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COMPLETE 2013-14 NCAA DII ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMS
 
INDIANAPOLIS- The 2014 NCAA Super Regional #2 champion Greyhound wrestling team placed seven on the 2013-14 NCAA Division II All-Academic wrestling teams, and placed fourth in the academic rankings as a team.
 
The fourth place team ranking, with a team GPA of 3.333 for the season, is calculated by averaging the cumulative grade point averages of 10 wrestlers from each team, of which eight of those wrestlers must have competed in their teams Super Regional tournament. California Baptist won this year's Academic team title, with a GPA of 3.375.
 
UIndy placed four grapplers on the All-Academic First Team, with Alex Johns (3.32; Exercise Science), Josh Kieffer (3.24; Criminal Justice), Justin Kieffer (3.14; Nursing) and Jeff Weiss (3.13; Nursing) all making the first team. The Greyhounds, along with Western State, placed the most on the first team, which is made up of 47 wrestlers.
 
On the second team, Taylor Scott (3.52; Criminal Justice), represented the Greyhounds, while Weston Davis (3.76; Education) and Shelby Mappes (3.07; Nursing) each were named Honorable Mention All-Academic.
 
A total of 181 student-athletes from 38 institutions were honored as All-Academic. In order for a student-athlete to be nominated to the Division II All-Academic Team, he needs a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. He must also be in at least his second full year at his institution, be a varsity team member or key reserve, demonstrate a degree of skill and have a minimum of two letters of recommendation submitted on his behalf.

By Mike Zoller, NUSports.com
 
EVANSTON, Ill. — In the Tsirtsis family you’re born with wrestling headgear. Northwestern wrestler Jason Tsirtsis added onto his family’s wrestling legacy by not only winning an NCAA Championship this year, but also becoming the first freshman Wildcat to win a title.
 
With a family full of decorated wrestlers, Tsirtsis followed suit winning four straight Indiana high school championships at Crown Point High School and was named the 2012 InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year.
 
Tsirtsis had the benefit of being guided by his older brother Alex, who himself had been a four-time high school state champion never losing once in those four years compiling a record of 236-0.
 
“He’s been an influence ever since I began wrestling,” Tsirtsis said. “But I’d say the biggest time frame of him helping was after his career in college. He came home after college and he was involved all the time with me. He knows my wrestling better than anyone. He’s able to watch me and critique me better than anyone.”
With the Tsirtsis name and a laundry list of awards and championships the recruiting process was intense. It came down to Oklahoma State and Northwestern. Tsirtsis saw pros and cons to both programs but in the end he chose Northwestern not only because it was closer to home, but he saw the program on the rise and wanted to be part of something special.
 
“Oklahoma State has the richest wrestling history ever in the NCAA,” Tsirtsis said. “But Oklahoma State is 14 hours away and NU is only an hour. Having that hometown support is really crucial. Big Ten wrestling is the best in the country and we’re an up-and-coming program. We’re not a powerhouse or the best yet but we’re on our way.”
 
Head coach Drew Pariano called his recruiting battle with Oklahoma State the toughest he had ever faced.
 
“They (Oklahoma State) won 34 team national titles,” he said. “It’s a compliment that we were recruiting against them. The best guys are going to choose wrestling powers and it’s an added bonus that we have a great academic program here.”
 
Tsirtsis wrestled unattached during his first year in Evanston, which allowed him to develop without burning a year of eligibility.
 
During that first year Tsirtsis wrestled most of the time in the 141 lbs. weight class but felt more comfortable at 149 lbs. and made the decision to keep the weight rather than constantly battle to lose it.
 
“I could have made 141 if I reshaped my body and dieted,” he said. “At that point you’re not focused on wrestling, you’re focused on cutting weight. You’re not in the right mindset. That unattached year made me realize I had to move up a weight class and get a little bit bigger.”
 
By any measure Tsirtsis had a successful and productive year wrestling unattached. He went 18-3 and won three tournaments, while placing eighth at the 50th annual Midlands Championships. He also wrestled at the Junior World Team Trials and represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships in Bulgaria.
 
Coming back to Evanston to begin his first real season of collegiate wrestling Pariano knew Tsirtsis could be capable of big things.
 
“Before he even started I was telling people he was going to be a four-time national champ,” Pariano said. “I don’t do that too much – if ever. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that. If I say something like that it probably comes from pretty deep within.”
 
Junior heavyweight Mike McMullan noticed Tsirtsis’ talent from the start. As a team leader he watched over the freshman but didn’t mentor him in the traditional way.
 
“Jason’s a unique kid,” McMullan said. “He doesn’t need the same guidance that other younger kids need. He knows what he is capable of. Being someone who shares similar aspirations, we can relate to one another and talk about our goals and our vision for how matches should go.”
 
It wasn’t a smooth start for Tsirtsis. After some early success he suffered three losses in a span of two weeks. He turned those losses into positives, and they would wind up as his only three losses of the entire 2013-14 season
 
“We watched and evaluated those matches,” assistant coach Jay Borschel said. “We saw some things where he didn’t control the match. He didn’t control the hand fighting. The other guy pushed him around and controlled him.”
 
“He needed to change his workout regimen and probably get a little better sleep,” Pariano said. “I don’t think it was necessarily a wake-up call but it was definitely a message that, ‘Hey if I want to win a national title I need to do ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’’ and he did.”
 
It’s not uncommon for a young wrestler to stumble during the middle of the year. McMullan said one of the hardest things to adjust to is the full grind of how long the NCAA season lasts.
 
“The one thing a lot of people find out from that redshirt year is that they don’t realize the length of the season,” McMullan said. “When you’re actually in the lineup you’re competing week in and week out. He made the adjustments and remembered his capabilities. He had a little hiccup in the middle and ended on a pretty long win streak.”
 
Tsirtsis wouldn’t lose again. He notched individual victories over wrestlers from No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Iowa earning him a No. 3 seed in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament. On the way to the Big Ten Championship, Tsirtsis knocked off the two wrestlers seeded above him, and following the tournament he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
 
Despite being the Big Ten Champion at 149lbs, Tsirtsis entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed. Something that didn’t sit right with Pariano.
 
“I was not happy with the draw,” Pariano said. “To win the Big Ten Tournament you have to be an absolute stud. But he (Tsirtsis) had a really good perspective on it saying ‘I have to beat everyone anyways so I might as well beat them early.’”
 
In the quarterfinals Tsirtsis defeated the reigning NCAA champion at 141 lbs. only to follow that up with a victory over the No. 1 seed in the semifinals. In the semis Tsirtsis had just nine seconds to escape his opponent’s hold – he got out with one second remaining.
 
“It was an intensity-filled nine seconds,” he said. “Probably the most intense nine seconds I’ve had in my life.”
 
It was also the match that would provide the timeless image of the tournament as Pariano hoisted a bloodied Tsirtsis up into the air just after his victory.
 
“I didn’t know he was bleeding,” Pariano said. “Back in the hall I was like, ‘You’re bleeding?’ They stitched him up right there – three stitches.”
 
After notching All-American status with a win in the semifinal match, Tsirtsis went into the final match and, true to his “Cardiac Cat” style tournament, took down the No. 11 seed in overtime to become the NCAA Champion.
 
“After I won it was like I hadn’t even won” Tsirtsis said. “It was overwhelming. As a kid you want to be an NCAA champ. To finally have the opportunity to reach that goal and succeed so quickly in my career is pretty surreal and hard to explain.”
 
Alex embraced Tsirtsis after the match. While he had been a highly touted recruit out of high school, he had never finished better than seventh at the NCAA Championships.
 
