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Manage articlesFeature Articles4454 2#MondayMatness: Chesterton's Davisons making their mark on wrestling world
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Take the tenacity of the middle brother, the unpredictability of the youngest one and add the bloodlines of a two-time Indiana state wrestling champion and you get a formidable family combination: The Davisons of Chesterton High School.
Andrew Davison, a 195-pound senior, and Lucas Davison, a 182-pound junior, are both ranked high statewide in their respective weight divisions and are out to make their mark this winter for the Trojans.
Father Keith Davison, who won IHSAA state titles for CHS at 171 as a junior in 1988 and senior in 1989, is there as an assistant coach and inspirational figure along with long-time Chesterton head coach Chris Joll.
Andrew has been to the State Finals twice already — placing fifth as a sophomore and bowing out in the first round as a junior. He missed his freshman season with a back injury.
Lucas was a regional qualifier as a freshman and semistate qualifier as a sophomore.
Jack Davison, now a student at Indiana University, was a three-time semistate qualifier as a Chesterton wrestler.
Last summer, Andrew and Lucas both placed first at USA Wrestling Folkstyle nationals in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Five of eight All-American honors at the USA Wrestling Nationals in Fargo, N.D., were from Chesterton — four for the Davison boys and one for Eli Pokorney. Lucas was second in freestyle and fifth in Greco-Roman. Andrew placed seventh in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.
In 2015, Andrew finished first in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle at Fargo while Lucas was second at folkstyle nationals.
Keith Davison was a two-time All-American at the University of Wisconsin, where he grappled two years at 177, redshirted then two more at 190. Andrew is bound for the Big Ten as a signee with the University of Michigan, where is projected as a 197-pounder.
For the 2016-17 prep season, Andrew and Lucas have flip-flopped weights. A year ago, Andrew was at 195 and Lucas at 182, but both grew during the off-season. At 6-foot-2, Lucas is slightly taller than Andrew and Keith.
Keith sees Andrew as a wrestler willing to constantly push the pace.
“(Andrew) doesn’t mind getting tired,†Keith Davison said. “He has a high threshold for pain and fatigue and he attacks a bunch, too.
“He enjoys dragging people into the deep water (a phrase popularized by NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez of Illinois).
Andrew explains his admiration for Martinez.
“I hear he won’t leave practice until he has to crawl off the mat,†Andrew Davison said. “He’s pretty inspirational.â€
While tired himself, Andrew uses his opponent’s fatigue as motivation to fight through the pain.
“It’s late in the third period, you’re gassed and breathing hard and you see your opponent is also gassed,†Andrew Davison said. “I’ve learned to push through stuff. It’s made me a much better and tougher athlete.â€
Having one last chance to climb to the top of the podium in Indiana inspires Andrew on a daily basis.
“I’ve been thinking about it non-stop,†Andrew Davison said. “I can’t wait to get back down there (to the IHSAA State Finals). It’s definitely been motivating, just thinking about it all the time.â€
There won’t be many — if any breathers — along the way with tough Duneland Athletic Conference duals plus appearances in the Munster Super Dual, Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association State Duals and Mishawaka’s Al Smith Classic all happening before the end of 2016.
“We’ve got a loaded schedule this year, to say the least,†Andrew Davison said. “That’s awesome. We don’t get to wrestle a whole lot of Indy teams. Hopefully we get to do that (in the IHSWCA State Duals Dec. 23 in Fort Wayne). That will be good for us. You want to wrestle the best of the best.
“When you love it so much, it’s like more of a privilege. It’s such a cool experience. I’m really enjoying it.â€
Andrew chose to wrestle at Michigan because he saw himself as a good fit after being recruited by the Wolverines and making a visit to the Ann Arbor campus.
“I saw how hard all these kids were working,†Andrew Davison said. “They have a common goal. They all want to be great at what they’re doing. I wanted to be somewhere they took wrestling seriously and academics just as seriously.â€
Though currently undecided on his college major, Andrew is considering pre-medicine.
Lucas, a frequent workout partner, addresses his brother’s wrestling strengths.
“He’s really good on his feet,†Lucas Davison said. “As a seasoned Greco-Roman wrestler, he can go from the upper body to low singles and anything in-between. He can attack the hips and launch you if it’s there for him. He’s dangerous from anywhere.â€
Joll credits hard work and being the off-spring of two athletes (mother Jennifer was a runner in her days at Chesterton High School) for Andrew’s success.
“He has a great set of genes,†Joll said. “Dad was a very good wrestler in high school and college and he has made a commitment to making those boys the best they can be.â€
There is no doing things half way when Keith is around. That goes for all Chesterton wrestlers — not just his boys.
“We’re not too concerned with pushing them past the point of exhaustion,†Keith Davison said. “We keep the intensity very high and try to be very physical. We’ll taper practices when we get ready for big competitions.â€
Keith sees Lucas as a versatile wrestler who can combine sound fundamentals as an attacker and defender with a few unorthodox moves.
“Luke is pretty uncanny at his scrambling abilities,†Keith Davison said. “You think he’s in trouble and he comes out of danger on top a lot.â€
Lucas sees his long arms and legs and his mat experience as assets.
“I’m a pretty tall guy and that leads to some clunkiness, but I’m able to manage that pretty well,†Lucas Davison said. “Being at one of the bigger weights, there’s a lot of strong guys. I’ve been around the sport my whole life. It’s huge to be able to understand the sport. I feel things other people wouldn’t be able to feel.â€
Lucas enjoys being versatile on the mat.
“I try not to wrestle predictably,†Lucas Davison said. “You don’t want to move the same over and over. You want to change it up. I like to attack from everywhere. It’s important to have a big bag of tricks and be able to switch things up. You do something that’s super easy to key off of for an opponent.â€
Chesterton wrestlers employ a variety of styles.
“We’re striving to be diverse wrestlers and have styles that would be hard to scout as opponents,†Lucas Davison said. “The goal is to have clean impeccable technique. It doesn’t matter if they know what’s coming.â€
Joll emphasizes the same point.
“We have some basics that we go by, but let kids focus on their strengths,†Joll said. “As coaches, we try to foster individually.â€
And there’s also the old steel sharpens steel thing going on in the wrestling room.
“Having a drill partner like my brother, you get to defend better than the average guy,†Lucas Davison said.
Joll said wrestling builds camaraderie and life-long friendships because of all the hard work the athletes put in together.
“The most rewarding thing for me get wrestlers to their potential,†Joll said. “Their accomplishments are just important to me as the high placers.
Joll also likes to see them give back to the sport.
That’s what Keith Davison is doing as a coach. Keith is also president of the Chesterton Wrestling Club (formerly the Duneland Wrestling Club). The group is open to all students from DAC schools and is based at CHS. The club has 70 to 80 members in Grades K-12.
Among the ones making a name for themselves are the Davison boys.
Feature Articles4985 1#WrestlingWednesday: Ethan Smiley has plenty to smile about
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Beech Grove’s Ethan Smiley isn’t big on talking about himself. After repeated questions for this article about his wrestling and other accomplishments, Smiley barely mustered a word. But, when the questions turned to his teammates or his family, he was much more talkative.
