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  • Mr. Gorilla Award

    Mr. Gorilla Award information

    12 articles in this category

      762

      2024 IndianaMat Award Winners

      Mr. Gorilla: Wyatt Krejsa- Center Grove
      1st Runner-up: Will Clark- Crown Point
      2nd Runner-up: Kyrel Leavell- Warren Central
       
      Miss Gorilla: Rose Kaplan- West Lafayette
      1st Runner-up: Varzidy Batchelor- Northview
      2nd Runner-up: Elly Janovsky- Lake Central
       
      Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year: Brownsburg
      4A Coach of the Year: Darrick Snyder- Brownsburg
      3A Coach of the Year: Brandon Sisson- Floyd Central
      2A Coach of the Year: Cody LeCount- Delta
      1A Coach of the Year: Tony Abbott- Cown
      Girls Coach of the Year: James Linn- New Haven
       
      4A Wrestler of the Year: Jake Hockaday- Brownsburg
      3A Wrestler of the Year: Easton Doster- New Haven
      2A Wrestler of the Year: Mitchell Betz- Western
      1A Wrestler of the Year: Noah Weaver- Rossville
       
      Past Award Winners
      1A Coach
      2015- Tony Currie- Adams Central
      2016- Brett Smith- Prairie Heights
      2017- Gary Black- Shenandoah
      2018- Chuck Fleshman- Central Noble
      2019- Tony Currie- Adams Central
      2020- Cody Moll- North Posey
      2021- Neal Stahly- Tell City
      2022- Clint Gard- Rochester
      2023- Joe Litherland- Tell City
       
      1A Wrestler
      2015- Sawyer Miller- South Adams
      2016- Evan Ellis- Eastern
      2017- Eli Stock- Monrovia
      2018- Noah Cressell- Wabash
      2019- Silas Allred- Shenandoah
      2020- Isiah Levitz- Prairie Heights
      2021- Hayden Filipovich- Indianapolis Lutheran
      2022- Marshall Fishback- Rochester
      2023- Tyce DuPont- Tell City
       
      2A Coach
      2015- Trent McCormick- Yorktown
      2016- Mark Kerrn- Jimtown
      2017- Trent McCormick- Yorktown
      2018- Frank Bumgardner- Wawasee
      2019- Chad Shepherd- Western
      2020- Paul Gunsett- Bellmont
      2021- Nick Kraus- Garrett
      2022- Tim Myers- Bellmont
      2023- Chad Shepherd- Western
       
      2A Wrestler
      2015- Brock Hudkins- Danville
      2016- Brock Hudkins- Danville
      2017- Mason Parris- Lawrenceburg
      2018- Brayden Curtis- Yorktown
      2019- AJ Fowler- Calumet
      2020- Clayton Fielden- Garrett
      2021- Isaac Ruble- Bellmont
      2022- Christian Carroll- New Prairie
      2023- Tylin Thrine- New Castle
       
      3A Coach
      2015- Brad Harper- Penn
      2016- Darrick Snyder- Brownsburg
      2017- Chris Johl- Chesterton
      2018- Matt Schoettle- Perry Meridian
      2019- Sean McGinley- Cathedral
      2020- Sean McGinley- Cathedral
      2021- Adam Wolf- East Central
      2022- Chris Cooper- Columbus East
      2023- Steve Sandefer- Mishawaka
       
      3A Wrestler
      2015- Chad Red- New Palestine
      2016- Blake Rypel- Cathedral
      2017- Joe Lee- Mater Dei
      2018- Asa Garcia- Avon
      2019- Jordan Slivka- Cathedral
      2020- Eli Dickens- Mater Dei
      2021- J Conway- Floyd Central
      2022- J Conway- Floyd Central
      2023- Cole Solomey- Kankakee Valley
       
      4A Coach
      2021- Greg Schaefer- Mater Dei
      2022- Brandon Lorek- Crown Point
      2023- Maurice Swain- Center Grove
       
      4A Wrestler
      2021- Jesse Mendez- Crown Point
      2022- Gabe Sollars- Mater Dei
      2023- Joey Buttler- Whiteland
       
      Girls Coach of the Year
      2021- Jeremy Goodlett- Lebanon
      2022- Brad Harper- Penn
      2023- Nick Skinner- Southport
       
      Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year
      2022- Crown Point
      2023- Center Grove
       
      Mr. Gorilla
      2015- Tommy Forte- Mishawaka
      2016- Chad Red- New Palestine
      2017- Andrew Davison- Chesteron 
      2018- Brayton Lee- Brownsburg and Mason Parris- Lawrenceburg
      2019- Asa Garcia- Avon
      2020- Silas Allred- Shenandoah
      2021- Alex Cottey- Perry Meridian
      2022- Jesse Mendez- Crown Point
      2023- Sam Goin- Crown Point
       
      Miss Gorilla
      2021- Sarah Huse- Lebanon
      2022- Catie Campbell- North Montgomery
      2023- Aulani Davis- Kokomo