“I saw him after I got my award and gave him a big hug,” Jason said. “It was real emotional. It was a great moment.”
 
Tsirtsis is now focused on the offseason where he will wrestle in a few tournaments before returning to Evanston for the 2014-15 season. As the returning champ he’s preparing to be the wrestler to beat.
 
“People are going to come after him harder now than ever before,” Pariano said. “In wrestling its such a one-on-one sport that he’s going to have to be ready for every single match. The Big Ten isn’t going to get any easier. The (149 lbs.) weight class is going to remain one of the best in the country.”
 
Besides being the champion, Tsirtsis will also be looked to as a leader when the season starts. The Wildcats boast the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation and they will look to him for guidance.
 
“I’m more of a vocal guy than most,” Tsirtsis said. “I like to express what I think and see. I’ll make sure I’m on those guys. I want to make sure I’m encouraging them too. I need to make sure they are training hard and are on the right track. I also need to make sure I lead by example.”
 
For next year the goal is simple for Tsirtsis – repeat. But he’s going to make sure he enjoys his time as well.
 
“I just need to keep getting better, but also having fun. That’s going to make the goal (of repeating) a little less stressful and a little more entertaining and enjoyable.”
 
Via http://www.nusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/050514aaa.html

Evansville Mater Dei freshman Nick Lee and Jeffersonville head coach Danny Struck will both represent the USA at this event. Last year Lee won this event at 58kg in the freestyle division. This year he will be wrestling in both styles at 58kg.
 
By Chris Casper
USA Wrestling
 
The U.S. will send a competitive team in the three Olympic styles to compete at the FILA Cadet Pan American Championships in Recife, Brazil, May 2-4. FILA Cadets are athletes who are 15-17 years old.
 
Athletes in the men’s team will compete in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the competition.
 
The men’s team will feature 2013 Cadet World Greco-Roman bronze medalist Cade Olivas of California at 46 kg. Another 2013 Cadet World Team member, Taylor LaMont of Utah, will compete at 63 kg. He also was a Cadet National freestyle champion last summer.
 
Also competing at 69 kg is Mason Manville of New Jersey, a 2014 FILA Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion and a 2013 Cadet Nationals double champion.
 
Kaden Gfeller of Oklahoma, who is wrestling at 50 kg, was a 2013 FILA Cadet Pan American champion in Greco-Roman and a 2013 Cadet Nationals freestyle champion. Another Oklahoma star, Daton Fix at 54 kg, was a double champion at the 2013 FILA Cadet Pan American Championships and was a 2013 Cadet Triple Crown winner.
 
Continue Reading at TheMat.com U.S team set for FILA Cadet Pan American Championships in Recife, Brazil, May 2-4

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Fred Glass presented seniors Ryan LeBlanc (Wrestling) and Meghan Lappan (Water Polo) with the 2014 Big Ten Medal of Honor tonight at the Spirit of Indiana Showcase at the IU Auditorium.
 
The Big Ten Conference is currently celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Big Ten Medal of Honor award. The conference's most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." Big Ten schools currently feature more than 8,200 student-athletes, but only 24 earn this prestigious award on an annual basis. In the 99 years of the Medal of Honor, more than 1,300 student-athletes have earned this distinction.
 
Lappan has been named Academic All-Big Ten and a member of the Collegiate Water Polo Association All-Academic Team for the past three years. The senior has started all but seven matches since she became a Hoosier in 2011. Known for her defensive powers, Lappan has career totals of 142 steals, 66 goals, and 90 assists.
 
A member of one of the best team's in IU water polo history, Lappan helped the 2012 squad to a 28-9 record, setting a program record for wins in a season and finished the year ranked No. 14 in the country. In her freshman season Lappan and the team made the trip to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history. She also helped this year's squad repeat as back-to-back Western Division Champions, a feat that had never been done at IU.
 
Just this past weekend Lappan and her teammates won the CWPA championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Lappan was also presented with a Scholastic Achievement Award, Hoosier HERO award and Aline Robinson Mental Attitude Award at tonight's ceremony.
 
The North Vancouver, B.C., Canada native will graduate this May with her degree in sociology. Lappan plans on moving back to Vancouver upon graduation with the goal of working with children and teaching water polo.
 
A redshirt senior, LeBlanc racked up 103 wins in his career, more than double his amount of losses (51). He also accumulated 25 major decisions, nine technical falls and 11 pins en route.
 
The three-time NCAA Qualifier advanced to the round of the 12 at the 2014 NCAA Championships, coming up just one win shy of becoming an All-American. LeBlanc earned Academic All-America laurels from the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 2013. His excellence in the classroom was recognized by the conference office as well as a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
 
Off the mat LeBlanc served as the 2013-14 president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

INDIANAPOLIS- Head Coach Jason Warthan will add seven new Greyhounds to his 2014-2015 roster, signing the new UIndy student-athletes as a part of National Signing Day April 16.
 
Joining the Hounds will be Kyle Keller, Brendon Kelley, Heath Lange, Tyler Scott, DJ Smith, Brian Wagner and JD Waters. The seven new Greyhounds boast placing at their state meets a total of 16 times, including four state championships. The group contains three grapplers who hold their prep career wins records, and a total record of 1,034-213 with a .829 win percentage, while the group went to the state meet a total of 19 times in their careers.
 
"We are obviously very excited and proud to add these student-athletes to the Greyhound wrestling family," Warthan said. "They are all character guys that take academics seriously and will all bring a unique set of skills to our team."
 
Keller, who will come in as a 133-pounder for the Hounds, is a Delta, Ohio product, earning four letters for the Panthers. He is a four-time state qualifier, and placed three times at the Ohio State Championships in his career. He boasts a runner-up finish this past season, along with a fourth place finish as a junior and a fifth place finish as a sophomore. Keller closed out his prep career with a record of 178-28, along with 96 career pins. He helped Delta to two state dual championships, and was a four-time league and sectional champion. His 178 wins are a Delta career record, while off the mat he was a four-year honor roll student and a 2014 Academic All-Ohio selection.
 
Kelley is an Indiana native, coming to the Hounds from Evansville Central High School. The three-time IHSAA state placer holds the Bears' record for career wins, posting a record of 169-18 in high school. Kelley went 50-0 with 37 pins en route to the 152-pound Indiana State title, pinning his opponent in 2:24 in the state championship bout. He will come in as a 149 for UIndy, after placing fourth as a junior and fifth as a sophomore. Kelley tallied a total of 121 pins and tech falls during his career, and was a three-time Regional champion a two-time sectional champion and a two-time Souther Indiana Athletics Conference champion.
 
Lange will also make the trip West to UIndy from Ohio. The Huntsville native earned four letters on the mat for Indian Lake High School, posting a career record of 147-36 as a two-time Ohio state placer. Lange, who will come into the UIndy room as a 157, is a three-time state qualifier, taking fourth as a junior and third as a senior. The honor roll student is a four-time All-Area selection, a three-time Conference champion, a two-time sectional champion and Indian Lake's career wins leader.
 
Scott will come in as a 197 for the Greyhounds, from Cedar Lake, Ind.'s Hanover Central High School. The high honor roll student went 139-40 as a prep, placing fourth at the IHSAA state championships as a senior. He is a two-time Regional and Sectional champion, adding a semistate and conference title to his resume as a senior as well. The two-time Academic All-State honoree was also a four-time semistate qualifier during his career for the Wildcats.
 
