Wrestling sectional capsules

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By Michael Osipoff

Post-Tribune staff writer

 

 

The wrestling postseason begins on Saturday with a slightly different look. Only the first-place team from each sectional will advance to regionals, instead of the top two teams. The semistate round was eliminated.  Also, in the individual tournament, the top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance from regionals to semistate, instead of the top three.

 

Area wrestling sectionals

 

(beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday)

 

East Chicago Central

 

Teams: Bishop Noll, Clark, East Chicago Central, Gavit, Hammond, Highland, Lake Central, Morton, Munster, Whiting.

 

Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Kyle Ayersman (Lake Central), Aurelio Medina (Munster); 112 -- Bryan Smith (Lake Central), Danny Rodriguez (Highland); 119 -- Marc Escobedo (Lake Central), Luke Smith (Munster); 125 -- Bradley Wartman (Lake Central), Bret Roberts (Gavit); 130 -- Clint Boelt (Munster), Chris Pajdzik (Gavit); 135 -- Justin Slosser (Munster), Keith Britton (Clark); 140 -- Alex Surma (Munster), Victor Rodriguez (East Chicago Central); 145 -- Chris Almaraz (Highland), Michael Adams (Munster), Emerik Quiroz (Whiting); 152 -- Aaron Estrada (Munster), Brandon Cole (East Chicago Central); 160 -- Rob Keough (Lake Central), Johnny Tyler (Highland); 171 -- Mitch Vis (Highland), Adrian Gutierrez (Munster); 189 -- Willie Lott (East Chicago Central), Jack Seaman (Munster), Jeff Smith (Bishop Noll); 215 -- Vlade Nacovski (Lake Central), Nate Nunez (Highland); 285 -- Coty Anderson (Highland), Breyon Moore (East Chicago Central).

 

Outlook: Munster last season won its first sectional title since 2001, after Lake Central had won back-to-back titles and four in the last six seasons. The third-place Indians narrowly finished ahead of the Mustangs in the Lake County tournament, and it should come down to those two teams.

 

Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to Calumet Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at LaPorte.

 

Calumet

 

Teams: Calumet, Griffith, Hobart, Lake Station, Lew Wallace, Merrillville, River Forest, West Side, Wirt.

 

Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Zac Stevens (Merrillville), Brian Orzechowicz (Griffith), Malcolm Malone (West Side); 119 -- William Ketchum (Calumet), Willy Costakis (Merrillville), Judge Yanez (River Forest); 125 -- Anthony Napules (Merrillville), Sam Camacho (Hobart), J.W. Yanez (River Forest), Jabez Anderson (Wirt); 130 -- Frankie Porras (Hobart), Mike Clark (Calumet), Frankie Valdivia (Merrillville), Nick Gonzalez (Griffith); 135 -- Johnny Dillon (Hobart); 140 -- Darrius Richmond (Merrillville), Jack Hammons (Lake Station), Deontay Taylor (Lew Wallace); 145 -- Aaron Hammons (Lake Station); 152 -- Jack France (Hobart), Chris Hammons (Lake Station); 160 -- Derek Stokes (River Forest); 189 -- Chris Bartley (Griffith), Nathan Fowler (Calumet); 215 -- Christopher Woods (West Side), Anthony Cherry (Calumet), Montell Davis (Lew Wallace); 285 -- James Travis (Merrillville).

 

Outlook: Merrillville has won four straight titles, and the Pirates should make it five in a row.

 

Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to Calumet Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at Crown Point.

 

Crown Point

 

Teams: Andrean, Boone Grove, Crown Point, Hanover Central, Kankakee Valley, Lowell, North Newton, Valparaiso.

 

Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Cameron Halsted (Crown Point), Paul Petrov (Hanover Central); 112 -- Anthony Hawkins (Crown Point), Cameron Wilson (Andrean); 119 -- John Petrov (Hanover Central), Jake Lamb (Lowell), Josh Manes (Crown Point), Kyle Chadwick (Kankakee Valley), Sean Wilkie (North Newton); 125 -- Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point), Cameryn Brady (Lowell), Zeke Escobedo (Andrean), Chad Miller (Valparaiso); 130 -- Aaron Kearney (Kankakee Valley), Derek Wilson (Valparaiso), Mike Fauser (Boone Grove); 135 -- Eric Roach (Crown Point), Dustin Schultz (Kankakee Valley), Cody Jackson (North Newton); 140 -- Josh Flamme (Crown Point); 145 -- Cody Ray (North Newton), Marcus Cooper-Langoria (Hanover Central), Josh Kazee (Valparaiso); 160 -- Mark Myers (Crown Point), Kurt Monix (Lowell), Shaun Taber (Boone Grove); 171 -- Andrew Sands (Hanover Central); 189 -- Marcus Shrewsbury (Crown Point), Adam Mandeville (Kankakee Valley), Will Hoefflicker (Valparaiso), Ben Golub (Boone Grove); 215 -- Nathan Cleveland (Lowell), Donovan Czarnecki (Kankakee Valley).

 

Outlook: Crown Point has won six consecutive titles, and the Bulldogs have been the area's best team this season and among the state's best.

 

Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to LaPorte Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at Calumet.

 

LaPorte

 

Teams: Chesterton, Glenn, Knox, LaPorte, Michigan City, New Prairie, North Judson, Portage.

 

Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Jesse Duque (Portage); 112 -- Brandon Coppinger (Portage), Travis Mowery (Glenn); 119 -- Danny Bradley (Knox), Kaleb McCallum (Glenn); 125 -- Luis Acuna (Portage), Kyle Hernandez (Knox); 130 -- Zack Thornton (Chesterton), Joe Zigler (New Prairie), Jimmy Poplawski (Michigan City); 135 -- Thomas Lusco (Michigan City), Joel Gillespie (Chesterton); 140 -- Garrett Payne (Michigan City), Brandon Garvey (Chesterton); 145 -- Spencer Stockwell (Chesterton), Tony Nuzzo (Portage); 152 -- Sean McMurray (Portage), Anthony Quiroz (Chesterton), Jordan Martin (New Prairie); 160 -- Jimmy Krause (Knox), Ryan Balanow (New Prairie); 171 -- Adam Winebrenner (Knox), Aaron King (Portage), Kyle Oviatt (LaPorte); 189 -- Alex Windbigler (Knox), Kyle Keith (Portage), Bryce Holland (LaPorte); 215 -- Kannon Keigley (New Prairie), Nathaniel Coleman (Portage); 285 -- Craig Fitzgerald (Glenn), Alex Boatright (Chesterton).

 

Outlook: Portage won 16 straight titles, before Chesterton won the last two. The Indians should be in position to regain the title.

 

Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to LaPorte Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at East Chicago Central.

 

Note

 

Rensselaer will compete in the 11-team Twin Lakes Sectional; top four individuals in each weight class advance to Logansport Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Peru Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at Lafayette Jefferson.