this year’s event that is schedule to take place at Avon High School. From 5 years old to 40+ wrestlers will be looking for a coveted ISWA state title. In the 14U, 16U, and Junior age groups spots on Team Indiana are on the line. Wrestlers who win those divisions will be offered the opportunity to represent the state in the USAW duals and potentially at Fargo this summer. There are many deep weight classes that will be fun to watch play out with many state qualifiers, placers, and champs in the brackets.
 
Here is the link to registration to see the current entries(click continue as guest)
https://www.trackwrestling.com/registration/TW_Register.jsp?tournamentGroupId=195735132
 
Brackets
Freestyle
https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/opentournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=627909132
Greco-Roman
https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/opentournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=627915132
 
ISWA Freestyle and Greco-Roman State Schedule
Saturday Freestyle
Session I
8 AM EST Pee Wee, Bantam, Schoolboy Junior, UN/SR/VT 
Session II
2 PM EST: Intermediate, Novice & Cadet
 
Sunday Greco-Roman
Session I:
8 AM EST Bantam, Schoolboy, Cadet, UN/SR,/VT
 
Session II:
1:00 pm EST Intermediate, Novice, Junior
 
Session III:
10 am EST SUNDAY Girls Freestyle all divisions 
 
Senior Nationals
Iowa will once again play host to another big USAW event. The Senior Nationals will serve as a qualifier for the World Team Trials in September. After the Olympics UWW will still host a World Championship event, so the top 5 finishers will join the previous qualifiers that were at the Olympic Trials for a World team spot.
 
Indiana will be represented by eight wrestlers in the senior division. Vanessa Ramirez wrestling for McKendree and the former Warren Central wrestler will be in the women’s freestyle portion, while everyone else will be in the men’s freestyle division.
 
Former Junior World Team members Brayton Lee and Lucas Davision lead the way for the men’s freestyle division. Lee will be at 70kg, while Davison is scheduled to wrestle 125kg. Dylan Lydy who recently took his talents to Bloomington will represent the Indiana RTC at 79kg. He will be joined by current Indiana grappler Graham Rooks at 65kg. Current DIII wrestlers Kyle Hatch and Kobe Woods will test their skills at the senior level. Hatch will represent the Little Giants at 79kg, while Woods will represent Wartburg at 97kg. Lastly, two-time state champion Shawn Streck is entered at 125kg.
 
Brackets
https://arena.flowrestling.org/event/e275b9c6-ddff-bf7b-0f6f-16b08df88a28
 
Schedule
Friday
Session I
Senior Women's Freestyle
Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals  and Consolations
11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
 
Session II
Senior Women's Freestyle
Consolations and Medals
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
 
Session III
Senior Women's Freestyle
1st Place Matches
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
 
Saturday
Session IV
Senior Men’s Freestyle- All weights
Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and consolations
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
 
Session V
Senior Men’s Freestyle- All weights
Consolations, Consolation Semifinals and 3rd, 5th and 7th place
4:30 PM - 7:00 PM
 
Senior Men’s Freestyle- All weights
1st Place Matches
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
 
Entries
Freestyle 65 kg Graham Rooks Indiana RTC Freestyle 70 kg Brayton Lee Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC Freestyle 79 kg Dylan Lydy Indiana RTC Freestyle 79 kg Kyle Hatch Wabash Freestyle 97 kg Kobe Woods Burg Training Center Freestyle 125 kg Lucas Davison Wildcat Wrestling Club Freestyle 125 kg Shawn Streck Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) Women's Freestyle 53 kg Vanessa Ramirez McKendree(Warren Central)  
Junior World Team Trials
Indiana will be well represented in the Junior World Team Trials this weekend with 24 wrestlers taking the mat. Wrestlers will wrestle in a full bracket with the championship finals be a best of three series to determine a spot on the world team. The last time there was a Junior World Team trials Indiana was represented by three athletes in Brayton Lee, Lucas Davison, and Mason Parris. The Junior age group is basically anyone who turns 18-20 years old during the current year. This division is always very intriguing as it matches up some of the top high school talent with wrestlers who have a year or two of college experience. From the early registration it looks like Purdue, Indiana, and Marian all have sent a good number of athletes to compete.
 
Only one wrestler will participate in Greco-Roman as Christian Carroll will be doubling up at the event. He is slated to wrestle 97kg in both styles. There are a handful of other current high schoolers in the field including three-time state champion Jesse Mendez. Mendez is a former Cadet World Team member and would have been a favorite to represent the USA last year. Others still in high school include Mendez’s teammate Logan Frazier and a trio of Mater Dei wrestlers in Blake Boarman, Brody Baumann, and Gabe Sollars.
 
The other 18 entries from Indiana are all in college and have a mixture of experience in freestyle. Penn State’s Matt Lee will wrestle at 70kg. Two current Purdue Boilermakers will enter the field with true freshmen Cooper Noehre and Macartney Parkinson wrestling at 74kg and 86kg respectively. Five current Indiana wrestlers will join Lydy and Rooks at the event. True freshmen Jonathan Kervin, Isiah Levitz, Paul(Robert) Deters, and Andrew Irick will join sophomore Donnell Washington. The biggest contingent will be Steven Bradley’s Marian squad who will have ten wrestlers in the event. They will be lead by state champion Elliott Rodgers along with placers Jacob Simone, Aundre Beatty, Seth Johnson, and Will Stewart.
 
Brackets
https://arena.flowrestling.org/event/e275b9c6-ddff-bf7b-0f6f-16b08df88a28
 
Schedule
Friday
Session I
UWW Junior Greco-Roman
Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals  and Consolations
10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
 
Session II
UWW Junior Greco-Roman
Consolations and Medals
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
 
UWW Junior Greco-Roman
Best 2 out of 3 Finals
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
 
Saturday
Session IV
UWW Junior Freestyle- All weights
Preliminaries and consolations
10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
 
Session V
UWW Junior Freestyle- All weights
Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations
4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
 
Sunday
Session VI
UWW Junior Freestyle- All weights
Consolation, Consolation Semifinals, 3rd Place, 5th Place and 7th Place
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Session VII
UWW Junior Freestyle- All weights
UWW Junior Best 2 out of 3 Finals
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Entries
 
Freestyle 57 kg Jacob Simone Marian Freestyle 57 kg Logan Frazier Region Wrestling Academy Freestyle 61 kg Jesse Mendez Region Wrestling Academy Freestyle 65 kg Aundre Beatty Marian Freestyle 65 kg Blake Boarman Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club Freestyle 70 kg Matt Lee Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Freestyle 70 kg Ricky Hegedus Marian Freestyle 70 kg Seth Johnson Marian Freestyle 74 kg Brody Baumann Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club Freestyle 74 kg Cooper Noehre Boilermaker RTC Freestyle 74 kg Elliott Rodgers Marian Freestyle 74 kg Jonathan Kervin Indiana RTC Freestyle 79 kg Aaron McKinley Marian Freestyle 79 kg Donnell Washington Indiana RTC Freestyle 79 kg Isiah Levitz Indiana RTC Freestyle 79 kg Joe Rice Marian Freestyle 79 kg Paul Deters Indiana RTC Freestyle 86 kg Gabe Sollars Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club Freestyle 86 kg Macartney Parkinson Boilermaker RTC Freestyle 86 kg William Stewart Marian Freestyle 92 kg Christian Carroll Midwest Regional Training Center Freestyle 97 kg Austin Lane Marian Freestyle 125 kg Andrew Irick Indiana RTC Freestyle 125 kg Jacob Bullock Marian Greco-Roman 97 kg Christian Carroll Midwest Regional Training Center
1902 8 1
National Event Preview for April 23-25th
The national scene for wrestling is starting to get back to normal this spring. In the past the spring has been littered with national level events and this week is no different with two big events going on. In Wisconsin there will be the UWW Cadet, UWW U15 and UWW Futures divisions and in Virginia Beach the NHSCA grade level nationals will be held. Indiana will have many representatives in each event.
 
UWW Cadet/U15/Futures in Wisconsin
As of registration on Thursday morning Indiana will have 15 different wrestlers participating at this event with most of them doubling up in both freestyle and Greco-roman. The UWW Cadet division has a lot at stake as winners will be representing the USA in the world and Pan Am championships this off-season. The UWW U15 age group winners will represent the USA at the Pan Am championships this off-season. At the cadet division you will see wrestlers from 15 to 17 years old, which encompasses basically 8th graders through high school juniors. The U15 age group is 13 to 15 year olds and the Futures division is 10-12 year old competitors.
 
In the Futures division we have two competitors, Samuel Rioux and Elias Faith. Rioux is a name that will likely be in the Avon lineup until about the year 3000, so keep an eye on all of the brothers coming up. Samuel is a multiple time ISWA placer. Faith is wrestling in both styles and is a multiple time ISWA champion and placer. He wrestles for the Maurer Coughlin wrestling club. Both of these guys are wrestling at the 28kg weight class which is just under 62lbs.
 
The U15 age group has some very intriguing wrestlers to watch for the future in Indiana wrestling. At 38kg we have both Nathan Rioux and Caleb Schaefer. Rioux has had an immense amount of success at the state level. Schaefer is the son of Mater Dei coach Greg Schaefer and has had quite a bit of success himself. Revin Dickman is one to keep an eye on not only this weekend, but in the years to come. He has been nationally ranked for a couple years and certainly is a contender for a title here. He will be wrestling 41kg. Another Rioux will take the mat at 44kg in Luke. He was a starter this year for Avon and while undersized had a fine freshman year. Speaking of brothers Isaiah Schaefer will be wrestling 48kg. He was a middle school state runner-up and has been a fixture at the top of ISWA events for a while. Delta freshman Wyatt Krejsa will be wrestling 62kg. He was a semi-state qualifier this year at 126lbs and has won folkstyle state and Indy Nationals this off-season so far. Lastly, De’Alcapon Veazy will be taking his talents to the mat at 85kg. Veazy is another one that has been recognized in the national rankings and will be one to watch this weekend. Both Rioux’s, Dickman, Krejsa, and Veazy will all be wrestling both styles this weekend.
 
Six wrestlers will test their abilities against the best in the country trying to make the UWW Cadet World Team this weekend. Leading the way is state champion Sergio Lemley at 60kg. According to the experts he is a strong contender to win the spot in a very deep weight class. Indiana will have some very talented wrestlers in the upper weights. At 80kg Seth Willems and Drake Buchanan will both be participating. Buchanan was on the U15 Pan Am team before his freshman year and was a runner-up this year at state. Willems has been a solid contributor in the upper weights for Crown Point. At 92kg we will have West Lafayette’s Connor Barket. He has steadily improved each year finishing this year as a state placer. Leighton Jones will be a contender at 110kg. Jones placed third this past year at heavyweight and was a Cadet Greco-Roman All-American back in 2019. Michael Tharpe of Center Grove is the last competitor from Indiana. He will be wrestling 55kg. He was a state qualifier at 126lbs this season. All six of these wrestlers will be wrestling both styles to increase their chances of making Team USA.
 
Schedule
Friday, April 23rd
Session I
UWW U15 Greco-Roman
UWW Cadet Greco-Roman
Preliminaries and Consolation
10:00am – 2:00pm
 
Session II
UWW U15 Greco-Roman
UWW Cadet Greco-Roman
Consolation, Semifinals, Consolation Semis, 3rd-7th place matches, Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals
4:00pm – 8:00pm
 
Saturday, April 24th
Session III
UWW U15 Freestyle
UWW Cadet Freestyle
Preliminaries and Consolation
10:00am – 2:00pm
 
Session IV
UWW U15 Freestyle
UWW Cadet Freestyle
Quarterfinals, Consolations
4:00pm – 8:00pm
 
UWW Futures Freestyle
Preliminaries to completion
4:00pm – 8:00pm
 
Sunday, April 25th
Session V
UWW U15 Freestyle
UWW Cadet Freestyle
Semifinals, Consolation, Cons Semis, Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals, 3rd-7th place matches.
10:00am – 2:00pm
 
UWW Futures Greco-Roman
Preliminaries to completion
10:00am – 2:00pm
 
Brackets
On Arena.Flowrestling.org
Participants
Age Weight Name Team U15 Freestyle 38 kg Nathan Rioux Contenders Wrestling Academy U15 Freestyle 38 kg Caleb Schaefer Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club U15 Freestyle 41 kg Revin Dickman Contenders Wrestling Academy U15 Freestyle 44 kg Luke Rioux Contenders Wrestling Academy U15 Freestyle 48 kg Isaiah Schaefer Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club U15 Freestyle 62 kg Wyatt Krejsa High Rollers Wrestling Academy U15 Freestyle 85 kg De'Alcapon Veazy Warrior Elite Wrestling U15 Greco-Roman 38 kg Nathan Rioux Contenders Wrestling Academy U15 Greco-Roman 41 kg Revin Dickman Contenders Wrestling Academy U15 Greco-Roman 44 kg Luke Rioux Contenders Wrestling Academy U15 Greco-Roman 62 kg Wyatt Krejsa High Rollers Wrestling Academy U15 Greco-Roman 85 kg De'Alcapon Veazy Warrior Elite Wrestling UWW Cadet Freestyle 110 kg Leighton Jones Red Cobra Wrestling Academy UWW Cadet Freestyle 55 kg Michael Tharpe Center Grove Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Freestyle 60 kg Sergio Lemley Region Wrestling Academy UWW Cadet Freestyle 80 kg Seth Willems Bulldog Premier Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Freestyle 80 kg Drake Buchanan Center Grove Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Freestyle 92 kg Connor Barket Red Cobra Wrestling Academy UWW Cadet Greco-Roman 110 kg Leighton Jones Red Cobra Wrestling Academy UWW Cadet Greco-Roman 55 kg Michael Tharpe Center Grove Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Greco-Roman 60 kg Sergio Lemley Region Wrestling Academy UWW Cadet Greco-Roman 80 kg Seth Willems Bulldog Premier Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Greco-Roman 80 kg Drake Buchanan Center Grove Wrestling Club UWW Cadet Greco-Roman 92 kg Connor Barket Red Cobra Wrestling Academy UWW Futures Freestyle 28 kg Samuel Rioux Contenders Wrestling Academy UWW Futures Freestyle 28 kg Elias Faith Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club UWW Futures Greco-Roman 28 kg Elias Faith Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club  
 
NHSCA Nationals
The NHSCA grade level nationals always brings in the best competition from around the country. This year Indiana will have 34 wrestlers participating with most of them from the Indianapolis area. Perry Meridian is bringing 16 of those wrestlers with Warren Central and Southport having four representatives each. Unlike the event in Wisconsin, this is a folkstyle event.
 
In the senior divison we will have only two wrestlers. Southport’s Luke Goodwin will be wrestling at 132lbs. Goodwin placed 7th the past two years at 132lbs and 138lbs respectively. Perry Meridian’s Aidan Warren will be wrestling at 182lbs. Warren is no stranger to national level competition and accumulated three third place medals during his career as a Falcon.
 
The junior division will have three wrestlers with state placements in the mix. At 106lbs Southport’s Nathan Smith will be competing. He was 7th this year at 106lbs. Penn’s Matteo Vargo is no stranger to the area and will bring his 5th place finish back to an area that he is familiar with. Tyler Jones of Warren Central will be wrestling at 160lbs. He has placed 6th and 7th the past two years.
 
Leading the way in the sophomore division will be two-time state runner-up Cheaney Schoeff of Avon. He will be at 126lbs. The only other state placer in the field from Indiana is Perry Meridian’s Toby Billerman. He was 3rd at 106lbs this year and is at that weight this weekend. A pair of state qualifiers rounds out the top wrestlers in Hobart’s Devin Wible at 126lbs and Perry Meridian’s Keaton Morton at 120lbs.
 
State third placer Kyrel Leavell will be at 113lbs in the freshman division. Leavell was very impressive for the Warriors this past year. State qualifier Duke Myers will be at 170lbs representing the storied Bellmont program. He is no stranger to national level success so keep an eye out for him.
Do not be surprised if some of the young studs from Perry Meridian or Warren Central have deep runs in this division. Both teams have some very good wrestlers entered that will make an impact soon on the state level.
 
In the middle school division keep an eye on ISWA champion Angelo Vargo from Penn. Others that were recent ISWA folkstyle placers include Perry Meridian’s Peyton Brummitt and Hobart’s Seth Aubin.
 