“Ethan is very quiet,†Hornet coach Matt Irwin said. “He isn’t the first person you notice in the room. He’d be the last person you’d notice. He is humble and it’s hard to get him to brag on himself. That’s how he was raised. He knows how to act and how to carry himself in a good manner.â€
Even though he won’t do it, Smiley has plenty to brag about on the mat and in the classroom. The Beech Grove junior is currently ranked No. 8 at 132 pounds. He has qualified for state both of his previous seasons. Last year he earned a spot on the podium with an 8th-place finish at 120 pounds.
Off the mat, Smiley is ranked No. 1 in his class.
“He has a GPA of over 4.2,†Irwin said. “Everything he does, he does it with all his effort. He takes everything seriously. He is an extremely hard worker with a no nonsense approach. He wants to get in, get out and get things accomplished.â€
Ethan would like to place higher at the state level this year than he did last year. It is equally important to him to get a teammate to state this year as well.
“My goal is just to be grateful for the opportunity to wrestle and be with my teammates,†Smiley said. “We are better than we have been the last few years. I really want to bring some teammates to state this year. We have some decent guys that have a chance. Bailey Moore, our 138 pounder, could have a very good season. He is one of my practice partners.â€
Ethan’s older brother, Evan, was a two-time state qualifier for the Hornets. He finished fourth at 145 pounds his senior season.
“I started wrestling when I was four,†Ethan said. “My brother was wrestling and I wanted to do it too. He still drills with me when he gets a chance.â€
Currently Evan is wrestling at 141 pounds for the University of Indianapolis.
“I think Ethan has really taken a lot from Evan’s work ethic,†Irwin said. “Their styles aren’t similar, except that they are both very heavy handed. But they are very big on hard work and not cutting corners.â€
Coach Irwin believes Ethan has the ability to contend for a state title on the mat. Irwin said that Ethan has put a lot of work in during the offseason. He has gotten stronger, really worked with his nutrition and has done all of the right things to put himself in a good position to make a run.
Last season Ethan wrestled Dylan Culp four times during the state tournament. He lost in the sectional final to Culp 6-0, but then turned it around and beat Culp 4-2 in the regional final. Culp won the semistate championship match 4-2. The two met one more time, in the 7th and 8th place match in the state finals. Culp won that battle 5-4.
“I think my biggest win last year was at regionals when I finally beat Dylan Culp,†Ethan said. “That was my most satisfying win. He had beaten me numerous times before, but that was the first time I finally beat him.â€
Ethan would like to wrestle in college, but he hasn’t put much thought into that. He’s hoping to go to Purdue and study plant science.
“I’m really into botany and plant science,†Ethan said. “I’ve been fortunate to work with a Purdue professor and do science research. I’d like to work in agriculture and get a degree in plant science. That’s what I work toward.â€
Wrestling is Ethan’s only high school sport. When he was younger he tried his hand at baseball and golf, but didn’t pursue those sports in high school. He usually shoots in the 90s in golf, he said.
Ethan also plays guitar a little and loves comic books, especially batman.
Ethan is very family oriented. He enjoys hanging out with his brother, or his parents Phil and Christa. He also enjoys playing with his dog.
“Overall, Ethan is pretty serious, but he can be a goofball at times,†Irwin said. “He cares about other people and he wants his teammates to be successful. That is extremely important to him.â€
Feature Articles3695 1#MondayMatness: Two generations of Faulkners make an impact on Mishawaka wrestling
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Following in the footsteps of their father, the Faulkner brothers — senior 182-pounder Austin and junior heavyweight Alex — are looking to leave their mark on the storied Mishawaka High School wrestling program.
Mike Faulkner, a 1987 graduate, was an IHSAA state finalist as a junior 185-pounder and state runner-up as a senior heavyweight for Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Famer Al Smith.
Mike was bested by Lake Central’s Mike Fross in the ’87 finals then went on to grapple two years at Grand Rapids Junior College (now Grand Rapids Community College), placing eighth and fourth at the National Junior College Athletic Association Nationals for coach Charlie Wells, and two at Ferris State University.
The elder Faulkner has coached or officiated the sport ever since. His resume includes a three-year stint as head coach at South Bend Adams High School, one season of leading the John Young Middle School program and many years as an assistant coach for his alma mater, working primarily with the heavyweights. He has more than two decades of experience as an IHSAA-sanctioned wrestling official and member of the St. Joseph Valley Officials Association.
A former City of Mishawaka employee (14 of his 18 years were spent as parks superintendent), he served five years as assistant athletic director at MHS and July 1, 2016 became director of operations, overseeing buildings and grounds, transportation and safety.
Austin Faulkner, 18, has his sights set high for his final prep wrestling campaign after earning his first Mishawaka Sectional title and second semistate appearance in 2015-16. He also went to semistate as a sophomore. All of this came at 182.
A wall in the MHS wrestling room lists the state champions and state placers. Austin notices it at every workout.
“I want my name to up there,†Austin Faulkner said. “I’m a Mishawaka wrestler. Mishawaka has had a tradition of great wrestlers. I want to continue that.â€
Alex Faulkner, 17, is looking to make his mark on the mat this year after placing fourth at sectional and bowing out in the first round of the Rochester Regional as a sophomore heavyweight.
One thing Alex did in the off-season was hit the weight room.
“I feel like I’m more physical and stronger than I was last year,†Alex Faulkner said. “I feel like I have more movement and will have a much better year. My loss at regionals last year upset me and I’m doing everything I can to make it to state this year.â€
Austin, who went into last week ranked No. 14 statewide at 195 but intends to be back at 182, knows that the formula for mat success is an offensive mindset.
“Sometimes I catch myself being a little bit patient and not going after the guy,†Austin Faulkner said. “My dad tells me all the time just ‘go, go, go and keep attacking.’â€
That’s the way Mike was during his days as a wrestler and he still believes it.
“You can’t win in wrestling unless you attack and go on offense,†Mike Faulkner said. “A lot of times you see wrestlers who are passive and they want to go on the defensive. Any successful wrestler that you have seen over time are those ones who continuously attack.â€
Those wrestlers also hone their moves repeatedly in the practice room in order to be able to perform them well on the competition mat.
And the number of tricks in the bag does not have to be large.
“It’s definitely better to perfect a few amount of moves,†Austin Faulkner said. “You see successful collegiate wrestlers who use a double-leg, a single-leg — nothing crazy.â€
Mike Faulkner is also a fan of repetition.
“It becomes muscle memory,†Mike Faulkner. “It’s a reaction rather than a plot. I’m going to go out there and do this. As a wrestler, you can’t do that. It has to be a reaction. Mat time is crucial for the experience and for getting that feel for the flow of the match.â€
And no matter what, a grappler must commit to what they are doing.
“You have to finish your move no matter what it is whether it’s a stand-up or a sit-out, switch, reversal or takedown,†Mike Faulkner said.
Scouting reports on opponents are helpful, but not necessary if a wrestler can dictate what goes on inside the circle.
“It’s nice to know what another guy does but you’ve got to go out and wrestle your match every time,†Austin Faulkner said. “You can’t let them control the match.â€
Mishawaka head coach Charlie Cornett counts Austin Faulkner as a leader for the Cavemen.