Smith, from nearby Franklin, Ind., will come into the UIndy room as a 125-pounder. The 2014 Indiana state champion at 113 pounds, Smith is a three-time Midstate, Johnson County and sectional champion. He was a three-time state qualifier and two-time state placer, also taking third as a junior. He boasts a career record of 111-14 with 494 career takedowns as a Grizzly Cub, and is also an Honor Roll student and National Honors Society member.
 
Wagner is also a Central Indiana product, from UIndy alum Chad Red's New Palestine program. Wagner earned nine total letters at New Pal, and will come to UIndy as a 197-pounder. He is a two-time state placer, taking third at 182 in 2013 and second at 195 this past year. He also earned a semistate champion as a senior, and was the sectional and regional runner-up this past year. He leaves New Pal with a career record of 131-29, and is a four-year member of the Academic "A" Team, as well as a member of the National Honors Society.
 
Waters rounds out the class, coming to UIndy as a 149 from Hudson, Mich. The two-time state champion and three-time state placer went 159-48 as a prep, and also was a three-time All-County selection, along with a three-time District and Regional champ. He also was a two-time League and county champion, and was honored as the LCAA Wrestling Scholar Athlete three times. He was also Academic All-State as a senior, and is a National Honors Society member.
 
The Greyhounds lost seven of their 10 starters from this year's eighth-place finishing team at the NCAA Division II National Championships to graduation or exhaustion of elgibility.

Brent Harris
 
Riley Lefever continues to add accolades to his resume, earning Freshman of the Year honors for 2014 from d3wrestle.com.
 
Lefever was named to the website's All-Freshman team at 184 pounds. He was the only first year to win a national title — the first national champion in the history of the Wabash wrestling program. He scored a takedown in the closing seconds of overtime to defeat 2013 national runner-up Brian Broderick from The College of New Jersey in the championship round to earn the title. In addition, Lefever finished the season with a spotless 41-0 record.
 
Lefever also finished tied for eighth in the InterMat Freshman of the Year voting. The award is presented to the best college freshman among NCAA Divisions I, II, and III based upon balloting by ten writers and executives of InterMatWrestle.com. Lefever joined ten other rookie wrestlers who received at least one vote on the ballot.
 
Jason Tsirtsis, a Crown Point, Indiana native and 149-pounder for Northwestern University, was named the website's top overall freshman. Tsirtsis finished the year with an overall record of 32-3 while capturing NCAA Division I and Big Ten championship titles in his first season. He received five of the ten available first-place votes.
 
Lefever was the only Division III freshman to receive votes in InterMatWrestle.com balloting.
 
"It's an awesome honor to get recognized by d3wrestle.com and InterMatWrestle.com," Lefever said. "Being recognized with fellow Indiana native and NCAA Division I national champion Jason Tsirtsis is a tremendous accomplishment. He was one of the wrestlers I looked up to while I was competing in high school. To be on the same list makes me feel like I'm heading in the right direction as a student-athlete."
 
"This is icing on the cake for Riley to not only be named the Division III Freshman of the Year, but to be recognized as one of the best freshmen wrestlers across all divisions," Wabash head coach Brian Anderson said. "The way in which Riley approached all phases of his life the entire year definitely enabled him to enjoy the success he did and achieve such high accolades."
 
Lefever was part of a school-record six national qualifiers at the DIII Wrestling Championships for Wabash. The Little Giant team earned a ninth-place finish for its best effort in 19 trips to nationals. Reece Lefever, Riley's older brother, added his second All-America award in as many years with a fourth-place finish at 157 pounds. Reece finished seventh as a sophomore in 2013.
 
2014 d3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year/All-Freshmen Team
 
InterMatWrestle.com Freshman of the Year

Stevan Micic will become the sixth wrestler from Indiana to wrestle at the prestigious Dapper Dan Classic this weekend. Micic will face off against Zeke Moisey of Bethlehem Catholic who is ranked 3rd via FloWrestling and Intermat along with 4th by TheOpenMat. Micic is ranked 1st by FloWrestling and Intermat, while he is ranked 3rd by TheOpenMat.
 
Moisely is a one time champion in Pennsylvania in their AA division, which is the biggest schools in Pennsylvania. He had a career record of 141-14 along with placements of 3rd, 4th and 7th in the state tournament.  Moisely is a three-time Super 32 placer, placing 4th the past year. He placed second at the Beast of the East in both 2009 and 2010. Lastly, he won a FloNationals title in 2012 and finished in 4th last year.
 
Of the five wrestlers from Indiana that have participated in the Dapper Dan, none have lost a match. Steven Bradley was the first participant in 1998, while Alex Tsirtsis and Blake Maurer participated in 2004. In 2012 both Jarred Brooks and Jason Tsirtsis both participated in the event. Former Indiana state champion Nathan Boston will also be wrestling at 120lbs against Nathan Boston. Also, two time IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open champion Josh Alber of Illinois will wrestle at 132lbs against Ian Brown.
 
You can watch the action live on FloWrestling Saturday via their paid subscription.
 
Dapper Dan Past Participants
1998
130-Steven Bradley, Beech Grove, IN, dec. Mark Conley, Dningtn, 5-3.
2004
140 Alex Tsirtsis Griffith IN dec Isaiah Britton Loyalsock 6-4
171 Blake Maurer Mater Dei IN dec Kurt Brenner Freedom 8-6 ro
2012
113 Jarred Brooks Warsaw Indiana DEC Billy Rappo Council Rock South 8-5
145 Jason Tsirtsis Crn Point Indiana MD Zach Beitz Juniata 13-4
2014
126 - Stevan Micic Indiana vs Zeke Moisey Bethlehem Catholic

Here they are fellas!
 
Scoring:
 
10 points for a wrestler placing(top 4 or 8)
-1 point for each placement they are off
 
Example:Your picks
1. Joe Caprino
2. Chad Hollenbaugh
3. Eric McGill
4. Mike Reiser
 
Outcome
1. Joe Caprino- 10 points
2. Stevan Micic- 0 points
3. Mike Reiser- 9 points
4. Chad Hollenbaugh- 8 points
 
If you have any disputes you know where to go
 
Click on the header of each category to sort by that column
 
[table id=56 /]

[table id=55 /]

by Chad Hollenbaugh
 
A year ago the IHSAA went old school and awarded the team championship the old fashioned way, by tournament scoring. Most would agree that this is not the ideal way to determine the best “team," but it should certainly add some excitement to the weekend. The team race will clearly have much more excitement than last year, when Perry Meridian nearly lapped the field and defeated runner up Yorktown by forty points. No team this year will be that dominant and there may be as many as six to eight squads who will be fighting it out for state hardware.
 
THE PROCEDURE
 
I projected every match this weekend to get placers and scored the placers: 16,12,9,7,5,3,2,1. I then went back and looked at individual draws and projected a best case scenario for each of the qualifiers. The first number is what my projections have each team scoring and the second number is their best case team score. Remember these are just one person's thoughts on how the weekend will go. Not trying to offend anyone. Note a * is for a qualifier that is not projected to place.





