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By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com

It may not be for everyone, but the way Aidan Sprague approaches wrestling has been good for him.
“I’m pretty funky and I move on my feet,” says Sprague, an East Noble High School senior. “I’m not the strongest one out there, but I can use my technique and that works in my favor.”
During Sprague’s prep career, the Knights’ postseason path has gone through the Westview Sectional (2019, 2020 and 2021) and West Noble Sectional (2022), Goshen Regional and Fort Wayne Semistate.
As a 106-pound freshmen in 2019, Sprague placed second at sectional and regional, fourth at semistate and was a State Finals qualifier.
As a 113-pound sophomore in 2020, Sprague was a sectional regional champion, semistate runner-up and placed sixth at State.
As a 120-pound junior in 2021, Sprague took sectional, regional and semistate titles and placed sixth at State.
As a 126-pound senior, Sprague heads into the 2022 Fort Wayne Semistate at 35-0 with sectional and regional titles to his credit.
Sam Riesen is in his fourth season as head coach at East Noble after 10 years in charge at Churubusuco High School.
Sprague, a University of Indianapolis commit, tries to follow the coaching staff’s directive during his matches.
“I really cut a lot of people and they just want me to look as sharp as I possibly can on my feet,” says Sprague. “I get most of my tech falls like 20-5.
“They want me to get as many takedowns as I can. I love it because I have a good mindset about it. It gets me in better shape. I’m drilling different types of takedowns almost like it’s like a practice.”
How many takedowns are in Sprague’s bag of tricks?
“I do five or six consistently,” says Sprague. “Then I’ll throw some tricky ones out there every once in a while.
“It’s important to have a lot of stuff. When you only have one or two good things you become one-dimensional. That’s really when people can game plan against you. If everybody knows I have a good dump, they’re not going to let me tie up.
“It’s so much harder to wrestle someone if they have multiple good moves.”
Sprague grew up in Kendallville and began wrestling in the sixth grade. When he did not place in the middle school conference meet as a sixth or seventh grader, he spoke with his father Adam about becoming more serious about the sport and put basketball aside.
As an eighth grader, he was a conference champion and a state qualifier.
“Aidan is just an extremely focused, driven kid,” says Riesen. “He sets his mind to a goal and really gives everything he can to accomplish it.”
Sprague plans to study Social Studies at UIndy with plans on being a teacher and coach.
“It’s awesome to see a young guy going into education at a time where you don’t see colleges filled with people graduating with degrees in teaching,” says Riesen. “It’s exciting to see that.
“He and his brother have super-supportive parents (in Adam and Susan Sprague, who both teach in the West Noble system).”
Aidan Sprague is a three-sport athlete — outside linebacker and team captain in football, wrestling and pole vaulter with a personal best of 12-foot-6 on the track and field team.
Alex Sprague is a 170-pound freshman wrestler and is also in band.
“His parents are running them all over,” says Riesen. “They find the time to get them to wrestling practices all over the area during the off-season.
“They go that extra mile to make sure he gets everything he needs.”
Aidan has traveled to Indianapolis Cathedral to train with the Outlaws.
While Riesen doesn’t name captains, Sprague has essentially filled that role.
“He’s a natural leader,” says Riesen. “The team has followed him in a lot of ways — like in terms of attitude. He’s a light-hearted kid but he gets focused when he needs to. That really rubs off on the team.”
“He’s pretty special in the fact that he doesn’t just have one go-to move. He’s constantly scoring and looking at different techniques and takedowns.
“In practice, he’s just always innovating and trying new things.”
East Noble assistant coach Austin Moore, a State Finals qualifier at Central Noble in 2017 and 2018, is a frequent workout partner for Sprague.
“They do a lot of play wrestling, water wrestling — whatever you want to call it,” said Riesen. “They wrestle through and find different positions.
“There’s really a lot of spots where he’s pretty comfortable.”
Aidan Sprague is a three-sport athlete (outside linebacker and team captain in football, wrestling and pole vaulter with a personal best of 12-foot-6 on the track and field team.
Alex Sprague is a wrestler and is also in the school band.
“His parents are running them all over,” says Riesen. “They find the time to get them to wrestling practices all over the area during the off-season.
“They go that extra mile to make sure he gets everything he needs.”
Aidan has traveled to Indianapolis Cathedral to train with the Outlaws.
While Riesen doesn’t name captains, Sprague has essentially filled that role.
“He’s a natural leader,” says Riesen. “The team has followed him in a lot of ways — like in terms of attitude. He’s a light-hearted kid but he gets focused when he needs to. That really rubs off on the team.”
“He’s pretty special in the fact that he doesn’t just have one go-to move. He’s constantly scoring and looking at different techniques and takedowns.
“In practice, he’s just always innovating and trying new things.”
East Noble assistant Austin Moore, a State Finals qualifier at Central Noble in 2017 and 2018, is a frequent workout partner for Sprague.
“They do a lot of play wrestling, water wrestling — whatever you want to call it,” said Riesen. “They wrestle through and find different positions. There’s really a lot of spots where he’s pretty comfortable.”
“His freshmen year we butted heads a little and had some debates on which way he should go in terms of being more funky or more traditional.”
As Sprague has progressed and enjoyed success, the coaching staff has resisted pigeon-holing the wrestler and let do what feels and works best for him.
Riesen says the first eight minutes of practice are devoted to “roll around” — which allows the athletes to try different positions and finishes and figuring out how to get out of certain spots.
“I think it really has helped a lot of our kids,” says Riesen. “One thing we do really well as a staff is allow kids to explore different wrestling positions and options and figure out what works for them.”
Popular among other wrestlers, Sprague has been called “The People’s Champion.”
“He’s a great kid beyond being an obviously very talented wrestler,” says Riesen. “He’s been an awesome kid to have these last four years.”
 