      2949

      2023 IndianaMat Award Winners

      Mr. Gorilla: Sam Goin- Crown Point
      1st Runner-up: Aidan Torres- Chesterton
      2nd Runner-up: Orlando Cruz- Crown Point
       
      Miss Gorilla: Aulani Davis- Kokomo
      1st Runner-up: Mackenzie Konanz- Penn
      2nd Runner-up: Chrissy True- Jeffersonville
       
      Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year: Center Grove
      4A Coach of the Year: Maurice Swain- Center Grove
      3A Coach of the Year: Steve Sandefer- Mishawaka
      2A Coach of the Year: Chad Shepherd- Western
      1A Coach of the Year: Joe Litherland- Tell City
      Girls Coach of the Year: Nick Skinner- Southport
       
      4A Wrestler of the Year: Joey Buttler- Whiteland
      3A Wrestler of the Year: Cole Solomey- Kankakee Valley
      2A Wrestler of the Year: Tylin Thrine- New Castle
      1A Wrestler of the Year: Tyce DuPont- Tell City
       
      Past Award Winners
      1A Coach
      2015- Tony Currie
      2016- Brett Smith
      2017- Gary Black
      2018- Chuck Fleshman
      2019- Tony Currie
      2020- Cody Moll
      2021- Neal Stahly
      2022- Clint Gard
       
      1A Wrestler
      2015- Sawyer Miller
      2016- Evan Ellis
      2017- Eli Stock
      2018- Noah Cressell
      2019- Silas Allred
      2020- Isiah Levitz
      2021- Hayden Filipovich
      2022- Marshall Fishback
       
      2A Coach
      2015- Trent McCormick
      2016- Mark Kerrn
      2017- Trent McCormick
      2018- Frank Bumgardner
      2019- Chad Shepherd
      2020- Paul Gunsett
      2021- Nick Kraus
      2022- Tim Myers
       
      2A Wrestler
      2015- Brock Hudkins
      2016- Brock Hudkins
      2017- Mason Parris
      2018- Brayden Curtis
      2019- AJ Fowler
      2020- Clayton Fielden
      2021- Isaac Ruble
      2022- Christian Carroll
       
      3A Coach
      2015- Brad Harper
      2016- Darrick Snyder
      2017- Chris Johl
      2018- Matt Schoettle
      2019- Sean McGinley
      2020- Sean McGinley
      2021- Adam Wolf
      2022- Chris Cooper
       
      3A Wrestler
      2015- Chad Red
      2016- Blake Rypel
      2017- Joe Lee
      2018- Asa Garcia
      2019- Jordan Slivka
      2020- Eli Dickens
      2021- J Conway
      2022- J Conway
       
      4A Coach
      2021- Greg Schaefer
      2022- Brandon Lorek-
       
      4A Wrestler
      2021- Jesse Mendez
      2022- Gabe Sollars
       
      Girls Coach of the Year
      2021- Jeremy Goodlett
      2022- Brad Harper
       
      Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year
      2022- Crown Point
       
      Mr. Gorilla
      2015- Tommy Forte
      2016- Chad Red
      2017- Andrew Davison
      2018- Brayton Lee and Mason Parris
      2019- Asa Garcia
      2020- Silas Allred
      2021- Alex Cottey
      2022- Jesse Mendez
       
      Miss Gorilla
      2021- Sarah Huse
      2022- Catie Campbell

      1755 1

      2022 IndianaMat Award Winners

      Mr. Gorilla: Jesse Mendez- Crown Point
      1st Runner-up: Zeke Seltzer- Cathedral
      2nd Runner-up: Brody Baumann- Mater Dei
       
      Miss Gorilla: Catie Campbell- North Montgomery 
      1st Runner-up: Cailin Campbell- North Montgomery
      2nd Runner-up: Riley Dempewolf- McCutcheon
       
      Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year: Crown Point
      4A Coach of the Year: Branden Lorek- Crown Point
      3A Coach of the Year: Chris Cooper- Columbus East
      2A Coach of the Year: Tim Myers- Bellmont
      1A Coach of the Year: Clint Gard- Rochester
      Girls Coach of the Year: Brad Harper- Penn
       
      4A Wrestler of the Year: Gabe Sollars- Mater Dei
      3A Wrestler of the Year: J Conway- Floyd Central
      2A Wrestler of the Year: Christian Carroll- New Prairie
      1A Wrestler of the Year: Marshall Fishback- Rochester
       