Schedule
Friday April 23rd
7:45am: Session 1 Championship Matches Only, No Consolation Matches
Boys Freshman Division: 106lbs-HWT
Boys Sophomore Division: 170lbs -HWT
 
11:00am: Session 2 Championship Matches Only, No Consolation Matches
Boys Sophomore Division: 106lbs-160lbs
 
2:15pm: Session 3 Championship Matches Only, No Consolation Matches
Boys Junior Division: 106lbs-160lbs
 
5:30pm: Session 4 Championship Matches Only, No Consolation Matches
Boys Junior Division: 170lbs-HWT
Boys Senior Division: 113lbs-HWT
 
Saturday April 24th
7:45am: Session 1
Boys Freshman Division: 106lbs-HWT
Boys Sophomore Division: 170lbs -HWT
 
11:00am: Session 2
Boys Sophomore Division: 106lbs-160lbs
 
2:15pm: Session 3
Boys Junior Division: 106lbs-160lbs
 
5:30pm: Session 4
Session 2 wrestlers
 
Sunday April 25th
7:45am: Session 1
High School All-Americans
 
11:00am: Session 2
Middle School and Girls High School
 
Brackets
https://arena.flowrestling.org/event/34134d1f-0569-4435-b8bb-db2266ec16f6
 
Participants
Senior(2)
132 Luke Goodwin- Southport
182 Aiden Warren- Perry Meridian
 
Junior(6)
106 Nathan Smith- Southport
120 Trevor Schammert- Hobart
126 Matteo Vargo- Penn
160 Tyler Jones- Warren Central
170 Jesse Herrera- Highland
285 Kai SanAgustin- Perry Meridian
 
Sophomore(9)
106 Toby Billerman- Perry Meridian
120 Kenny Shotts- Perry Meridian
120 Keaton Morton- Perry Meridian
126 Cheaney Schoeff- Avon
126 Devin Wible- Hobart
138 Andrew Goodwin- Southport
160 Daunte Hon- Perry Meridian
195 Ronin Hammond- Perry Meridian
285 Nolan Martin- Perry Meridian
 
Freshman(12)
113 Ryan Taylor- Perry Meridian
113 Kyrel Leavell- Warren Central
126 Keegan Logan- Southport
132 Zachariah Harris- Perry Meridian
132 Kohlten Rhonemus- Delta
152 Zach Huckaby- Perry Meridian
152 Branson Beckam- Perry Meridian
160 Anthony Cashman- Warren Central
170 Duke Myers- Bellmont
170 Cadyn McBride- Perry Meridian
220 Jaylen Young- Perry Meridian
220 Timothy Wine- Delta
 
Middle School(5)
85 Jack Richardson- Perry Meridian
95 Peyton Brummitt- Perry Meridian
105 Seth Aubin- Hobart
112 Angelo Vargo- Penn
127 Michael Ortega- Portage
 

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2021 NFHS Rule Changes Reactions
Every spring the NFHS makes rule changes within the sport. Some years the changes are small in nature and just small clarifications to existing rules. Last year there were grumblings that the NFHS was ready to pull the trigger on reducing the number of weight classes. With participation levels different in each state the threat of losing weight classes is always looming.
 
This year there are three major rule changes that were highlighted by the NFHS. Here they are and a quick reaction to each of them.
 
Change #1
Each state has an option of three different weight class sets for boys and girls that includes 12, 13, or 14 weights effective for the 2023-2024 season.
Girls weight class options
12 Weight Classes – 100, 107, 114, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 165, 185, 235.
13 Weight Classes – 100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130, 136, 142, 148, 155, 170, 190, 235.
14 Weight Classes – 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190, 235.
Boys weight class options
12 Weight Classes – 108, 116, 124, 131, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 190, 215, 285
13 Weight Classes – 107, 114, 121, 127, 133, 139, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215, 285
14 Weight Classes – 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, 285
Reaction:
This is a great move by the NFHS to allow states to have flexibility in their weight class options. This gives states with lower participation the option of having less weight classes without going against the NFHS’ wishes. For the most part, states do not like to go against the NFHS’ rule recommendations and having this option gives each state solid options to choose from. This also keeps things as close to uniform as possible.
 
Having different options for girls weights is great as the sport is growing on the girls side of things. This gives state the option to start with 12 weights and as the sport becomes more popular go up to 13 or 14 weights. 
 
As far as the weight classes go, they look to be geared a little closer to the old weights, but with a little more separation in the middle weights. In all honesty, teams and coaches will adapt to the weight classes. There are no perfect set of weights as each team has different demographics and even each season provides different obstacles for filling of the weight classes in the best possible manner. 
 
Change #2
Head and neck injury time will be a separate injury time.
Reaction:
This should make it easier for referees and coaches to keep track of this time. Previously there were many nuances to the rule that combined this type of stoppage versus blood or injury time. Hopefully this clears things up and referees don’t have to spend hours trying the if this, then that scenarios of stoppages.
 
Change #3
Allow athletes to have six matches during one day during a state series event.
Reaction:
For high school wrestling this is great. This could mean a lot for Indiana wrestling as currently we have the one and done round at most sectional sites. This would allow the state to give those wrestlers a full wrestle-back to placement if they wish. I do not know if the IHSAA will look into utilizing this exception but having it on the table can lead to good discussions with making our state series better.
 
Click here to read the full NFHS press release
 

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Hildebrandt and Miracle punch their tickets to Tokyo
Photos by Tony Rotundo
 
One weekend, two matches, and a lifetime of preparation are what separated wrestlers from their dreams of being an Olympian. Five Indiana natives took the mat this weekend with a trip to Tokyo in August on their minds. The competition is a who’s who of wrestling with former Olympians, World medalists, World team members, NCAA champions, and more going after that elusive spot on the team.
 
In men’s freestyle we saw Nick Lee and Mason Parris put it on the line while they still had college eligibility. Lee lost to the eventual champion Jordan Oliver in his second match. That did not deter him as he take out three consecutive NCAA champions to earn a third place finish. In his first consolation match he took out former Cornell national champion Nahshon Garrett by tech fall 12-2. In the consolation semi-finals he faced off with Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammate, friend, and training partner Zain Retherford. Utilizing two big 4-point moves Lee pulled the upset 10-4. The final match, with a spot on the US National team on the line, was no easier as he had two-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis. The match was an instant classic as they both let it fly. There were three crazy scrambles that ended up with multiple scores for each wrestler. Lee came out on top in the end by the score of 16-8. The National Team designation includes perks such as preference for national team camps, overseas competitions, a stipend, and more.
 
Mason Parris came into the weekend as the third seeded wrestler. His first match did not go as planned as he lost to Daniel Kerkvliet 4-4(criteria). Parris had defeated Kerkvliet at the Big Tens a month ago. Battling back through the consolations Parris beat Tanner Hall, Dom Bradley, and Anthony Nelson in succession to also earn a spot on the US National Team. In the end, he actually finished higher than Kerkvliet who defeated him in the quarter-finals.
 
The success did not stop on the women’s side of the bracket. Alara Boyd was in the challenge tournament, while Kayla Miracle and Sarah Hildebrandt both sat until Saturday’s best of three finals.
 
Boyd came into the event seeded 5th in the challenge bracket. She quickly upended the 4th seed, Ashlynn Ortega, in the quarter-finals to earn a spot in the semi-finals. Her next opponent was veteran Forrest Molinari. Boyd was up for the task, but came up short 4-3. Boyd battled back to make it to the third place match where she lost to the 2nd seeded Alexandria Glaude 2-2 on criteria. She was just shy of making the US National team designation. Being only a college sophomore, she has a bright future and will be in the hunt for the 2024 squad.
 
Sarah Hildebrandt had the luxury of sitting out of competition until the best of three finals on Saturday night. The only caveat was that she would have to make scratch weight both on Friday and Saturday for the competition. As she waited the bracket that would determine her finals opponent was hotly contested. There were a few upsets of the top seeds and the 3rd seeded Victoria Anthony prevailed to face Hildebrandt. Anthony was a formidable foe as she had twice placed 5th in the World on the senior level and was a two-time junior level champion.
 
In the first match Anthony fired off a double leg to start and took Hildebrandt down. Hildebrandt was able to get a takedown of her own before the end of the first period. It was almost two minutes into the second period when Hildebrandt got her second takedown. With about 30 seconds left, Hildebrandt got another takedown and three consecutive leg laces to end the match 12-2 and put herself one win from Tokyo.
 
The second match was slower getting started, but dominated by Hildebrandt from start to finish. She got a takedown and leg lace about 2 minutes into the first period to take a 4-0 lead to the break. In the second period she executed three takedowns to secure the tech fall and her spot in history.
 
Kayla Miracle was in the same situation as Hildebrandt with the privilege of waiting until Saturday night for the best of three series. Her challenge bracket was won by Macey Kilty who has many world level accolades including two junior level silver medals and a cadet level championship.
 
In the first match Miracle came storming out and lead 6-0 after the first period. The second period saw Kilty score a takedown and a couple step-outs to Miracle’s one takedown. The final score was 8-4 with Miracle one match from going to Tokyo.
The second match had a much different feel to it. Miracle was stifled by Kilty’s defense and never really got her rhythm. Kilty took Miracle down late in the first period and early in the second to storm out to a 4-1 lead. Miracle could only muster a couple step-outs to make the final score 4-3 and force a pivotal round three.
 
The third match saw Kayla Miracle come out with a sense of urgency and hunger for her spot in Tokyo. Less than 20 seconds after the whistle Kayla was in deep on a shot and looking for a turn. That is when it appeared that Kilty injured her shoulder. Kilty tried to finish the match, but it was ended 30 seconds into the match after she could not continue. While the type of win was not what Miracle envisioned, she punched her ticket to Tokyo and into history.
 
Hildebrandt and Miracle will join Stevan Micic in Tokyo in August. Micic qualified for the Olympics for Servia and will represent them at 57kg in men’s freestyle. This is the first time Indiana has had multiple Olympic participants in wrestling and the first since Muncie Northside’s David Butler in 1988. The last time an Indiana native brought back an Olympic medal was Richard Voliva when he took silver in 1936.
 
 
 

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2021 USAW Folkstyle National Entries from Indiana
This weekend USAW is hosting their annual Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls, Iowa. As usual, Indiana has many entries in this prestigious event across every age division. Here is a listing of all the entries that registered for the event. As with any tournament some athletes may not attend the event or may move up or down a weight class.
 
You can follow all the action at the following link on TrackWrestling.
USAW Preseason Nationals Brackets
 
Schedule
Thursday, April 1st
Session I - 16U (Preliminaries, Consolation and Quarterfinals)
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
 
Session II – Junior (Preliminaries, Consolation and Quarterfinals) 
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
 
Friday, April 2nd
Session III - Junior & 16U Session II (Semifinals, Consolations, Medal Matches) 
16U and Junior Finals at 11am
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
 
Session IV - 14U (Preliminaries, Consolation and Quarterfinals) 
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
 
Session V – 14U (Semifinals, Consolations, Medal Matches) 
3:00pm – 7:00pm
 
Session V – 12U & 10U (Preliminaries, Consolation, Quarterfinals) 
3:00pm – 7:00pm
 
Session V – 8U (Preliminaries through medal matches) 
3:00pm – 7:00pm
 
Saturday, April 3rd
Session VI – 12U & 10U (Semifinals, Consolations Medal Matches) 
9:00am – 12:00pm
 
Session VI - Masters Competition 
9:00 AM – 4:00pm
 
Session VI - College Open Competition 
9:00am – 4:00pm
 
Division Weight Name Team 10U Boys 105 lbs Noah Fitzgerald Indian Creek Wrestling Club 10U Boys 120 lbs Gavin Brown Indian Creek Wrestling Club 10U Boys 56 lbs Jeremiah Maldonado   10U Boys 59 lbs Tucker Dowty Indian Creek Wrestling Club 10U Boys 71 lbs William Smith Patriots Wrestling Club 10U Boys 71 lbs Alexander Ponce Merrillville Pirates Wrestling Club 10U Boys 71 lbs Ethan Alvarez   10U Boys 77 lbs JJ Doty Red Cobra Wrestling Academy 10U Boys 93 lbs Azarius Overstreet   12U Boys 108 lbs Jackson Smith Patriots Wrestling Club 12U Boys 67 lbs Jeremy Carver Delta Wrestling Club Inc. 12U Boys 78 lbs Cruz Orueta Merrillville Pirates Wrestling Club 12U Boys 78 lbs Timothy Maldonado   12U Boys 78 lbs Colton Stinson Indian Creek Wrestling Club 12U Boys 86 lbs Patrick Dowty Indian Creek Wrestling Club 14U Boys 102 lbs Griffin Van Tichelt Bulldog Premier Wrestling Club 14U Boys 106 lbs Evan Stanley Region Wrestling Academy 14U Boys 119 lbs Oliver Hallett Indian Creek Wrestling Club 14U Boys 130 lbs Christian Arberry Warren Wrestling Academy 14U Boys 149 lbs Zachary Blevens   14U Boys 165 lbs Kyle Harden Central Indiana Academy Of Wrestling 14U Boys 165 lbs Hayden Smith Patriots Wrestling Club 14U Boys 165 lbs Miguel Rojas   14U Boys 77 lbs Case Bell Contenders Wrestling Academy 14U Boys 83 lbs Lincoln Underwood Peacock Wrestling Club, LLC 14U Boys 83 lbs Ayden Campbell Peacock Wrestling Club, LLC 14U Boys 83 lbs Justin Williamson Region Wrestling Academy 14U Boys 87 lbs Gavin Lewis   16U Boys 106 lbs Tanner Tishner Western Wrestling Club 16U Boys 106 lbs Lincoln Parsons Greenfield Wrestling Club 16U Boys 120 lbs Kyrel Leavell Warren Wrestling Academy 16U Boys 126 lbs Gavin Phillips Greenfield Wrestling Club 16U Boys 126 lbs Adrian Cohen Warren Wrestling Academy 16U Boys 132 lbs Cohen Hager Greenfield Wrestling Club 16U Boys 138 lbs Isaiah Holden Greenfield Wrestling Club 16U Boys 138 lbs Aidan Torres Region Wrestling Academy 16U Boys 138 lbs Alexander Smith Patriots Wrestling Club 16U Boys 145 lbs Mitchell Betz Western Wrestling Club 16U Boys 145 lbs Rider Searcy East Central Wrestling Club 16U Boys 160 lbs Clay Guenin Greenfield Wrestling Club 16U Boys 160 lbs Anthony Cashman Warren Wrestling Academy 16U Boys 220 lbs Brandon Johnson Central Indiana Academy Of Wrestling 16U Boys 285 lbs Dominic Burgett Legends of Gold 16U Boys 88 lbs Jude Heaston Indian Creek Wrestling Club 8U Boys 85 lbs Isabella Smith Patriots Wrestling Club College Men 197 lbs Jacob Huffman Fighting Irish Wrestling Club College Men 285 lbs Ethan Bunce KNIGHTS WRESTLING CLUB Junior Boys 106 lbs Jackson Heaston Indian Creek Wrestling Club Junior Boys 120 lbs Michael Tharpe Center Grove Wrestling Club Junior Boys 126 lbs Sergio Lemley Region Wrestling Academy Junior Boys 126 lbs Matteo Vargo Penn Wrestling Club Junior Boys 126 lbs Anthony Hughes Lawrence North Wildcat Wrestling Club Junior Boys 132 lbs David Pierson Warren Wrestling Academy Junior Boys 132 lbs Jeremiah Henderson Central Indiana Academy Of Wrestling Junior Boys 145 lbs Cody Goodwin Peacock Wrestling Club, LLC Junior Boys 145 lbs James Smith Penn Wrestling Club (PWC) Junior Boys 195 lbs Connor Barket Red Cobra Wrestling Academy Junior Boys 220 lbs Ali Richardson Central Indiana Academy Of Wrestling Masters A 100 kg Joshua Branson   Masters A 78 kg Brendon Helm   Masters A 88 kg Mark Maldonado Highland Wrestling Club Masters B 100 kg Christopher Myers Carroll Wrestling Club Masters C 100 kg Adam Miller Shelbyville Wrestling Club
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2021 Olympic Trials Preview
Becoming an Olympian is the pinnacle of wrestling and something little boys and girls always dream of when growing up. The chance to represent the USA on the biggest stage in sports comes only once every four years. Obviously with COVID everything got pushed back a year and this is the weekend we have been waiting for in over a year. There are five Hoosier natives vying for the coveted spot on the Olympic team this weekend.
 
Watching the trials will be on NBCSN on TV along with the Peacock Network online. The Peacock Network has a free seven day trial to use that would be enough for this weekend. The schedule is at the bottom of this article for reference during the weekend. The format for the Olympic Trials differs slightly in each division, however the base is the same. Some weight classes have wrestlers sitting until the best of three finals, some do not. On Friday the bracket challenge will occur where wrestlers will wrestle in a single elimination tournament. The finals on Saturday will be a best of three series to determine the USA representative. If a weight has someone sitting out until the finals the bracket will be wrestled until a champion is determined. If not the bracket will halt at the finals with the finals being a best of three series.
 
For the Olympics each country must qualify their weight via their placement at the World Championships and a series of continental and last chance qualifiers. The USA is qualified in every weight for Women’s Freestyle. Men’s freestyle is not qualified at 65kg, while Greco-Roman is not qualified at 77kg and 130kg. There is one more last chance qualifier for every country that has not qualified the specific weight to enter. That event is May 6-9 in Bulgaria where the USA will look to qualify the remaining three spots.
 
Indiana has the most representatives in the Women’s Freestyle division at the Olympic Trials. Both Sarah Hildebrandt and Kayla Miracle have the privilege of already being in the best of three finals. They earned the bye to the finals via qualifying the weight class for the Olympic Trials at the Pan-Am championships a year ago. Yorktown’s Alara Boyd is in the challenge bracket at 68kg.
 
In 2018 Granger native and Penn grad Sarah Hildebrandt brought back a silver medal at the World Championships and is looking to make her first Olympic team. She is sitting until the finals on Saturday and will be the winner of a bracket that consists of 14 women battling it out for the right to wrestle her. The top seed is Whitney Conder while the second seed is Alyssa Lampe. Hildebrandt has recently beaten Conder in a special wrestle-off last February to wrestle at the Pan-Am championships. She teched Lampe in November on a Wisconsin RTC card.
Bloomington native and Culver Academies grad Kayla Miracle has had success at every level possible in this sport. She was the first girl to qualify for the state finals in Indiana and has been breaking down barriers since she strapped on her first headgear. She will be sitting out until the best of three finals at 62kg. The top seed in her weight is Maya Nelson and the second seed is Macey Kilty. All three of these women were on the 2019 U23 World Team where Miracle and Kilty both won silver medals. Nelson was at 65kg and Kilty was at 68kg.  The last time Miracle wrestled Nelson was 2012 at Fargo and it does not appear as if she has wrestled Kilty. Nelson defeated Kilty at the World Team Trials tournament in 2019 and should be the favorite to win again.
 