Total
106
113
120
126
132
138
145
152
160
170
182
195
220
285


Penn
38
2
*
X
7
X
X
X
*
9
12
5
3
*
X


61
5
0
12
0
9
16
5
9
5


Cath
57
5
3
X
X
*
X
5
X
16
X
12
X
X
16


63
5
5
0
5
16
16
16


YT
31
X
X
X
3
1
X
X
12
5
7
3
X
X
X


52
5
5
16
12
9
5


Merr
41
X
12
X
5
X
5
3
7
X
X
X
X
X
9


50
12
5
12
5
7
9


Fran
57
X
16
X
X
X
16
X
X
X
16
*
X
9
X


69
16
16
16
9
12


Mish
39
X
X
12
X
2
X
16
9
X
X
X
X
X
X


50
16
2
16
16


PM
26
*
2
*
*
12
X
12
X
X
*
*
X
X
X


52
0
5
5
5
16
16
0
5


MD
16
3
X
*
12
*
1
*
X
*
*
X
X
X
X


52
12
7
16
0
5
0
5
7


Penn 38/61
Cathedral 57/63
Yorktown 31/52
Merrillville 41/50
Franklin 57/69
Mishawaka – 39/50
Perry Meridian – 26/52
Mater Dei – 16/52
 
 
 
THE PRETENDERS
 
Mater Dei – The Wildcats are close but they are not quite yet back to the juggernaut of a decade ago. Coach Schaeffer's crew did qualify seven for the Big Show but the combination of tough draws and only two “sure thing” placers will make a run for the big trophy highly unlikely this year. Fear not west side whackos, MD is young and on the rise.
 
Mishawaka – The Cavemen only qualified four to state this year but what a foursome. Three of the four have a legitimate shot at wrestling under the lights. It would probably take all three winning along with some other help to put Mishawaka in serious contention.
 
CONTENDERS
 
Perry Meridian – The three time defending champs will know after Friday night if they will stay in the contenders status or be banished to the pretenders. Eight Falcons will make the effort at the title defense, led by hammers Cody LeCount and Brandon James. For the Perry to make a run, the other six boys in blue must get in the win column on Friday night despite many 50/50 draws. Upon reflection, I probably have PM losing too many of those 50/50 draw in my picks.
 
Yorktown – Last year's runner up would need to put together a nice weekend to be in contention for a trophy but it is definitely doable. All of the Tiger qualifiers stand a good shot of scoring points and the three headed monster of Chandler Carroll, Rhett Hiestand and Dillon Jackson all could score serious points.
 
Merrillville – Much like Yorktown, the Pirate's entire crew has a great chance to score points this weekend. Coach Maldonado's club just lacks a couple more studs that could be depended on to score some big points. All three of these teams in the contenders category have a long history of maximizing their opportunities and I would expect to hear all three schools on the PA system.
 
THE FRONT RUNNERS
 
Penn – Penn will travel down US 31 with near three quarters of their starting line up in an effort to not only earn medals but also make a run at a team state title that eluded them at the team duals back in January. The difference between them being champs or just contenders will come down to how a couple of their boys perform. The Kingsmen have a chance to pick up some big points at 195 and 220 that would keep them in contention.
 
Franklin – Veteran Grizzly Cub mentor Bob Hasseman might just have his strongest club ever in 2014. They won the coaches association team dual title in exciting fashion back in January and they currently hold national rankings in some polls. Franklin did themselves no favors by “only” qualifying five studs to the big show. The blue ring might just come down to a Friday night match between veteran Mike Petrole and Kankakee Valley's Timothy Schoonveld. I would project the winner of this matchup as a favorite to get to the semifinals and if Petrole were to make it, it would mean good things for Franklin.
 
Cathedral – Will it finally be the Year of the Irish? It appears that the stars might be aligned for Coach McGinley in 2014. Four legitimate title contenders (Bernard, Rypel, Corsaro, Bailey) and another big point producer in Ben Harvey make Indianapolis Cathedral the team to beat. Other squads have qualified more to Indy, but few will have as many standing high on the medal stand. I for one hope that fans of Indiana wrestling will keep it classy and give the Irish their due. In all my years of watching them under Coach McGinley, their kids have been great representatives of the sport and they deserve the appreciation of all the wrestling fans.
 
HOW IT ALL SHAKES OUT
 
Photo Finish? To close to call? My projections have Franklin and Cathedral in a dead heat for the crown. Looking deeper, I like Cathedral's “sure things” better than Franklin's and would give the slight edge to Fighting Irish. The great thing for fans is that an upset here or there might dump the entire apple cart and allows for other teams to make a run. And on a personal note, this will be the first time in four years that I am not helping coach a qualifier so I plan to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. See you Friday!!

by Chad Hollenbaugh
 
The fireworks will begin around 6pm Friday night on south Pennsylvania street. Approximately three and a half hours later, dreams will be dashed for 112 young men... but the dream will continue for the 112 winners on the four mats of fun. Some very interesting story lines have emerged over the course of the season and all wrestling eyes will be focused this weekend to see how they play out.
 
[caption id=attachment_6275" align="alignleft" width="300] Gelen Robinson(right) could face a rematch with Fletcher Miller(left) in the 220lbs finals this year.[/caption]
 
BIG STORY #1 – THE ATTACK OF THE FROSH (106)
Talented freshman always make themselves known at the lightest weight class but the sheer number of highly skilled freshmen in this year's class is not normal. Nine of the sixteen finalists are in their first year of high school. A quick look at the rankings will show that the top five ranked kids are all frosh.
 
BIG STORY #2 – THE BIG RED MACHINE (120)
 
If you are as old as me, you remember “The Big Red Machine” was the nickname of the 1970s Cincinnati Reds. They got the nickname because they were a dynasty that won two World Series an were a yearly contender. Last season, freshman Chad Red burst on the scene and was dominant on his way to a state title at 106. As this young Dragon from New Palestine grows, will he develop into a one man grappling dynasty?
 
BIG STORY #3 – MICIC VERSUS LEE....OMG (126)
 
Stevan Micic is a two time state champ with various national wrestling credentials and scholarship to attend Northwestern University next season. You would think that he would be stone cold lock for his third state championship. However, a storm has been brewing in Evansville in the name of Nick Lee. This freshman from Mater Dei has plenty of credentials and has yet to be tested in his high school career.
 
BIG STORIES #4 & #5 – THE REMATCHES (132/145)
 
At 132 the entire state has the chance to be treated to round three of the rivalry developing between Warren Central's Deondre Wilson and Perry Meridian's Brandon James. Wilson has come out on top at the both the regional and semi-state, both by the slimmest of margins. The other big rematch could happen at 145 between a couple of state champs. Perry's Cody LeCount narrowly edged Mishawaka's Tommy Forte last month at Bellmont's Main Event. This rivalry has a chance to continue at the collegiate level as LeCount has signed with Central Michigan and Forte will join his former coach at Buffalo.
 
BIG STORY #6 – BIG CHIEF'S FINAL TOUR (220)
 
I have an admitted bias to three sport athlete's and the top dog at 220, Gelen Robinson, is one of the finest all around athlete's the state of Indiana has ever seen. A scholarship to play football at Purdue is Robinson's future but there is no doubt in my mind that if he focused on wrestling in college he could be a national champion. He is also an elite track athlete and one of few Hoosier high schoolers to ever toss the discus 200 feet. In this era of specialization, Gelen is a national level athlete in three sports. A rare competitor that should be appreciated this weekend. WEIGHT CLASS BREAKDOWNS
 
106 - As mentioned earlier this class is packed full of young talent and that talent is spread throughout the state. Evansville semi-state champ Paul Konrath of Mt. Vernon has separated himself from the other talented southerners by a slim margin. Cathedral's Breyden Bailey has shown he is the class of the Indy area this season and Griffith's Jeremiah Reitz has risen to the top in the North. Other talented lightweights are certainly capable of upsetting the frontrunners. Drew Hildebrandt is a returning medalist at this weight, Colton Cummings of Lowell and Will Egli of Mater Dei are just a tick behind their respective area rivals, and coming onto the radar fast is Lukas Long of Lakeland.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fight – Lukas Long vs. Kyle Hatch – Long surprised the field at Fort Wayne on is run to the title and the veteran senior grappler from Lakeland High School does not have much tournament experience. He must face the highly talented Hatch of Warsaw; who placed fourth in the deep field at Merrillville. Upset Alert.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Colton Cummings vs. Breyden Bailey and Will Egli vs. Jeremiah Reitz – Are you serious? These two battles are semifinal or final quality and we get to see them on Saturday morning. The crystal ball is telling me the region boys will reign supreme here.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Cummings vs. Paul Konrath – Two super frosh from different corners of the state should be very entertaining for the fans of Indiana.
 
