High school notebook: They're just numbers

[Matt2mat]

indystar.com

11/29/11

Written by

Nat Newell

 

Perry Meridian has a lot of state-ranked wrestlers, but Falcons coach prefers to see athletes earn the accolades on the mat

 

Perry Meridian High School wrestling coach Jim Tonte isn't opposed to individual rankings.

 

But he doesn't necessarily believe them.

 

Ten of his 14 wrestlers are in the top 10 on www.indianamat.com and the defending state champion Falcons are ranked No. 1 as a team. But Tonte will truly find out where his team stands this week. Perry Meridian has a meet at No. 11 Center Grove on Wednesday, then travels to No. 13 Franklin on Saturday. The Falcons host unranked township rival Southport on Dec. 7, then bring in Greenfield-Central, Avon and No. 3 Roncalli for a triple dual Dec. 10.

 

"Rankings don't mean a whole lot," Tonte said. "The kids like them. It can give some kids confidence and fires others up, but we'll have a better idea (where we stand) after this week."

 

Brandon Jones (113, third), Cody LeCount (126, fifth), Jared McKinley (132, second), Nick Bova (138, third), Kirk Johnson (160, first) and Jake Masengale (170, third) are ranked in the top five for the Falcons.

 

"Our kids have been going year-round, except for the football players," Tonte said. "A lot of them competed in preseason nationals in Iowa (last month), we had kids in Fargo in July, and at Disney World in June. We feel like our kids have been at this level and are ready for these kinds of matches on a year-round basis."

 

Think pink

How times have changed.

 

Zionsville wrestling coach Bob Brennan said he not only didn't have to convince his athletes to wear pink singlets to raise awareness for breast cancer in tonight's match with Frankfort at 6:30 p.m., but they want to wear them again later in the season.

 

"Everybody (else can be) like, 'Oh, pink,' but (my wrestlers) like the fact we're showing support," Brennan said. "The kids are really fired up. I'm very pleased with the way the kids have gotten behind it. Breast cancer has affected so many."

 

The Eagles are trying to raise $500 for the Komen Foundation. The team has been selling 50/50 raffle tickets and Hersey's Kisses -- "$1 for a kiss from a wrestler," Brennan said -- and will also sell T-shirts for $10 and pins at the match. The team plans to have a charity fundraiser each season in the future.