“He comes in the room ready to go,†Cornett said. “He leads by example. He has improved quite a bit on his feet.â€
Cornett now sees Austin constantly pushing the pace, something he did not always do last season.
The Faulkner boys are both multi-sport athletes. They are coming off a football season where fullback Austin (1,274 yards and 13 touchdowns as an all-Northern Indiana Conference first teamer) often followed the blocks of right guard Alex in helping coach Bart Curtis and the Cavemen go 10-3 and place second to Penn in the NIC North.
“Football and wrestling go hand-in-hand in a lot of ways,†Austin Faulkner said. “Tackling is the same thing as a double-leg takedown. One of the things I like about being in football is that it makes me hungrier for wrestling season. Some of those kids that wrestle year-round might get tired of it. I can’t wait to get back on the mat.
“(Mishawaka head football) coach (Bart) Curtis is big about us going out for other sports. It doesn’t matter what it is.â€
Cornett has watched Alex Faulkner fill out his frame, which is about 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds.
“Alex has definitely picked up a little bit of an edge that he didn’t have last year from playing the interior line in football,†Cornett said. “He wrestled small at heavyweight last year and he got pushed around a little bit. I don’t see that happening this year nearly as much.â€
What’s the difference between football and wrestling shape?
“They’ve finding that out right now,†Mike Faulkner said as his sons are now cutting weight for the mat. It’s something they don’t have to sweat in the fall.
“Football shape, you can eat whatever you want,†Monique Faulkner, Mike’s wife and the mother of Austin and Alex, said.
“You can’t get into wrestling shape by running the football or tackling the guy with the football,†Mike Faulkner said. “You’ve got to be wrestling live matches and doing those workouts in the wrestling room to get into tip-top wrestling shape. There’s no question.â€
Austin, who is pondering college offers for football and wrestling, played football at 207 and planned to be at 182 to start the season.
Mike typically cut 40 pounds from football and wrestling leading up to his senior season when Coach Smith convinced him to be a heavyweight. Earlier in the year, he went from 190 to 210.
“I never looked back,†Mike Faulkner said. “I was a heavyweight the rest of my life.
“You can cut weight, but you’ve got to be smart about it. You can’t cut it too quick. There’s a reason the IHSAA and National Federation have implemented these (weight loss) rules.
“(Austin’s) eyes are bigger than his stomach. He’ll eat the foods he enjoys the most rather than the ones that will benefit him and give him the protein he needs.â€
As for officiating, a wrestling background is helpful.
“You can anticipate which way they’re going and get yourself in good position to call that near fall or takedown on the side of the mat,†Mike Faulkner said. “Knowing how the flow of wrestling goes is an advantage to an official.â€
Focus in the face of mental and physical fatigue is also important. Wrestling tournaments can be very long for wrestlers, coaches and the men in stripes.
“You have to try to stay sharp and not let the day get the best of you,†Mike Faulkner said.
Giving it their best is what Austin and Alex Faulkner indeed to do each day they step on the mat for Mishawaka.
“It’s great to have both Faulkner boys on one team,†Cornett said. “They are definitely pillars.â€
Feature Articles4532 2#WrestlingWednesday: Bethel looking for more big wins in 2017
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Joe Lee won state last year, but didn’t win sectional. Brayton Lee has lost just one match in his Indiana High School career. The common denominator in both stories is a guy named Austin Bethel.
Bethel pinned Joe Lee in the sectional final last season. The year before, he shocked most around the state by pinning Brayton Lee in the final 15 seconds of the ticket round match at the Evansville semistate.
“A lot of people didn’t think I had much of a chance in either match,†Bethel said. “But I told myself that I’m not wrestling the name – I’m wrestling the person. I knew I needed to go out and do what I do best, which is scramble and look for five point moves. Both times I ended up with huge pins. It’s one of the best feelings in the world, looking up and seeing the surprise on everyone’s face.â€
Bethel, a senior at Mt. Vernon in Posey County, is a big-move wrestler. He has found himself down in several matches throughout his career, but in many of those matches, he’s scrambled his way to the pin.
“With Austin’s style, possibilities are endless,†Mt. Vernon coach Tim Alcorn said. “He has big moves and finishing moves. There is nobody he doesn’t think he can beat. Catching Joe and Brayton were once in a lifetime things. But Austin could be one of the most, if not the most electrifying wrestler in the state.â€
Bethel’s career has been a curious one. He’s pinned two of the state’s premier wrestlers. He’s qualified for state three times. Yet, he has never made it past the Friday night match at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse.
“It’s such a depressing feeling,†Bethel said. “I’ve been so nervous and I’ve wrestled safe. That gets me in trouble. I’m not that way normally. I’m a risk taker. For me, I’ve put imaginary pressure on myself that really wasn’t there. This year is my year to relax and put on a show. That’s what I want to do.â€
Coach Alcorn agrees that Bethel’s cautious approach to the Friday night matches at state has been his biggest mistakes.
“Sometimes he’s too smart for his own good,†Alcorn said. “He’s very aware of his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. If I could ever get him to just close his eyes and wrestle great things will happen. He has to welcome the opportunity, not fear it. He needs to let the chips fall as they may and leave everything out on the mat.â€
Currently Bethel is the No. 6-ranked 152 pounder in the state. He has a 3.985 grade point average.
“Austin is hands down one of the best kids I’ve ever coached on and off the mat,†Alcorn said. “He’s the most well-rounded kid this program has ever seen. If he makes state again, he will be the most decorated wrestler in our program’s history. He is a four-year letter winner in soccer and a two-year letter winner in football. He helps out the elementary program. He helps officiating. He helps working the clocks. He is a ‘what can I do coach’ kind of kid. He’ll do whatever it takes to help the team.â€
Bethel started wrestling when he was five years old. But he didn’t develop a true passion for the sport until his parents went through a divorce.
“I needed an outlet,†Bethel said. “I needed something to turn to. I needed to release some aggression. That’s when I started to pick up wrestling a lot more. I started traveling with the sport more and I met some truly amazing people along the way that took me in and helped me to improve. Wrestling became a big part of who I was.â€
In addition to having big-move capabilities, Bethel is also excellent at analyzing opponents. He knows their tendencies. He prides himself on research.
“He’s the greatest student of the sport I’ve ever coached,†Alcorn said. “He watches more film than anyone I know. He watches film to a fault. He over analyzes. When he graduates from college, he’ll end up being one of the best coaches in wrestling.â€
Bethel epitomizes the blue-collar approach to life, and wresting. He works for everything he has, and everything he has accomplished. He has only received one grade in school lower than an A, and that was a B plus he took in a college-level match class. Math, he says, is by far his least favorite subject.
His dedication to hard work has been infectious to the team. Mt. Vernon has 11 seniors, filling the biggest 11 weights in the lineup. Bethel works with the other seniors, as well as the younger wrestlers – trying to make everyone on the team better.
“He’s the backbone to our wrestling family,†Alcorn said. “There is no question about it.â€
Family is enormously important to Bethel. If he wrestles in college, he wants to be in a program that provides a family atmosphere and a team-first mentality.