Alara Boyd has brought back world medals two out of three times while representing the USA. She was a Cadet bronze medalist in 2016 and silver medalist in 2017. She also wrestled at the world championships in 2019 in the Junior age group. She comes into the Olympic Trials as a 5 seed at 68kg.  Boyd qualified for the trials via winning the NCWWC championship about a month ago. In the first round she will have a familiar opponent in Ashlynn Ortega. Boyd defeated Ortega just over a year ago at the WCWC Nationals in the semi-finals by the score of  7-1. The likely next opponent would be Forrest Molinari. Molinari has been a mainstay on the women’s circuit that includes a 5th place finish in the world in both 2018 and 2019. The second seed and likely finalist out of the bottom bracket is Alex Glaude who was a 2019 Final X finalist. Sitting in the best of three finals in 2019 World Champion Tamyra Stock-Mensah.
 
On the men’s side of things Indiana will have two representatives in Mater Dei’s Nick Lee and Lawrenceburg’s Mason Parris. Others to watch include former Indiana University runner-up Nate Jackson at 86kg and Gable Steveson at 125kg. Steveson grew up in the state and won multiple ISWA titles during his youth.
 
Lee will come in as the 6th seed and have Minnesota’s Mitch McKee in the first round. They have wrestled multiple times in folkstyle with Lee gaining all the recent victories. McKee is very dangerous in folkstyle and will be an interesting first round match. The winner of that will face off with #3 seed Jordan Oliver, a former Oklahoma State national champion. Lee was teched by Oliver at the US Nationals in December of 2019. The two-seed at this weight is Yianni Diakomihalis that could be a potential semi-final opponent. Also lurking in that side of the quarter bracket is 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro whom Lee beat at 2019 US Nationals. On the top half of the bracket is another Penn State stud in Zain Retherford along with multiple-time world team member James Green.
 
Just like the NCAA’s, the heavyweight bracket is loaded with talent at the Olympic Trials. Mason Parris will come in as the 3rd seed and have Daniel Kerkvliet in the first round. They recently wrestled at the Big Tens where Parris won by major decision. Kerkvliet has multiple world medals and a dangerous opponent in the international styles. The semi-finals would feature another familiar foe in Gable Steveson. While they have not met in freestyle, Steveson owns three folkstyle wins over Parris. The top half of the bracket features world team mainstay Nick Gwiazdowski and former NCAA champions Anthony Nelson and Dom Bradley. Parris was 1-1 with Gwiazdowski at the RTC cup this fall.
 
Indiana does not have any natives on the Greco-Roman side of things. However, former Indiana University starter Lucas Sheridan is the 2nd seed at 97kg. He has had a solid amount of success in Greco-Roman and would be Indiana’s first Olympic representative since Charles Burton in 2000. There are also four wrestlers participating that have wrestled at the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open. Mason Manville is the 6th seed at 77kg in Greco-Roman. He was an IHPO runner-up in 2011. Nick Lee won IHPO as a 7th grader in 2011, while making the semi-finals in 2012. Logan Massa participated in the IHPO in 2010 as an 8th grader and will be at 74kg at the trials. Lastly, Gable Steveson was a middle school champion in 2012 at IHPO.
 
 
U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials Broadcast Schedule
Day Competition Time (ET) Network Friday Challenge Tournaments 11 a.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS   Challenge Tournament Finals Mat 2 7:30 p.m. NBCSN | LIVE STREAM   Challenge Tournament Finals Mats 1, 3, 4 7:30 p.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS   ‘Rulon’ film premiere on Rulon Gardner 11 p.m. NBCSN | STREAM Saturday Challenge Tournament Consolations 1 p.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS   Championship Series Mat 2 7:30 p.m. NBCSN | LIVE STREAM   Championship Series Mats 1, 3, 4 7:30 p.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS  
Useful Links
USAW's Olympic Trials Information Center
TrackWrestling brackets
 

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2021 NCAA D1 Nationals Preview
By Drew Hughes
This year there will be 13 Indiana guys competing in St. Louis across 8 different weight classes. This puts only 7 other states ahead of us for the number of qualifiers. Out of these 13 qualifiers only 1 of them is not from the Big Ten.
 
Drew Hildebrandt will be competing in the 125-pound bracket for the Central Michigan Chippewas. This will be Drew’s 3rd NCAA tournament appearance and has earned the 4th seed. The Penn High School graduate also won his 2nd MAC title to qualify for the tournament and is undefeated on the season.
 
Nick Lee will be competing in the 141-pound bracket for Penn State and will be in the hunt to win a national title. Lee comes into the tournament as the 2nd seed just like he was last year for the cancelled championships. The Evansville Mater Dei graduate is 8-1 on the season with his 1 loss coming in the Big Ten finals to the 1st seed Eierman.
 
Chad Red will be competing in the 141-pound bracket for Nebraska where he will be looking to All-American like he has at every NCAA tournament he’s wrestled in. Red comes into the tournament as the 8th seed with his only losses this year coming from the 1st and 3rd seeds of the tournament. As most people have seen, the New Palestine grad has always showed up for the big show.
 
Cayden Rooks will be competing in the 141-pound bracket for Indiana where he will be wrestling in his first NCAA tournament. Rooks earned an at-large bid to qualify for the tournament and will be the 32nd seed. Cayden is a Columbus East High School graduate where he won 2 state titles.
Graham Rooks will be competing in the 149-pound bracket for Indiana, and this was his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. After a 6th place finish at the Big Ten tournament, Rooks earned himself the 21st seed. Graham is also a Columbus East grad and is the older brother of previously mentions Cayden Rooks. 
 
Brayton Lee will be competing in the 157-pound bracket for Minnesota, and this was his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. After being seeded 7th for last year cancelled tournament Lee will be 1 spot higher at the 6th seed this year. The Brownsburg native is coming off of an impressive 3rd place Big Ten finish.
 
Jake Tucker will be competing in the 165-pound bracket for Michigan State, and it is a little controversial to claim him for Indiana. Tucker went to Mount Carmel High School in Illinois BUT has lived in Lowell Indiana his entire life. Since he has an Indiana driver’s license, I think it’s only fair we get to claim the now 2-time NCAA qualifier. Tucker earned the 25th seed after finish 6th place at the Big Ten tournament.
 
Joe Lee will be competing in the 165-pound bracket for Penn State where he will be wrestling in his first NCAA tournament. The Evansville Mater Dei grad will be the 23rd seed of the tournament after placing 8th at Big Tens. While Joe didn’t get a top 8 seed like his brother Nick, he does still have 1 more state title then his older brother.
 
Donnell Washington will be competing in the 174-pound bracket for Indiana where he will be wrestling in his first NCAA tournament. The Portage grad has really proved himself this year and will be the 9th seed. Washington is coming off a 6th place Big Ten finish and holds a win over the 3rd seed.
 
Drew Hughes (also the person writing this article) will be competing in the 174-pound bracket and is the 32 seed. This will be his 4th NCAA tournament and holds one of the worst records in the entire tournament at 3-7 on the year. All that we can know for sure is that the Lowell High School grad is going to choose top and probably get hit for a few stalling calls.
 
Lucas Davison will be competing in the 197-pound bracket for Northwestern, and this will be his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Davison is coming into the tournament as the 12th seed after placing 5th at Big Tens. The Chesterton native will be looking to become an All-American just like his dad was back in the day.
 
Thomas Penola will be competing in the 197-pound bracket for Purdue, and this will be his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Penola qualified for last years cancelled tournament at 285-pounds. This year he’s down a weight and earned himself the 19th seed of the tournament. The Zionsville High School graduate finished 7th at the Big Ten tournament.
 
Mason Parris will be competing in the 285-pound bracket for the Michigan wolverines, and this will be his 3rd NCAA tournament. Parris will be the 2nd seed of the tournament for the 2nd year in a row. The Lawrenceburg native has placed 2nd at the big ten tournament the last 2 season and will be looking for a rematch of the Big Ten finals in the NCAA finals. 

939
NAIA Women’s Nationals Preview
By Drew Hughes
 
The 2021 NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Invitational will be taking place March 12-
13 in Jamestown North Dakota. This is the 3 rd year of this event including the 2020 tournament
getting cancelled because of Covid. This event is still considered an Invitational and once there
are 40 programs that sponsor the sport it will go to a vote for championship status. With 38
NAIA programs that already sponsor the sport, the tournament should be a sanctioned
championship by next year. Indiana will have 4 women competing at this tournament with 3 of
them competing for the new Indiana Tech program.
 
Korigan Wilkey will be competing in the 109-pound bracket for Indiana Tech where she
will wrestle Lisa Megargee of Eastern Oregon first round. Wilkey went to Elwood High School
where she was a 2-time girl’s state placer.
 
Alyssa Schuller will be competing in the 116-pound bracket for Indiana Tech, she is the 6
seed of the tournament and will have Raven Guidry of Oklahoma City first round. Schuller is
from Decatur and went to Woodlan High School where she was a girl’s state runner-up in 2017.
 
Riley Horvath will be competing in the 116-pound bracket for Indiana Tech and will
wrestle Daviona Bonner of Central Methodist first round. Horvath is from Elkhart and went to
Jimtown High School where she was a 2-time girl’s state placer.
 
Cierra Broukal will be competing in the 116-pound bracket for Campbellsville and will
wrestle Jasmine Alexander of Grand View first round. Broukal went to Bloomington South High
School and was a 2-time girl’s state champion. Broukal was also a Semi-State qualifier as a
junior in 2018.
 
This tournament will be streamed live on Flowrestling.
Click here for brackets

1358 12 1
2021 NCAA D2 Preview
By Drew Hughes
 
The NCAA D2 national tournament has always been a tough tournament to qualify for but this year it was even harder. Due to Covid, the NCAA decided to reduce the number of participants by 27% meaning that while in a normal year there would be 180 qualifiers, this year there are only 132. To put that into perspective, the D1 tournament will still have 330 competitors this year giving them almost 200 more spots then the D2 tournament. Even with this reduced field there will be 4 Indiana natives competing in St. Louis this weekend.
 
Christian Mejia of McKendree University will be competing in the 125-pound bracket. Mejia comes into the tournament with an 8-1 record and will face 8 seed Cole Jones of MSU Moorhead in the first round. In High School Christian wrestled for Elkhart Memorial where he was a 3-time state placer and a 1-time state runner-up.
 
Logan Bailey of the University of Indianapolis will be competing in the 149-pound bracket. The true freshman holds a record of 11-2 and will face 8 seed Jacob Ealy of Pitt-Johnstown in the first round. Bailey wrestled for Indianapolis Cathedral in High School where he was a 2-time state placer and a 1-time state runner-up. In addition, Bailey was also an IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open champion in 2019.
 
Dawson Combest of the University of Indianapolis will be competing in the 157-pound bracket. Combest comes into the tournament with a 10-2 record as well as being the 2 seed of the tournament. Combest has a bye first round but will face Caden Moore of Northern St. in the quarterfinals. Combest qualified for the cancelled 2020 tournament last year and was named an NWCA All-American as the 7th seed that year. In High School, Dawson wrestled for Columbus East where he was a 3-time state placer. Like Bailey, Combest was also an IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open champion in 2016.
 
Gleason Mappes of the University of Indianapolis will be competing in the 184-pound bracket. Mappes comes to the tournament with a 6-6 record and will face the 4 seed Dan Fillipek of McKendree first round. Mappes also qualified for the cancelled 2020 national tournament. In High School Mappes wrestled for Center Grove and was a 3-time state placer and a 1-time state runner-up.
 
The tournament will be on March 12-13 and the brackets can be found on track wrestling. Also, for those that are interested, all of the matched will be streamed live on the NCAA website.
Click here for brackets

1162 1
National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships
By Drew Hughes
 
Women’s wrestling in college has been on the rise for the past few years with 17 new programs being added this year alone. The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships will feature NCAA women’s teams.
 
The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships will be taking place March 6, 2021 and will be held at Tiffin University where 2 Indiana athletes will be competing. 
 
Jaryn Strong who is a freshman at Adrian College took 4th place at Northeast Regional to qualify for the tournament. In high school Strong wrestled for Terre Haute South where she was a 4-time Girls State placer and a finalist her senior year. She will be in the 123-pound bracket where she will face off against Trinity Berry of Tiffin University first round.
 
Jasime Hale of Pike is another freshman qualifier for Adrian. She won the regional and comes into nationals with a 5-6 record. She will have Madison Horn of Augsburg in the first round at 170lbs.
 
Alara Boyd who is a sophomore at McKendree University took 1st place at the Southwest Regional to qualify for the tournament. In high school Boyd wrestled for Yorktown where she was a 2-time cadet world medalist earning bronze in 2016 and silver in 2017. She was also a 2019 junior world team member as well as a 2-time Girls State champion. This is Boyd’s second National tournament appearance as she places 2nd at last year’s event. She will be in the 155-pound bracket where she will have a bye first round.
 
Indiana currently has two colleges that offer women’s wrestling and are both in their first season’s this year, Indiana Tech who will compete at the NAIA women’s national tournament and Trine University who will have one participant, Riley Morrison, competing at this tournament at 109-pounds. Morrison is a Texas native and is coached by Indiana native Amy Hildebrandt who helped start the program just over a year ago.
 
The brackets will be on TrackWrestling where you can follow along or watch live for a fee.
https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/predefinedtournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=602244132

2392
Parris rises to a heavyweight contender
By Drew Hughes
 
Mason Parris has been an Indiana fan favorite since his freshman year of high school where he lost a heart breaker to senior and eventual state champion Chase Osborn 11-10. After this the Lawrenceburg native’s high school career was flawless and didn’t lose another match on his way to three state titles and a 201-1 career record. 
With one of the most dominant careers Indiana has ever seen Parris set the record for most career pins at the state finals where he had 11. He ended his prep career as the 3rd ranked recruit in his class as well as being ranked 1st at 220lbs.
 
Right out of high school Parris was thrown into the mix as his redshirt was pulled at the University of Michigan halfway through the season where in his varsity debut, he took down the then #1 ranked heavyweight from Oregon State. Mason would then go on to place 7th at the Big Ten championships that year and lost in the round to place at the NCAA tournament. 
 
His sophomore season Mason was as dominant as ever compiling a 28-1 record with 18 of those wins earning bonus points. Parris finished the year as a Big Ten finalist but with to the NCAA championships being cancelled due to COVID he had to settle with being named a NWCA first team All-American.
 
This season Parris is currently ranked 2nd in the country at Heavyweight and is 6-0 on the year with all of his wins being bonus point wins. Mason is also ranked #4 in the Hodge trophy rankings and will most likely me the 2nd seed at the Big Ten tournament this year.
 
Being a three-sport athlete in high school Parris didn’t have as much time as most to wrestle freestyle. He only wrestled in 1 freestyle national tournament the summer before college where he ended up with a 3rd place finish. With the help of the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club, which is based at the University of Michigan, Mason has made tremendous strides in freestyle.
 
After his true freshman season, he made the junior world team at 125kg where he won a gold medal. Mason is currently ranked 19th in Flowrestling’s international rankings and this past December beat 2-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski. This April, Parris will have a chance to compete for the spot on the Olympic team for the now 2021 games in Tokyo. When talking about international wrestling Parris said “I am striving to make the Olympic team and bring home a gold medal. I am undecided on how long I would like to wrestle for (internationally). It depends on a lot of factors. I would like to at least see another Olympic cycle in 2024.”
 
With Covid giving everyone an extra year of eligibility, a big question is what athletes are going to take advantage of it. When asked Mason said “I plan on using my extra covid year. I am treating this year more as my redshirt year, since I did not have one. It is amazing that I am getting another year to chase my dreams after being cut short before NCAA’s last year. I really want to utilize this year to improve and win an NCAA Championship.”
 
Mason is currently pursuing a Civil Engineering degree and would like to utilize that after college but is also open to other options as he said “I am still keeping my options open. I may try to play football for my 5th year, go to the WWE, or continue to wrestle internationally. I want to wait and decide what is the best opportunity for me and my future.”
 

1611 7
Indiana Natives to Watch at NAIA Nationals
By Drew Hughes
 
The 2021 NAIA Wrestling National Championships are set to take place March 5-6 in Park City, Kansas. There are 12 Indiana natives that will be competing at this tournament with 5 of the 11 being ranked in the top 8 of the latest NAIA rankings. Listed below are the NAIA National qualifiers.
 
Name
School
Hometown/High School
Weight
Ranking
Ty Haskins
Marian (Ind.)
Valparaiso, Portage High School
125
19th
Matt Gimson
Indiana Tech
Elkhart, Jimtown High School
133
2nd
Connor Gimson
Indiana Tech
Elkhart, Jimtown High School
133
7th
Blake Mulkey
Marian (Ind.)
Brownsburg, Brownsburg High School
141
5th
Bailey Moore
Marian (Ind.)
Indianapolis, Beech Grove High School
149
9th
Brice Coleman
Indiana Tech
Indianapolis, Warren Central High School
157
18th
Tristan Sellmer
Campbellsville
Jeffersonville, Floyd Central high School
157
NR
Elliott Rodgers
Marian (Ind.)
Noblesville, Cathedral High school
165
15th
Kolby Ferris
Indiana Tech
Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern High School
174
7th
Jarod Swank
Cumberlands (Ky.)
Granger, Penn High School
165
9th
Sam Osho
Marian (Ind.)
Avon, Avon High School
184
9th
Jack Servies
Marian (Ind.)
Indianapolis, Perry Meridian High School
197
13th
Ethan Bunce
Marian (Ind.)
Indianapolis, Lawrence Central High School
285
8th
 
For those that may be unfamiliar with how NAIA works, a team can enter 2 individuals at a weight for 2 different weight classes. With that being said, that is how brothers Matt and Connor Grimson both qualified at the same weight and took 1st and 2nd at their conference. Also winning conference titles where Blake Mulkey, Brice Coleman, Elliot Rodgers, Kolby Ferris, Jack Servies, and Jarod Swank.
 
