MattM Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 A list of wrestlers who's freshman year by itself could stand on its own as one of the best season in Indiana history. Not the usual list of all-time great careers that usually are listed because of a solid freshman year and a unbelievable sophmore to senior run. Basically , who was way ahead of their time as a freshman when it came to wrestling against the upper classman? Obviously the 4-timers would be worth mentioning since being a freshman state champ qualifies as a steller season. I'm sure a few of the most recent ones shouldn't be hard to come up with but some of the old timers would have to chime in for some other names. Getting the 4x State Champions out of the way: Estil Ritter, Bloomington Willard Duffy, Muncie Central Howard Fisher, South Bend Central Lance Ellis, Indianapolis Cathedral Blake Maurer, Evansville Mater Dei Alex Tsirtsis, Griffith Angel Escobedo, Griffith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogleg Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I agree that winning state as a freshman is impressive. But winning state as a freshman at 103 or 112 against other freshman, is not as impressive to me as a freshman placing 3rd at 189 or any other middle or upper weight class. My vote goes to Sliga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-train Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Jason Tsirtsis knocking off a returning state champ to get his freshman year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlyn Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Jason Tsirtsis knocking off a returning state champ to get his freshman year. He also beat Brandon Wright that season. He did, however, have a loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-train Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 He also beat Brandon Wright that season. He did, however, have a loss. two losses, actually. avenging one when he beat quiroga. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naco228 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 two losses, actually. avenging one when he beat quiroga. Avenging his loss to Napules too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth34 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I would also have to say that Mitch Sliga's season is by far one of the most impressive I've ever seen. Jason Tsirtsis was incredibly good last season as well. I don't think anyone else has a win as good as his last season as a freshman (against Cashe) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theckman Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Using TAE's outstanding book, I looked for freshmen above 120 lbs. that placed at the state tournament up through 2002. I probably missed a couple, but here's what I found. Some names will trigger an, "Oh, yeah!!" response, while others will probably trigger a, "They wrestled back then?" response. I also omitted the ones that were listed above. Randy Baker, Bellmont, 28-5 at 145 in 1991. Finished 3rd. T.J. Hays, Bellmont, 35-9 at 145 in 1994. Finished 4th. Jack Benson, Bloomington, 1st at 120 in 1944. Was a 3-time champ and runner-up as a junior. John Henry, Bloomington, 4th at 175 in 1931. Chauncey McDaniel, Bloomington, 4th at 165 in 1934. Joey Strausburg, Center Grove, 27-8 at 130 in 1991. Finished 4th. Aaron Kerkhof, Delta, 31-11 at 171 in 2000. Finished 6th. Shannon Stout, Delta, 32-12 at 135 in 1991. Finished 6th. John Ginay, E.C. Roosevelt, 4th at 155 in 1931. Emery Nemeth, E.C. Washington, 3rd at 165 in 1942. James Brimm, E'ville Central, 34-4 at 171 in 1993. Finished 4th. Patrick Lucio, Frankfort, 32-6 at 130 in 1996. Finished 6th. Dick Eggers, Hammond Clark. Finished 2nd at hwt. in 1940. Dan Pleak, Ind. Cathedral, 40-6 at 171 in 1992. Finished 6th. Brad Harper, Mishawaka, 43-2 at 145 in 1996. Finished 7th. Jared Hargis, Muncie Central, 37-8 at 160 in 2000. Finished 5th. David Palmer, Muncie Southside. Finished 2nd at 155 in 1979. Darren Elkins, Portage, 46-4 at 135 in 2001. Finished 7th. Kris Karns, Taylor, 26-8-1 at 138 in 1984. Finished 4th. Robert Jones, Wabash, finished 4th at hwt. in 1927. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julio Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 What weight was Blake Mauer when he won as a freshman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfish Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 If my memory is correct, Blake was 130. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 If my memory is correct, Blake was 130. You are correct sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfish Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 My man stick. The owner of two front teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-train Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Avenging his loss to Napules too true, but i didn't doubt that he would beat napules in a rematch. i think that he surprised everybody when he beat quiroga, plus it was more dramatic because it was at state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au160 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Sliga has to have had one the most impressive freshman seasons ever. I dont think he had the best, but probably top 5 ever. Even though he took third, he lost a very tight match to atwood, and not taking anything from johnson jones, but had mitch not got caught at semi state we very well may have seen the first of four state championships last saturday. I mean he took johnson jones down twice and cut him each time, and was up 4-2 at the time he got stuck ... but it's in the past now and Mitch's freshman career is still one of the best ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midwest Wrestling Fanpage Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 What is the heaviest weight class a freshman has won state in Indiana, and who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammer Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 What is the heaviest weight class a freshman has won state in Indiana, and who? I believe that there was someone in the 40's or 50's that won state 4 times who was a HWT. He might have wrestled a class in the 170 range as a freshman, because the weight class below HWT was considerably lighter than today. I think he wrestled for Bloomington. I'm sure TAE or someone with his book would have better info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maligned Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Despite Tsirtsis' two losses last year, the win against a Fargo national champion holds a lot of weight in considering him potentially the best freshman ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth34 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Despite Tsirtsis' two losses last year, the win against a Fargo national champion holds a lot of weight in considering him potentially the best freshman ever. Can't disagree with that. The three best SEASONS I've ever witnessed are Maurer (130 was a good weight class that year), Tsirtsis (had some great victories), and Sliga (a force at a senior-dominated weight class). I'm not saying these guys were more talented than guys like Hump, Angel, Howe, Alex, etc. I just think their entire body of work as freshman are more impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midwest Wrestling Fanpage Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I saw all of the mentioned wrestlers wrestle there freshman year, Noone has impressed me more than Sliga he is more athletic than all the others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-train Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Despite Tsirtsis' two losses last year, the win against a Fargo national champion holds a lot of weight in considering him potentially the best freshman ever. absolutely, it is hard to argue that any of the others had as difficult a road to get to the top as jason did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1212 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Using TAE's outstanding book, I looked for freshmen above 120 lbs. that placed at the state tournament up through 2002. I probably missed a couple, but here's what I found. Some names will trigger an, "Oh, yeah!!" response, while others will probably trigger a, "They wrestled back then?" response. I also omitted the ones that were listed above. Why start at 120? What about the little guys? They aren't in this discussion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theckman Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Using TAE's outstanding book, I looked for freshmen above 120 lbs. that placed at the state tournament up through 2002. I probably missed a couple, but here's what I found. Some names will trigger an, "Oh, yeah!!" response, while others will probably trigger a, "They wrestled back then?" response. I also omitted the ones that were listed above. Why start at 120? What about the little guys? They aren't in this discussion? Because this comment was in the first post: "Basically , who was way ahead of their time as a freshman when it came to wrestling against the upper classman? " I arbitrarily chose 120 as a weight where the majority of the wrestlers would probably be seniors. If you want to add them, feel free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeBoWrestler130 Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I definitely have to agree on Sliga, very impressive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyandky Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 another vote for sliga congrats on a great year mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regionrat1 Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Siliga frosh year has to be one of da best / but t-shirts beats a junior nat champ/ in my book 2 of da best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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