Date: Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022.
Admission: $10 (Final session only); $12 (Season ticket).
Advancement: The top four place winners in each weight class advance to the state finals.
Videostream: A bundled package that includes access to all four semi-state sites as well as next weekend's state finals is available via IHSAAtv.org for $25. Access to all four semi-states only is available for $15. If you have a FloPro+ plan, you may also view the livestream at FloWrestling.com.
 
State Finals Pairings Show
The brackets in each weight class will be announced exclusively via IHSAAtv.org on Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT (one hour). Hosted by Greg Rakestraw and Mike Goebel.
 
1. East Chicago Central (John C. Baratto Athletic Center) | 9 am CT
Feeder Regionals: Crown Point, Hobart, Logansport, Penn.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
EastChicago.pdf
Pick'ems Link
 
2. New Haven (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum) | 8:30 am ET
Feeder Regionals: Carroll (Fort Wayne), Goshen, Jay County, Maconaquah.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
FortWayne.pdf
Pick'ems Link
 
3. New Castle (New Castle Fieldhouse) | 9 am ET
Feeder Regionals: Frankfort, Pendleton Heights, Perry Meridian, Richmond.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
NewCastle.pdf
Pick'ems Link
 
4. Evansville F.J. Reitz  (Ford Center) | 8 am CT
Feeder Regionals: Bloomington South, Castle, Jeffersonville, Mooresville.
TrackWrestling Brackets
IndianaMat Brackets
Evansville.pdf
Pick'ems Link
 
All-Time Pick'em History
Click here to see where you stand in the all-time history of IndianaMat(and even BEFORE) pick'ems
 
Podcasts
Gorilla Radio Episode 126 talking about East Chicago
Gorilla Radio Episode 127 talking about Evansville and 106-145 at New Castle
Gorilla Radio Episode 128 talking about 152-285 at New Castle and Fort Wayne
 
Articles
Evansville Preview by Dustin Bentz

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Elijah Anthony is hoping the fourth time is the charm.
 
Anthony, a senior wrestler at Frankfort High School, has qualified for state three years in a row. Each time, he’s fallen just short in his Friday night round. He has not placed yet at the state meet.
 
“He has got to be one of the best state qualifiers that has never placed,” Frankfort coach Steve Cook said. “He has probably had the toughest draw on Friday night, three years in a row. He’s wrestled someone that has placed in the top three of the finals every single year.”
 
Anthony didn’t have high expectations during his freshman campaign at state. He was wrestling with a broken hand. He drew Mater Dei’s Alec Freeman in the Friday night match. Freeman won 9-1 and went on to place third in the weight class.
 
“From the get-go I’ve expected to place every year at state,” Anthony said. “My freshman year I had a broken hand, and I knew it would be really tough to place. But my sophomore and junior years I really felt like my coaches took me to a different level, and when I didn’t place it really got in my mind.”
 