With the exception of Jarod Swank, who competed in the Mid-South Conference, all of the other Indiana Natives competed in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. This was the first year of this conference where Indiana Tech beat Marian in the team race by a score of 163.5 to 144.
 
With in person attendance likely limited, the tournament will be on trackwrestling where you can follow the brackets and even watch live for a fee.
 
Click here for TrackWrestling brackets

1196 1
Comparing 2021 vs. 2011 State Tournament
By Drew Hughes
 
A Decade Ago
After such a great weekend of wrestling at the 2021 state tournament, let’s take a look back at some of the similarities, differences, and other interesting facts about this year’s tournament and the one from 10 years ago.
 
The Bank
The first difference between these two tournaments has nothing at all to do with wrestling but the name of the arena. While the tournament is still held in the Indiana Pacers fieldhouse, 2011 was the last year of the fieldhouses original name Conseco Fieldhouse. Since then, the arena has been known as Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
 
Weight Difference
The 2011 state finals were also the last year of the old weight classes, after this state tournament is when the IHSAA changed the weights to the ones we still use today. With the changes being
103 – 106
112 – 113
119 – 120
125 – 126
130 – 132
135 – 138
140 – 145
145 – 152
152 – 160
160 – 170
171 – 182
189 – 195
215 – 220
285 – 285
 
The Bulldogs Junior’s 3rd Title
In 2011 the Crown Point Bulldogs had their eventual 4-time state champion Jason Tsirtsis win his 3rd state title. This season with just a 2-pound difference in their weight classes, Crown Point’s Jesse Mendez won his 3rd state title and will be looking to join Jason as a four-time state champ next season.
 
The Potential 3-timer
Zeke Seltzer just won his second consecutive title as a junior and will be in the hunt to become one of the next 3-time state champions next year. Similar to this, in 2011 Kyle Ayersman also won his second title as a junior and would go on to be a 3-time state champ.
 
Brothers in The Finals
In 2011 twin brothers Doug and Chad Welch both capped off their senior seasons as state champions. While not twins, the Ruhlman brothers of Bloomington South both made state finals appearances, with the younger brother and sophomore Delaney Ruhlman falling to Jesse Mendez in the finals. The older brother and senior Tristan Ruhlman capped off his high school career with a state title. The Welch brothers were only the 3rd pair of siblings to ever accomplish this feat in Indiana.
 
Attendance on hold
Due to COVID and the limited in person attendance many had to watch this year’s state tournament from home. The 2011 state tournament brought in 27,999 fans throughout the weekends 3 sessions. Hopefully, Bankers Life Fieldhouse will be filled with fans for the 2022 state championships.

2535 18
Who do you want in your corner at state? 2021 Version
Last year this article produced many comments and since it was so popular, let's bring it back. Over the course of the state finals we have seen the placers grow from 4 to 6 to 8. With the addition of the 7th place match came the dreaded Friday night do or die match. Coaches make a living on Friday night getting kids on the stand. Year after year we notice a lot of the same teams with wrestlers on the podium. However, how good are these coaches at getting kids on the stand, to the semi-finals, or even finals? Well, you neighborhood gorilla has crunched the data and has it for everyone to see. 
 
You can view all the data for both Friday and Saturday success
Click here to view
 
Current coaches with 10 or more qualifiers sorted by winning percentage.

Coach Total Qualifiers Total Placers Friday % Wade McClurg 15 13 86.67% Maurice Swain 13 10 76.92% Sean McGinley 108 83 76.85% Brian Weaver 12 9 75.00% Darrick Snyder 92 68 73.91% Chris Cooper 33 24 72.73% Matt Schoettle 25 17 68.00% David Maldonado 83 55 66.27% Jim Tonte 106 70 66.04% Joshua Holden 20 13 65.00% Kevin Blundell 11 7 63.64% Branden Lorek 22 14 63.64% Zach Errett 24 15 62.50% Frank Bumgardner 10 6 60.00% Greg Schaefer 77 46 59.74% Dan Briggs 19 11 57.89% Bill Flatt 23 13 56.52% Ed Pendoski 71 39 54.93% Tony Abbott 31 17 54.84% Eric Myers 23 12 52.17% Bob Harmon 58 29 50.00% Brandon Sisson 12 6 50.00% Randy Kearby 34 17 50.00% Chris Joll 55 26 47.27% Lou Silverman 36 17 47.22% Mike Runyon 17 8 47.06% Jim Pickard 41 19 46.34% Louie Kuzdas 25 11 44.00% Clint Gard 16 7 43.75% Brad Harper 64 27 42.19% Scott Ferguson 38 16 42.11% Rod Williams 12 5 41.67% Chad Shepherd 22 9 40.91% Steve Pugliese 22 9 40.91% Larry Mattingly 32 13 40.63% Brett Smith 10 4 40.00% Dan Mikesell 15 6 40.00% Brett Smith 10 4 40.00% Tony Currie 10 4 40.00% Tony Currie 10 4 40.00% Dave Cloud 28 11 39.29% Andy Hobbs 41 16 39.02% Danny Struck 18 7 38.89% Dean Branstetter 16 6 37.50% Paul Gunsett 17 6 35.29% Doug Smoker 20 7 35.00% Blane Culp 12 4 33.33% Jamie Welliever 12 4 33.33% Tim Alcorn 10 3 30.00% Jim Wadkins 22 6 27.27% Andrew King 23 6 26.09% Steven Sandefer 12 3 25.00% Steven Sandefer 12 3 25.00% Nick Kraus 14 3 21.43% Tom Miller 17 2 11.76%  
Current coaches with more than 10 qualifiers getting wrestlers to the semi-finals by winning percentage

Coach Current School Qual Placer Semi-Finalists Qual to Semis Wade McClurg Roncalli 15 13 10 66.67% Zach Errett Avon 24 15 11 45.83% Dan Briggs Carroll (Fort Wayne) 19 11 9 47.37% Matt Schoettle Perry Meridian 25 17 12 48.00% Sean McGinley Indianapolis Cathedral 108 83 56 51.85% Darrick Snyder Brownsburg 92 68 46 50.00% Steve Pugliese Tri-West 22 9 6 27.27% Jim Tonte Franklin Community 106 70 40 37.74% David Maldonado Merrillville 83 55 30 36.14% Bob Harmon Castle 58 29 18 31.03% Chris Cooper Columbus East 33 24 15 45.45% Steven Sandefer Mishawaka 12 3 2 16.67% Maurice Swain Center Grove 13 10 5 38.46% Joshua Holden Greenfield-Central 20 13 3 15.00% Chris Joll Chesterton 55 26 11 20.00% Greg Schaefer Evansville Mater Dei 77 46 26 33.77% Dave Cloud Pendleton Heights 28 11 6 21.43% Nick Kraus Garrett 14 3 3 21.43% Ed Pendoski Carmel 71 39 20 28.17% Branden Lorek Crown Point 22 14 6 27.27% Brad Harper Penn 64 27 10 15.63% Frank Bumgardner Wawasee 10 6 2 20.00% Tim Alcorn Mount Vernon (Posey) 10 3 2 20.00% Kevin Blundell Monrovia 11 7 2 18.18% Jim Wadkins Calumet 22 6 3 13.64% Randy Kearby Evansville Central 34 17 7 20.59% Brandon Sisson Floyd Central 12 6 3 25.00% Brian Weaver Elkhart Memorial 12 9 2 16.67% Rod Williams Leo 12 5 1 8.33% Andy Hobbs Peru 41 16 7 17.07% Dan Mikesell Mooresville 15 6 3 20.00% Paul Gunsett Bellmont 17 6 2 11.76% Lou Silverman North Central 36 17 5 13.89% Danny Struck Jeffersonville 18 7 2 11.11% Chad Shepherd Western 22 9 3 13.64% Bill Flatt South Bend Riley 23 13 8 34.78% Eric Myers Jay County 23 12 4 17.39% Tony Abbott Cowan 31 17 5 16.13% Larry Mattingly Evansville Memorial 32 13 3 9.38% Jim Pickard Goshen 41 19 5 12.20% Mike Runyon Bloomington South 17 8 3 17.65% Brett Smith Prairie Heights 10 4 1 10.00% Doug Smoker Eastside 20 7 2 10.00% Tony Currie Adams Central 10 4 1 10.00% Scott Ferguson Evansville Reitz 38 16 3 7.89% Dean Branstetter Attica 16 6 1 6.25% Louie Kuzdas LaPorte 25 11 1 4.00% Andrew King Oak Hill 23 6 0 0.00% Blane Culp Columbia City 12 4 0 0.00% Clint Gard Rochester 16 7 0 0.00% Tom Miller Lafayette Jefferson 17 2 0 0.00% Jamie Welliever Southmont 12 4 0 0.00%  
Current coaches with more than 10 qualifiers getting wrestlers to the finals by winning percentage

Coach Current School Qual Place Finalists Qual to Finals Wade McClurg Roncalli 15 13 5 33.33% Zach Errett Avon 24 15 8 33.33% Dan Briggs Carroll (Fort Wayne) 19 11 6 31.58% Matt Schoettle Perry Meridian 25 17 7 28.00% Sean McGinley Indianapolis Cathedral 108 83 29 26.85% Darrick Snyder Brownsburg 92 68 22 23.91% Steve Pugliese Tri-West 22 9 5 22.73% Jim Tonte Franklin Community 106 70 24 22.64% David Maldonado Merrillville 83 55 18 21.69% Bob Harmon Castle 58 29 11 18.97% Chris Cooper Columbus East 33 24 6 18.18% Steven Sandefer Mishawaka 12 3 2 16.67% Maurice Swain Center Grove 13 10 2 15.38% Joshua Holden Greenfield-Central 20 13 3 15.00% Chris Joll Chesterton 55 26 8 14.55% Greg Schaefer Evansville Mater Dei 77 46 11 14.29% Dave Cloud Pendleton Heights 28 11 4 14.29% Nick Kraus Garrett 14 3 2 14.29% Ed Pendoski Carmel 71 39 10 14.08% Branden Lorek Crown Point 22 14 3 13.64% Brad Harper Penn 64 27 7 10.94% Frank Bumgardner Wawasee 10 6 1 10.00% Tim Alcorn Mount Vernon (Posey) 10 3 1 10.00% Kevin Blundell Monrovia 11 7 1 9.09% Jim Wadkins Calumet 22 6 2 9.09% Randy Kearby Evansville Central 34 17 3 8.82% Brandon Sisson Floyd Central 12 6 1 8.33% Brian Weaver Elkhart Memorial 12 9 1 8.33% Rod Williams Leo 12 5 1 8.33% Andy Hobbs Peru 41 16 3 7.32% Dan Mikesell Mooresville 15 6 1 6.67% Paul Gunsett Bellmont 17 6 1 5.88% Lou Silverman North Central 36 17 2 5.56% Danny Struck Jeffersonville 18 7 1 5.56% Chad Shepherd Western 22 9 1 4.55% Bill Flatt South Bend Riley 23 13 1 4.35% Eric Myers Jay County 23 12 1 4.35% Tony Abbott Cowan 31 17 1 3.23% Larry Mattingly Evansville Memorial 32 13 1 3.13% Jim Pickard Goshen 41 19 1 2.44% Mike Runyon Bloomington South 17 8 0 0.00% Brett Smith Prairie Heights 10 4 0 0.00% Doug Smoker Eastside 20 7 0 0.00% Tony Currie Adams Central 10 4 0 0.00% Scott Ferguson Evansville Reitz 38 16 0 0.00% Dean Branstetter Attica 16 6 0 0.00% Louie Kuzdas LaPorte 25 11 0 0.00% Andrew King Oak Hill 23 6 0 0.00% Blane Culp Columbia City 12 4 0 0.00% Clint Gard Rochester 16 7 0 0.00% Tom Miller Lafayette Jefferson 17 2 0 0.00% Jamie Welliever Southmont 12 4 0 0.00%  
Current Coaches winning percentage under the lights with over 10 state qualifiers

Coach Current School Finalists Champs Lights Jim Wadkins Calumet 2 2 100.00% Bill Flatt South Bend Riley 1 1 100.00% Brandon Sisson Floyd Central 1 1 100.00% Larry Mattingly Evansville Memorial 1 1 100.00% Tony Abbott Cowan 1 1 100.00% Kevin Blundell Monrovia 1 1 100.00% Chris Cooper Columbus East 6 5 83.33% Steve Pugliese Tri-West 5 4 80.00% Bob Harmon Castle 11 8 72.73% Branden Lorek Crown Point 3 2 66.67% Wade McClurg Roncalli 5 3 60.00% Darrick Snyder Brownsburg 22 13 59.09% Greg Schaefer Evansville Mater Dei 11 6 54.55% Jim Tonte Franklin Community 24 12 50.00% David Maldonado Merrillville 18 9 50.00% Ed Pendoski Carmel 10 5 50.00% Chris Joll Chesterton 8 4 50.00% Zach Errett Avon 8 4 50.00% Dan Briggs Carroll (Fort Wayne) 6 3 50.00% Dave Cloud Pendleton Heights 4 2 50.00% Maurice Swain Center Grove 2 1 50.00% Steven Sandefer Mishawaka 2 1 50.00% Brad Harper Penn 7 3 42.86% Sean McGinley Indianapolis Cathedral 29 12 41.38% Joshua Holden Greenfield-Central 3 1 33.33% Matt Schoettle Perry Meridian 7 2 28.57% Andy Hobbs Peru 3 0 0.00% Randy Kearby Evansville Central 3 0 0.00% Lou Silverman North Central 2 0 0.00% Nick Kraus Garrett 2 0 0.00% Chad Shepherd Western 1 0 0.00% Dan Mikesell Mooresville 1 0 0.00% Danny Struck Jeffersonville 1 0 0.00% Eric Myers Jay County 1 0 0.00% Frank Bumgardner Wawasee 1 0 0.00% Jim Pickard Goshen 1 0 0.00% Tim Alcorn Mount Vernon (Posey) 1 0 0.00% Brian Weaver Elkhart Memorial 1 0 0.00% Paul Gunsett Bellmont 1 0 0.00% Rod Williams Leo 1 0 0.00%
1436 3 1
Team Race Breakdown
By Drew Hughes
 
With the 2021 state tournament approaching the team race looks to be as exciting as ever. The way that I see it there are 5 teams that will be neck and neck this year for the title: Evansville Mater Dei, Crown Point, Indianapolis Cathedral, Chesterton, and Perry Meridian. While all of these teams have a shot at the crown, they will all need certain things to go their way.
 
Mater Dei:
With 7 state qualifiers but 4 of those 7 receiving some unfavorable draws they will need some big wins to stay in the team race. With these bad draws being semi-state champ Reed Egli drawing into #1 Alex Cottey first round, Cole Ross potentially running into #1 Sergio Lemley in the quarters, Alec Freeman potentially having #3 Aidan Torres in the quarters, and returning state champ Blake Boarman on the same side as #1 Jesse Mendez. These draws possibly limiting the number of people they can put in the finals it might just kill their chances at a team title.
Potential team scores not including bonus points:
Worst case: 59 points
Best case: 136 points
My Prediction: 78 points
 
Crown Point:
With the loss of a potential title contender Cody Goodwin, they might be just short of what they need to win the title. With 8 state qualifiers and 6 of those qualifiers ranked higher than their Friday night opponents, the Bulldogs are going to need to pick up some big wins on Saturday morning to win the title. These key potential quarters match ups that they need to go their way are #5 Sam Goin over #4 Bryce Lowery, #7 Stephen Roberson over #4 Kysen Montgomery, #3 Javen Estrada over #5 J Conway, and #5 Orlando Cruz over #4 Kade Law. With a few of these wins and their other guys wrestling up to their rankings they do still have a shot at the title.
Potential team scores not including bonus points:
Worst case: 52 points
Best case: 146 points
My Prediction: 93 points
 
Indianapolis Cathedral:
The reigning team state champs for the last 3 years, Cathedral will be looking for its 4th in a row on Saturday. Bring 6 qualifiers with them they are going to need to be at their best to get it done. With everyone ranked above their Friday night opponents they will need some big wins Saturday morning to have a chance at the title. Some of these big potential quarterfinal matches include #2 Evan Dickey vs. #1 Jeffery Bailey, #12 Dillion Graham vs. #9 Tony Wood, #9 Ulrik Urasky vs. #2 Pate Eastin, and #4 Johnny Parker vs. #6 Harris Eason. Cathedral will need to win a few of these matches as well as #3 Andrew Wilson potentially upsetting #2 Brody Baumann in the semis to repeat as team state champions.
Potential team scores not including bonus points:
Worst case: 44 points
Best case: 98 points
My Prediction: 72 points
 
Chesterton:
Coming off a tight semi-state title over Crown Point and bringing 8 guys to Bankers Life Chesterton is in a good spot to steal this team title. With only one wrestler ranked under their Friday night opponent they will need some big wins on Saturday. With some key potential quarterfinal matches being #10 Hayden DeMarco vs. #6 Coy Hammack, #1 Sergio Lemley vs. #4 Cole Ross, #3 Aidan Torres vs. #1 Alec Freeman, #10 Ethan Kaiser vs. #6 Hunter May, #6 Brock Ellis vs. #7 Tyer Conley, #4 Gavin Layman vs. #1 Drake Buchanan, and #10 Gage Demarco vs. #6 Harris Eason. Chesterton will need to a few upsets in theses matches to stay in the title race.
 