      Past Award Winners
      1A Coach
      2015- Tony Currie
      2016- Brett Smith
      2017- Gary Black
      2018- Chuck Fleshman
      2019- Tony Currie
      2020- Cody Moll
      2021- Neal Stahly
      1A Wrestler
      2015- Sawyer Miller
      2016- Evan Ellis
      2017- Eli Stock
      2018- Noah Cressell
      2019- Silas Allred
      2020- Isiah Levitz
      2021- Hayden Filipovich
      2A Coach
      2015- Trent McCormick
      2016- Mark Kerrn
      2017- Trent McCormick
      2018- Frank Bumgardner
      2019- Chad Shepherd
      2020- Paul Gunsett
      2021- Nick Kraus
      2A Wrestler
      2015- Brock Hudkins
      2016- Brock Hudkins
      2017- Mason Parris
      2018- Brayden Curtis
      2019- AJ Fowler
      2020- Clayton Fielden
      2021- Isaac Ruble
      3A Coach
      2015- Brad Harper
      2016- Darrick Snyder
      2017- Chris Johl
      2018- Matt Schoettle
      2019- Sean McGinley
      2020- Sean McGinley
      2021- Adam Wolf
      3A Wrestler
      2015- Chad Red
      2016- Blake Rypel
      2017- Joe Lee
      2018- Asa Garcia
      2019- Jordan Slivka
      2020- Eli Dickens
      2021- J Conway
      4A Coach
      2021- Greg Schaefer
      4A Wrestler
      2021- Jesse Mendez
      Girls Coach of the Year
      2021- Jeremy Goodlett
      Mr. Gorilla
      2015- Tommy Forte
      2016- Chad Red
      2017- Andrew Davison
      2018- Brayton Lee and Mason Parris
      2019- Asa Garcia
      2020- Silas Allred
      2021- Alex Cottey

      1460 2

      2021 IndianaMat Award Winners

      Mr. Gorilla: Alex Cottey- Perry Meridian
      1st Runner-up: Bryer Hall- East Central
      2nd Runner-up: Tristan Ruhlman- Bloomington South
       
      Miss Gorilla: Sarah Huse- Lebanon 
      1st Runner-up: Alexie Westfall- Crown Point
      2nd Runner-up: Haley Mattingly- Carmel
       
      4A Coach of the Year: Greg Schaefer- Mater Dei
      3A Coach of the Year: Adam Wolf- East Central
      2A Coach of the Year: Nick Kraus- Garrett
      1A Coach of the Year: Neal Stahly- Tell City
      Girls Coach of the Year: Jeremy Goodlett- Lebanon
       
      4A Wrestler of the Year: Jesse Mendez- Crown Point
      3A Wrestler of the Year: J Conway- Floyd Central
      2A Wrestler of the Year: Isaac Ruble- Bellmont
      1A Wrestler of the Year: Hayden Filipovich- Indianapolis Lutheran
       
      Past Award Winners
      1A Coach
      2015- Tony Currie
      2016- Brett Smith
      2017- Gary Black
      2018- Chuck Fleshman
      2019- Tony Currie
      2020- Cody Moll
      1A Wrestler
      2015- Sawyer Miller
      2016- Evan Ellis
      2017- Eli Stock
      2018- Noah Cressell
      2019- Silas Allred
      2020- isiah Levitz
      2A Coach
      2015- Trent McCormick
      2016- Mark Kerrn
      2017- Trent McCormick
      2018- Frank Bumgardner
      2019- Chad Shepherd
      2020- Paul Gunsett
      2A Wrestler
      2015- Brock Hudkins
      2016- Brock Hudkins
      2017- Mason Parris
      2018- Brayden Curtis
      2019- AJ Fowler
      2020- Clayton Fielden
      3A Coach
      2015- Brad Harper
      2016- Darrick Snyder
      2017- Chris Johl
      2018- Matt Schoettle
      2019- Sean McGinley
      2020- Sean McGinley
      3A Wrestler
      2015- Chad Red
      2016- Blake Rypel
      2017- Joe Lee
      2018- Asa Garcia
      2019- Jordan Slivka
      2020- Eli Dickens
      Mr. Gorilla
      2015- Tommy Forte
      2016- Chad Red
      2017- Andrew Davison
      2018- Brayton Lee and Mason Parris
      2019- Asa Garcia
      2020- Silas Allred

      1453 1

      2020 IndianaMat Award Winners

      Mr. Gorilla: Silas Allred- Shenandoah
      1st Runner-up: Alec Viduya- Roncalli
      2nd Runner-up: Joseph Walker- Mishawaka
       
      3A Coach of the Year: Sean McGinley- Cathedral
      2A Coach of the Year: Paul Gunsett- Bellmont
      1A Coach of the Year: Cody Moll- North Posey
       
      3A Wrestler of the Year: Eli Dickens- Mater Dei
      2A Wrestler of the Year: Clayton Fielden- Garrett
      1A Wrestler of the Year: Isiah Levitz- Prairie Heights
       