113 – There will be no shortage of excitement at the second weight class this weekend. A great mix of veteran studs and young guns will make this an exciting and unpredictable class to forecast. The veteran studs will be led by Franklin's DJ Smith, East Noble's Garrett Pepple and Merrillville's Michael Garza. Young guns and new faces on the state wide scene will be led by Evansville Reitz' Tyler Ferguson and Munster's Jason Crary. No clear cut frontrunner will make this an exciting class to keep an eye on.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fight – Austin Slates vs. Tyler Ferguson – Ferguson is the clear favorite in this match up but this will be no walkover. Slates has wrestled one of the states toughest schedules and has performed well in the post season. Ferguson is seen by some as a state title contender....a solid win over Slates would make a believer of me.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Skylour Turner vs. D.J. Smith and Tyler Ferguson vs. Garrett Pepple – Turner is flying under the radar at this point in time and he is talented enough to sneak up and beat some of the higher profile names in this weight class. Ferguson and Pepple should be an epic battle of two legitimate studs.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Jason Crary vs. D.J. Smith – Crary has some legit wins against the studs of the north and this potential semifinal match up with Smith should be excellent. Smith is a super strong veteran of the two day state tournament looking to be a state champion and also helping his team fight for a state title. Crary is a slick freshman with potential to be a multi time finalist.
 
[caption id=attachment_6276" align="alignright" width="300] Chad Red(right) will bump up two weights in search of his second title.[/caption]
 
120 – Chad Red is the headliner here and most definitely the odds on favorite to win his second state title. However this class is one of the deepest and most talented group of sixteen to take the mats this weekend. I could see at least six other grapplers with a legitimate shot at the top spot if Red were to falter. The mix of styles and athletes will make this class very fun to watch.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Jacob Cottey vs. Forrest Glogouski, DeLawerence Gayfield vs. Matthew McKinney and Ruben Rodriguez vs. Bailey Lahue – These matches should really start Banker's Life cooking Friday Night and all three could go either way. Lahue was a pre-tournament favorite to make the finals but was tripped up at semi-state. Gayfield and Cottey are former medalists but have drawn studs for their first matches.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Brock Hudkins vs. Forrest Glogouski and Chad Red vs. Bailey Lahue. Two awesome matches potentially await the fans Saturday morning. Hudkins and Glo should be a low scoring grind it out affair with some tough riding throughout. Red vs. Lahue is a finals quality match up with contrasting styles that should provide lots of fireworks.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Glogouski/Hudkins winner vs. Jake Sinkovics – Sinkovics talk was all the rage last year at this time and the young caveman had a disappointing weekend. This season Sinko has had a much lower profile but he has been no less dominating. The winner of Glo vs. Hudkins will come into the match with confidence and momentum.
 
126 – If the state association had any sense of drama, they would have adjusted the brackets so that the main event of the entire weekend, the potential match up of Stevan Micic and Nick Lee would have happened in the finals and not the semis. Oh well, this is the big one that has been the talk of the Indiana wrestling world this winter. Both old man Micic and young gun Lee seem to wrestling their best right now so lets all enjoy.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Elliott Molloy vs. Clarence Johnson, Cael McCormick vs. Aidan Kenny, AJ Belden vs. Anthony Vaughn. Molloy has the name recognition in this first key battle on Friday night but never underestimate a relative unknown from Merrillville. Coach Maldonado and staff have made old habit of having their kids peak at the right time of the season. The second match up of McCormick vs Kenny might have implications in the team race. Belden and Vaughn are evenly matched veterans.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfest – Erique Early vs. Molloy/Johnson winner. Fort Wayne Snider's Erique Early is a former state medalist who has been largely forgotten despite having an unblemished 26-0 record. He also has a strong wrestling bloodline as both his dad and uncle were former state champions. If Early can stay unbeaten he puts himself in position to possibly wrestle under the spotlight.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Early vs. Zach Davis – OK, OK. Everyone knows that the big one is on the other side of the bracket but I am also interested in a potential Early/Davis match. Davis' strong run and tough battle with Micic last year put him on the radar for 2014. The future Midshipman from Penn is a clear favorite here but I'm feeling nutty....going with Early in an upset.
 
132 – This could be the most anticipated match under the lights Saturday night if both Brandon James and Deondre Wilson hold chalk. They have already battled the past two weekends with Wilson winning both in nail bitting fashion. These two studs are obviously evenly matched and both are very well coached. Don't leave for a shave ice during this tussle.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Blake Jourdan vs. Brandon James, Sam Lovejoy vs. Devin Childers, Daniel Hesch vs. Clayton Moore. Jourdan versus James sounds like an NBA argument but this battle Friday night will have implications on the team title race. James must be ready to go Friday night or he could be upset. Childers vs. Lovejoy is an interesting match up as both of these juniors are extremely strong, stout competitors. Hesch, from state power Mishawaka, has put together a very nice post season this year squares off against the very talented Moore, who hails from the virtually unknown North Manchester.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfest – Josh Davis vs. Seth Carithers. Carithers must survive a tough Friday night clash with Kegan Kern to match up with Davis, a seasoned tough southerner from Reitz. Can Carithers conjure up some Alex Griffin magic and make a run similar to his former teammate a couple of years ago.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Devin Broukal vs. Deondre Wilson. Broukal of Bloomington South is one of those athletes that seems to have been around forever. That's a compliment because he is a multiple time state qualifier. I haven't seen Bloomington South wrestle much this year but if they coached as well as they were under Royce Deckerd, Broukal has a chance to slow the Tasmanian devil that is dressed as Deondre Wilson.
 
138 – The depth at the 138 is impressive but I am having a tough time getting real excited about any of the potential match ups. I'm not really sure why because there are plenty of talented grapplers in the field of sixteen. Three contenders stand out as having the best shot for the top of the podium: Drew Hughes of Lowell, Tommy Cash of Lawrence North and Skyler Lykins of Franklin.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fight – Jake Ruberg vs. Jacob Covaciu and Steven “Bam” Lawrence vs. Trent Pruitt. These two Friday night clashes involving three sophomores and one freshman might be glimpse into the future of middleweights in Indiana. Ruberg is a virtual unknown out of Lawrenceburg who impressed at Evansville. He will square off against Jacob Covaciu of Merrillville. Covaciu had a defining ticket round win over Jake Fuqua of Crown Point. “Bam” surprised me at semi-state and looked very strong. Pruitt is an up and coming stud from Warren Central looking to take the next step.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Tommy Cash vs. Wyatt Seng and Tyler Fleener vs. Drew Hughes. The bottom of the bracket serves up a couple of potentially interesting match ups. Cash is long and funky. How that style will play with the solid Seng will be fun to watch. Fleener is one of Indiana's premier brawlers who can score in bunches. Hughes is slick and hammer on top.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Hughes vs. Cash. These two talented underclassmen should provide plenty of entertainment if they both reach the semis.
 
