Fort Wayne Semi-State

[blueandgold]

I’ll be honest… For years, this was the draw you wanted at Conseco/Bankers Life/Gainbridge at the State Finals. If you had someone from the Fort Wayne Semi-State that wasn’t Bellmont or Yorktown after the meat grinder that was Evansville or New Castle, your immediate thought was, “Easy W.” Now… It’s actually looking like things are a bit different. Of course, the FWSS had produced some hammers over the years that made finals appearances (Dominique Stauffer, Corbin Maddox), some with multiple (Fletcher Miller, Christian Hunt, Clay Fielden, Ike Ruble), and even a champion or two each year (Devon Jackson, Garrett Pepple, Rhett Hiestand, Brayden Curtis, Brad Laughlin, Hunter Watts), but in recent years (since 2020-21), it feels like they’ve been extremely competitive, have produced hammers regularly, and are no longer the “weak” semi-state a state qualifying wrestler hopes to draw. There have been two heavyweight state champions (Reeve Muncie, Marshall Fishback), a nationally-ranked Olympic style phenomenon (De’Alcapon Veazy), and more true title contenders (Jensen Boyd, Ayden Bollinger, Brady Beck)… And with the resurgence of a program like Delta, the emergence of programs like Rochester and Western, and the consistency of programs such as Bellmont and Jay County, I must ask… What’s the secret? How has Fort Wayne turned the tide since the new decade and become a threat?

Edited December 22, 2023 by blueandgold

[AJ]

Good post...

However, you forgot Muncie Southside state champ Isaiah Bradley...

[blueandgold]

4 minutes ago, AJ said:

Good post...

However, you forgot Muncie Southside state champ Isaiah Bradley...

Along with Billy Baker and Nick Crume, but wasn’t trying to list all the names, just providing some examples.

Edited December 22, 2023 by blueandgold

[JORVILLE]

11 minutes ago, blueandgold said:

I’ll be honest… For years, this was the draw you wanted at Conseco/Bankers Life/Gainbridge at the State Finals. If you had someone from the Fort Wayne Semi-State that wasn’t Bellmont or Yorktown after the meat grinder that was Evansville or New Castle, your immediate thought was, “Easy W.” Now… It’s actually looking like things are a bit different. Of course, the FWSS had produced some hammers over the years that made finals appearances (Dominique Stauffer, Corbin Maddox), some with multiple (Fletcher Miller, Christian Hunt, Clay Fielden, Ike Ruble), and even a champion or two each year (Devon Jackson, Garrett Pepple, Rhett Hiestand, Brayden Curtis, Brad Laughlin, Hunter Watts), but in recent years (since 2020-21), it feels like they’ve been extremely competitive, have produced hammers regularly, and are no longer the “weak” semi-state a state qualifying wrestler hopes to draw. There have been two heavyweight state champions (Reeve Muncie, Marshall Fishback), a nationally-ranked Olympic style phenomenon (De’Alcapon Veazy), and more true title contenders (Jensen Boyd, Ayden Bollinger, Brady Beck)… And with the resurgence of a program like Delta, the emergence of programs like Rochester and Western, and the consistency of programs such as Bellmont and Jay County, I must ask… What’s the secret? How has Fort Wayne turned the tide since the new decade and become a threat?

Rochester is at ECSS now with some tough kids who should be on the podium . I think kids wrestling year round helps even things out some more these days training at year round clubs .

Edited December 22, 2023 by JORVILLE

[blueandgold]

1 minute ago, blueandgold said:

Along with Billy Baker, but wasn’t trying to list all the names, just providing some examples.

Sheesh. Well… The Zebras have helped load ECSS back up. They’ve always been top heavy up north. I remember in 2014-15, most of the #1s came from the MV/ECSS. In fact, exactly half of the fourteen state champions that year were from there (106, 145, 152, 160, 182, 220, 285).

[Unknown Caller]

You go back to the 90’s and 2000’s the fort was a stacked semi-state. I think everyone has up and down years but everything always levels out. 

[Cameron10483]

For Fort Wayne specifically, the consistency and coaching that Warrior Regional Training Center (Indiana Tech) and The Fort have provided has done great work for the Fort Wayne area specifically. 

[Caleb Spires]

I’m a bit of an outsider looking in(I’m a ranker but not a coach), but as unbiased as I can attempt to be, the semi-state has been on a clear rise over the last few seasons. It doesn’t help much that there’s seemingly a lot of smaller class schools in the Ft. Wayne semi-state. Delta, Jay County, Adams Central, Bellmont, Western have been tough battles for nearly any team in recent years, but a lot of schools are coming out this season or last. Cowan, Homestead, Snider, North Miami among others are now littered with kids that will give your stud a brutal match-up. Yorktown is back in the rise after a brief down period. And best of all, freshman classes just keep getting more talented. The current coaching in the Wayne looks pretty dang good to me.

[GenHeavyHandz]

Snider has always produced great student athletes.  I believe a high turnover rate on the coaching carousel caused us to have a decline.  Staff, Admin, and Alums are committed to the success of these students.  The principal and AD wrestled. Football coach was a wrestler.  And they have the General in their back pockets.