      Past Award Winners
      1A Coach
      2015- Tony Currie
      2016- Brett Smith
      2017- Gary Black
      2018- Chuck Fleshman
      2019- Tony Currie
      1A Wrestler
      2015- Sawyer Miller
      2016- Evan Ellis
      2017- Eli Stock
      2018- Noah Cressell
      2019- Silas Allred
      2A Coach
      2015- Trent McCormick
      2016- Mark Kerrn
      2017- Trent McCormick
      2018- Frank Bumgardner
      2019- Chad Shepherd
      2A Wrestler
      2015- Brock Hudkins
      2016- Brock Hudkins
      2017- Mason Parris
      2018- Brayden Curtis
      2019- AJ Fowler
      3A Coach
      2015- Brad Harper
      2016- Darrick Snyder
      2017- Chris Johl
      2018- Matt Schoettle
      2019- Sean McGinley
      3A Wrestler
      2015- Chad Red
      2016- Blake Rypel
      2017- Joe Lee
      2018- Asa Garcia
      2019- Jordan Slivka
      Mr. Gorilla
      2015- Tommy Forte
      2016- Chad Red
      2017- Andrew Davison
      2018- Brayton Lee and Mason Parris
      2019- Asa Garcia

      2182 1 3

      2019 IndianaMat Award Winners

      Wrestlers of the Year
      1A- Silas Allred of Shenandoah
      2A- AJ Fowler of Calumet
      3A- Jordan Slivka of Cathedral
      Coaches of the Year
      1A- Tony Currie of Adams Central
      2A- Chad Shepherd of Western
      3A- Sean McGinley of Cathedral
      Mr. Gorilla
      Asa Garcia of Avon
      1st Runner-up Nick South of Columbus East
      2nd Runner-up Cayden Rooks of Columbus East

      6363 14

      2017 Mr. Gorilla Award

      Wrestling 45 matches in a season without a defeat is an impressive feat. What about also adding in 38 pins including 27 in the first period? Let’s also add in only three matches going into the third period, with only ONE, yes one, match that went the full six minutes. When you add all that up you get this year’s Mr. Gorilla, Andrew Davison of Chesterton.
       
      Davison put together one of the most dominating seasons the state has ever seen this year. The future Michigan Wolverine already had a laundry list of accomplishments highlighted by national titles in folkstyle and Greco-roman before capturing his first state title this year. Davison’s career record was 121-4 with 79 career falls. On top of his accolades on the mat Davison has also been academic all-state based on stellar work in the classroom.
       
      Andrew Davison’s Resume
      http://indianamat.com/index.php/page/wrestler_detail.html/_/active/andrew-davison-r518
       
      National
      2016 187 UWW Cadet Freestyle Nationals 6th
      2016 187 UWW Cadet Greco Nationals 5th[
      2016 195 Junior Greco Nationals 7th
      2016 195 Junior Freestyle Nationals 7th
      2016 195 Junior Folkstyle Nationals 1st
      2016 195 Super 32 3rd
      2015 182 Cadet Folkstyle Nationals 1st
      2015 182 Cadet Freestyle Nationals 3rd
      2015 182 Cadet Greco Nationals 1st
       
      State
      2017 195 State 1st
      2016 182 State Qualifier
      2015 182 State 5th
       
      Awards and Honors
      2017 Academic All-State Senior
      2016 Academic All-State Junior
       
      Mr. Gorilla Voting Results(1st place votes)
      1st- Andrew Davison(18)
      2nd- Breyden Bailey(8)
      3rd- Alec White(2)
       
      Others with 1st place votes
      Alston Bane(2)
      Eli Stock(2)
      Colton Cummings(1)
       
      Past Mr. Gorilla Award Winners
      2016- Chad Red of New Palestine
      2015- Tommy Forte of Mishawaka
       
      About Mr. Gorilla Award
      The Mr. Gorilla award was starting 2015 as a way to recognize the top senior each year. Voting is done after the state finals is completed. Voters are from around the state include coaches, administrators, and state and national media members that cover wrestling. The award has been designed to give recognition for the hard work and dedication it takes to be a top wrestler.

      4972

      2017 IndianaMat Awards

      Mr. Gorilla Voting Results(1st place votes)
      See article here
      http://indianamat.com/index.php/page/articles.html/_/mr-gorilla-award/2017-mr-gorilla-award-r778
      1st- Andrew Davison(18)
      2nd- Breyden Bailey(8)
      3rd- Alec White(2)
       
      Others with 1st place votes
      Alston Bane(2)
      Eli Stock(2)
      Colton Cummings(1)
       
      Past Mr. Gorilla Award Winners
      2016- Chad Red of New Palestine
      2015- Tommy Forte of Mishawaka
       
      3A Coach of the Year
      Chris Joll from Chesterton
      Returning 13 starters from their 2016 squad the Trojans were poised for a spectacular season. Riding the waves of some talented big guys Coach Chris Joll's squad finished 2nd at state. Individually the Trojans qualified six wretlers for the state finals with five of them placing. Andrew Davison became the 5th wrestler in school history to win a state champion joining his father and assistant coach Keith, Joh DeHart, and Jim Popp. Also placing were runner-ups Lucas Davison and Diego Lemley, 4th place finisher Eli Pokorney, and 8th place finisher Jack Tolin.
       