“Austin is a kid that is a Lilly scholarship finalist,†Alcorn said. “He comes from a single-parent household. He has come from having nothing, but his mother and his sisters have made something of that and never used it as an excuse. He values every single thing he has. He and his family have had to fight and claw, tooth and nail for everything. He’s the most successful, but the most humble kid I’ve ever known.â€
As much as Austin has been through, on and off the mat, the one thing he still wants to accomplish is to place in state. To do that, he feels he needs to follow his own advice.
“You have to enjoy yourself,†Bethel said. “That’s what I’ve struggled with early on. I put too much pressure on myself. I have worried too much. You have to slow everything down and just enjoy it and not be hard on yourself. In wrestling, anything can happen and anyone can come out on top. The hardest opponent you’ll ever face is the guy standing in front of you in the mirror.â€
Bethel has proven he can beat the state’s elite wrestlers. He’s never out of a match. And, if he gets back to state, he plans on putting on a show and wrestling his style. Caution will not be an option.
Feature Articles3061#MondayMatness: South Bend Washington heavyweight McWilliams no longer under the statewide radar
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Stay humble yet ready to rumble.
It’s an approach that has served Isaiah McWilliams well.
The South Bend Washington High School wrestler exploded onto the statewide scene, finishing his sophomore season in 2015-16 by going 45-9 and placing fourth in the 285-pound weight division of the IHSAA State Finals.
“Not many people were counting on me,†Isaiah Williams said. He was ranked No. 17 coming out of sectionals.
Along tournament trail, McWilliams’ confidence was fueled with victories against Jimtown’s Nick Mammolenti (Northern Indiana Conference meet), South Bend St. Joseph’s Michael Koebel (Mishawaka Sectional and Rochester Regional), Oak Hill’s Owen Perkins and Franklin’s Quinn York (State Finals).
Supported by his family, coaches and teammates, Isaiah made it the semifinals of the State Finals before bowing to eventual state champion Shawn Streck of Merrillville.
After a productive prep off-season, McWilliams began 2016-17 ranked No. 2 at 285.
But the Panther heavyweight has not taken more mat success for granted while competing for his father and Washington head coach Tony McWilliams, a 1998 South Bend Bend LaSalle graduate and former IHSAA State finalist.
“I want to continue to get better everyday,†Isaiah McWilliams said. “If I don’t get better everyday it means I’m slacking. If you’re not getting better today that means you’re getting worse
“I have a bullseye on my back. I have to continue to work hard to defend that bullseye.â€
A year ago, the 5-foot-7 athlete took the mat at 240 pounds and began the current season around 265. He is looking to tone down to around 255 and maintain his quickness.
“It’s all about how much heart you have and how you are determined to win,†Isaiah McWilliams. “It’s not the size that matters.
“Speed at heavyweight is very critical. You can move out of the way if you’re very quick. My agility help me win (against York) because at the end he tripped me and I kept moving. I rolled between his legs and go my two (points).
“My mindset is to go out there and dominate and get out as quick as possible and wrestle smart. If I can’t go for a pin, I’ll keep working my takedowns and turns and get as many points as I can.â€
Stamina is a strong suit for McWilliams, who was a first-team all-NIC pick in football last fall (he played defensive end and fullback).
“He can go three periods or more,†Tony McWilliams said. “Some of those big guys can’t. One of his keys has been to wear them down and get them at the end. That’s where he wins the most — the third period.â€
Dad/coach said it’s not uncommon for Isaiah to get back from a Saturday tournament and run a mile before heading home.
“Sometimes, if he’s mad, he’ll run two,†Tony McWilliams. “That’s his idea. Some of his teammates catch on, some don’t.â€
Tony McWilliams, who saw a quick study when he first began teaching wrestling to Isaiah at age 4, adds a few other qualities when listing his son’s reasons for mat achievement.
“He listens,†Tony McWilliams said of his son, the holder of the 4.0 grade-point average. “If you tell him something, you don’t have to tell him more than once. His knowledge is there.â€
Isaiah is a medical magnet at Washington and job shadows doctors and nurses. He sees himself one day as a sports medicine doctor or pediatrician.
That kind of attention to details translates to wrestling.
“He’s focused,†Tony McWilliams said. “He’s got goals and ***NO NO NO***ion. You’ve got to have that in this sport because one false move and it can be over as far as a match or even your career.
“He pays attention. He knows what to fix and how to fix it.â€
Tony McWilliams coached seven seasons at LaSalle Academy and is now in his seventh season as head coach at Washington. A lay coach (his day job is as a union carpenter), he relishes the chance to work with his son and take other young grapplers (the Panthers have no seniors this winter) as far as they want to go.
“This is a dream come true for a father and a son to be in this situation,†Tony McWilliams said. “It’s really awesome. I’m at a loss for word sometimes.â€
Aggressiveness is what Washington wrestling is all about.
“We have to go on offense,†Tony McWilliams said. “We’re not going to try to be defensive wrestlers this year. We’re going to perfect our moves and we’re going to score.â€
The bar is set high for Isaiah McWilliams, but the expectations are also up there for the rest of those in green and black.
“A state championship, that’s our main goal for Isaiah,†Tony McWilliams said. “Our staff is going to be on his butt to get it. If anybody else on the team wants to go along for the ride, that’s great.â€
Tony rejects those who say Isaiah’s success comes because he is the head coach’s son and conveys that to everyone in his program.
“Everything that he’s doing, I tell them that they had an opportunity to do — all the summer wrestling,†Tony McWilliams said. “Isaiah wrestled 80 matches last summer (including Disney Duals in Florida and National Scholastic Duals in Virginia). With the success he’s having, a lot of people are going to be watching this team and they’re going to see you, too.
“If you want to make a name for yourself, now’s the time to do that. Now’s the time to practice hard, wrestler hard. We’ve got to get them to buy into that.â€
Feature Articles3148 2#WrestlingWednesday: Brayton Lee is All Smiles
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
The very first time Brayton Lee watched a wrestling match, he ended up vomiting. He was 5 years old and sick that day his father took him to his first high school match, but even after vomiting, he didn’t want to leave. He had instantly fallen in love with the sport.
“After I got sick I still stayed until the match was over,†Lee said.
Now Lee is one of the top wrestling recruits in the nation. The Brownsburg junior won state last season at 138 pounds and he’s looking to do the same this year at 145.
“I’ve coached kids that were three-time state champions,†Brownsburg coach Darrick Snyder said. “I’ve coached kids that have placed at Fargo or other preseason national tournaments. I’ve coached quite a few guys that have went on to wrestle in college in D1 or the Big Ten. But Brayton is at a different level from any of the guys I’ve coached before. I haven’t had anyone near as talented as he is.â€
Lee’s off-the-charts level of wrestling skills is one of the big reasons Brownsburg won the 3A team state title last season and is one of the favorites to do so again this year.
“Brayton is very willing to work with his teammates,†Snyder said. “I use him as another coach. We use him to show a lot of technique because he has been coached by some of the best coaches in the country, and his wrestling knowledge is phenomenal. When Brayton graduates in a couple of years I’m losing as close to a guaranteed win as you can get, and one of my best coaches.â€
Lee isn’t sure exactly what he wants to do after high school, but he knows it will involve wrestling. He is getting letters in the mail on a daily basis from wrestling powerhouses like Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue and Michigan.
He hasn’t narrowed his college choice down yet, but he is hoping that wherever he goes will help push him to his dream of one day wrestling in the Olympics.