Anthony drew Avon’s Cheaney Schoeff for the Friday night round of state in 2020. It was a close match, with Schoeff escaping with a 7-5 victory. Schoeff then went on to finish second in the weight class.
 
Last season Anthony drew Brownsburg’s Brady Isom on Friday night. The two battled for six minutes, with Isom emerging with a 1-point victory, 3-2. Isom ended up placing third, and yet again, Anthony went home without placing.
 
This season Anthony is hoping his fortune starts to change.
 
“I’ve really tried to focus on all the little things this year,” Anthony said. “I focus on every single match. I work hard in every single practice. I’m just ultra-focused right now.”
 
Cook can see that focus every day in the Frankfort wrestling room.
 
“I’ve never met anyone like Elijah,” Cook said. “When he sets his mind to something, he’s going after it. Wrestling is his life.”
 
Anthony says he’s consumed with wrestling these days.
 
“All of my time is devoted to wrestling,” he said. “After practice I go help with the middle school team. When I get home, I study film. My whole life is wrestling right now.”
 
A month ago, Anthony got a scare that he thought might end his wrestling season. He was driving and he lost control of his vehicle. He ended up jumping a curb, knocking down a few trees and coming very close to hitting a telephone pole.
 
“I seriously had no idea if I was going to wrestle again after that,” Anthony said. “I remember just thinking what if this is the end of my season. I was super nervous about that.”
As it turned out, Anthony did not have any serious injuries from the wreck. He was hoping to wrestle that same weekend, but due to the circumstances he didn’t make weight for that meet. He was back on the mat the next week.
 
Currently Anthony is 30-0 on the season and ranked No. 6 in the 132-pound class.
 
Anthony wrestles at the Central Indiana Academy of Wrestling. There, his usual practice partner is the No. 1-ranked grappler in the 132-pound class – Zeke Seltzer.
 
“I might have to wrestle Zeke in semistate. I really can’t wait to wrestle him.”
 
Anthony’s wrestling style is like a pit bull that just never stops attacking. He’s aggressive, takes lots of shots and keeps his foot on the gas the entire match. He has learned to stay in better position when attacking as well.
 
“He’s very aggressive,” Cook said. “He’s non-stop from the whistle. He’s always on the attack, for sure.”
 
After high school Anthony would like to wrestle in college. He wants to study education and become a high school math teacher. He said his ultimate goal is to coach wrestling.
 
Anthony started wrestling when he was four but didn’t like it at first. He ended up quitting for a while. He took the sport back up in fourth grade and has been hooked ever since.
 
“I was in fourth grade and I started going to watch the state finals matches every year,” he said. “I watched Chad Red and Nick Lee, and all those big matches. When I made it there myself, I thought that was the coolest thing. Now, it’s all about business. If I get back to state, I’m there to win it. That’s my mentality.
 
“I really love wrestling. In this sport there is always something more. You accomplish one goal, and there is another one that comes up. I love that challenge.”

Mike and Joe discuss the past week's sectional action and preview upcoming regional wrestling. They also go off on other random tangets within wrestling and are entertaining as usual.
 
 
 

Rex Brewer and Dane Fuelling look back at the Sectionals, and are also joined by special guests: Cowan Coach Tony Abbott, and Wade McClurg.