      Honorable Mention: Darrick Snyder from Brownsburg and Matt Schoettle from Perry Meridian
      Past Winners
      2016- Darrick Snyder from Brownsburg
      2015- Brad Harper from Penn
       
      2A Coach of the Year
      Trent McCormick from Yorktown
      Word on the street is that Yorktown will need to add on with all of the hardware just from the wrestling team. The Tigers had two state champions this year in Brayden Curtis and Brad Laughlin. They also had runner-up Christian Hunt and 8th place finisher Jacob Rhoades. On top of placing 4th at the state finals, Yorktown captured their fourth IHSWCA 2A Team State Duals title in five years.
       
      Honorable Mention: Maurice Swain from North Montgomery
      Past Winners
      2016- Mark Kerrn from Jimtown
      2015- Trent McCormick from Yorktown
       
      1A Coach of the Year
      Gary Black from Shenandoah
      The Shenandoah Raiders lead by Gary Black have quickly become a program to watch in the state. With a relatively young line-up the Raiders finished 2nd at the IHSWCA Team State Duals in a match that went down to the wire. Individually, coach Black's squad had four state qualifiers including runner-up AJ Black and 8th place finishers Ryan Surguy and Josh Gee.
       
      Honorable Mention: Brett Smith from Prairie Heights
      Past Winners
      2016- Brett Smith from Prairie Heights
      2015- Tony Currie from Adams Central
       
      3A Wrestler of the Year
      Joe Lee from Evansville Mater Dei
      The rumor on the street is that Joe Lee eats broken glass sprinkled with gunpowder and chugs a gallon of diesel fuel before each match. When you see him wrestle, you understand why that rumor has legs. Lee sliced through the field like a hot knife through butter this year with no one getting within 9 points of him during the state series. Lee has already committed to Penn State with one more year of high school left.
       
      Honorable Mention: Brayton Lee from Brownsburg
      Past Winners
      2016- Blake Rypel from Indianapolis Cathedral
      2015- Chad Red from New Palestine
       
      2A Wrestler of the Year
      Mason Parris from Lawrenceburg
      Mason Parris is good at wrestling. In three years Parris has amassed 159 victories in 160 matches. This year in 53 matches he had 41 pins with only one match going the full six minutes. Parris is already in the talk of one of the best big men in the history of Indiana with one year left to wrestle.
       
      Honorable Mention: Brad Laughlin from Yorktown
      Past Winners
      2016- Brock Hudkins from Danville
      2015- Brock Hudkins from Danville
       
      1A Wrestler of the Year
      Eli Stock from Monrovia
      One of the best stories to come out of this year's state tournament is Eli Stock from Monrovia. This Bulldog defied odds time after time and after the dust had settled he was on top of the podium. After another lengthy football season Stock stepped it up during the state series. He had to fend off numerous challengers in a LOADED regional in which all four competitors punched tickets to state. Stock's run in the post season this year will be talked about for many years go come.
       
      Honorable Mention: Evan Ellis from Eastern
      Past Winners
      2016- Evan Ellis from Eastern
      2015- Sawyer Miller from South Adams

      2422 3

      2015 IndianaMat Awards

      1A Coach of the Year
      Tony Currie- Adams Central
      In his first year at the helm of the Flying Jets Currie continued the storied tradition of the program. The list of accolades in his first season will set a high standard for the years to come. In early January the Currie lead Jets captured the 1A Team State Duals title in dramatic fashion over Prairie Heights. They kept the ball rolling winning the tournament portion of the Allen County Athletic Conference. Adams Central was also the only 1A team to take more than one wrestler to state, which included 4th place finisher Kaine Luginbill.
       
      2A Coach of the Year
      Trent McCormick- Yorktown
      The Yorktown contingent had an outstanding year once again, led by Coach Trent McCormick. The Tigers captured their third straight 2A Team State Duals title in dominating fashion. The won in the finals 45-18 and in total outscored their opponents 229-59. Along the state path they captured a sectional, regional, and semi-state titles. They also qualified eight wrestlers for state and finished 11th in the final standings.
       
      3A Coach of the Year
      Brad Harper- Penn
      Adults often joke about the endless energy of kids…and Brad Harper. Harper is a high energy coach that is a master motivator. The architect of the Penn resurgence is the 3A Coach of the Year. With a banged up and patched up team at the 3A Team State Duals Harper’s squad was an eyelash and a tiebreaker from the finals. Then came a state run that was redemption for team state. Penn lost two very important wrestlers in the first round of state and came into the quarter-finals with one less wrestler than Cathedral. They managed to outpace the Irish as Harper’s squad brought home two individual titles along with a runner-up finish. This is Penn’s first wrestling state title in the school’s history along with the first individual titles since 1971.
       