[Sawyer Miller]

5 hours ago, Caleb Spires said:

I’m a bit of an outsider looking in(I’m a ranker but not a coach), but as unbiased as I can attempt to be, the semi-state has been on a clear rise over the last few seasons. It doesn’t help much that there’s seemingly a lot of smaller class schools in the Ft. Wayne semi-state. Delta, Jay County, Adams Central, Bellmont, Western have been tough battles for nearly any team in recent years, but a lot of schools are coming out this season or last. Cowan, Homestead, Snider, North Miami among others are now littered with kids that will give your stud a brutal match-up. Yorktown is back in the rise after a brief down period. And best of all, freshman classes just keep getting more talented. The current coaching in the Wayne looks pretty dang good to me.

South Adams as well

[Tcarter]

Plenty of young talent coming up in the Fort Wayne SS, lots of kids that have wrestled since they were toddlers.  The next several years will be fun to watch.

[BrodyHardcastle]

Don’t forget the 2021 semi state champs. 

[GenHeavyHandz]

3 minutes ago, BrodyHardcastle said:

Don’t forget the 2021 semi state champs. 

Don't let'em forget

[Bulldog89]

With Indiana Tech & The Fort, I believe the kids are learning at an early age to have a college wrestlers mentality and to wrestle with a bit of aggression & passion.  That is one thing I noticed at the National tournaments and the tournaments in and around Indy & with the high Schools that are very successful.   They have that “edge” to them.  Looking forward to see how the Fort Wayne Semi State does this year.  I truly believe we opened some eyes last year and we are not necessarily the draw you want Friday night. 

[Unknown Caller]

13 minutes ago, Bulldog89 said:

With Indiana Tech & The Fort, I believe the kids are learning at an early age to have a college wrestlers mentality and to wrestle with a bit of aggression & passion.  That is one thing I noticed at the National tournaments and the tournaments in and around Indy & with the high Schools that are very successful.   They have that “edge” to them.  Looking forward to see how the Fort Wayne Semi State does this year.  I truly believe we opened some eyes last year and we are not necessarily the draw you want Friday night. 

to piggy back off this, ft Wayne now hosting kids nationals, central regionals, and IHPO also brings high levels of competition to our kids back yard allowing them to see what they are up against down the road

[Bulldog89]

5 minutes ago, BlackBaron said:

to piggy back off this, ft Wayne now hosting kids nationals, central regionals, and IHPO also brings high levels of competition to our kids back yard allowing them to see what they are up against down the road

I think the local kids that put in all the extra work @ these facilities & take that culture and mentality back to their respective high school rooms also

is a big influence not just on their high school team but the area in general.  Madman Wrestling needs added to that list also.  Great room to be in during the summer months.   

[Unknown Caller]

9 minutes ago, Bulldog89 said:

I think the local kids that put in all the extra work @ these facilities & take that culture and mentality back to their respective high school rooms also

is a big influence not just on their high school team but the area in general.  Madman Wrestling needs added to that list also.  Great room to be in during the summer months.   

Also when the local talent chooses to go the D2, D3, or NAIA route to have success. When they come back they bring the knowledge back with them from the next level! It seems in the last 15 years, the concept of not only looking at division one helps kids take avenues where they tend to have more success. 

Edited December 22, 2023 by BlackBaron

[BrodyHardcastle]

2 hours ago, GenHeavyHandz said:

Don't let'em forget

Neva eva 

[Caleb Spires]

9 hours ago, Play Wrestler said:

South Adams as well

I meant to edit after the fact and include them! Another small school making big waves this year. Their freshman and sophomore classes right now are tough.

[nkraus]

read into this however you want, but i took the last 5 years of data from the state tournament ...here is our list of teams with 3 or more placers in the last 5 years

1. Western with 8

2. Bellmont with 7

3. Jimtown and Oak Hill with 6

5. AC, Carroll, Wawassee*, and Delta with 5

8. Garrett and Jay County with 4

Tied for 9th with 3: Leo, Elkhart, New Haven, Snider, East Noble, Norwell, Northwood

 

 

 

Teams with TOP 4 placers over the last 5 years:

Garrett, Bellmont, Wawassee*, and Jimtown with 3 in the top 4

 

Delta and Snider with 2

Carroll, Leo, Northwood, Western, New Haven with 1

 

ENROLLMENT OF SOME OF THE ABOVE SCHOOLS :

GARRETT 604

BELLMONT 641

WAWASSEE 948

JIMTOWN 582

OAK HILL 535

WESTERN 840

AC 368

CARROLL 2472

JAY COUNTY 879

DELTA 783

SNIDER 1872

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less than 3 placers over the last 5 years, but appearances in the top 4

 

Yorktown, Prairie Heights, Peru, Eastern, Maconaquah, and Kokomo

Edited December 22, 2023 by nkraus

[pugsley]

Cowan is trying to produce hammers with a student body of 229!

[Short Jay]

I believe the area has coaches who are involved in their programs from Elementary through High School.  This builds a culture and kids by into the system.  
 

 

[blueandgold]

Three champs tonight… I cooked with this post.

[casualwrestlingfan]

I'm hoping this was the beginning of getting back to where we belong! The schools & RTCs are starting to break through.

[Caleb Spires]

All five champs from 144-175 have some kind of ties to the Wayne. Obviously the three champs in Doster, Betz, and Leech, but also Kresja who started his high school career at Delta, and Cressell whose brother goes to Wabash and has Wabash listed on his own track profile.