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CONNERSVILLE


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Reitz won the team title by 26 points over Roncalli

 

Reitz placers:

 

103 - Vanhook - 3rd

112-  Kuhn - 1st

119 - Moody - 3rd

125 - Dalton Backes - 6th

130 - Dowdy - 5th

135 - Rueger - 1st

145 - Voegel - 2nd

152 - Boyle - 5th

160 - Schneider - 7th

189 - Fentress - 3rd

215 - Kemp - 7th

285 - Wimpleberg - 3rd

 

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My best summary of Connersville. Some of these facts may be off a smidge:

 

103 - By far the most competitive and entertaining weight. 6 wrestlers are Conseco-caliber. Phillips was very dominant. the match was close with Venezia in the finals through 2 periods, but Phillips unleashed his strength and roughneck-style on Venezia putting him on his back twice for the majopr decision and almost a fall. Venezia had a real nice tournament beating A good Connersville kid, Gettinger, and a tight battle with Greenfield's Farrell. Both Wise from Pendleton Hts. and VanHook from Reitz were also impressive. I believe Vanhook took third, Farrell took 4th.

 

112 - Brian Harvey (Cath) vs. Bryan Kuhn (Reitz) in the finals. Thought this could have gone either way. Kuhn stole a couple quick back points on a scramble and it was the difference maker. I think it was 8-5.  Harvey beats Mason Todd 5-3 in the quarters and Davis from Roncalli in the semis. Todd pins Davis with little fanfare.

 

119 - Josh Kieffer in a class of his own. Beats Troy of FWSnider handily in the finals. Troy vs. Moody in the semis was a nail-biter.

 

125 - Justin Kieffer destroys Ethan Raley. Kieffer up 10-0 when he pins Raley. Kieffer superior on his feet and has a dirty double leg.

 

130 - Tyler Clark was pretty darn good. Clark beats Cathedral's Stringfield in the finals pretty handily.

 

135 - I thought this weight was pretty average. Rueger (Reitz) looked good beating up on Konrath (Mount Vernon) by a major, I believe. had Konrath on his back to end it.

 

140 - Kesterman (Triton C) wins over Thiel (FWNorth). Theil vs. Gillum in the semi was heartstopping/high scoring action. Tiandre Edwards (North Central) wrestles all the way back from a 2nd round loss to Kesterman to take 3rd.

 

145 - Gessell (Union County) vs. Voegel (Reitz) in the quarters could have been the final. It was a 18 - 16 type of match in Voegel's favor. Voegel then losing to Lefebre (FWCarroll) in the finals. Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda, but I thought Gessell could have beaten Lefebre. Gessell gets third. Weight was not the strongest.

 

152 - Manning of South Dearborn manhandles Timmerman of Carroll in the final by I believe a Technical Fall 17-2. Neibarger of Cathedral taking 3rd handily, losing a tough match to Timmerman in the semis.

 

160 - Tyler Willis dominated. Tech fall in the finals over Ardizonne from Roncalli. Next best kid was Lefevre from Carroll in my opinion.

 

171 - I was surprised to not see Smith of North Central win this. Trey Reese is the real deal though.

 

189 - Duckworth with little competition.

 

215 - Another very down weight class. smitherman of Pendleton Hts. was in the finals against South Dearborn. I forget who won. Says it all about this weight. Unflattering.

 

Heavy - Buchanan of Cathedral wins this one pretty easy. Had a very easy day today outside of a semi with Mt. Vernon, I believe. Beats a guy wearing a sweater in the finals from Milan.  

 

Reitz has a nice complete team and Roncalli has some nice lower and upper weights. I am glad to see Lance and Robert have some success. We will see if Reitz can get out of the South. If they don't, I don't see them having more than 4 make Conseco. Roncalli's Kieffers will be tough to beat by anyone at 119 and 125. North Central is back and had some nice upper weights. good to see Lou and Company back in the mix.

 

Cathedral didn't have a full team again hurting their cause. Hopefully, they can get their squad right in the next two weeks and definitely before Perry Meridian.  Roncalli vs. Cathedral should be a nice battle as well in two weeks as there are few weights in which the studs overlap.

 

Congrats to Reitz on a complete tourney victory from top to bottom. Paramount to win a 32-team tourney. Hats off to another well run tourney by the fine folks of Connersville and the Spartan Bowl.  

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Connersville Top Ten

1  Reitz - 261.5 (Overall & Class AAA Winner)

2  Roncalli - 236.5 (Runner-Up & Class AA Winner)

3  Cathedral - 227.5

4  North Central & South Dearborn - 173.5

6  Ft. Wayne Carroll - 149.5

7  Pendleton Heights - 139

8  Connersville - 119.5

9  Union County - 118 (Class A Winner)

10  Lebanon - 116

 

Ed Collier MVP - Justin Kieffer (Roncalli 125)

Most Pins - Michael Duckworth (Union County 189)

 

 

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     I'm sure this subject has been hashed out before, but is the Connersville classic as tough today as in years past?  I'm sure it varies from weight class to weight class, but I'm talking about the tournament as a whole.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think this tournament is still a tough one, but I think it was tougher in years past. Teams like New Pal, Lawrence Central, East Central made this tournament a bit tougher, but since those teams other teams like Roncolli, Hamilton Heights had joined. I would agree that each year it varies from weight class to weight class as to how tough it is.

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Well, I might sound like Old Man River or my Dad that walked uphill in the snow both ways to school, but I think it is much weaker these days. I don't want to be too critical of any specific programs, but there have been plenty that have come and gone. There are also some schools that have vacated and not been replaced with equal caliber wrestling schools.

 

For instance, Snider in late 90's was a powerful program with multiple state place winners at Connersville and at Market Square. I think they had one place winner yesterday. Same goes for Western and Greenfield Central. The Western teams of the 1990s were damn tough top to bottom. And Greenfield Central was always a contender to win.

 

As for good programs that have vacated for other tournaments, Warren Central used to be a force at Connersville. The old Western Boone teams with the McClain brothers placed high. Arlington, when they were the superior IPS program with Jay Manson. Franklin County of the 1990s/early 2000 with Sacksteder and company was a class winner. Evansville Central was  a great team with James Brimm and the top team in evansville outside of Mater Dei in 1990s. Oh, and Huntington North had some great teams back then with multiple champs every year. Hmm, Brebeuf when they had a program with Marlin Stewart and Old Man Neibarger. East Central with the Wolfe boys. The list goes on.

 

And, then you have the constants, Cathedral, Dave Cloud and my favorite non-Cathedral program out there - Pendleton Heights, Union County, Centerville, Richmond, Hagerstown, and all the Southeast Indiana stalwarts. You have the same solo concession stand and one of the best viewing areas in the state for a wrestling tournament outside of the New Castle Chrysler arena and perhaps Roberts Stadium. You have the same tournament director and the same announcer,  Matt Howard's brother of Butler basketball fame. And the awards are always a participant favorite: a plaque, a shirt, a card, and a picture!

 

It is a great tradition and a very well run tournament albeit the internet hasn't really made it to Connersville just yet for brackets and results. For the traditionalists out there, is that so terrible? Come see the wrestling for yourself :)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I don't like comparing today's teams with teams of the past.  I agree with IndianaWrestlingGuy,  Connersville is one of the best places to watch a tournament.  It has a great tradition.  Some weight classes (103) may have been tougher than others, but with 29 ranked wrestlers in action Connersville must be in the top 3 tournaments this year.

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