      1A Wrestler of the Year
      Sawyer Miller- South Adams
      After being in the semi-finals as a freshman and sophomore, Miller was knocked out of the state tournament at semi-state as a junior. That fueled the motivation to not quit until he was under the lights in his last go-round. He had an unblemished record until the finals where he dropped an overtime bout to Brock Hudkins. Miller wraps up his career as the most decorated Starfire in history with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place medals. His legacy will be hard to top, but he does has a younger brother just itching to break all his records.
       
      2A Wrestler of the Year
      Brock Hudkins- Danville
      Luck hasn’t been a friend of Brock Hudkins during any of his three high school seasons. As a freshman he missed the first half of the season with an injury and came into the state tournament with a limited amount of matches. He ended up 5th in a very tough weight class. As a sophomore he came into state as a semi-state champion, weighed in, then became ill and couldn’t participate. His junior year was cruising along until a midseason weight room injury almost sidelined him for the season. Even with a mangled finger Hudkins captured a state title in one of the toughest weight classes in the state. He finished his junior campaign without a loss and will look to build upon it for his final year.
       
      3A Wrestler of the Year
      Chad Red- New Palestine
      There are many superlatives that can be used to describe Chad Red. His career to this point is nearly spotless with his only blemishes coming when he attends national events. Along with his three state titles he has championships at the Super 32 and Fargo. He also has a 4th place finish at FloNationals along with leading Team Indiana to All-American finishes at the Cadet Duals. The icing on the cake is his #1 ranking in the country which has prompted visits from top college coaches to New Palestine.
       
      Mr. Gorilla
      Voting Results (1st Place Votes)
      Tommy Forte- 106(13)
      Tommy Cash- 90(9)
      Garrett Pepple- 74(1)
      Dylan Lydy- 28
      Brandon James- 24
       
      Tommy Forte- Mishawaka
      The experts often say to keep your resume to one page, but for Tommy Forte he will need a forest to print his resume off. One of only two seniors this year with four state medals(Brandon James the other), Forte has cemented a legacy of one of the greatest Cavemen ever. Two state titles to go with a runner-up and third place finish are just the tip of the iceberg. Nationally, Forte has placed at USAW Folkstyle Nationals twice and finished 4th at the Super 32. He also holds national rankings of #8 by Intermat and #15 by FloWrestling. He will be continuing his education and wrestling career at Buffalo with former coach Bryce Hasseman and the Bulls. This year he became only the second wrestler ever to capture four titles at the prestigious Al Smith Classic. He finished his career with an impressive 140 wins with only 5 losses to three different wrestlers(Jarred McKinley 2x, Cody LeCount 2x, and Anthony McHugh). With that he is the first of many Mr. Gorilla award recipients.

      3164

      2015 Mr. Gorilla February Update

      2015 Mr. Gorilla: Karl’s Kontenders


       
      Year one of IndianaMat’s Mr. Gorilla award honoring the state’s top senior wrestler brings no shortage of contenders. We have seen many great matches during the regular season and are sure to see many more as the state tournament series continues. This article is not meant to exclude any potential winner of the award, it is only meant to highlight a few of the grapplers who have distinguished themselves at this point of the season. IndianaMat has assembled a blue ribbon group of voters from throughout the state and even have included national high school wrestling experts that will vote for the winner after the state finals on Feb.21st. Voters include a mixture of coaches, administrators, and members of the media.
       
      Garrett Pepple – East Noble – 113
      RESUME
      - 2014 Super 32 4th at 113lbs
      - 2014 USAW Junior Freestyle 8th at 113lbs
      - 2014 IHSAA - 2nd at 113lbs
      - 2014 USAW Folkstyle All-American 3rd at 113lbs
      - 2013 IHSAA - 2nd at 106lbs
      Career Record 126-7
       
      Pepple has both the high school and off season bones to be a serious contender for the top senior. He also recently signed a letter of intent to continue wrestling for the Indiana Hoosiers. The only minor knock might be a less then top-flight regular season schedule and the fact that Pepple has only been in the line-up for three years.
       
      Brandon James – Perry Meridian – 138
      RESUME
      - 2014 IHSAA 2nd at 132lbs
      - 2014 Flo All-American 3rd at 120lbs
      - 2013 Junior Freestyle 6th at 126lbs
      - 2013 IHSAA 5th at 126lbs
      - 2012 IHSAA 3rd at 113lbs
      - 2012 Cadet Freestyle 6th at 120lbs
      - 2011 Cadet Freestyle 8th at 112lbs
      Career Record – 159-7
       
      King James was probably considered by many to be a pre-season favorite for this award and his senior season to date has done nothing to diminish that standing. A three time state medalist, James is only missing the medal with the blue ribbon to complete his in state list of accolades. He has already posted a convincing win over Tommy Cash this season, has a scholarship to wrestle at Old Dominion, and many national placings to his credit.
       
