Who were the Breakout Stars?

[maligned]

One of the most fun things about watching state is seeing those jaw-dropping moments where we realize a kid is WAY better than we expected.

 

You guys know this: if a kid comes from a school that doesn't wrestle a tough schedule, it's so hard to gauge how good they really are or how much progress they've made from the previous season. Most of the time, those shiny undefeated records from a weak schedule get exposed at semi-state and state. But once or twice a year, our jaws drop and we go, "Oh, crap. Kid leveled up. Dude's for real."

 

For me, there were 2 kids like that this year: Easton Doster and Noah Weaver

 

Neither of these guys was new on the scene. And both had some off-season success that could have suggested an upward trajectory. But there were other guys with glossy records like them, too, who turned out to be on a "regular" trajectory of slightly better than last year once they got thrown in the fire. 

 

But when Doster hit that insane low single on Courtney that he could have hit on most D1 starters, it was an, "Oh crap. Dude's arrived" kind of moment. Then to see how slick he was both on attack and on defense the rest of that match on through the final against someone like Walker was super impressive. He is SO athletic and sharp and slick. Wow.

 

And Noah Weaver? Holy Andrew Howe, Batman. That kid's got some pace and heavy hands and hips and an engine that do not stop. Geez! To go from getting smashed by fellow underclassmen Cashman and Costello at 170 at semi-state and state in 2023 to being a 190 that runs circles around #2 McConnell and leads wire-to-wire over nationally ranked and Indiana #1 Henry? WOW. "Leveled up" would be the understatement of the weekend.

 

Mad, mad props to these two. It was so fun to watch them this weekend. Can't wait to see what they do next.

Edited February 20 by maligned

[SIACfan]

6 hours ago, maligned said:

For me, there were 2 kids like that this year: Easton Doster and Noah Weaver

 

Mad, mad props to these two.

 

Both are very deserving of the high praise that is "The Word of Maligned".

 

But that early TD that Weaver hit in the finals was the "WOW" moment of the tournament for me.

[Bulldog89]

6 hours ago, maligned said:

One of the most fun things about watching state is seeing those jaw-dropping moments where we realize a kid is WAY better than we expected.

 

You guys know this: if a kid comes from a school that doesn't wrestle a tough schedule, it's so hard to gauge how good they really are or how much progress they've made from the previous season. Most of the time, those shiny undefeated records from a weak schedule get exposed at semi-state and state. But once or twice a year, our jaws drop and we go, "Oh, crap. Kid leveled up. Dude's for real."

 

For me, there were 2 kids like that this year: Easton Doster and Noah Weaver

 

Neither of these guys was new on the scene. And both had some off-season success that could have suggested an upward trajectory. But there were other guys with glossy records like them, too, who turned out to be on a "regular" trajectory of slightly better than last year once they got thrown in the fire. 

 

But when Doster hit that insane low single on Courtney that he could have hit on most D1 starters, it was an, "Oh crap. Dude's arrived" kind of moment. Then to see how slick he was both on attack and on defense the rest of that match on through the final against someone like Walker was super impressive. He is SO athletic and sharp and slick. Wow.

 

And Noah Weaver? Holy Andrew Howe, Batman. That kid's got some pace and heavy hands and hips and an engine that do not stop. Geez! To go from getting smashed by fellow underclassmen Cashman and Costello at 170 at semi-state and state in 2023 to being a 190 that runs circles around #2 McConnell and leads wire-to-wire over nationally ranked and Indiana #1 Henry? WOW. "Leveled up" would be the understatement of the weekend.

 

Mad, mad props to these two. It was so fun to watch them this weekend. Can't wait to see what they do next.

Thank you for your kind words.  Easton has been working for this since he was 5.  Watching his big brother in high school & at Wabash college, learning and studying how the college guys do it at such a young age made him aspire to be the best.  He is still hungry and will continue on this wrestling this summer and improving to defend his title!!