Potential team score not including bonus points:
Worst case: 45 points
Best case: 121 points
My Prediction: 91 points
 
Perry Meridian:
Perry comes into this weekend with 9 state qualifiers and only 3 of those 9 being ranked under their Friday night opponents if things go their way, we could see Perry bring home their first title since 2013. With their key potential quarterfinal matches being #3 Toby Billerman vs. #4 Evan Seng, #2 Mathew Koontz vs. #11 Aidan Hardcastle, #13 Jajuan Dale vs. #11 Codei Khawaja, and #10 Jeffrey McClure vs. #5 Josh Howell. The real key for Perry’s path to a title will come from their returning champ and 3-time finalist Alex Cottey to be health after injury defaulting to 4th place last weekend.
 
Potential team score not including bonus points:
Worst case: 39 points
Best case: 107 points
My prediction: 74 points
 
Based off of my predictions before taking bonus points into account I have the team placement going:
 
#1 Crown Point with 93 points
#2 Chesterton with 91 points
#3 Mater Dei with 78 points
#4 Perry Meridian with 74 points
#5 Cathedral with 72 points
 
Bonus points are going to be the deciding factor in this team race with the potential for any of these 5 teams to come away with the title come Saturday.

2194 1
State Finals #WAYL2
We have 24 wrestlers that enter Friday without a loss on their record. However, the other 200 wrestlers have a combined 795 losses between them. Most of the losses are to state level competitors. Here is a listing of all the losses for each wrestler at state this weekend.
Note: If you know any of the missing or incorrect results please notify me.
 
Random Stats
Most losses to state qualifiers
Jakob Sheets- 9
Braden Haines and James Smith- 8
Evan Cruz, Liam Krueger, Zac Dray, Keaton Morton, Isaiah Ponce, Josh Howell- 7
Brenden Dilley, Cameron Clark, Tyler Jones, Jajuan Dale, Amara Kaba, Jacob Sommer- 6
 
Most wins over state qualifiers
Toby Billerman- 11
Robert Major- 9
Logan Wagner- 8
Evan Dickey, Hayden DeMarco, Sergio Lemley, Zeke Seltzer, Javen Estrada, Andrew Wilson, Kade Law, Aiden Warren, Brach Carrington, Tristan Ruhlman- 7
 
Non-State Qualifiers with the most wins over state qualifiers
Logan Miller- 5
Cody Goodwin and Noah Lykins- 4
Cody Timmerman, Conner Watts, David Guhl, Isaiah Street, Juan Grange, Kaden Lone, Lane Deckard, Logan Huggins, Matthew Morris, Sergio Bueno, Tyler Williams- 3
 
Undefeated Wrestlers
113: Isaac Ruble
120: Lane Gilbert
126: Landon Bertsch and Zeke Seltzer
132: Ian Heath
138: Jesse Mendez
145: Elijah Chacon
152: Jajuan Anderson, James Conway, and Aidan Hardcastle
160: Brody Baumann and Robert Major
170: Pate Eastin and Bryer Hall
182: Gavin Layman and Gabriel Sollars
195: Brach Carrington, Hayden Filipovich, and Eli Pack
220: Evan Bates and Tristan Ruhlman
285: Leighton Jones, Mariere Omonode, and Evan Shafer
 
#WAYL2
Who are your losses to?
 
Key
*- State Qualifier
(Losses/ State Qualifier Losses/ State Qualifier Wins)
 
106
Evan Seng(1/0/5): Preston Haines
Tanner Tishner(1/1/4): Ashton Jackson*
Ashton Jackson(2/1/5): Anthony Bahl*, Jalen May
Cody Rowles(2/2/1): Tanner Tishner*, Vicente Eckman*
Donnie Feeler(2/1/2): Evan Seng*, Zane Schreck
Evan Dickey(2/2/7): Hayden Demarco*, Toby Billerman*
Jeffrey Bailey(2/1/2): Ashton Jackson*, Dillon Campbell
Toby Billerman(3/2/11): Evan Dickey(2)*, Preston Haines
Keegan Malott(4/4/0): Cody Rowles*, Tanner Tishner(2)*, Vicente Eckman*
Vicente Eckman(4/2/4): Hayden DeMarco*, Hunter Miller, Tanner Tishner*, Trevor Schammert
Blake Zirkelbach(5/3/1): Dakota Herald, Evan Seng(3)*, Kelby Glenn
Nathan Smith(5/5/2): Evan Dickey*, Toby Billerman(4)*
Dylan Bennett(7/3/0): Ashton Jackson*, Colton Weimer, David Maldonado, Evan Cruz*, Evan Dickey*, Xavier Chavez(2)
Liam Krueger(8/7/1): Blake Zirkelbach*, Charlie Larocca, Donnie Feeler(2)*, Evan Dickey(2)*, Toby Billerman(2)*
Zac Dray(8/7/0): Charlie Larocca, Evan Dickey*, Evan Seng*, Nathan Smith(2)*, Toby Billerman(3)*
Evan Cruz(10/7/1): ???, Aden Reyes, Ashton Jackson(2)*, Hayden DeMarco*, Jeffrey Bailey(2)*, Johnny Cortez, Liam Krueger*, Toby Billerman*

113
Isaac Ruble(0/0/4)
Coy Hammack(1/1/1): Reed Egli*
Alex Cottey(2/2/6): Dylan Driver*, Isaac Ward*
Jared Brooks(2/1/2): Ethan Holloway, Isaac Ruble*
Kyrel Leavell(2/1/6): Alex Cottey*, Logan Miller
Reed Egli(2/1/2): Kyrel Leavell*, Logan Miller
Anthony Bahl(3/2/6): Hayden DeMarco*, Keaton Morton*, Noah Lykins
Hayden Brady(3/2/1): Isaac Ruble(2)*, Zar Walker
Hayden DeMarco(3/2/7): Anthony Bahl*, Logan Miller, Reese Courtney*
Dylan Driver(4/3/4): Isaac Ward*, Keaton Morton*, Kyrel Leavell*, Logan Miller
Beau Brabender(5/4/0): Hayden Brady*, Jared Brooks*, Vicente Eckman(2)*, Zander Hord
Bryce Denton(5/3/1): Hayden DeMarco(2)*, Isaac Ruble*, Trevor Schammert, Zar Walker
Drake Fritz(5/4/0): Anthony Bahl*, Bryce Denton*, Hayden DeMarco*, Jared Brooks*, Mikkel Cunningham
Reese Courtney(5/4/4): Anthony Bahl*, Joey Buttler*, Kyrel Leavell*, Logan Bickel, Reed Egli*
Isaac Ward(6/5/3): Dylan Driver(2)*, Keaton Morton*, Kyrel Leavell*, Noah Lykins, Reese Courtney*
Joey Buttler(7/5/1): ???, Coy Hammack*, Isaac Ward*, Keaton Morton(2)*, Noah Lykins, Reese Courtney*
 
120
Lane Gilbert(0/0/4)
Aidan Sprague(1/0/3): Preston Teusch
Sergio Lemley(1/1/7): Zeke Seltzer*
Braxton Vest(2/2/2): Alex Cottey*, Dillon Graham*
Cole Ross(2/2/3): Lane Gilbert(2)*
Nate Hennessey(2/2/2): Sergio Lemley*, Tristian Vaughn*
Logan Frazier(3/3/1): Sergio Lemley(2)*, Zeke Seltzer*
Carleton Perry(4/3/3): Aden Reyes, Alex Cottey*, Braxton Vest*, Cole Ross*
Dillon Graham(4/2/2): Alex Cottey*, Anthony Bahl*, Eitan Halevi, Hyatt Yeager
Justin Puckett(4/3/0): Aidan Sprague*, Austin Lewis*, Dylan Tom, Tony Wood*
Tony Wood(4/2/4): Aidan Sprague*, Brandon Kinnick, Landon Engle, Logan Uhlman*
Tristian Vaughn(4/3/1): ???, Logan Frazier*, Nate Hennessey(2)*
Austin Lewis(5/5/1): Aidan Sprague*, Logan Uhlman*, Tony Wood(3)*
Travis Haug(6/3/0): Braden Haines*, Kelby Glenn, Lane Gilbert(2)*, Lou Knable, Xavier Lopez
Braden Haines(8/8/1): Alex Cottey(2)*, Braxton Vest*, Carleton Perry*, Cole Ross(2)*, Dylan Driver*, Sergio Lemley*
Keaton Morton(9/7/6): Anthony Bahl*, Carleton Perry(2)*, Dillon Graham*, Kyrel Leavell(2)*, Logan Miller, Noah Lykins, Reese Courtney*
 
126
Landon Bertsch(0/0/4)
Zeke Seltzer(0/0/7)
Brady Ison(1/1/5): Cheaney Schoeff*
Sam Goin(1/1/2): Logan Wagner*
Blake Wolf(2/1/1): Bryce Lowery*, Cole Thomas
Bryce Lowery(2/2/1): Zeke Seltzer(2)*
Elijah Anthony(2/2/0): Blake Wolf*, Zeke Seltzer*
Matteo Vargo(2/2/2): Sam Goin*, Sergio Lemley*
Nick Olson(2/2/4): Landon Bertsch*, Sergio Lemley*
Harper Dedman(4/2/0): Ethan Higgins, Logan Uhlman*, Nick Olson*, Wyatt Krejsa
Cheaney Schoeff(5/5/4): Alec Freeman*, Brady Ison(3)*, Zeke Seltzer*
Jacob Bechert(5/3/3): Brady Ison*, Cheaney Schoeff*, Keaton Morton*, Luke Gonzalez, Noah Clouser
Logan Uhlman(6/4/3): Brandon Kinnick, Cheaney Schoeff*, Landon Bertsch(3)*, Wyatt Krejsa
Michael Tharpe(6/5/0): Brady Ison*, Cheaney Schoeff*, Jacob Bechert(3)*, Luke Farling
Devin Wible(7/4/1): Brayden McMillen, Cade Meier*, Dylan Heath, Malik Hall, Nick Olson*, Sam Goin*, Sergio Lemley*
Brenden Dilley(11/6/0): Brayden Baker, Brodie Fogarty(2), Cameron Clark*, Devin Wible*, Dominic Smith(2), Matteo Vargo(2)*, Nick Olson(2)*
 
132
Ian Heath(0/0/4)
Alec Freeman(1/1/5): Kysen Montgomery*
Ben Dalton(1/1/2): Alec Freeman*
Dylan Stroud(1/1/2): Ian Heath*
Aidan Torres(2/2/5): Stephen Roberson(2)*
David Pierson(3/3/4): Alec Freeman*, Anthony Hughes*, Matthew Koontz*
Kysen Montgomery(3/3/3): Aidan Torres*, Alec Freeman*, Ben Dalton*
Lakin Webb(3/3/0): Cole Solomey*, Dylan Stroud*, Stephen Roberson*
Stephen Roberson(3/2/4): Aidan Torres*, Jack Coyle, Kysen Montgomery*
Brac Hooper(4/4/1): Anthony Hughes*, David Pierson(2)*, Zeke Seltzer*
Devin Frazier(4/2/1): Anthony Hughes*, Brac Hooper*, Brevan Thrine(2)
Anthony Hughes(5/2/3): Carson Johnson, David Pierson(2)*, Lane Deckard, Noah Clouser
Cade Meier(5/3/1): Alec Freeman*, Ben Dalton*, Kysen Montgomery*, Lane Deckard(2)
Cole Solomey(5/4/1): Aidan Torres(3)*, Malik Hall, Stephen Roberson*
Dominic Litchfield(5/3/4): Brayden Baker, Ian Heath(3)*, Wesley Harper
Cameron Clark(6/6/1): Devin Frazier*, Dominic Litchfield(4)*, Dylan Stroud*
 
138
Jesse Mendez(0/0/3)
Blake Boarman(1/1/5): Delaney Ruhlman*
Brody Arthur(1/1/3): Seth Lawson*
Jace Alexander(1/1/3): Jesse Mendez*
Delaney Ruhlman(2/2/3): Blake Boarman*, Gavinn Alstott*
Julius Gerencser(2/1/1): Brody Arthur*, Dillon Tuttle
Gavinn Alstott(3/3/2): Blake Boarman(3)*
Hudson Harreld(3/1/1): Cody Goodwin, Colton Roberts, Luke Goodwin*
Jared Brown(4/4/2): Luke Goodwin*, Max Naselroad*, Seth Lawson(2)*
Jarrett Forrester(4/2/0): Brody Arthur*, Gavin Malone, Jadyn Gilbert, Logan Hooley*
Logan Hooley(4/3/1): Andrew Sinkovics, Jace Alexander(2)*, Julius Gerencser*
Luke Goodwin(4/2/2): Brady McKivitz*, Delaney Ruhlman*, Diesel Duncan, Jeremiah Hernandez
Seth Lawson(4/3/3): ???, Hudson Harreld*, Jared Brown(2)*
Bradley Conrad(5/2/1): Chris Newman, Cody Goodwin, Jesse Mendez(2)*, Kody Glithero
Kyle Carter(5/2/0): ???, Aiden Grimes, Bradley Conrad*, Elijah Burlingame, Jace Alexander*
Gavin Garcia(6/4/0): Blake Boarman*, Colton Roberts, Delaney Ruhlman*, Diesel Duncan, Gavinn Alstott*, Matthew Koontz*
 
145
Elijah Chacon(0/0/2)
Jaden Reynolds(1/1/5): Logan Wagner*
Logan Wagner(1/1/8): Jaden Reynolds*
Hayden Shepherd(2/1/3): Elijah Chacon*, Trae Anderson
Max Naselroad(2/2/1): Eli Otto*, Logan Wagner*
Toby Abbott(2/2/2): Brody Arthur*, Hayden Shepherd*
Braden Nuest(3/2/1): Ethan Kaiser(2)*, Jonathon Otte
Eli Otto(3/3/1): Brady McKivitz*, Evan Ulrick*, Hayden Shepherd*
Hunter May(3/2/4): Ashton Hayhurst, Ethan kaiser*, Hayden Watson*
Ethan Kaiser(4/2/5): Blaze Garcia, Cody Goodwin, Hayden Watson*, Jaden Reynolds*
Hayden Watson(4/4/3): Jaden Reynolds(2)*, Logan Wagner(2)*
Sam Levitz(5/3/0): Ben Miller, Corey Bockover, Elijah Chacon*, Toby Abbott(2)*
Connor Gilles(6/4/1): Hunter May(2)*, Jaden Reynolds*, Landon Boe*, Scott Fitts, Tyler Williams
Brady McKivitz(7/2/2): Cody Goodwin, Hayden Watson*, Jeivan Ross, JJ Braun, Logan Wagner*, Tyler Williams, Zach Wilson
Cameron Powell(8/4/5): Braden Nuest*, Brady Snyder, Conner Watts, Gavin Malone, Hunter May(2)*, Ian Watson, Logan Wagner*
James Smith(16/8/0): Aiden Reynolds, Cameron Powell(5)*, Cameron Williams, Conner Watts(2), Ethan Fitch, Ethan Kaiser(2)*, Ian Watson, JJ Braun, Logan Wagner*, Wayne Wells
 
152
Aidan Hardcastle(0/0/2)
J Conway(0/0/5)
Jajuan Anderson(0/0/6)
Ben Phillips(1/1/1): Tyler Conley*
Evan Ulrick(1/1/4): Aidan Hardcastle*
Javen Estrada(2/2/7): Brock Ellis*, Matthew Koontz*
Matthew Koontz(2/2/5): Jajuan Anderson(2)*
Alex Currie(3/2/2): Aidan Hardcastle*, Ryan Sheets, Tyler Conley*
Tyler Conley(3/3/3): Andrew Wilson*, Brody Baumann*, J Conway*
Ben Wolf(4/2/1): J Conway*, Jajuan Anderson*, Luke Marsh, Ryan Collins
Brock Ellis(4/3/6): J Conway*, Javen Estrada(2)*, Riley Rust
Aidan Pollitt(5/5/2): Brock Ellis(3)*, Javen Estrada(2)*
Aiden Farmer(6/4/0): Ben Phillips*, Connor Gilles*, J Conway(2)*, Jeb Prechtel, Tyler Williams
Isaiah Ponce(9/7/0): Aidan Pollitt(2)*, Brock Ellis(2)*, Caleb Carter, Javen Estrada(3)*, Trae Anderson
Chase Leech(10/4/0): Alex Currie(2)*, Evan Ulrick*, Hayden Shepherd*, Julian Fletcher(2), Keagen Mabie, Michael Tippman(2), Tyler Curtis
Avery Wills(11/5/0): ???(2), Ben Wolf*, Dominic Tribbie, Gabe Phillips, Jajuan Anderson*, Jonah Jones, Josh Mobley, Matthew Koontz(2)*, Tyler Jones*
 