      Tommy Cash – Lawrence North – 138
      RESUME
      - 2014 IHSAA State Champion at 138lbs
      - 2014 Flo All-American 5th at 132lbs
      - 2012 IHSAA 5th at 106lbs
      Career Record – 160-5
       
      The first of two Tommys, Cash is another strong contender for Mr. Gorilla. He has a state title on his resume as well as fifth place finish in his freshman season. A sophomore season cut short due to injury and a loss to James earlier this season are to minor blemishes that could easily be wiped out if he were to take this year’s title and defeat James in the process. Don’t count out the IU bound Cash.
       
      Tommy Forte – Mishawaka – 152
      RESUME
      - 2014 IHSAA 2nd at 145lbs
      - 2014 Super 32 5th at 145lbs
      - 2014 USAW All-American 7th at 152lbs
      - 2013 IHSAA State Champion at 138lbs
      - 2012 IHSAA 3rd at 132lbs
      Career Record – 149-5
       
      Three trips to the state semifinals along with a perfect season and state title in 2013 put Tommy Two in strong contention for being considered the top wrestler in the state. Forte has committed to follow former coach Bryce Hasseman and will wrestle for the University of Buffalo. Battling injuries and the lack of a bone fide rival this season might be the only stumbling blocks for this talented senior.
       
      The Fab Five – Various Schools – 170
      Dylan Lydy – Ben Davis – Lydy has the shortest resume of the Fab Five but is currently ranked #1 based on his wins over both Jackson and Stevenson and an undefeated record. Lydy had a win over eventual state champ Stevenson last year before he was DQ’d from the state tournament.
      Ben Harvey – Cathedral – Harvey is currently ranked 2nd in the state. He holds two state medals and has qualified for state all three years. Harvey will be looking to join big brother as a state champion. He has split two meetings with Stevenson so far this year.
      Joey Mammolenti – Penn – Coming in at #3 is Penn’s senior Joey Mammolenti. In his first two years in the Kingsman lineup, Mammolenti has qualified for state. Unfortunately, he has failed to medal the past two years. Dominating wins over highly regared Scottie Sopko and Cameron Jones have lifted Mammolenti into the conversation for the state’s top honor
      Dillon Jackson – Yorktown – Another sibling stud is Yorktown’s Dillon Jackson. He burst onto the state stage last year with an impressive 3rd place performance. Jackson has lost to both Lydy and Harvey but boasts a win over last year’s titlist Jacob Steveson.
      Jacob Stevenson – Franklin – Last but not least is 2014 state champion Jacob Stevenson. The mere fact that a returning state champion is ranked fifth in the state at the same weight class is testament to tremendous strength and depth in this class. Stevenson has a win over Harvey but has suffered losses to Lydy, Jackson and Harvey. Whomever navigates this tough weight class deserves strong consideration for being named Mr. Gorilla.
       
      Chase Osborn – Penn – 182
      RESUME
      - 2014 IHSAA 2nd at 170lbs
      - 2012 IHSAA State Qualifier at 132lbs
      Career Record – 118-25
       
      Osborn burst onto the scene in his freshman year when he was a surprise state qualifier for the Kingmen. His sophomore season ended at regional as he was going through a growth spurt but Osborn reemerged in a big way his junior year by making a run to the title match at 170. His senior year has been dominating and has only been tested once in the Al Smith finals by Chesterton’s Andrew Davison.
       
      Norman Oglesby – Ben Davis – 285
      RESUME
      - 2014 2nd at 285lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 285lbs
      Career Record – 135-15
       
      Stormin’ Norman turned heads his sophomore year when he emerged as a semistate champion for the Giants. Last year, he repeated as the Evansville champ and won his first three matches at Banker’s Life. A runner-up finish to Cathedral’s Wes Bernard ended his season. Oglesby got a blue ring as a star Ben Davis football squad this fall and earned a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati.

      2961

      Mr. Gorilla Watch List Preseason 2015

      Here is the first list of top seniors for this year's Mr. Gorilla award. Note that these are in no order. We will update this list throughout the season.
       
      1. Tommy Cash- Lawrence North
      - 2014 State Champion at 138lbs
      - 2014 Flo All-American 5th at 132lbs
      - 2012 5th at 106lbs
       
      2. Jack Chastain- Hamilton Southeastern
      - 2014 5th at 126lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 113lbs
       
      3. Cornelius Elliott- Perry Meridian
      - 2014 3rd at 113lbs
      - 2014 Flo All-American 8th at 113lbs
       
      4. Tyler Fergeson- Evansville Reitz
      - 2014 5th at 113lbs
       
      5. Tommy Forte- Mishawaka
      - 2014 2nd at 145lbs
      - 2014 Super 32 5th at 145lbs
      - 2014 USAW All-American 7th at 152lbs
      - 2013 State Champion at 138lbs
      - 2012 3rd at 132lbs
       