“I want to be the best there is,†Lee said. “I want to wrestle in the Olympics. I want to pursue the Olympics while I’m in college. After college I really think I’ll stay with wrestling and become a coach.â€
Things haven’t always gone Lee’s way. His freshman campaign ended with just one loss, in the ticket round of semistate when Mt. Vernon’s Austin Bethel pinned him in the third period.
“That loss my freshman year, and not achieving my goal, ran through my head all the time the next season,†Lee said. “In practices I kept thinking about it. I knew I had to put some of those memories away, but it was just adding fuel to my fire.â€
Lee bounced back. Last year, during his sophomore campaign, he dominated the field en route to the state championship. In the Avon sectional Lee wrestled a total of 48 seconds, securing a pin in the semifinals in 36 seconds and a pin in the championship in 12. He continued his dominance in the Mooresville regional, winning by pin, tech fall and then another pin.
In the Evansville semistate Lee opened with a pin, then won back-to-back 7-3 matches before winning the final 16-7.
Lee saved his most dominant performance for the state finals. He won the opening round with a 32 second fall, then tech-falled his next opponent 18-3. After a hard-fought 4-2 victory to reach the final match, Lee obliterated his last opponent of the season and won the state title with a 20-5 tech fall.
“Getting under the lights was everything I thought it would be and more,†Lee said. “There is nothing like it. When I walked out, my legs were really shaky. But afterward, when I was interviewed, it was just all joy. It was amazing. I had done it.â€
For a few random Lee-isms: He doesn’t have a favorite move, but one he really enjoys doing is a left-handed headlock. He said he would rather win by technical fall instead of by pin. Chad Red Jr., is one of his best friends, and he likes to think he is close to Red as far as swagger goes – but he admits he isn’t to Red’s level yet in that regard.
Lee’s nickname at Brownsburg is smiley. Coach Snyder said that’s one of the first things you notice about Brayton, is how he is always smiling. With as much success as he’s having on the mat, it’s no wonder he’s happy.
Feature Articles3784#MondayMatness: Marsh wrestling family on different sides now that Kyle is head coach at Fairfield
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
“How many of you can look me in the eye and tell me you are working as hard as you can? … Find a teammate and help him push through.â€
Those are the words of Kyle Marsh in his new role as head wrestling coach at Fairfield High School.
The former West Noble High School wrestler and six-year assistant coach is putting the Falcons through a grueling workout — something Marsh knew well when he competed for WNHS for father Tom Marsh.
Work ethic and attention to detail are the qualities that Kyle Marsh credits for his prep success.
“You could push him, push him and push him,†Tom Marsh said of his oldest son. “He would take it and try to get better.â€
Before graduating from the Ligonier school in 2008, he was a two-time Indiana High School Athletic Association State Finals qualifier and two-time Westview Sectional champion (all at 130 pounds as a junior and senior). He was a Goshen Regional champion as a senior and place third at the Fort Wayne Semistate his final two high school campaigns.
A collegiate mat career at Trine University was cut short by a shoulder injury suffered just before the Thunder’s intrasquad meet.
Kyle learned how to put in maximum effort from his father. Tom Marsh has been an assistant football coach at West Noble for more than 25 years and has led the Chargers’ wrestling program since the mid-2000’s.
“Being around him and his teams, work ethic was built into my DNA from a young age,†Kyle Marsh said. “I know there are kids that have a hard time being coached by a dad or a parent because sometimes the sport can be taken home. I’m definitely not like that. My dad coached me for six or seven years and was constantly pushing me and motivating me and I’m very thankful that he did.â€
Kyle Marsh began wrestling in the sixth grade. When Tom Marsh caught the wrestling bug, it allowed Kyle — and his younger siblings (Kevin and Molly) — plenty of off-season opportunities like tournaments and camps.
“It became a family affair,†Kyle Marsh said. “My sister probably would have been the best wrestler in the state. She was a placer at the (Indiana State Wrestling Association) state meet a couple of times.â€
Molly Marsh is now a junior catcher on the softball team at Indiana University-South Bend.
After his own college athletic career was over, Kyle began coaching wrestling, middle school football and some high school football at West Noble.
In recent years, he had discussions with his father about possibly coaching at a different school.
Kyle Marsh wound up at Fairfield — a Northeast Corner Conference rival to West Noble — after Jim Jones retired, leaving a head coaching vacancy for the Falcons.
After discussing the situation with his wife — the former Erica Dolezal (who had been a girls basketball coach at Goshen Middle School) — Kyle decided to apply.
“My wife was a coach and she knows the time commitment that coaching in general takes up,†Kyle Marsh said. “She thought it would be great. I reminded her that it would be a lot more time than just being dad’s assistant. She said ought to do it.â€
Kyle and Erica have three children — daughter Brogan, son Layten and caught Caelin. The latter is name for Cael Sanderson — “the greatest wrestler.â€
When Kyle got the Fairfield job, his father was the first person he called with the news.
Tom Marsh said an attribute for Kyle is his ability to relate to young athletes.
“I’m more Old School,†Tom Marsh said. “It’s a lot different than 20 years ago. There are so many more options for (students) after school. Some sports getting individualized. There are a lot of one-sport athletes.
“Kyle does a good job of getting those kids to give it a go. They relate better to the young guys better than the old guys.â€
Father and son are ultra-competitive with everything from corn hole to golf (the two are currently tied in head-to-head matches at 22-all). Trash talk at family functions are common.
So what happens when the Falcons and Chargers step on the mat together?
“My sister, brother and I even joke around it being hash-tagged in text messages,†Kyle Marsh said in referring to the West Noble at Fairfield NECC dual meet. “It’s #December8.â€
Michelle Marsh — wife to Tom and mother to Kyle — is expected to be there with some sort of mashup outfit combining Fairfield and West Noble.
The date is also important at West Noble.
“I know he wants to beat us and we want to beat him,†Tom Marsh said. “We don’t talk about any of our kids to each other. We don’t go there with each other.â€
Kyle is familiar with the returning grapplers for the Chargers.
“I know their kids real well and I know their wrestling styles,†Kyle Marsh said. “It’s probably a slight advantage, but I’m sure my dad is doing everything he can to find about kids from over here and they will talk plenty about strategy before Dec. 8.â€
Fairfield is scheduled to open the varsity season at home Nov. 22 against Northridge.
West Noble begins varsity action Nov. 26 at the Wawasee Super Dual.
Feature Articles2667#WrestlingWednesday: Perry Meridian Loading Up for a Deep Run
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Last season Perry Meridian advanced 14 wrestlers out of sectional with 11 champions. They finished 13th in the state – and that leaves a terrible taste in their mouths.
“We weren’t pleased at all with our finish last year,†said Falcon’s head coach Matt Schoettle. “We really felt like we should have been a top 5 team. We had some guys that should have made it to state that didn’t.â€
Last year was Schoettle’s first year as head coach for Perry Meridian. He had been an assistant coach for 18 years under Jim Tonte, who took the job at Warren Central. Tonte’s Warriors won state in his first year at the helm.