[caption id=attachment_6277" align="alignleft" width="300] Cody LeCount will look to capture his second state title.[/caption]
 
145 – Two division 1 titans dominate this bracket and if all goes to plan, they will face a second time. Cody LeCount and Tommy Forte are quite simply two of the states premier wrestlers. Their match in mid January was awesome to watch. Grab your popcorn and enjoy.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Evan Loe vs. Parker Fritz and Logan Neher vs. Isaac Rentes. Loe is a semi-state champ and Fritz is an unknown on the state level but I have a hunch this might be a heck of a match. Loe is solid but Fritz is a powerful and explosive athlete.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfest – Tommy Forte vs. Ben Harvey. Harvey has been ranked third for the entire season and got the unfortunate draw into Forte at the quarter bracket level. Harvey certainly won't be intimidated by the mighty Caveman and is certainly talented enough to pull off the upset if Forte is not on his game.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Tommy Forte vs. Evan Loe. I'm not sure how close this will be but it appears to be the more compelling of the two semifinal matches. Similar styles could lead to a tight match but if Forte has his game right he just wrestles at a different level than most kids in the state.
 
152 – Another weight class where a threesome has appeared to separate themselves from the rest of the field. Top ranked Brendon Kelley of Evansville Central is on the same side of the bracket as second ranked Tristan Macri of Mishawaka. These two met last year in the state finals with Kelley losing to Macri in the 3rd/4th clash. Whomever wins the semifinal clash this year will likely face the ultra talented Chandler Carroll, who already has three state medals on his resume.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Willie Armstrong vs. Seth Ferguson and Michael Steele vs. Tylor Willms. The first Friday night clash pits the Pirate from Merrillville against the Artesian from Martinsville. This opener is made most interesting because the winner has to like his chances to make it to the semifinals. The second battle features Steele, who has been battle tested, against Willms. Willms represents tiny Fremont high school in the far northeast corner of the state. The Willms name is well known in that area of the state but 2014 is the first time in ten years that the Eagles have had a state qualifier.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfest – Darden Schurg vs. Brendon Kelley. Contrasting styles again should make this battle highly entertaining. The exciting and funky Kelley has been a joy to watch the past few years and he will have to deal with one of the thirty-four Schurg boys, all of whom are technically sound and rarely find themselves out of position.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – The aforementioned potential clash between #1 Kelley and #2 Macri is the highlight match of this bracket. Will Macri be able to neutralize the funk that Kelley will bring to the table? I'm not sure but it will be awfully fun to watch.
 
[caption id=attachment_6278" align="alignright" width="300] Vinny Corsaro has dominated all his opponents this season.[/caption]
 
160 – There is much chatter about the 160 state class despite the fact that the number one ranked wrestler, Vinny Corsaro, has been the undisputed number one guy all season. For some reason, wrestlers like Kenny Hughes of Lowell, Nick Borta of North Montgomery, Kyle Jolas of Huntington North and Joey Mammolenti of Penn are being spoken of as possible contenders for the crown. I am not buying it.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Isaiah Kemper vs. Kyle Jolas and Edmond Hogan vs. Nick Borta. Kemper, out of Evansville Central is a real goer and could catch the more hyped Jolas off guard on Friday night. Hogan should know best to keep the match with Borta on his feet and off the mat. Friday night in this weight class has plenty of great match ups throughout the bracket.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Rhett Hiestand vs Nick Borta and Jordan Partee vs. Joey Mammolenti. Borta has had his way with Yorktown's Hiestand in two previous match ups this year. An upset here could propel Yorktown into the team race title talk. Partee has quietly fashioned one of the best seasons in Madison's wrestling history but will he be able to stand up to the peaking Mammolenti of Penn.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Kenny Hughes vs. Nick Borta – Will this be the year that three time qualifier Hughes lives up to his press clippings and makes a run for the state title or will the hard nosed Borta grind his way to a win and another match up with Corsaro in the finals.
 
170 – This class is as wide open as any weight class I have seen in some time and that makes it very difficult to project and predict. Couple that with the fact that there are some legitimate dark horses who might have slipped slightly at semi-state and it should make for interesting wrestling up and down the class.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Jacob Stevenson vs. Tristen Tonte and Jake Rickenbaugh vs. Colton Gonzalez. The first match up is particularly interesting because it could definitely impact the team race. Stevenson is the clear favorite here but if I know Tonte, I know there is a side headlock that could come from any angle. The second clash pits two wrestlers with a combined 92-2 record. The winner has a realistic shot at making the finals.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Jacob Stevenson vs. Tristan Wilson and Chase Osborn vs. Jake Rickenbaugh. Stevenson is the top ranked wrestler in the state but the top eight in this weight class are so closely bunched an upset is possible at every level. Wilson is not talked about a lot but his resume matches any in the bracket. Chase Osborn of Penn just keeps getting better and a projected match up with Rickenbaugh should be most entertaining.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Dillon Jackson vs Chase Osborn – Osborn has one of the quietest one loss season I have ever noticed and he must win two tough matches to reach the semis but I like his chances. Who knows.....He has a legitimate shot to be Penn's first state champion in a long time. His potential semifinal foe would be Dillon Jackson of Yorktown. Jackson is peaking at the right time for the Tigers.
 
182 – As we move up the weight classes, I get into more familiar territory when it comes to prognosticating. I see the 182 class as a three man race for the title. South Bend St. Joe's Ryan Jankowski, Edgewood's Damien Chambers and Cathedral's Blake Rypel appear to have separated themselves from the field. Edgewood and St. Joe are not exactly wrestling powerhouses so I would give the coaching edge to Rypel who might be wrestling for team state title as well.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Nathan Warman vs. Myron Howard Anderson and Timothy Schoonveld vs. Michael Petrole. Warman of Perry Meridian versus Howard - Anderson of Yorktown is another Friday night match up of state title contending teams which will give it a little extra juice. Schoonveld and Petrole will match up two of the stronger athletes in this class.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Blake Rypel vs Jeffrey Wiseman and Corey Hinkle vs. Timothy Schoonveld. Cathedral and Penn are two other teams that have an eye on the big team trophy so Penn's staff will have a gameplan ready for Cathedral's Rypel. I have been extremely impressed with Penn's preparation of their wrestlers this post season. Hinkle comes in as the semi-state champ and is the decided favorite but the physicality that Schoonveld will bring might just be enough to propel the KV Kougar into the semis.
 
Semifinal Smackdown – Ryan Jankowski vs. Damien Chambers. Both of these studs have experience at Banker's Life as Jankowski was 6th last year and Chambers was a qualifier. Both are elite multi sport athletes. Jankowski is probably a little more unpredictable and this could either work for him or against him. Chambers has been under the radar all season but has big victories over numerous studs the past two seasons.
 
195 – This bracket looks extremely lopsided to me with the top half being a serious meat grinder. The entire bracket is filled with veteran toughness and young talent that his hitting its stride at the right time of the season. If New Palestine's vet Ryan Wagner can survive the minefield in front of him this weekend he deserves to be the champ. We will see this weekend if Wagner has been severely under ranked all season.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Morgan Kral vs. Randy Scott, Dakota Thacker vs. Kobe Woods and Jacob Aven vs. Kanez Omar. Friday night will be very fun at the 195 class with multiple key match ups. Kral of Crown Point will take on Scott of Mooresville. Kral is a tough physical match up with just about anyone in the state due to his 6'5” frame. Scott is the freestyle phenom who burst on the scene last summer. Two juniors to keep an eye on. Thacker and Woods might just be the premier Friday night battle in any weight class. Thacker is strong and seasoned with a Division 1 ride waiting for him at Indiana. Woods is a slick sophomore who surprised the Merrillville semi-state by qualifying last year. The last key battle in this class pits Purdue signee Jacob Aven against Fort Wayne Wayne big man Kanez Omar. Omar's only loss on the season was to top ranked Tieshawn Johnson.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfests – – Ryan Wagner vs. Kobe Woods and Tyler Scott vs. Kanez Omar. Wagner first test will be against the winner of Woods and Dakota Thacker. I project Woods to be man Wagner will be facing. Wagner's combo of strength and positioning will prove to be too much for the younger Woods. The second key match up pits Scott against the the super long Omar. Scott learned how to wrestle the long lanky types and this will serve him well against the Fort Wayne big man.
 