160
Brody Baumann(0/0/5)
Robert Major(0/0/9)
Eli Johnson(2/2/2): Landon Buchanan(2)*
Landon Boe(2/2/3): Brody Baumann*, Robert Major*
Landon Buchanan(2/1/3): Kaden Lone, Pate Eastin*
Orlando Cruz(2/2/5): Andrew Wilson*, Kade Law*
Aaron Steenbeke(3/3/2): Andrew Wilson*, Orlando Cruz*, Shane Bates*
Andrew Wilson(3/3/7): Kade Law*, Robert Major(2)*
Eli Hilger(3/3/0): Eli Johnson*, Evan Ulrick*, Logan Farnell*
Kade Law(3/3/7): Andrew Wilson*, Brody Baumann*, Robert Major*
Logan Farnell(3/1/1): ???, Grant Caradante, Landon Buchanan*
Jamaal Salary(6/4/0): Aaron Steenbeke*, Bradey Pittman*, Nick Tattini, Orlando Cruz(2)*, Ryan Sheets
Tyler Jones(6/6/3): Andrew Wilson(2)*, Brody Baumann*, Robert Major(2)*, Tyler Conley*
Bradey Pittman(8/4/1): Aaron Steenbeke*, Christian Chavez, Eli Johnson*, Evan Ulrick*, Kaden Lone(2), Orlando Cruz*, Tyler Turley
Bray Emerine(10/4/0): ???(2), Brody Baumann*, Corey Braunecker, Jordan Fulks, Kade Law(2)*, Kailen Keith, Landon Boe*, Luke Hansen
Jakob Sheets(12/9/0): ???, Chase Gardner, Jajuan Anderson(2)*, Kade Law(2)*, Landon Boe*, Nick Cicciarelli, Robert Major(2)*, Tyler Jones(2)*
 
170
Bryer Hall(0/0/2)
Pate Eastin(0/0/3)
Brodie Porter(1/1/2): Jacob Kreager*
Jacob Simpson(1/1/2): Pate Eastin*
John Purdy(1/1/1): Sam Morrill*
Sam Morrill(1/1/5): Ulrik Urasky*
Codei Khawaja(2/2/1): Sam Morrill(2)*
Duke Myers(2/2/0): Brodie Porter*, Jacob Graden*
Spencer Phillips(2/2/0): Aiden Sneed*, Jacob Simpson*
Tyler Fuqua(2/2/2): Codei Khawaja*, John Purdy*
Jacob Kreager(3/0/3): Andrew Lockwood, Matthew Morris(2)
Ulrik Urasky(3/2/4): Bryer Hall*, Jake Shafer, Tyler Fuqua*
Aiden Sneed(4/2/2): Cade Johnson, Jacob Linky, Jacob Simpson*, Pate Eastin*
Shane Bates(6/5/2): Andrew Wilson*, Bryer Hall*, Kade Law*, Nick Cicciarelli, Orlando Cruz*, Robert Major*
Jajuan Dale(7/6/0): Jake Shafer, Sam Morrill*, Shane Bates*, Tyler Fuqua*, Ulrik Urasky(3)*
Jacob Graden(8/3/1): Alton Mullinax(2), Clayton Lundy, Isaiah Brege, Jacob Kreager(2)*, Jacob Saylor*, Matthew Morris
 
182
Gabe Sollars(0/0/3)
Gavin Layman(0/0/6)
Drake Buchanan(1/1/2): Gabe Sollars*
Aiden Warren(2/2/7): Drake Buchanan*, Sam Morrill*
Jacob Saylor(2/0/3): ???, Isaiah Brege
Riley Woodall(2/2/1): Aiden Warren*, Dominic Pugliese*
Dominic Pugliese(3/1/2): Clayton Lundy, Gabe Sollars*, Jalen Ward
Colin Kwiatkowski(4/4/2): Aiden Sneed*, Gavin Layman(3)*
Jake Sues(4/2/1): Colin Kwiatkowski(2)*, Jaden Browder(2)
Jett Thompson(4/3/1): Brodie Porter*, Jacob Saylor*, Je'Kwan Williams*, Kainen Malone-Johnson
Reid Schroeder(4/2/0): Dominic Pugliese*, Drake Buchanan*, Evan Reff, Jerry McBee
Sam Peeples(4/3/2): Aiden Warren*, Gabe Sollars*, Keon Sullivan, Riley Woodall*
Hunter Page(5/1/1): ???, Bryce Wenk, Christian Summersett, Jacob Saylor*, Keegan Bluhm
Brandon Estepp(7/3/0): Brandon Hammer, , Cody Timmerman(3), Gavin Layman(2)*, Jake Sues*
Je'kwan Williams(7/2/1): ???, Hunter Page*, Jaquan East(2), Jayden Goshert, Jett Thompson*, Kyle Cardwell
Johnny Weisheit(12/5/0): Aiden Warren(3)*, Elijah Ross, Evan Clayton, Keon Sullivan, Mason Hinkle, Ronin Hammond, Sam Peeples(2)*, Scott Stanley, Seth Stone
 
195
Brach Carrington(0/0/7)
Eli Pack(0/0/3)
Hayden Filipovich(0/0/2)
Blake Heyerly(1/1/1): Matt Lepper*
Connor Barket(1/1/1): Eli Pack*
Ibrahim Khaoucha(1/0/3): Isaac Benjamin
Wyatt Willman(1/1/1): Brach Carrington*
Gage DeMarco(2/1/1): Connor Barket*, Juan Grange
Johnny Parker(4/3/1): Aiden Warren*, Gavin Layman*, Hayden Filipovich*, Jalen Ward
Ke'Shawn Dickens(4/4/3): Brach Carrington(4)*
Matt Lepper(4/2/2): Brach Carrington*, Ibrahim Khaoucha*, Jonathan Tanner, Juan Grange
Harris Eason(5/3/1): Aiden Warren*, Ke'Shawn Dickens*, Ke`Shawn Dickens(2), Wyatt Willman*
Max Broom(5/5/1): Brach Carrington*, Hayden Filipovich*, Ke'Shawn Dickens(2)*, Matt Lepper*
Chad Washburn(6/2/0): ???, Blake Heyerly*, Cael Albaugh, Ibrahim Khaoucha*, Levi Lee, Travis Gregory
Ryan Bovard(6/4/0): Harris Eason*, Ibrahim Khaoucha*, Johnny Parker*, Max Broom*, Noah Rowlett, Parker Smith
Bazle Owens(10/3/0): ???(4), Ahmad Al-Khalil, Eli Pack(2)*, Gage DeMarco*, Juan Grange, Preston Duffy
 
220
Evan Bates(0/0/3)
Tristan Ruhlman(0/0/7)
Jacob Raub(1/1/1): Jason Streck*
Jason Streck(1/1/3): Evan Bates*
Ian Clifford(2/0/4): Carter Miller, Chance Harris
Jack Taylor(2/1/1): Jeffrey McClure, Kole Viel*
RJ Dilbone(2/1/4): Ian Clifford*, Seth VanWagner
Kole Viel(3/1/2): Aataeveon Jordan*, Jeffrey McClure, Myles Johnson
Aataeveon Jordan(5/3/4): Brandon Smith, Isaiah Street, Jack Taylor*, Matthew Munoz*, Mihail Platonov*
Julante Hinton(5/3/1): Chance Harris, Ian Clifford(2)*, Kyler Bills, RJ Dilbone*
Jeff McClure(6/3/1): Aataeveon Jordan(3)*, David Guhl, Isaiah Street(2)
Kelton Farmer(6/1/1): ???, Logan Huggins(3), Theo Sewell, Tristan Ruhlman*
Josh Howell(7/7/1): Jacob Johnson*, Tristan Ruhlman(6)*
Peyton Kendall(7/4/0): David Guhl, Evan Bates(2)*, Jacob Raub*, Jacob Sommer*, Kyler Bills, Richard Samuels
Coy Brames(8/5/0): Carter Miller, Hunter Allen, Ian Clifford*, Julante Hinton*, Keaton Grider, RJ Dilbone(3)*
Nolan Skaggs(8/4/0): David Guhl, Jakkarey Oliver(2), Jeff McClure*, Josh Howell*, Kelton Farmer*, Kole Viel*, Paul Clark
 
285
Evan Shafer(0/0/2)
Leighton Jones(0/0/6)
Mariere Omonode(0/0/2)
Brandon Villafuerte(1/1/2): Braydon Erb*
Braydon Erb(1/1/2): Reeve Muncie*
Hunter Whitenack(1/1/5): Mariere Omonode(2)*
Matthew Munoz(1/1/2): Leighton Jones*
Reeve Muncie(1/1/4): Braydon Erb*
Antone Alexander(3/3/3): Evan Shafer*, Leighton Jones(2)*
Edgar Decker(3/3/1): Hunter Whitenack(2)*
Jacob Johnson(3/2/2): Amara Kaba*, Leighton Jones*, Owen Green
Makhi Watts(5/3/1): ???, Amara Kaba*, Evan Shafer*, Mihail Platonov*, Owen Green
Mihail Platonov(5/4/2): Antone Alexander(2)*, Jason Streck*, Justice Binder, Reeve Muncie*
Amara Kaba(7/6/2): ???, Antone Alexander*, Jacob Johnson*, Leighton Jones(2)*, Makhi Watts*, Matthew Munoz*
Brock Donati(8/5/2): ???, Edgar Decker*, Hunter Whitenack(2)*, Jason Streck*, Justice Binder, Reeve Muncie*, Sergio Bueno
Jacob Sommer(10/6/1): Brandon Villafuerte(2)*, Brock Donati(2)*, Hunter Whitenack*, Marshall Fishback(2), Reeve Muncie*, Sergio Bueno(2)

3188 1 1
2021 State Finals by the Numbers
Overall
We are closing in on another state finals in what has been an extraordinary year all around. However, with all the uncertainly around us, there is one thing that remains the same. That is the IndianaMat rankings are always top notch. This year Mike Reiser has upped the ante by getting 186 out of 224 qualifiers in the last set of rankings. Just a quick reminder that we lock the rankings before the first whistle at sectional and let them ride. We saw top wrestlers missing weight or getting hit with COVID quarantines, yet the rankings still held serve. There is only one match in the whole first round that puts two wrestlers that were not in the rankings against each other. Mike is still working on a perfect bracket of all ranked wrestlers making the state finals. This year 106, 132, and 170 all had 15 of 16 qualifiers in the rankings.
 
As always we have created brackets with our rankings on them for you to download and use for all your pick’em purposes. This year we have two sets, one with just state rankings and one with both semi-state and state rankings. I would hold off printing any of these out as your official copies as there may be a couple more surprises added to the brackets this week.
 
IndianaMat with semi-state and state rankings
IndianaMat with state rankings ONLY
 
 
Season by season ranked wrestlers advancing to state
*Note Mike Reiser took over the rankings in 2012
2021- 186
2020- 180
2019- 175
2018- 179
2017- 169
2016- 175
2015- 172
2014- 171
2013- 171
2012- 170
2011- 157
2010- 159
2009- 143
 
106lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Vicente Eckman- Goshen
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#7 Ashton Jackson(LaPorte) vs. #9 Liam Krueger(Columbus East)
#5 Nathan Smith(Southport) vs. #25 Cody Rowles(Jay County)
#4 Evan Seng(Evansville Mater Dei) vs. #20 Dylan Bennett(Penn)
#2 Evan Dickey(Cathedral) vs. #16 Keegan Malott(East Noble)
#1 Jeffrey Bailey(River Forest) vs. #19 Donnie Feeler(Crawford County)
#8 Tanner Tishner(Western) vs. #10 Zac Dray(Warren Central)
#13 Blake Zirkelbach(North Posey) vs. #22 Evan Cruz(Crown Point)
 
113lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
Unranked qualifiers:
Drake Fritz- West Central
Beau Brabender- Northridge
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#4 Kyrel Leavell(Warren Central) vs. #7 Reese Courtney(Center Grove)
#15 Jared Brooks(Wabash) vs. #21 Bryce Denton(Penn)
#1 Alex Cottey(Perry Meridian) vs. #16 Reed Egli(Evansville Mater Dei)
#5 Hayden Brady(Garrett) vs. #9 Anthony Bahl(Crown Point)
#14 Isaac Ward(Carmel) vs. #20 Joey Buttler(Whiteland)
#6 Coy Hammack(Tell City) vs. #13 Dylan Driver(Westfield)

120lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Nathaniel Hennessey- Seeger
Tristian Vaughn- Harrison (WL)
Travis Haug- Forest Park
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Logan Frazier(Crown Point) vs. #8 Carleton Perry(Warren Central)
#3 Lane Gilbert(Sullivan) vs. #14 Justin Puckett(Northridge)
#9 Tony Wood(Jay County) vs. #15 Braden Haines(Brownsburg)
#1 Sergio Lemley(Chesterton) vs. #13 Keaton Morton(Perry Meridian)
#4 Cole Ross(Evansville Mater Dei) vs. #21 Austin Lewis(Bluffton)
 
126lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
Unranked qualifiers:
Brenden Dilley- Wawasee
Devin Wible- Hobart
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Brady Ison(Brownsburg) vs. #7 Elijah Anthony(Frankfort)
#1 Zeke Seltzer(Cathedral) vs. #17 Michael Tharpe(Center Grove)
#8 Matteo Vargo(Penn) vs. #11 Logan Uhlman(Adams Central)
#5 Sam Goin(Crown Point) vs. #23 Harper Dedman(Oak Hill)
#4 Bryce Lowery(Roncalli) vs. #13 Jacob Bechert(Franklin Community)
#3 Cheaney Schoeff(Avon) vs. #14 Blake Wolf(East Central).
 
132lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Dominic Litchfield- Bellmont
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#3 Aidan Torres(Chesterton) vs. #15 Devin Frazier(Centerville)
#9 David Pierson(Warren Central) vs. #24 Lakin Webb(Rensselaer Central)
#8 Ben Dalton(Monrovia) vs. #11 Dylan Stroud(Manchester)
#2 Ian Heath(Leo) vs. #17 Cade Meier(Bloomington South)
#10 Cole Solomey(Kankakee Valley) vs. #16 Anthony Hughes(Lawrence North)
#4 Kysen Montgomery(Brownsburg) vs. #22 Cameron Clark(Jay County)
#7 Stephen Roberson(Crown Point) vs. #12 Brac Hooper(Carmel)
 
138lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
Unranked qualifiers:
Jarrett Forrester- Columbia City
Kyle Carter- Rensselaer Central
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Delaney Ruhlman(Bloomington South) vs. #9 Bradley Conrad(Portage)
#15 Brody Arthur(Oak Hill) vs. #19 Jared Brown(Pendleton Heights)
#4 Gavinn Alstott(Floyd Central) vs. #5 Jace Alexander(Wawasee)
#1 Jesse Mendez(Crown Point) vs. #18 Gavin Garcia(Brownsburg)
#10 Hudson Harreld(Zionsville) vs. #21 Logan Hooley(Northridge)
#14 Seth Lawson(Frankton) vs. #25 Julius Gerencser(Daleville) 
 
145lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Cameron Powell- Mishawaka
Braden Nuest- West Central
James Smith- Penn
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#1 Jaden Reynolds(Avon) vs. #11 Max Naselroad(Alexandria Monroe)
#2 Logan Wagner(Zionsville) vs. #24 Connor Gilles(Jeffersonville)
#10 Ethan Kaiser(Chesterton) vs. #23 Sam Levitz(Prairie Heights)
#6 Hunter May(Floyd Central) vs. #25 Brady McKivitz(Perry Meridian)
#3 Hayden Watson(Center Grove) vs. #13 Eli Otto(South Dearborn)
 
152lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
Unranked qualifiers:
Avery Wills- Eastern Hancock
Chase Leech- Garrett
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#11 Aidan Hardcastle(Oak Hill) vs. #21 Aiden Farmer(Evansville Memorial)
#2 Matthew Koontz(Perry Meridian) vs. #18 Aidan Pollitt(Valparaiso)
#3 Javen Estrada(Crown Point) vs. #20 Ben Wolf(East Central)
#7 Tyler Conley(Avon) vs. #8 Alex Currie(Adams Central)
#1 Jajuan Anderson(Warren Central) vs. #23 Isaiah Ponce(Lake Central)
#9 Evan Ulrick(Carroll (Fort Wayne)) vs. #10 Ben Phillips(Charlestown)
 
160lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12
Unranked qualifiers:
Jakob Sheets- Perry Meridian
Logan Farnell- Maconaquah
Bradey Pittman- Plymouth
Bray Emerine- Floyd Central
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Brody Baumann(Evansville Mater Dei) vs. #16 Eli Hilger(Bishop Dwenger)
#3 Andrew Wilson(Cathedral) vs. #8 Aaron Steenbeke(Penn)
#1 Robert Major(Carmel) vs. #23 Jamaal Salary(LaPorte)
#11 Landon Boe(Plainfield) vs. #14 Eli Johnson(Norwell) 
 
170lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Jacob Graden- East Noble
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#13 Jajuan Dale(Perry Meridian) vs. #16 Jacob Kreager(Snider)
#11 Codei Khawaja(Floyd Central) vs. #18 Aiden Sneed(Kankakee Valley)
#1 Bryer Hall(East Central) vs. #19 Duke Myers(Bellmont)
#5 John Purdy(Castle) vs. #8 Jacob Simpson(Hobart)
#6 Sam Morrill(Columbus East) vs. #23 Spencer Phillips(McCutcheon)
#4 Brodie Porter(Eastern (Greentown)) vs. #12 Shane Bates(Zionsville)
#2 Pate Eastin(Penn) vs. #3 Tyler Fuqua(Franklin Community)
 
182lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 9
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Jett Thompson- Oak Hill
Jake Sues- Lake Central
Brandon Estepp- Warsaw
Je'kwan Williams- Marion
Johnny Weisheit- Franklin Central
Hunter Page- Monroe Central
Reid Schroeder- Southridge
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#1 Drake Buchanan(Center Grove) vs. #16 Sam Peeples(Roncalli)
#9 Dominic Pugliese(Tri-West Hendricks) vs. #10 Riley Woodall(Southmont)
 
First round match-ups of unranked wrestlers:
Jake Sues(Lake Central) vs. Jett Thompson(Oak Hill)
 
195lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
Unranked qualifiers:
Ryan Bovard- East Central
Chad Washburn- Kokomo
Bazle Owens- Tippecanoe Valley
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#9 Ke'Shawn Dickens(Avon) vs. #12 Blake Heyerly(Adams Central)
#8 Matt Lepper(Carroll (Fort Wayne)) vs. #15 Wyatt Willman(North Posey)
#6 Harris Eason(Franklin Community) vs. #16 Ibrahim Khaoucha(Northridge)
#4 Johnny Parker(Cathedral) vs. #10 Gage DeMarco(Chesterton)
#3 Connor Barket(West Lafayette) vs. #11 Max Broom(Hamilton Southeastern)
 
220lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 11
Unranked qualifiers:
Peyton Kendall- Penn
RJ Dilbone- Fremont
Coy Brames- Angola
Nolan Skaggs- Franklin Community
Ian Clifford- Columbia City
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#7 Jack Taylor(New Castle) vs. #17 Julante Hinton(Northrop)
#3 Jason Streck(Merrillville) vs. #14 Kelton Farmer(Evansville Memorial)
#5 Josh Howell(Terre Haute South) vs. #12 Jacob Raub(Lafayette Jefferson) 
 
285lbs
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Jacob Sommer- Elkhart
Brock Donati- Penn
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#8 Mariere Omonode(West Lafayette) vs. #22 Makhi Watts(North Central)
#7 Matthew Munoz(Jeffersonville) vs. #9 Brandon Villafuerte(Angola)
#1 Braydon Erb(Western) vs. #5 Jacob Johnson(Franklin Community)
#4 Antone Alexander(Franklin Central) vs. #6 Hunter Whitenack(New Prairie)
#2 Reeve Muncie(Carroll (Fort Wayne)) vs. #17 Amara Kaba(Pike)
#13 Edgar Decker(Gavit) vs. #18 Mihail Platonov(Westfield)
 

3118 10 1
King sees Oak Hill earn its first semistate mat crown
Andrew King has seen plenty in his 35 years a wrestling coach at Oak Hill High School.
 
Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Famer King has enjoyed more than 450 dual-meet victories and lots of in-season and postseason championships.
 
But the 1981 Oak Hill and 1985 DePauw University graduate had never seen the Eagles celebrate an IHSAA semistate team title until Saturday, Feb. 13 at Memorial Coliseum.
 
“The pieces all fell together,” said King moments after his team hoisted the trophy. “It’s a great feeling for Oak Hill.
 
“Most people don’t know where Oak Hill is.”
 
The Grant County school of about 520 students is located in Converse, Ind.
 
Oak Hill’s first semistate crown came on the day the Eagles had two individual semistate winners — 152-pound senior Aidan Hardcastle and 138-pound junior Brody Arthur — for the first time.
Hardcastle (36-0 on the 2020-21 season) pinned South Adams junior A.J. Dull in 5:26, bested Huntington North senior Julian Fletcher by 13-2 major decision and edged Adams Central junior Alex Currie 2-1 before besting Carroll senior Evan Ulrick 5-2 in the finals.
 
Arthur (38-1) scored four pins for his semistate championship — Carroll junior Jared Landez in 3:13, Lakeland junior Ben Miller in 2:11, Columbia City senior Jarrett Forrester in 2:58 prior to Daleville junior Julius Gerencser in 1:38 in the finals.
 
Seniors Jett Thompson (second at 182) and Harper Dedman (fourth at 126) were also placers for Oak Hill. Thompson goes to Indy at 34-4 while Dedman is 27-4.
 
Senior Julian Perez (120) and Freshman Tyson Kendall (106) also represented the Eagles at semistate.
 
The top four in each weight division advanced to the first round of the State Finals Friday, Feb. 19 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
King talked about all the time put in my his wrestlers and their parents, grandparents and siblings.
 
“That’s why makes a great wrestling program — the families that are involved,” said King. “It’s a family affair.
 
“I”m proud to be a part of it. That’s all I am — a part of it — and everybody plays a part.”
 
With 76.5 points, Oak Hill finished ahead of Western (67.5), Northridge (64.5), Fort Wayne Carroll (63) and the rest of the field.
 
During all his years of coming to the semistate, King has seen the larger schools earn team titles.
 
“I like to say that wrestling is classless,” said King. “Whether you’re a big or a little school, we’re all in the same boat.”
 
In 2020-21, Oak Hill, Western and Kokomo finished 1-2-3 at the Oak Hill Sectional. Western, Wabash and Oak Hill took the top three spots at the Maconaquah Regional.
 
“We love to hate Western and Western loves to hate us,” said King. “We thrive on it. Steels sharpens steel.”
 
Like everyone in the athletic world, Oak Hill has had to deal with COVID-19 issues this season.
 
“I’m a lay coach so when I come to school I have an open mind,” said King. “I’m not going to get mad about it. I deal with it as it is.
 
“I walk into the school and see my athletic director (Ryan Fagan) coming down the hallway and I cringe because he’s going to tell me which two, three or four kids are now out of for the next 10 days because of social distancing. You just do what you can each day. We’ve had our challenges with that. but our kids have been really good.”
 
Oak Hill has been extra-diligent about keeping the wrestling practice room clean.
 
“We’ve gone overboard spraying down the room before practice after practice and in-between practice,” said King. “You can only have one practice partner, you can’t have three, four or five (because of contact-tracing protocols).
 
“We have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

15688 1
2021 State Finals Info Center
Schedule
Friday, Feb. 19, 2021
Session 1 | First Round Weight Classes 106 - 145 | 11 am ET | $10 Tickets On Sale, Wed, 2/17, 10 am ET 
Session 2 | First Round Weight Classes 152 - 285 | 7 pm ET | $10 Tickets On Sale, Wed, 2/17, 10 am ET 
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021
Session 3 | Quarterfinals with Semifinals to follow | 9:30 am ET | $15 All Day Tickets on Sale, Fri, 2/19, 10 pm ET
Session 4 | Consolations at 5 pm ET with Championships to follow at 7:30 pm ET 
 
Doors will open to the general public:
Friday, February 19, 2021 - 10:00 a.m. (Session I)
Friday, February 19, 2021 – 6:00 p.m. (Session II)
Saturday, February 20, 2021 - 8:30 a.m. (Session III)
Saturday, February 20, 2021 - 4:00 p.m. (Session IV)
 
State Finals Hashtag: #INWRState21
Social Media
IHSAA on Twiiter
IndianaMat on Twitter
 
Brackets
TrackWrestling.com
IndianaMat with semi-state and state rankings
IndianaMat with state rankings ONLY
 
State Finals Pairings Show
The brackets in each weight class will be announced exclusively via IHSAAtv.org on Sunday, February 14, 2021 at 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT (1 hour). The show will be hosted by Greg Rakestraw and Mike Goebel.
 
East Chicago Semi-State Results
Jasper Semi-State Results
New Castle Semi-State Results
New Haven(Fort Wayne) Semi-State Results
 
Pick'em Contests
Standings after semi-state
State Finals Pick'em Top 8 
 
Gorilla Radio
Gorilla Radio 108 talking about weights 106, 285, 113, 170, 138, 145, and 182
Gorilla Radio 109 talking about weights 120, 195, 152, 160, 126, 220, and 132
High School Wrestling Weekly
 
Friday Night IndianaMat/WZBD Preview Show
*Coming soon*
 
Featured Articles
History of the State Tournament
State Finals by the Numbers
State Finals #WAYL2
Team Race Breakdown
State Finals Media Guide
Who do you want in your corner?
 
Other Information
Site: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis
Attendance: Limited spectators in accordance with local health guidelines.
Tickets: A limited number of tickets will go on sale to the general public at Ticketmaster.com using the schedule below. All tickets are reserved seating (no general admission) and arranged to be socially distanced.
Television: Saturday's state championship bouts in each weight class will air live on Fox Sports Indiana.  
Livestream: Friday's first round and Saturday's quarterfinals, semifinals and consolation matches may be viewed via live stream for a subscription fee at TrackWrestling.com. For Saturday night's championship round, viewers outside of the Fox Sports Indiana coverage area, a live stream will be available at IHSAAtv.org. For those within the FSI coverage area, the stream will be available only on delayed basis following the conclusion of the telecast.
 

1829 11 2
2021 Jasper Semi-State Preview
Welcome to TripleB’s annual Jasper Semi-State Preview!
 
Before we do anything else - Big Big Big thanks to Navy80, BigToe19, Hook & Half, and Donnie Baker for chipping in. 
 
Also shout out to the Jasper Athletic Department for changing course and letting parents in, that’s a big deal and The Indiana Wrestling Community really appreciates it!
 
House keeping items - 
 
Here is the link for the Indianamat Semi-State Hub - 
 
https://indianamat.com/index.php?/articles.html/high-school-news/2021-semi-state-information-center-r1039/
 
Sunday will be a day of passion and love, but 224 grapplers hope they aren’t on a lover’s hangover after  their hearts are broken on Saturday as only 56 can get hit by Cupid’s arrow and sent to Indianapolis and Bankers Life Fieldhouse. 
 
How does this work - The exclusive Jasper Championship Selection Committee (JCSC) spent 2 days in hard deliberations over their  picks. Each member selected their ballot, points were accumulated, and from there the picks started falling. 
 
Article features: 
 
The Charles Barkley “Turrible”  Draws - ticket round matches that shouldn’t be happening in the ticket round!
 
The Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers - Best first round matches!
 
NEW NAME ALERT - What used to be The Built Ford Tough Locks will now be The Sperren - The Pickers of the Round Table has been assembled. There were very few, but any weight class where the pick for champion was unanimous, makes it a Sperren. 
 
NEW NAME ALERT -  The Ford Fab 4 will now be Brick’s Picks (Look up The Middle) - After picks were gathered, points distributed, and the dust settled, we’ll have Brick’s Picks.
 
Also special guest committee member The Donnie Baker (not that Donnie Baker) has offered some of his highlights throughout.
 
What if I didn’t agree with the ECSC or I thought they made a terrible error? Then have no fear - The TripleB Guarantee will help you sort out the madness. 
 
Without further ado...UNLEASH THE PREVIEW!!
 
106: 7 state ranked wrestlers, A turrible draw, and a nasty quarter bracket kicks things off at 106, on our first SPERREN. Evan Seng of Evansville Mater Dei has been knocking off ranked wrestlers all year. The ECSC was unanimous - this is Seng’s weight class to lose. Evansville Mater Dei was able to finally return to the top of the Semi-State last year, if they hope to repeat the will need a strong showing from Seng. The bottom quarter bracket of Heaston, Callahan, Schreck, and Zirkelbach should be fun as all 4 received votes, including Donnie Baker's first “Swear to god, it’s a 4 over a 1”. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Just be sure you have Track turned on early, remember Jasper doesn’t run on that silly CST. #6 Jackson Heaston of Indian Creek vs. unranked and sleeper Kye Callahan of Brownsburg and #17 Zane Schreck from Corydon vs #13 Blake Zirkelbach from North Posey will be your wake up calls for the day. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws -  Semi State ranked #4 Charlie LaRocca vs Semi State ranked #5 Liam Krueger of Columbus East will be a rematch of an earlier 9-8 win by LaRocca. 
 
Don’t sleep on… Jackson Heaston, Zane Schreck, or again anybody in that bottom quarter bracket. Seng was clearly the cream of 106 this year but after that it was a toss up. This will be a fun weight class Saturday. 
 
The Sperren - Evan Seng Evansville Mater Dei
 
Bricks Picks -
1st -Evan Seng Evansville Mater Dei  
2nd -Charlie LaRocca Center Grove
3rd - Donnie Feeler Crawford County (Donnie Baker Small Town Special
4th - Blake Zirkelbach North Posey
 
113: 3 Top ten state ranked wrestlers and 9 Semi State ranked wrestlers highlight 113. This weight was pretty stock and there wasn’t really a clear cut favorite. However it appears to be top heavy as there were no curtain jerkers, no turrible draws. I almost feel bad little fellas, let me see what I can dig up. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Only one first round match features semi-state ranked wrestlers - #2 Reed Egli of Evansville Mater Dei vs #9 Trevor Hott of Martinsville. I’d also have eyes on #6 SS ranked Joey Buttler of Whiteland vs Jared Dunn of Jasper both have phenomenal records and this could be a good first round match.
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - Nothing to really see here, if you wanted to dig - #5 Noah Lykins vs the winner of Buttler/Dunn. Not a turrible draw but could be a fun blood round match. 
 
Brick’s Picks - All 4 wrestlers earned first place votes. The action at 113 starts in the semis!
 
1st - Coy Hammer - ack (The Donnie Baker nickname) Tell City
2nd - Reece Courtney Center Grove
3rd - Noah Lykins Columbus East
4th - Reed Egli Evansville Mater Dei
 
TRIPLEB GUARANTEE - The wildly overlooked and wildly under ranked Reed Egli will bring the West Side of Evansville another Semi-State title at 113. 
 
120: Lane Gilbert and Cole Ross stole the show last year at Semi-State, it was a straight up brawl. Lane Gilbert was also almost a lock but 3B’s affection for EMD wouldn’t let it happen. Some curtain jerkers, a Madison kid maybe making state!, and a rematch of Gilbert/Ross will all keep 120 ineresting1. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker: #12 Semi-State ranked Logan Ellis vs #23 state ranked Maleec Stansbury proves that 3B and On The rise like to do our own things. This match could be a battle of rankers! The Mooresville Regional is tough, super tough, super duper tough and that creates some bad first round draws. This is one where we have #2 Cole Ross vs. #10 Caleb Wyss of Franklin. Wyss would be favored in some other quarter brackets but due to the depth of the Regional he gets Ross right out of the gates. Does coach Tonte have some magic?
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - #1 Lane Gilbert vs #4 Ayden Amento, again Amento would be favored in some brackets and is a returning State Qualifier. #3 Braden Haines of Brownsburg is #PainTrain tough and #5 Lou Knable of Floyd Central has had a great year, both are state worthy but somebody is going home after this blood round match. 
 
Don’t sleep on…. Madison Freshman Jace Walls and Pike Junior Maleec Stansbury will battle for a spot to state. The JCSC liked Walls but absolutely do not sleep on the aforementioned Ellis and Stansbury in that quarter bracket. 

 
Brick’s Picks: 
 
1st - Lane Gilbert Sullivan
2nd - Cole Ross Evansville Mater Dei
3rd - Braden Haines Brownsburg
4th - Jace Walls Madison 
 
TRIPLEB GUARANTEE - Sunday is Valentine’s Day, let the love affair continue - Cole Ross locks up the Wildcats 3rd semi-state ‘ship and maybe the team race with a win over Gilbert. BOOK IT!
 
126: Cheaney Schoeff and Brady Ison have had 5 star matches all year and has kept the Brownsburg/Avon rivalry going. They have wrestled 3 times with 2 going into OT and 2 having 3-1 final scores. Schoeff was finally able to get over the hump last weekend. Can the Oriole and returning state runner-up keep it going? 126 is the first wide open weight class in terms of picks. 8 guys all got votes. 7 state ranked/10 semi state ranked bros. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - Let’s hope FloTrack isn’t glitching at 126 because we got 3, I said 3 curtain jerkers! In what could be another #4 over #1 we have #6 SS ranked Center Grove Junior Michael Tharpe vs #11 SS ranked Madison Junior and regional champ Noah Burkhardt. Another potential #4 over #1 is SS ranked #3/State ranked #15 Paul King from New Albany vs SS #9/State ranked #24 Keegan Williams from Evansville Memorial. Finally another upset alert - SS ranked #8/State ranked #21 and returning state placer Cash Turner vs Jacob Pierre of Evansville Mater Dei. A preview of a potential Turrible draw, could Cash overlook Pierre?
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - A turrible daw because the higher ranked wrestler isn’t favored but the voting was tight but the JCSC over all likes Williams over SS #4 Jacob Bechert of Franklin (3B stuck to his rankings though). Also #8 Cash Turner vs. #1 Brady Ison is a bad draw, Turner was on the podium last year and some like him to win this match, but regardless a TUURRRIIIBBBLLLEEE draw for Ca$h. 
 
Don’t sleep on…. #4 Luke Bechert of Franklin, #3 Paul King of New Albany, #8 Ca$h Turner of Edgewood, #6 Michael Tharpe of Center Grove are all state level wrestlers. It speaks to volumes about the depth of the Semi-State. Don’t be surprised to see any of these 4 on the podium Saturday. 


 
Brick’s Picks: The JCSC was almost unanimous in Cheaney Schoeff being a lock, crazy when you consider he’s 1-2 against Ison. This bracket, as mentioned, is insanely deep. 
 
1st - Cheaney Schoeff Avon
2nd Brady Ison Brownsburg
3rd Keegan Williams Evansville Memorial
4th Noah Burkhardt Madison 

 
132: A pretty top heavy weight class, but really top heavy as state ranked as 7 state ranked wrestlers are featured here but 3 are top 10 dudes and clear cut favorites. Alec Freeman and Kyson Montgomery are pretty consistent, methodical killers and Ben Dalton is all; his mullet, his style and his smile are all contagious. Any of these three dudes can get it. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers -  Charlestown has had a great year and Jacob Lewellen hopes to keep things going for the Pirates but in his way is SS #4 Lane Deckard. How loaded is 132? Lewellen is 30-4 and ranked #23 in the state but wasn’t in the final SS rankings, that’s pretty crazy. SS #6 Jacob Fox has ran into TripleB Trained Braden Spears the last 2 weeks and hasn’t been able to figure him out, as a result we now have Fox vs #1 Alec Freeman first round, it might look bad on paper but you have 2 state ranked guys going at it in the first round. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws -  Lane Deckard of Edgewood is a phenomenal 29 - 3 and is ranked #4 in the semi-state and #13 in the state…. but a loss last week to Cade Meier has put him behind the 8 ball and the tall task of Ben Dalton in the ticket round. 
 