“I learned everything from coach Tonte,†Schoettle said. “He has three state titles at Perry Meridian and then another one now at Warren Central. I learned dedication and commitment from him and how hard you have to work to get what you want.â€
This year’s Falcon squad is poised to make a run for the team title. The team returns state placers Sammy Fair (5th at 106) and Noah Warren (7th at 160). Fair is a sophomore and Warren is a junior this season.
“Sammy is an awesome kid,†Schoettle said. “He will run through a brick wall for you. He’s a great student, a hard worker and every year he wins our extra workout award because he doesn’t quit. I look for very good things out of him this season.â€
As for Warren, Schoettle believes he has a real shot of winning a title this season.
“Noah is kind of a clown on the team,†Schoettle said. “I’m an intense guy and he knows how to lighten the mood. His dad is my middle school coach. He works hard, doesn’t get in trouble but he knows how to make people around him have fun. He’s a great leader and he had an outstanding summer.â€
The Falcons graduated three state qualifiers. Brett Johnson finished 3rd at 152. Daniel Brookbank was 7th at 132 and Chris Ridle was a state qualifier at heavyweight. But, as it have done so often in the past, Perry Meridian believes they have athletes to step up and get the team to that next level.
“I have three or four guys that were semistate guys last year that I think have state place-winner kind of talent,†Schoettle said. “Sunny Nier will be either 120 or 126. Kain Rust will go 138 or 145. Kain has multiple ISWA state titles and he could have a really good year. Jack Serview and Christian Warren could also get to state this year.â€
Incoming freshmen Brayden Littel and Brayden Lowery are also expected to have good seasons for the Falcons.
The team has a lot of depth this season. Tuesday they held an intersquad match and there was a lot of competition at each weight class. There were 12 guys in the 138 bracket alone.
“I told them that this bracket might be tougher than our first few tourneys,†Schoettle said.
Perry Meridian’s goals are lofty. They want to win the dual team state title and the regular team state title.
“We talk about it every day,†Schoettle said. “We have the team that can compete. We have to stay healthy, keep guys fresh and continue to work on improving and conditioning. As with any team, we will also need to get a few breaks. There are a lot of good teams out there this year, but we know we can compete with any of them.â€
Feature Articles2130 2#MondayMatness: Jimtown's Kerrn has sights set high on the mat after super season on the gridiron
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
Kenny Kerrn turned heads during his senior football season at Jimtown High School.
He is hoping to do more of the same in his final prep wrestling campaign for the Jimmies. He ranks No. 2 in the 2016-17 Indiana Mat preseason rankings at 152 pounds.
“There’s a lot of high expectations for me this year and a big part of that is because of my dad,†Kenny Kerrn said of Mark Kerrn, the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Famer. “He’s such a respected coach in the state. I’m kind of just in awe of seeing my name ranked second in the state. It makes me want to go in everyday and work as hard as I can and get that title under my name.â€
And his fall sport has definitely contributed to his winter sport and vice versa for the teen.
“Wrestling helps me with football and football helps me with wrestling,†Kenny Kerrn said. “It’s a good balance.â€
As a running back for a 7-5 team that was a sectional finalist, Kenny toted the football 261 times for 1,563 yards and 26 touchdowns in the fall. In game against Concord, he set single-game school records for carries (38), yards (320) and points scored (32).
Learning wrestling from a young age from his father and other talented coaches and JHS wrestlers, Kenny enjoyed a breakout season in the circle as a junior.
A 2015-16 campaign which culminated with a seventh-place finish at 145 at the Indiana High School Athletic Association State Finals included a 45-6 record (he is 96-28 for this first three high school seasons).
Along the way, the young Kerrn won titles at the prestigious Al Smith Classic at Mishawaka as well as in the Northern Indiana Conference, Elkhart Sectional and Goshen Regional. He was a runner-up at the Fort Wayne Semistate.
As a team, Jimtown went 21-2 with a sectional title and runner-up finishes in the conference and the Class 2A division of the IHSWCA State Duals (the Jimmies are slated to compete in the meet again Dec. 23 at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne). Mark Kerrn was named NIC Coach of the Year.
Several of Kenny Kerrn’s wrestling teammates were also his mates on the football field.
“It’s kind of fun to see how they act in one and another,†Kenny Kerrn said.
While both sports are physically-demanding, the Jimmie senior who is exploring different college options that could include some combination of football, wrestling or track sees a contrast.
“It’s totally different atmosphere,†Kenny Kerrn said. “Somedays in the wrestling room are just intense. It’s something you would never see on the football field. (Wrestling) can be hard-nose, just going non-stop for two hours. In football, there’s a little bit more of the learning aspect.
“Coaches will stand you up and teach you the things you need to know for football. (In wrestling), it’s all hands-on and you’ve just got to drill.â€
Kenny Kerrn (@KennyKerrn on Twitter) explained the difference between being “wrestling shape†and for other sports, including his third prep sport (track).
“You can go run seven miles everyday if you want to and still not in wrestling shape because you haven’t been down in your stance, feeling that burn in your legs. It’s a totally different thing.â€
Of course, there are parallels to the mat and the gridiron.
“People talk all the time about how if you need help with tackle form, it’s just a double-leg takedown,†Kenny Kerrn said. “It really is if you think about it. A text-book tackle (in football) is really a blast-double for wrestling.
“And keeping your head up (in wrestling) in just as important as it is on the football field.â€
Stay low and keep your feet moving is good advice in both sports.
“You want that low center of gravity, keep you feet moving and explode out,†Kenny Kerrn said. “Running backs in college and the pros are explosive. They find a whole and explode. You look at the best wrestlers in the Olympics and stuff and they are staying low to the ground and they are exploding out when they’re taking shots.â€
Mark Kerrn, who is also a longtime Jimtown football assistant coach as well as being in his 25th season as head wrestling coach, said he can cite example after example of pro football players who wrestled and learned lessons that transferred well from the mat to the gridiron — things like balance as well as physical mental toughness.
“Guys who wrestle aren’t afraid tote the rock or be a receiver or a quarterback — that limelight guy — because they have no fear of losing,†Mark Kerrn said. “Because there’s a chance that every time they go out on the mat they are going to lose by themselves and have nobody else to blame but themselves.â€
That being said, there was a brotherhood displayed during the football season that has carried over into wrestling.
“We had one of the closest group of seniors (in football),†Mark Kerrn said. “And that’s carried over.â€
And there’s been “proud dad†moments all along the way as father has watched son.
“It’s really been special watching him go from that 4-year-old bouncing around on the mat, jumping on people and not being able to take a stance then year by year getting better and better and better,†Mark Kerrn said. “He’s always been a competitor. But it really snapped last year. Something kicked in and he started doing some really great things.â€
The Kerrns and the Jimmies are hoping to get even more kicks this last go-round together.
Feature Articles2641#WrestlingWednesday: Alara Boyd Aiming for Gold
By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
Alara Boyd firmly believes that she can compete with any female wrestler in the world. That confidence has Boyd, a sophomore at Yorktown High School, setting her sights on winning a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
“I for sure feel I’m there, skill-wise, with anyone in the world,†Boyd said. “I want to be a world champion. But more than that, I want to win the Olympics in 2020. I know what I have to do to get there. I have to keep working. I have to keep practicing and I have to keep improving.â€
The idea of Boyd wrestling in the Olympics is not a far-fetched one by any means. Boyd recently earned a bronze medal at the World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. Her lone loss came at the hands of Japanese gold medalist Atena Kodama, who tech-falled her opponent in the gold medal match.