Semifinal Smackdowns – Tieshawn Johnson vs. Ryan Wagner and Katrell Moss vs. Tyler Scott. Johnson has been ranked #1 most of the season and has key wins over many top names. Wagner has more experience at this level where the pressure starts to mount. On the other side of bracket, Moss combines great strenth and athleticism in a difficult package to deal with. Scott is well coached and will come ready to do battle.
 
220 – “Outlined against the ruby red wrestling surface, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore their names are Death, Destruction, Pestilence and Famine. But those are aliases. Their real names are: Robinson, Miller, Tolley and Faulkenberg....” The four horsemen of Indiana wrestling inhabit the 220 class and might just make up the most intimidating group of big men the state has ever produced. Robinson is the returning state champ but there are those that claim its any one of the other three's turn to shine.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Gunnar Larson vs. Eliseo Guerra and Christain Warner vs. Seth Meyer. I will have my eye on Avon's Larson in his match up with the Elkhart Central big man. Larson appears to be the next in a long line of quality Oriole big men. I underestimated Lafayette Harrison's Meyer last week at semi-state so I want to take a closer look this week to see if he has the potential to make a run for the top next year. Zionsville's unknown Christian Warner will be his foe. One thing I do know about a Zionsville wrestler is that he will be extremely well coached.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfest – Connor Tolley vs. Christian Warner. The four top dogs are prohibitive favorites to make the semifinals but something tells me an unknown like Warner might have the combination of skill and coaching to give a big dog a scare. Tolley is no ordinary favorite, he is the 13th ranked 220 in the country.
 
Semifinal Smackdowns – Dylan Faulkenberg vs. Gelen Robinson and Connor Tolley vs. Fletcher Miller. Faulkenberg, the big man from small Cardinal Ritter High School, is the least well known of the four horsemen and that might be to his advantage. He has put together an impressive 99-1 record over the past two years but a narrow loss in ticket round at New Castle last year prevented him from making it to state. What more can be said about Robinson... I simply think he is the best athlete the state has produced in my 30 plus years of participating, watching and coaching high school sports. Tolley and Miller should be an old fashioned barnburner. The fans will certainly get a treat to watch finals quality matches during the afternoon.
 
[caption id=attachment_6280" align="alignright" width="199] Big Wes Bernard is one of the big dawgs looking for a title at heavyweight.[/caption]
 
285 – Onward to big boys. Unlike many wrestling fans, I really enjoy watching quality big man wrestling and this year's group of sixteen has plenty of quality. I do think that three heavyweights have clearly made themselves contenders for the crown. Cathedral's Wes Bernard has been around the block and is nationally decorated, Jay County's Eric Hemmelgarn owns a victory over last year's state champ, and Merrillville's young Shawn Streck was a medalist as a freshman, a rare feat indeed.
 
Projected Key Match Ups
 
Friday Night Fights – Nathon Trawick vs. John Duvall and Gavan Jolley-Little vs Darrius Connell. Trawick of Richmond and Duvall of West Lafayette will square off in a battle of Red Devils. Both are physical specimens that should lead to a high scoring affair. The second match up will be interesting to see if Jolley-Little can parlay some his freestyle success into a medal at the state level.
 
Saturday Morning Slugfest – 'Stormin' Norman Oglesby vs. Tyler Beeson. Oglesby is still just a junior who surprised the semi-state field at Evansville last year where he was the champ. A narrow lost to state runner up Joe Garland prevented the Purple Giant from medaling. If he can storm his way into the semi's I think he becomes a real threat for a state title in 2015.
 
Semifinal Smackdowns – Eric Hemmelgarn vs. Norman Oglesby and Wes Bernard vs. Shawn Streck. A great final four with this year's top two seniors battling it out with the top two underclassmen. Hemmelgarn will use his massive frame and height to try to neutralize the Ben Davis big boy and retain his state (#2) and national (#18) ranking. The other side of the bracket has Cathedral's top ranked Bernard facing off against Streck, who despite being just a sophomore will in no way back down from the Rutgers signee. I think Bernard's age and experience will be too much for Streck in this exciting battle.