Don’t sleep on…. Braden Spears Plainfield, he’s had a great state tournament so far as he’s navigated through tough sectional and regional - taking 3rd both weeks to second and third ranked wrestlers in state. Can the Quaker punch his ticket vs Cade Meier?
 
Brick’s Picks - Freeman was almost a lock, but Donnie Baker showed up to the party!
 
1st - Alec Freeman Evansville Mater Dei
2nd - Kysen Montgomery Brownsburg
3rd - Ben Dalton Monrovia
4th - Cade Meier Bloomington South
 
Donnie Baker Bet the Boat pick - Fear the Mullet, BEN DALTON BABY!!!!! 

 
138: The JCSC all like Blake Boarman, Gain Alstott, Delaney Ruhlman and Gavin Garcia. Boarman is a returning state champ with a loss to Ruhlman and win over Alstott. Ruhlman has the win over Boarman and a loss to Alstott. Ruhlman and Boarman face off  in the semis and not one voter took Ruhlman. Can Delaney Dangerfield Ruhlman show that the win wasn’t a fluke?
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - make these first two matches TURRIBLE draws and  Curtain Jerkers. Maybe the best first round match of the day will be  SS #1/State #2 Ruhlman vs SS #4/State #6 Diesel Duncan of Ben Davis. This and the next match are more results of the Mooresville MeatGrinder Regional for sure. The other feature first round match is SS #5/ State #11 Conner Alcala of Decatur Central vs SS #3/State #4 Gavin Alstott. Asltott was a victim of the Turrible Draw last year, is returning state qualifier Alcala this year’s Alstott? The last curtain jerker features SS #9 and 3 loss senior Tanner Kane of Southridge vs SS #6/State #16 Colton Roberts of Avon. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - Delany Ruhlman has one loss this year, Charlestown Senior Colin Knox has 0 losses this year, both are top 4 ranked semi-state dudes. Somebody is done way to early Saturday. Definitely a Turrrrrrible draw. 
 
Brick’s Picks - The committee was torn on Alstott/Boarman. 3B says EMD picks up it’s 5th Semi-State champ. Maybe I’m sad and bitter over SS being moved, maybe I’ve had one too many Brain sandwiches at Hillside, I don’t know but I’m Wildcat drunk this year. 
 
1st - Blake Boarman Evansville Mater Dei
2nd - Gavin Alstott Floyd Central
3rd -  Delaney Ruhlman Bloomington South
4th -  Gavin Garcia Brownsburg
 
Donnie Baker Bet the Boat pick - 4th place gets Mendez next week, stone cold lock. 
 
145: 2021’s first HOT MESS bracket - 7 wrestlers got votes, there was a tie for state qualifier, 11 SS ranked wrestlers, and an unbelievable 5 top ten state ranked wrestlers. Let’s unpack this…. Jaden Reynolds was almost the newest Sperren but Center Grove’s Hayden Watson got a 1st place vote and there is a crazy quarter bracket that resulted in a tie. This weight class was nuts, strap in!
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - 3 curtain jerkers featuring state ranked dudes going at it early. SS #4/State #8 Ashton Hayhurst of Evansville Mater Dei takes on SS #9/State #22 Aiden Reynolds of Bloomington South. EMD and BHSS have a great and long standing rivalry, check out We Are...MD! on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/We-Are-MD-History-Wrestling/dp/1938730364) for more info on that history. So anticipate this match to be good. Another potential #4 over #1 will feature SS #11/State #24 Connor Gilles of Danny Struck’s Jeffersonville Red Devils vs. Ben Davis Junior SS #7/State #17 Anfernee Oliver with the winner being the favorite to go onto Indy. Finally SS #6/State #16 Johnathon Otte of West Vigo vs Mt. Vernon’s SS #8/State #18 Chris Newman will lock horns with reward being a turrible ticket round match against #1 ranked Jaden Reynolds. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Pick a quarter bracket and go….. Floyd Central freshman phenom (#3/#6) Hunter May has Brownsburg Hammer (#5/#9) Blaze Garcia, should Hayhurst get past Reynolds he will have Center Grove stud and returning state 3rd placer Hayden Watson, and already mentioned #6/#16 Otte vs #8/#18 Newman winner gets Reynolds. Wrestlebacks wouldn’t even fix this weight class, it’s gonna be AWESOME!!!
 
Don’t sleep on…. #12/#14 Tyce Dupont, #7/#17 Anfernee Oliver, #11/#24 Conner Gilles are all in that bracket, you know the bracket where anybody can win to advance to state?!?!?!
 
Brick’s Picks - Gilles and Oliver both received the same amount of votes, I don’t hate Dupont either, tough choices here. 
 
1st - Jaden Reynolds Avon
2nd - Hayden Watson Center Grove 
3rd  - Hunter May Floyd Central
4th -  Conner Gilles Jeffersonville
 
Donnie Baker’s Lock, Stock, and Pork Barrell pick - Oliver over Gilles as “The Jeff Regional Draw” aura continues to grow. 
 
152: Remember how I said 145 was stacked, well 152 has 10 state ranked wrestlers and 11 ss ranked wrestlers. 8 wrestlers received votes to get out.  A returning top 4 state medalist not favored to get out and a wrestler having the honor of possibly being on the wrong side of Charles Barkley turrrible draw two years in a row!
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - #5/#14 and returning state qualifier Connor Holt of Plainfield vs #6/#12 Tyler Williams of Columbus East. #4/#10 Ben Phillips of Charlestown vs. #8/#19 Logan Carrington of Greencastle, and #12 Chase Hostetler vs. #9/#22 Scott Fitts of Evansville Mater Dei all look to kick this weight class off. 4 of these 6 dudes received votes to get out. Carrington/Phillips is up there in terms of great first round matches. This weight class will not disappoint. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draw - Last year and I quote - “Fitts is a fireball, if he can channel his emotions in the right way, will it be enough to knock off Kervin?” Scott Fitts lost 8-5 to the eventual state champ. This year Fitts will have undefeated Charlestown Junior Ben Phillips. Will Fitts be able to climb that mountain? The other turrible draw isn’t that big of a deal, IT’S JUST TWO RETURNING STATE MEDALISTS AND  TOP FIVE STATE RANKED WRESTLERS. This might be the worst/best blood round match in the whole state? 
 
Don’t sleep on… Aiden Farmer is a regional champ in one of the toughest regionals in the state. The vote between him and Holt was actually a tie. It’s a toss up match! Scott Fitts, Riley Rust, and Tyler Williams are all capable of getting out. 
 
Brick’s Picks  -  8 wrestlers received votes, there was a tie, the top 2 stand out pretty loud but after that the final 6 were all within 2 votes of each other. Watch out!
 
1st - Tyler Conley Avon
2nd - J Conway Floyd Central
3rd - Ben Phillips Charlestown
4th - Connor Holt Plainfield 
 
TRIPLEB GUARANTEE - Remember a year ago I picked Logan Boe and people thought I was nuts, Well J Conway is your 3B Guarantee, you can bet Sisson’s jump rope on it!
 
160: We’ve only had one Sperren so far, waaaay back at 106. Well scoot over Seng, teammate Brody Baumann is set to join you. Baumann is the leader of this weight class headlined by 9 state ranked wrestlers and 10 semi state ranked wrestlers. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - #3/#11 Landon Boe vs #9/#21 Corey Braunecker has 3 losses between them but one isn’t getting out of the first round. The only other first round match up featuring two semi state ranked dudes is #11 Nate Lommock of Terre Haute south and #6/#17 Nick Cicciarelli of Brownsburg, the winner of this match will have to tussle with The Law!
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Last year Jordan Fulks had a tremendous run to the podium at Banker’s Life. He was a semi-state runner up to Logan Boe, this year he has his brother…. in the FRICKIN BLOOD ROUND! This is a turrible draw for sure, but wait there’s more! #15 Kailan Keith of Ben Davis has had a great year and would be a favorite for state in almost any other bracket at any other semi - state but he has drawn into Baumann’s bracket. Not a great draw for the Giant! Keep an eye on one more match, Columbus East Olympian Kade Law was upended last year in the ticket round for Jordy Fulks. This year he has Brownsburg Junior Nick Cicciarelli. Law owns an 8-6 win over Cicciarelli. Maybe not a turrible draw, it could be a fun match!
 
Don’t sleep on…. Floyd Central’s Bray Emerine is a very decorated wrestler and seemed to put it together last weekend at Regionals. Can the Highlander stay on track this week? 
 
The Sperren - Brody Baumann Evansville Mater Dei
 
Brick’s Picks - 
 
1st - Brody Baumann Evansville Mater Dei
2nd - Landon Boe Plainfield
3rd - Kade Law Columbus East
4th - Owen Bryant Gibson Southern
 
170: Franklin’s Tyler Fuqua was a state qualifier as a freshman, then spent two years dealing w Mater Dei Buzz saws Clay Elgi and Eli Dickens, can the Grizzly Cub get back to Indy? JCSC says yes!  This weight class appears to be as close to stock as we might get. Interestingly there is always at least one weight where all the pickers pick the same 4 dudes in the same order. That didn’t happen this year at all. The JCSC all like Codei Khawaja, Sam Morrill, Tyler Fuqua, and John Purdy. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers - #8/#14 Blake Weidner vs SS #9 Beau Hess and SS #7 Nigel Kaiser vs #5/#22 Van Skinner are the feature opening weight matches at 170
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draw -  Not any real turrible draws, if forced to dig - My man Van Skinner is a state level wrestler who’s only losses on the year are to Fulks, Khawaja and Morrill. Definitely a state level talent, the top 4 here are all hammers. Can my boy Tskin get baby Fro ready to take that next step?
 
Don’t sleep on…. Skinner and Evansville Mater Dei’s Blake Weidner are both capable wrestlers that could pull some big ticket round wins. 
 
Brick’s Picks - 
 
1st - Tyler Fuqua Franklin
2nd - Sam Morrill Columbus East
3rd - John Purdy Castle
4th - Codei Kwawaja Floyd Central
 
Donnie Baker’s promise - all 4 here are podium finishers next week. 
 
182:  The only weight class featuring all 12 semi-state ranked wrestlers! 8 state ranked wrestlers! Another almost lock!  7 vote getters! 2 wide open quarter brackets! 182 has it all! 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - #10 Deke Brown and #6 Luke Bullock has 6 combined losses, Brown is a 2 loss Regional champ. Some like another #4 over #1 here. In the same quarter bracket #12/#22 Mcithell Happe from Evansville North and Southridge Sophomore #11 Reid Schroeder also has a combined 6 losses. This quarter bracket up for grabs and starts in the first round! Also most feel the winner of #4/#9 Dominic Pugliese and #8/#25 Jaden Durnill will be a state qualifier. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Two top ten dudes should not have to go at it in the ticket round, but here we are…. Two returning state qualifiers, #2/#3 Wildcat Gabe Sollars will take on #3/#6 Franklin Senior Jalen Ward. McBee/Schmidt vs Pugliese/Durnil isn’t a turrible draw but it’ll be a good match.
 
Don’t sleep on…. Anybody outside of Buchanan and Sollars. The other two quarter brackets can be won by ay of the 8 kids
 
Brick’s Picks
 
1st - Gabe Sollars Evansville Mater Dei
2nd - Drake Buchanan Center Grove
3rd - Jaden Durnil Columbus East
4th - Mitchell Happe Evansville North
 
TRIPLEB GUARANTEE - The voters are haters… Drake Buchanan is a lock, for the record I’m the ONLY one that voted for him. Also Dominic Pugliese is going to state. Call your bookies now. 
 
195:  A three way tight race for first is the highlight at 195 as 3 guys all garnered first place votes and none of them are the #1 ranked SS wrestler. That shows there’s parity here and parity means entertaining matches! Brach Carrington, Wyat Willman, and Ke’Shawn Dickens all garnered votes. Harris Eason lost in SV to Dickens last week and they should rematch in the semis. The winner gets undefeated Brach Carrington. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - #1/#6 Eason will first have to take on #12/#21 Blake Ritzert of Mount Vernon. Ritzert did get some votes, maybe somebody knows something we don’t! #11 Clay Martin vs #4/#9 Dickens. I’ve yet to bring this up, but will the Mater Dei Magic of the Ford Center carry over to Jasper? There’s something about wrestling in confines you're familiar with, Mater Dei had luxuries at the Ford Center. There was a time teams weren’t allowed on the floor but there was Mater Dei warming up. Will the move create a more level playing ground? Will Covid restrictions limiting the Mater Dei crowd to 28 spectators make an impact? They would fill one side of the Ford Center. All of this is interesting and worth bringing up ahead of Saturday. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws -It only took 12 weight classes, but there’s no turrible draws here to see. 
 
Don’t sleep on…. Blake Ritzert caught some love, keep an eye out.
 
Brick’s Picks
 
1. Brach Carrington Greencastle
2. Ke’Shawn Dickens Avon
3. Wyatt Willman North Posey
4. Harris Eason Franklin
 
TRIPLEB GUARANTEE - Harris Eason is a finalist. 
 
220: We have another SPERREN!! Tristan Ruhlman has been dominant and should not be touched this weekend. Logan Huggins is also undefeated and there is anticipation that we see 2 undefeateds lock up in the finals. Everybody likes Ruhlman here. After that there’s 4 favorites battling for two spots. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerker - I’m a huge advocate for the big dudes, that being said….ummmm….. Not much to see here….maybe the scrappy #12 Dylan Fulton vs #7/#16 Nick Boots. Fulton always has super aggressive matches. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Another round of no turrible draws either…. #4/#22 Jakkarey Oliver of Whiteland vs #9/#14 Kelton Farmer got the most interest as both received votes, Oliver is the early favorite.  
 
Don’t sleep on…. Kelton Farmer and SS #8 Tommy Morrill. Sam’s little big bro is battle tested, can he knock off #2/#5 Josh Howell of Terre Haute South?
 
The Sperren - Tristan Ruhlman Bloomington South
 
Brick’s Picks - 
 
1st - Tristan Ruhlman Bloomington South
2nd - Logan Huggins Evansville Reitz (Hey Ferguson!)
3rd - Josh Howell Terre Haute South
4th - Jakkarey Oliver Whiteland
 
285: The last weight and the last SPERREN. Leighton Jones of Brownsburg is a Hammer who has pinned his way through the state tournament. Dude is a lock. Matt Munoz was a state qualifier as a sophomore and was upset in the ticket round last year. We are on track for another battle of undefeated goliaths in the finals. From dominant to anybody’s game as the other two quarter brackets can be won by any of a number of competitors. 
 
Barry Horowitz Best Curtain Jerkers - #6/#16 Owen Green of Center Grove and SS #5 Cordell Heuring will be a good first round match up as will #8/#15 Evansville Mater Dei’s James Ralph and #2/#5 Jacob Johnson of Franklin. Johnson doesn’t dominate people, in fact last year he won his two matches at state in OT battles. He has close wins all the time. The voters were torn, but ultimately Johnson’s experience and ability to win close matches gives us a #4 over a #1. 
 
Charles Barkley Turrible Draws - Columbus East and another #TripleBTrained wrestler Ashton Hartwell has only 4 losses on the year - 3 to Munoz and 1 to Jones. Turrible draw for the Olympian as he has to Jones in the ticket round. Had the Olympian landed literally in 2 of the other quarter brackets he punches his ticket.  Can coaches Coop, Ousley, and Olds come up with a game plan to take out Jones?
 
Don’t sleep on…. Already mentioned James Ralph breaks the mold, Mater Dei has never had a good Heavyweight! Logan McGraw of Owen Valley is a rare sophomore regional champ. He will have the favorite Amara Kaba in the ticket round, who wins?!?!?!?
 
The Sperren - Leighton Jones Brownsburg
 
Brick’s Picks - 
 
1st - Leighton Jones Brownsburg
2nd - Matthew Munoz Jeffersonville
3rd - Amara Kaba Pike
4th - Jacob Johnson Franklin
 
TRIPLEB GURANTEE - Leighton Jones is a state champ, I’m gonna clean out the other IndianaMat guys wallets at state over this pick. They are blinded by favoritism and Northern bias. 
 
DONNIEBAKERS BET THE BOAT GUARANTEE - All first round pins then all 2 point matches the rest of the bracket!
 

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2021 Semi-State Information Center
Date: Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.
Admission: $10 (Final session only); $12 (Season ticket). All host sites will have limited or no spectators and in accordance with their local health guidelines.
Advancement: The top four place winners in each weight class advance to the state finals.
Webstream: A live videostream will be available at each host site for a subscription fee at TrackWrestling.com. 
 
1. East Chicago Central | 9 am CT 
Feeder Regionals: Crown Point, Hobart, Logansport, Penn.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
Pick'ems Link
 
2. New Haven (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum) | 9 am ET  
Feeder Regionals: Carroll (Fort Wayne), Goshen, Jay County, Maconaquah.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
Pick'ems Link
 
3. New Castle | 9 am ET  
Feeder Regionals: Frankfort, Pendleton Heights, Richmond, Southport.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
Pick'ems Link
 
4. Jasper | 10 am ET  
Feeder Regionals: Bloomington South, Evansville North, Jeffersonville, Mooresville.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
Pick'ems Link