“I took a few shots I shouldn’t have taken against Japan,†Boyd said. “They put me on the shot clock and I started to get a little anxious. That really hurt me.â€
Boyd bounced back to win the bronze medal, defeating Canada’s Kirti Saxena 8-1.
“My family and friends were super excited for me,†Boyd said. “When I got back they were all telling me how proud they were of me. I thought I wrestled well, but I want to win the world championships next time.â€
Boyd is a first-year cadet. She has two more years in the division.
Boyd began wrestling when she was 4-years-old. She fell in love with the sport right off. Her dad, Jimmy Boyd, was her coach.
As with most female wrestlers in Indiana, the majority of Boyd’s opponents are boys. Her practice partners are all seasoned veterans. Yorktown’s Christian Hunt, Josh Stephenson and Alex Barr all take turns wrestling Boyd at practice.
Boyd has had success against the guys. Last year, as a freshman, she posted a winning record for the Tigers. She wrestled at 132, 138 and even 145 in some meets.
In 2015 Boyd won the ISWA Freestyle and Greco Roman state championships, wrestling against a field of all male competitors.
“Alara is very, very physical, even by the boys’ standard,†Yorktown assistant coach Kenny O’Brien said. “She’s very strong. She’s fantastic from an underhook. Her physicality is overwhelming at times. She’s extremely good on top in freestyle and she has one of the best leg laces in the world.â€
O’Brien also attributes some of Boyd’s success to her fight. It doesn’t matter who is in front of her, she will fight for the victory.
“Her toughness and her fight are her best attributes,†O’Brien said. “If a girl or a guy hits her, she’s hitting back. She doesn’t back down from anyone. She’ll never back down from anyone. She’ll get right in their face and hit them back if they mess with her.â€
Boyd’s trip to Tblisi, Georgia was her first endeavor outside of the United States.
“Things were a lot different there,†she said. “The people were overall pretty friendly. They live a lot differently than we do here. They don’t have all the luxuries we have, but it was neat to experience their culture. You see what they have went through, and you see all of the hard working people over there. It was neat to experience.â€
Boyd is currently undecided on whether she will wrestle for Yorktown during the high school season or concentrate more on training for the Olympics. She said she will most likely still wrestle for the school.
In addition to be an Olympic hopeful, Boyd also wants to wrestle in college. Although she’s undecided on what she wants to study. Currently she’s leaning toward dentistry.
High School News2345Manchester University awarded NCAA Division III Midwest Regional
NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – Manchester University, in conjunction with the Allen County Memorial Coliseum and Visit Fort Wayne groups, has been awarded a bid to host the 2017 NCAA Division III Midwest Regional wrestling Championships.
The event is set for late February at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
“We’re very appreciative of being the host for this big event,†Director of Athletics Rick Espeset said. “It’s a great honor to have our university’s name and brand associated with this type of NCAA competition.â€
“Fans should be excited for this coming (to Fort Wayne),†head coach Kevin Lake noted. “There are many athletes on participating teams that are from Fort Wayne and surrounding areas including three-time defending national champion Riley LeFever of Wabash College. It’s an incredible showcase of some of the top student-athletes in NCAA Division III all vying for a berth to the national meet.â€
Visit Fort Wayne and the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum group mirrored Manchester University’s anticipation.
"We’re thrilled to welcome the NCAA DIII Wrestling Regional to Fort Wayne,†Stephanie Coleman, sports sales manager at Visit Fort Wayne, said. “Early estimates have it bringing a quarter of a million dollars in new spending to our community. We’re so fortunate to have a great collaborative relationship between Visit Fort Wayne, the Memorial Coliseum and Manchester University.â€
“Our location is great for the NCAA’s tournaments,†Dan O’Connell, president and CEO of Visit Fort Wayne, admitted. “(The NCAA) was looking for a central location with a high quality venue and a member university and community interested in making the student athlete’s experience at the tournament memorable. We ‘pinned’ all three of those needs, literally.
“Fort Wayne is within a days’ drive of over 90% of the participating institutions,†he added. “We offer an outstanding venue in the Memorial Coliseum which has experience in hosting both wrestling as well as NCAA tournaments. And lastly, along with Manchester University, Visit Fort Wayne is committed to providing every wrestler with a ‘championship experience’.â€
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum has played host to the 2010 NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey Midwest Regional and 2006 NCAA Division I men’s volleyball national championship as well as the 2015 and 2016 Cliff Keen National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Duals among its signature events.
High School News2395 5IndianaMat Awarded National Website of the Year
Back in early December of 2008 three guys conjured up an idea to give Indiana a website dedicated to the sport of wrestling. Looking around other states we saw what could be and knew Indiana fans would absolutely love a similar website. We had no clue where the adventure would take us, but as they said in the Field of Dreams, if you build it they will come.
Eric McGill and Chad Hollenbaugh were telling me to pull the trigger, I balked at it. I said it would be too much time and effort. They pestered me into submission. Eric, even while going to college in New York, said he’d do the rankings. Chad said he’d write articles on events he attended. Others joined up with us within in the next few days.
We quickly added people to our “staff†that volunteered their time. Dane Fuelling was on top of the team rankings, while we had guys like Zach Pierson, Mike Reiser, and Dustin Bentz handle semi-state rankings. I also extended the olive branch of peace with longtime messageboard rival Dingo Brigade aka Cameron Drury to write some articles.
The first big time exposure was at the Triacoff that year. Chad Hollenbaugh made up some lineup cards with almost every team’s projected line-up with their IndianaMat rankings. These cards were a hit as they ran out of them twice during the event. Even more importantly it got IndianaMat a lot of exposure in da region and across the state.
Chad came up with the 800lb Gorilla slogan, saying that no one can stop an 800lb Gorilla and he was spot on with that. We received some backlash from groups of people, people with a lot influence within the state. We kept plugging along, even while others thought we’d be a flash in the pan. We kept doing what we thought was right and soon those doubters became supporters.
We have changed up the look of the website many times with our biggest and best change coming in 2014 when we did a total redesign to incorporate wrestler and team profiles along with many other unique features. Go ahead and find a website with those types of features and you will come up empty handed. These types of features along with an extremely dedicated staff and loyal supporters have made this website the best in the country. What we have here in Indiana is very unique and it amazes me it has been eight years this December. Think about that, incoming freshmen were in first grade, seniors were in 4th grade. That means most of the wrestling community ONLY knows IndianaMat!
This past weekend at the Olympic Trials we were recognized as the National Wrestling Media Association’s Website of the Year. Being recognized by our peers as we were this past weekend was very humbling. Hearing things said about our website and talking to others opened my eyes to what we have done not only on a state level, but a national level. It really makes the work, the long hours, the trials and tribulations worth it when you hear the things we did this weekend.
There are many thanks that need to go out and I hope I don’t miss anyone. The first big thanks goes to my wonderful wife and family. I can’t tell you how difficult it is to leave for a weekend in Pittsburgh, Iowa City, Fargo, or wherever I decide to go. Without that support and understanding this website would only be a fraction of what it is today. The next time you see her tell her thanks as she is as big of a part of the success of this website as anyone.
