ISWA Freestyle/Greco State

[Beavman10]

Let’s hear great matchups from this weekend of wrestling

[aoberlin]

Me sleeping 6 deep in a hotel room with other coaches and kids to save money. The snoring was musical.

[Coach Brobst]

Saw some really fun match-ups this weekend. I was mostly coaching my kids and with 3 gyms, I didn't get to see all the best match ups but some really good ones I did see:

 

In Freestyle, at 16U 170, Xavier Smith of Fishers took out some really big up and comers, dominating his way over Coy Bender and Ethan Farnell before following it up with an even more dominant Greco State title. As the Rival HS Head Coach, I'm not looking forward to having to deal with him for 3 more years. He hit two 5 point throws in one match over our 170 who is no slouch at all in Greco.

 

Jensen Boyd was a pleasure to watch compete at 106 at 16U as you might imagine. He was taken to the brink in his semi-final against Mason Goelz, ultimately winning 8-7. Goelz turned around then and beat Aidan Smalley (ticket rounder this past season) in one of the best barn burners I've seen, just back and forth the whole time with Smalley taking a 2 point lead with criteria as well with about 12 seconds remaining but Goelz was able to get a takedown and a gut as time expired to win it. Impressive young man all weekend. I'm sure he'll be a force in Avon's line-up for a while!

 

If you want to watch a match for pure entertainment value, the opening round match-up with 2 state qualifier Juniors in Pendleton Height's Jackson Todd and HSE's Zach Lang at Greco 152 had nearly 40 points scored. Fun one!

 

I'm sure there were others that were awesome matches, but like I said, I really only got to see my guys and others in their weights.

 

There's also quite a few 14U kids that are getting after it in the Olympic styles. Check out some of the light weight action at 71, 77, 83, and 87. Could be I haven't been paying as much attention before this year, because my club kids are just now getting to the age division, but it seems to me our 14U kids are more polished at the Olympic styles than ever.

 

Overall, really great wrestling this weekend. I think we'll be seeing a lot of success at National Duals and Fargo this summer.

 

 

[CoachAven]

I want to give a shout out to Blake Jones at junior 138. Did not place at any of iswa events last year and got 4th this weekend at Freestyle beating some very solid opponents and putting up 27 point in a match as well. Kids wrestles hard from whistle to whistle. 

[John Thornton]

Kresja vs S. Foster was a good one.

[Hereforthe2s]

Patrick Dowty vs William Grafton-Hodgetts 14U 106 FS semifinal was a great match. Shows a fall, but final was actually 10-8 Dowty. Dowty placed 2nd, Grafton-Hodgetts 3rd.  They met again in the GR finals with Dowty win, 10-0. These two are going to be fun to watch battle in the years to come. Both great kids. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by Brian Ladwig

[Coplen187]

Benjamin Land at Junior 285 really impressed me. A light heavy in the 230's, he and Hosia Smith had a great match in Greco that ended in something like a 16-16 tie, with Land winning in criteria.   His 4 pointers were well earned and fought for.  

 

Of course, as a Rochester guy, I think Brady Beck did great and is really filling into the new weight class.  He had a dominant weekend. 

 

 

[Beavman10]

Bryce Denton over Dillon Graham 12-2

Bryce Denton over Jackson Todd 12-2

Anthony Bahl over Bryce Denton 10-0

as well as

Dylan Bennett over Jesus Aquino-Morales 10-0

Dylan Bennett over Alejandro Ramirez 4-2