      6. Elisea Geurra- Elkhart Central
      - 2014 6th at 220lbs
       
      7. Colton Gonzales- Connersville
      - 2014 7th at 170lbs
       
      8. Ben Harvey- Cathedral
      - 2014 State Qualifier at 145lbs
      - 2013 3rd at 126lbs
      - 2012 7th at 113lbs
       
      9. Corey Hinkle- Western
      - 2014 3rd at 182lbs
       
      10. Myron Howard-Anderson- Yorktown
      - 2014 4th at 182lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 170lbs
       
      11. Dillon Jackson- Yorktown
      - 2014 3rd at 170lbs
       
      12. Brandon James- Perry Meridian
      - 2014 2nd at 132lbs
      - 2014 Flo All-American 3rd at 120lbs
      - 2013 Junior Freestyle 6th at 126lbs
      - 2013 5th at 126lbs
      - 2012 3rd at 113lbs
      - 2012 Cadet Freestyle 6th at 120lbs
      - 2011 Cadet Freestyle 8th at 112lbs
       
      13. Alex Johnson- Mater Dei
      - 2014 6th at 120lbs
       
      14. Clarence Johnson- Merrillville
      - 2014 7th at 126lbs
       
      15. Isaiah Kemper- Evansville Central
      - 2014 State Qualifier at 160lbs
      - 2014 USAW All-American 8th at 160lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 138lbs
       
      16. Connor Knapp- East Noble
      - 2014 3rd at 120lbs
      - 2013 4th at 113lbs
       
      17. Gabe Koontz- Edgewood
      - 2014 3rd at 160lbs
       
      18. Bailey LaHue- Corydon Central
      - 2014 7th at 120lbs
      - 2013 4th at 120lbs
      - 2012 5th at 113lbs
       
      19. Sam Lovejoy- Heritage
      - 2014 5th at 132lbs
      - 2012 State Qualifier at 113lbs
       
      20. Dylan Lydy- Ben Davis
      - 2013 USAW Cadet Freestyle 4th at 160lbs
      - 2014 Flo All-American 4th at 160lbs
       
      21. Joey Mammolenti- Penn
      - 2014 State Qualifier at 160lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 145lbs
       
      22. Seth Meyer- Harrison (WL)
      - 2014 8th at 220lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 220lbs
       
      23. Sawyer Miller- South Adams
      - 2013 3rd at 113lbs
      - 2012 4th at 106lbs
       
      24. Jonathan Morales- Western Boone
      - 2014 5th at 182lbs
       
      25. Norman Oglesby- Ben Davis
      - 2014 2nd at 285lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 285lbs
       
      26. Chase Osborne- Penn
      - 2014 2nd at 170lbs
      - 2012 State Qualifier at 132lbs
       
      27. Garrett Pepple- East Noble
      - 2014 Super 32 4th at 113lbs
      - 2014 USAW Junior Freestyle 8th at 113lbs
      - 2014 2nd at 113lbs
      - 2014 USAW Folkstyle All-American 3rd at 113lbs
      - 2013 2nd at 106lbs
       
      28. Griffin Schermer- Bloomington South
      - 2014 5th at 120lbs
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 106lbs
       
      29. Darden Schurg- Crown Point
      - 2014 2nd at 152lbs
      - 2012 4th at 113lbs
       
      30. Randy Scott- Mooresville
      - 2014 3rd at 195lbs
      - 2013 USAW Cadet Greco-Roman 2nd at 195lbs
      - 2013 USAW Cadet Freestyle 7th at 195lbs
       
      31. Scottie Sopko- Hobart
      - 2013 State Qualifier at 170lbs
      - 2012 8th at 160lbs
       
      32. Jacob Stevenson- Franklin
      - 2014 State Champion at 170lbs
      - 2012 State Qualifier at 138lbs
       
      33. Nathan Trawick- Richmond
      - 2014 State Qualifier at 285lbs

      2383

      Mr. Gorilla Award Information

      IndianaMat.com has decided to sponsor an award honoring the state's top senior wrestler. Most of the other high school sports already are honoring their top seniors and we felt that 2015 would be the right time to present such an award for wrestling.
       
      IndianaMat will start things off by publishing a watch list of senior contenders for the award (i.e. Heisman watch) in early November. We will then pare this list down to approximately fifteen wrestlers after the team state duals and holiday tournaments and then further refine the list prior to sectionals.
       
      The criteria for selection will be left intentionally vague as we want a variety of opinions as to who the voters think is the best wrestler. Some general criteria that can be considered is listed here:
      1. Must be a senior
      2. Undefeated/fewest losses. A midseason loss would not disqualify a wrestler.
      3. Domination. Number of pins, tech falls
      4. Level of competition.
      5. Body of work previous to senior year. State and national resume.
      6. Character
      7. Grades
       
      Any, or all of these may, or may not, be taken into consideration by the voters when making their selections. We have chosen 39 voters to make this selection because we value their knowledge and experience regarding Indiana high school wrestling.

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