Wrestling's Best At Super Dual

[littlevito]

Decatur Daily Democrat

By Jim Hopkins

 

There may be tougher super dual wrestling meets in Indiana, but not tomorrow. Bellmont will put on the best show available with No. 1 and defending state champ Mishawaka and No. 2 Perry Meridian visiting the Teepee.

 

"We've got our work cut out of us this weekend with No. 1 and No. 2 coming in," admitted Bellmont coach Brent Faurote, whose Braves are rated sixth. Penn, ranked 15th, is also in the fray along with an always good Evansville Memorial team.

    "We just want to push our kids and get them prepared for team (state) competition, and it helps for the individual stuff as well," he added.

`    The Braves won six of 14 matches against both Mishawaka and Perry Meridian last year, but a host of pins helped the visitors to big wins.

    "We're going to have our hands full trying to do that (stay away from pins)," admitted the coach.

    A year ago, Perry Meridian beat Mishawaka here. Several weeks later, Mishawaka turned that around.

    "That loss to Perry was the best thing for us last year," admitted Mishawaka coach Darrick Snyder.

    "We tell the kids, you don't win the state championship in January. We want to find the best competition as often as we can and learn and get better. It pays dividends at the end of the year," added Snyder.

    "I don't like losing, but it really focused our guys. We changed some of the things we were doing (in practice), went to more intensive drilling, and we talked about the pressures of winning, the swing matches with Perry and where we could pick up some points. We still use some of those things now."

    Jim Tonte's Falcons come in unbeaten and are Marion County champs. Though they have eight new wrestlers from a year ago, Snyder is not buying Tonte's Lou Holtz approach.

    "They're tougher than nails, top to bottom. We're not buying into that because they're always talented. We know what we're getting in to and if we don't wrestle really well we'll come out of Bellmont with a couple of losses." said Snyder.

    The coach also promises a better behaved team than showed up last year. "We won't act like a bunch of idiots like we did last year. I'll guarantee it," said Snyder, noting that a few of his wrestlers did not take losing well last year.

    "We had some kids storm off the mat and look like third graders, like someone stole their Christmas presents. Those guys handled themselves great the rest of the year. We have a new team rule: act like that and you're off the team. Some of the kids have lost some tough matches and handled it well." offered Snyder.

    Three-time state champ Josh Harper lost last week to Cashe Quiroga of Lawrence North at the Al Smith Tourney, only his career second loss (other was to Deke Nelson of BHS) of his career. "I'm proud of the way he handled himself," said Snyder, noting that Harper will battle this entire season with a bad shoulder. He will have surgery after the season and should be ready for drills next fall at Michigan State.

    Harper is in one of the toughest classes at the Super Dual, 130. Bellmont state placer Will Sheets is there along with Sampson Cook of Meridan, 13-1 Roy Whetstine of Memorial and 20-4 Brannigan Barlow of Bloomington. Memorial will bring in tough heavyweight Dan Borkowski (15-0) and two-time state streeter Tanner Wedding at 171.

    Memorial Coach Larry Mattingly also likes his 135-pounder, Zach DeHaven.

    Mattingly, who doubled as the head football coach at Memorial until this year, does not feel that starting late for his football-wrestlers has been a detriment. "Those kids are catching up quickly. We're just happy for them that they were able to make that state run," said Mattingly. The Tigers lost to Bellmont in the 3A title game,  28-14.

    A first-year coach set for the big duals is former BHS wrestler Brandon Razo.  "I'm  pretty excited to come back to Bellmont for the super duals.  We're giving up three forfeits and that has hurt us, but I'm happy with the way we've been wrestling," said Razo, who will bring in tough Matthew Gerber at 135 and Josh Fiechter at 160.

    Gerber,who downed AC's Matt Kaehr last week, downed state streeter and No. 6 Bryce Schendel of Garrett last night. Razo was called in to keep the progress made by Dan Irwin, who went to Wabash College to assist Brian Anderson.