Second in line is Chad Hollenbaugh. He’s the type that will take little to no credit, but about 90% of the ideas we have for the site come from him. His articles are top notch and you can always sense the educator in him when he adds the closest river or town nickname to his articles. He is a behind the scenes type of guy, but his impact on this website is undeniable.
Eric McGill, while he has stepped aside, is still one of the biggest influences on the website. He took on the rankings task from the beginning while being at an Ivy League school over 500 miles from Indiana. The task of doing rankings is an immense undertaking especially from scratch. Eric is still one that has great ideas and offers advice on the future of this website. He did an outstanding job on the rankings and set the standard for Mike when he took over.
Since the beginning of the website Mike Reiser did the Merrillville Semi State rankings. A few years ago he added to his list of tasks the statewide rankings. I didn’t know what to expect, Eric did an outstanding job and following him was not going to be easy. Mike has hit a home run with the rankings since he has taken over. The accuracy of his rankings is mind boggling and his knowledge of kids throughout the state borders on being insane. One of my favorite stories is from last year when I was at an event and I texted Mike, “hey this kid should probably be ranked, probably 14-16 area.†He replies, “he is ranked 14th.†Mike has not only done an outstanding job on the rankings, he has become one of my closest friends and I am very appreciative of all his work.
There are many, many others that deserve credit for the success of this website. Dane Fuelling has done a stand up job with the team rankings. His knowledge of the top 30 teams in the state and their lineups is beyond comprehension. His rankings are up to the minute and have been an outstanding contribution to the site. Dustin Bentz has been with us from the beginning as the dirty south rankings guy. Add to that his awesome semi state preview that combines his wit and wisdom with his knowledge of the southern hemisphere of the state. Zach Pierson started as our New Castle rankings guy and did a great job until he moved out of state. He passed on the job to Howard Cottey and he has stepped in nicely the past two years. Zach has one of the best lines from doing rankings I have ever heard. He said, “don’t worry about getting them right, if they are wrong someone will tell you!â€
Our rankings are awesome, but what I think sets us apart from the other sites is our articles. Cameron Drury’s articles are top notch. He can make the most boring match sound like an epic match between two titans. On top of that his articles have a feeling of genuine love and respect for all the athletes on the mat. We have also added two weekly features over the past couple years. Jeremy Hines came to me asking about doing a weekly article. It didn’t take long for him to start churning them out. This past season we also added another talented writer to the staff in Steve Krah. He has over 30 years of experience in the business and his articles are of the highest quality. All three of those guys have talents I only wish I had and their efforts are greatly appreciated.
One thing I know that has put us over the top is our top notch photography. Whenever I upload pictures to Facebook I prepare myself for hundreds upon hundreds of notifications. Paul Tincher is a very talented photographer and has helped tremendously to get us to the highest level. I know the kids, parents, coaches, and others absolutely adore his photos. It makes it a lot easier for us to get photos for our magazine or any other graphic we need when we have as many great photos to choose from as we do.
There are many behind the scenes things that go on with the website that most do not realize. We have two other computer nerds that have helped keep the site online and running. Nick Weisjahn and Andy Oberlin have been very helpful especially since we converted to the new site. They have an immense knowledge that have helped keep the site up to date and as good as possible.
Lastly, we wouldn’t be where we are without our fans and supporters. You are the ones that make this site so great. Many of you have contributed rankings information, results, posts on the forums, amongst other things. Without that support we do not have the presence we do. Whether you agree with class wrestling or not, you can’t disagree that our state has some of the most passionate fans in the country. Thank you for all your support as this award was something that is for the whole state of Indiana.
Here is the award presentation and acceptance speech. Note I do a lot better with a keyboard.
High School News1899Injured Hildebrandt keeps head high, eyes another run at Olympics
By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Sarah Hildebrandt’s U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials experience didn’t end the way she wanted.
Wrestling with a right knee injury (impingement and torn meniscus) that few people knew about heading into the tournament, the Penn High School graduate went 3-2 in the 53 kg (116.5 pounds) bracket Sunday, April 10 at the University of Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The former King University grappler was dominant in her three victories, but her losses were by superiority and pin.
“I actually felt pretty relaxed out there,†Hildebrandt said. “But I didn’t feel comfortable with my knee. I didn’t trust my body. I didn’t trust in my shots. When you have an injury, there’s always a little fear (of pain).
“(My knee has) been bothering me. It’s really an everyday thing. Some days are better than others. Unfortunately, weight-cutting is part of this sport and running goes along with that. I put some time in on the treadmill — about an hour everyday — and it’s pretty hard on my knees.â€
Like most Olympic hopefuls, Hildebrandt works out multiple times a day and it takes a physical toll and it did on her knee.
“I knew it could be a problem,†Hildebrandt said. “I just pushed through it and hoped the adrenaline would push me through. At times, it did, and at other times pain won out.â€
Hildebrandt’s day began with a 10-2 win over Cady Chessin. She lost out on a chance at the 2016 Rio Olympics (only the champion advances) with a 10-0 loss to Katherine Fulp-Allen.
That was followed by two victories — 8-0 over Dajan Treder and pin of Amy Fearnside in 5:44. The day ended with a loss by pin to Michalea Hutchison in 2:44.
“It’s a huge disappointment,†Hildebrandt said. “I know I had a lot of people cheering for me and supporting me. I wanted to wrestle well for them but for myself as well. Even if I have a bad day, I want to walk off the mat saying I did my best. I don’t feel like that. That’s rough. That’s hard for me to swallow.â€
Brad Harper, Hildebrandt’s coach at Penn, was in her corner at all her Iowa City matches and has continued to be there for her in the five years since she graduated from high school. The Kingsmen’s head coach marveled at her willingness to go hard despite the agony.
“She said she didn’t do her best, but she did do her best with the situation she was in. To battle through what she had going on was amazing. I went out to the training center (in Colorado Springs, Colo.) and with her workouts, she was in pain at every practice.â€
Hildebrandt, who began her wrestling career at Discovery Middle School in Granger, was full of confidence in the months leading up to Iowa City.
“I really, really believed in myself,†Hildebrandt said. “I’ve had tournaments where I didn’t believe in myself and losing didn’t sting as much. I definitely think I can be the best in the world.â€
Hildebrandt’s immediate plans call for knee surgery then quality family time and some relaxation.
“I’d like to go somewhere warm and sit on the beach,†Hildebrandt said.
But she won’t stay away from the sport she loves and still has Olympic dreams.
“I love the sport,†Hildebrandt said. “I have lotta lotta fun with it. This was not as fun as some other days. But I’ll always crave getting back in the mat room.â€
The 22-year-old hopes to take a shot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and all that entails.
“I’ve worked so hard and nothing’s going to change. I’ll just keep striving and burning the fire in my belly.â€
Harper believes in Hildebrandt’s mat future.
“She just needs to get healthy and train smarter,†Harper said. “She needs to just keep getting better day by day. When 2020 comes, she will dominate.â€
And as for 2016?
“I’m still an American and I want to help my team,†Hildebrandt said. “I know it will be a quick turn-around, but if I can get in there and help the girls on the Olympic team, I would love to.â€