By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com

Landon Buchanan landed back on top at the Elkhart Sectional after being forced to injury default in the finals in 2021.
Buchanan, a Jimtown High School senior, moved to 33-2 on the 2021-22 season with a second-period pin victory in Saturday’s finals.
A sectional runner-up at 160 a year ago, he was first at 145 in 2020 and second at 145 in 2019.
A Fort Wayne Semistate champion and eighth-place finisher at the State Finals in 2021, he lost in the second round at semistate in 2020 and the first round at semistate in 2019.
Buchanan talks about his senior season.
“I haven’t worked too much on technique,” says Buchanan. “I think I have the technique. It’s just more mental for me. It’s knowing what I need to get to and pushing myself.”
Like many successful grapplers, Buchanan started focusing on the sport before high school.
“It all kind of changed in middle school,” says Buchanan. “I started coming in with the high school (team) and see how they practice. I really made a jump there. I learned how to practice with (Martin Moyer).”
Buchanan was a standout for Jimtown’s 9-3 football team in the fall.
“It took awhile to get into the rhythm of things,” says Buchanan of the transition from gridiron to mat in the fall. “The conditioning is a lot different.”
While he is not sure where, Buchanan does plan to wrestle in college and will likely study business.
“I’m trying to find the best fit for me,” said Buchanan. “
While he likes to do well as an individual, he also cares about being part of a team which had six weight class winners (himself plus  junior Alex Moyer at 106, senior Aaron DeLaLuz at 120, junior Mikey Kallimani at 126, senior Noah Eberhart at 138 and junior Conner Watts at 145) and lost to Elkhart by a whisker (223.5 to 223) for the 2022 sectional team championship.
“We have guys with so many different wrestling styles — we’ve got strong guys, fast guys, funky guys,” says Buchanan, who moves on to the Feb. 5 Goshen Regional. “We’ve got everything you need.”
Jimmies head coach Jerimiah Maggart encourages Buchanan to be a team leader.
“I just encourage my teammates,” says Buchanan. “They all know what they need to do. I’m yelling for them and getting excited.
“When I’m not in matches I’m on the sideline just like my coaches.”
Maggart appreciates the example Buchanan sets.
“He’s not loud, but he’ll do anything to help his teammates, which is awesome” says Maggart. “He leads by example. He never misses practice and he works. He stays after practice and helps the little kids every time.”
Maggart also sees an athlete that is focused on his goals.
“He’s got the determination and drive and he’s very level-headed,” says Maggart. “You know that when some kids lose you can’t talk two them for a few minutes. I could walk right up to him and talk to him.
“He gets it. He’s easy to coach and break things down. That’s really one of the coolest things.”
Landon is the third of Eric and Judy Buchanan’s four children. His older siblings are Mitchell Smith and Cheyenne Smith. His younger brother is Hayden Buchanan.
“He’s 10 and he’s a pretty tough wrestler,” says Landon.

1. Hobart | 9 am CT
Feeder Sectionals: East Chicago Central, Portage.
Hobart-1.pdf
 
2. Crown Point | 8 am CT
Feeder Sectionals: Crown Point, LaPorte.
Crown Point-1.pdf
 
3. Penn | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Mishawaka, Plymouth.
Penn-1.pdf
 
4. Logansport | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Lafayette Jefferson, Twin Lakes.
Logansport-1.pdf
 
5. Goshen | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Elkhart, West Noble.
Goshen-1.pdf
 
6. Carroll (Fort Wayne) | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Carroll (Fort Wayne), New Haven.
Carroll-2.pdf
 
7. Maconaquah | 9:30 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Peru, Oak Hill.
Maconaquah-1.pdf
 
8. Jay County | 8:30 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Delta, Jay County.
Jay County-1.pdf
 
9. North Montgomery | 9 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Crawfordsville, Frankfort.
North Montgomery-1.pdf
 
10. Pendleton Heights | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Elwood, Indianapolis Arsenal Technical.
Pendleton Heights-1.pdf
 
11. Perry Meridian | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Shelbyville, Southport.
Perry Meridian-1.pdf
 
12. Richmond | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: South Dearborn, Tri.
Richmond-1.pdf
 
13. Mooresville | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Avon, Mooresville.
Mooresville-1.pdf
 
14. Bloomington South | 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Bloomington North, Southridge.
Bloomington South-1.pdf
 
15. Jeffersonville | 9 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Jeffersonville, Jennings County.
Jeffersonville-1.pdf
 
16. Castle | 8 am CT
Feeder Sectionals: Castle, Evansville Central.
Castle-1.pdf
 
 
Pendleton Heights.pdf Penn.pdf Perry Meridian.pdf Richmond.pdf Bloomington South.pdf Carroll.pdf Castle.pdf Crown Point.pdf Goshen.pdf Hobart.pdf Jay County.pdf Jeffersonville.pdf Logansport.pdf Maconaquah.pdf Mooresville.pdf North Montgomery.pdf Maconaquah-1.pdf

Mike and Joe recap the Mount Carmel vs. Crown Point dual to start the show. After that they talk about upcoming sectional wrestling and the big storylines to watch. Lastly, they go into some youth wrestling discussion.
 
 

Rex Brewer and Dane Fuelling get us all caught up on the week of wrestling, and are joined by several guests, to include Muncie Central Coach AJ Bradley and Dwenger Coach John Tone, along with a couple surprise guests as well.