Overall
 
There will be 224 wrestlers gracing the mats on Friday night with one goal in mind. Of those 224 wrestlers 171 of them were in our final Panko Strength and Speed Individual Rankings. Another 22 were on our watch list. On average each weight class has 12.2 ranked wrestlers. The best weight class was 160lbs where we had 15 of the 16 wrestlers ranked. Note that our rankings are finalized before sectional and do not take into account regional or semi-state draws. Thus there are many match-ups that cause ranked kids to lose in the ticket round. 106lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Jaron Katzer- Goshen
Kyle Hatch- Warsaw ***Watch List***
Mason Kaufer- Corydon Central ***Watch List***
Noah Franklin- New Washington
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#19 Ryan Hawkins- Perry Meridian vs. #3 Will Egli- Evansville Mater Dei
#1 Paul Konrath- Mt. Vernon vs. #14 Karl Wilhelm- Carmel
#15 Nathaniel Weimer- East Noble vs. #6 Drew Hildebrandt- Penn
#5 Colton Cummings- Lowell vs. #9 Hunter Langeloh- Columbia City
113lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 10
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Austen Laughlin- South Bend Adams
Colton Dawes- Southwood
Edward Loraine- Leo
Jacob Skaggs- Greenwood
James Pritchett- Ben Davis
Tyler Flood- Pendleton Heights ***Watch List***
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#20 Jon Becker- Bellmont vs. #8 Austin Holmes- Hamiliton Southeastern
#14 Austin Slates- Penn vs. #3 Tyler Ferguson- Evansville FJ Reitz
120lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Tristan Dembowski- Valparaiso ***Watch List***
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#7 Brock Hudkins- Danville vs. #20 Jake Hartman- South Bend Clay
#10 Jacob Cottey- Perry Meridian vs. #3 Forrest Glogouski- Fairfield
#6 Jake Sinkovics- Mishawaka vs. #13 Alex Johnson- Evansville Mater Dei
#11 DeLawerence Gayfield- Concord vs. #9 Matthew McKinney- Warren Central
#1 C.J. Red- New Palestine vs. #15 Brad Laughlin- Yorktown
#18 Ruben Rodriguez- Hammond Morton vs. #2 Bailey Lahue- Corydon Central
#5 Connor Knapp- East Noble vs. #19 Endrece Stansberry- Hamiliton Southeastern
126lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 11
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Anthony Vaughn- Elkhart Memorial
Austin Bethel- Mt. Vernon
John Hunting- Rochester
Logan Aldrich- F.W. Northrop
Quinton Harris- Avon
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#14 Elliott Molloy- Danville vs. #9 Clarence Johnson- Merrillville
#4 Cael McCormick- Yorktown vs. #8 Aidan Kenny- Perry Meridian
#7 Erique Early- F.W. Snider vs. #17 Rylan McCarty- New Palestine
132lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 10
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Clayton Moore- Manchester ***Watch List***
Devin Childers- Tippecanoe Valley
John Devine- Indpls. Cathedral ***Watch List***
Kegan Kern- Peru ***Watch List***
Logan Campbell- Yorktown ***Watch List***
Scott Warner- South Bend Riley
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#5 Blake Jourdan- Evansville Mater Dei vs. #2 Brandon James- Perry Meridian
#20 Lance Syverson- Fishers vs. #9 Joshua Davis- Evansville FJ Reitz
#1 Deondre Wilson- Warren Central vs. #16 Mitch Anderson- Mooresville
138lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Dominic Garrett- F.W. Bishop Dwenger
Jake Ruberg- Lawrenceburg
Mike Krzyston- Andrean
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#5 Zachery Krumlauf- DeKalb vs. #16 Ross Abram- Bloomington South
#18 Steven Lawrence- Portage vs. #8 Trent Pruitt- Warren Central
#1 Drew Hughes- Lowell vs. #17 Dillon Eldred- Westfield
#10 Dustin Hinkle- Western vs. #4 Tyler Fleener- Center Grove
#15 Wyatt Seng- Evansville Mater Dei vs. #13 Derek Ellinger- Adams Central
145lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Alexander Arney- Carroll (FW) ***Watch List***
Jake Sebahar- Lake Central ***Watch List***
Parker Fritz- West Central
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Tommy Forte- Mishawaka vs. #14 Ryan Baxter- Northridge
#15 Zach Batts- Cascade vs. #3 Ben Harvey- Indpls. Cathedral
#9 Jordan Lile- Fishers vs. #20 Korbin Karges- Princeton
#1 Cody LeCount- Perry Meridian vs. #5 Josh Pierre- Evansville Mater Dei
#19 Logan Neher- Bellmont vs. #4 Isaac Rentas- Merrillville
#11 Bailey Schober- Greenwood vs. #12 Kellen VanCamp- Lebanon
152lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 11
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Andrew Jones- Columbus North ***Watch List***
Austin Bauer- Angola
CJ Damler- Brownsburg ***Watch List***
Nathaniel Ryan- Alexandria
Willie Armstrong- Merrillville ***Watch List***
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#1 Brendon Kelley- Evansville Central vs. #7 Alex Rinehart- Penn
#10 Michael Steele- Westfield vs. #17 Tylor Willms- Fremont
#13 Chad Gaddis- Kokomo vs. #8 Eli Carlson- Carmel
160lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 15
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Luke Decker- New Castle ***Watch List***
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#7 Joseph Mammolenti- Penn vs. #16 Maximilian Dole- East Central
#18 Shaun Johnson- F.W. Wayne vs. #6 Jordan Partee- Madison
#1 Vinny Corsaro- Indpls. Cathedral vs. #11 Adam Dodson- Glenn
#8 Isaiah Kemper- Evansville Central vs. #4 Kyle Jolas- Huntington North
#14 Gabe Koontz- Edgewood vs. #9 Bryce Baumgartner- Bellmont
#5 Rhett Hiestand- Yorktown vs. #15 Ashton Forzley- Evansville Mater Dei
#13 Edmond Hogan- Culver Academies vs. #3 Nick Borta- North Montogmery
170lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Bennet Kempf- Evansville Mater Dei
Hunter Mote- Delphi
Jimmy Fisher- Columbus East ***Watch List***
Wade Young- New Prairie ***Watch List***
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#3 Jacob Stevenson- Franklin Community vs. #17 Tristen Tonte- Perry Meridian
#16 Kaine Luginbill- Adams Central vs. #15 Michael Bates- South Bend Washington
#4 Chase Osborn- Penn vs. #12 Keair Ross- Kokomo
#2 Jake Rickenbaugh- Heritage Hills vs. #8 Colton Gonzalez- Connersville
182lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Daniel Wright- Harrison (WL)
Evan Smith- Goshen ***Watch List***
Myron Howard-Anderson- Yorktown ***Watch List***
Tristin Anglin- Columbia City
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Ryan Jankowski- South Bend St. Joseph vs. #14 Andy Fischer- Southridge
#12 Evan Elmore- Avon vs. #7 Jeffry Wiseman- Penn
#5 Corey Hinkle- Western vs. #11 Ben Elliot- Noblesville
#8 Timothy Schoonveld- Kankakee Valley vs. #6 Michael Petrole- Franklin Community
195lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Bo Davis- Garrett ***Watch List***
Nick Cress- Peru
Noah Schrader- Indpls. Bishop Chatard
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#2 Morgan Kral- Crown Point vs. #13 Randy Scott- Mooresville
#5 Dakota Thacker- Bloomington South vs. #3 Kobe Woods- Penn
#15 Mitchell Sandlin- Madison vs. #18 Kevin Winkle- Twin Lakes
#12 Tyler Scott- Hanover Central vs. #14 Blake Brown- Evansville Memorial
#9 Jacob Aven- Zionsville vs. #6 Kanez Omar- F.W. Wayne
220lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Christian Warner- Zionsville
George Brantley- Hamiliton Southeastern
Kasha` Wilder- Ben Davis ***Watch List***
Steven Potosky- Crown Point ***Watch List***
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#7 Brandon Joest- East Noble vs. #12 Ben Schoolcraft- Martinsville
#13 Gunnar Larson- Avon vs. #10 Eliseo Guerra- Elkhart Central
#3 Connor Tolley- Franklin Community vs. #8 Bradley Sadilek- Carroll (FW)
#11 Clayton Stohler- Penn vs. #6 Seth Vaughn- Franklin Central
285lbs
 
Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12
 
Unranked qualifiers:
Caleb Coffel- Bremen
Chet Maxey- Hamiliton Southeastern
Guss Dajani- Bloomington South ***Watch List***
Owen Perkins- Oak Hill
 
First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers:
#6 Nathon Trawick- Richmond vs. #8 John Duvall- West Lafayette
#14 Landon Blackburn- LaPorte vs. #11 Tyler Beeson- Greenfield Central
#16 Jacob Smith- Southwood vs. #15 Guy Henson- Avon
#7 Gavan Jolley-Little- Jeffersonville vs. #17 Darrius Connell- Muncie Central

Site: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis | Website
Admission: $8 per session or $20 both days.
Match Results: TrackWrestling.com
 
Friday, Feb. 21, 2014
First Round | 6 pm ET.
 
Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014
Quarterfinals | 9:30 am ET with semifinals to follow.
Consolations | 5 pm ET.
Finals | 7:30 pm ET.
Important Links
 
TrackWrestling Link
 
IndianaMat brackets(with rankings)
 
IndianaMat MEGA Preview
 
State Finals Pick'ems
 
2014 State Finals: Rankings Breakdown
 
2014 State Finals: Team Race Breakdown
 
2014 State Finals: Expert Picks
Video Links
 
IHSAA First Round Mat 1
 
IHSAA First Round Mat 2
 
IHSAA First Round Mat 3
 
IHSAA First Round Mat 4
 
IHSAA Quarterfinals and Semi-Finals Mat 1
 
IHSAA Quarterfinals and Semi-Finals Mat 2
 
IHSAA Quarterfinals and Semi-Finals Mat 3
 
IHSAA Quarterfinals and Semi-Finals Mat 4
 
IHSAA Consolations Mat 1
 
IHSAA Consolations Mat 2
 
IHSAA Consolations Mat 3
 
IHSAA State Finals Championship