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By STEVE KRAH stvkrh905@gmail.com It’s an Indiana tradition unique to wrestling and two brothers from Bellmont High School will follow in the footsteps of so many Braves that came before them. Qualifiers for the IHSAA State Finals will parade into Bankers Life Fieldhouse before first round of the tournament Friday, Feb. 15 and Jon and Isaac Ruble were be representing their family as well as their storied mat program. “That’s pretty exciting, especially for their parents, Becky and Joe,” says Bellmont head coach and former state champion Paul Gunsett. “They’ve done a lot for those two. They’ve traveled everywhere for these two to wrestle. They’ve earned it with all the time and effort they’ve put in.” Jon Ruble is one of Bellmont’s captains and often leads the squad in during warm-ups at practice. “He’s a leader in our program,” says Gunsett of the older Ruble boy. “He’s been real reliable for me. He’s pretty special. He spends a lot of time with our younger kids. He spends more time with them than he probably needs to. He’s helped groom them and made them better.” Freshmen Carter Thomas (120) and Dominic Litchfield (113) are Isaac aka Ike’s usual workout partner during practice. Like many wrestling families in and around Decatur, Ind., there is a mat legacy. Joe Ruble is one of Bellmont’s many State Finals qualifiers, competing at Market Square Arena in 1991. The boys’ uncle Paul qualified for State and blew out his knee the week of the meet and was unable to compete. Joe Ruble’s uncle Kent Buuck was a a standout Braves wrestler. His best friend was Bill Schultz (uncle to Becky Ruble). When Buuck died in a highway accident before his senior year, Schultz dedicated his training to Buuck and became the second state champion in Bellmont program history, winning the IHSAA heavyweight title in 1977. The Braves’ first state winner was Phil Lengerich (138 pounds in 1969). Gunsett reigned at 135 in 1988. On 10 other occasions, a Bellmont wrestler has ascended to the top of the victory platform —Chris Mahlan (185 in 1979), Brent Faurote (98 in 1981), Paul Baker(130 in 1988), Tim Myers (119 in 1993 and 130 in 1994), Jason Baker (125 in 1996), T.J. Hays (152 in 1996), John Sheets (103 in 2000), Matt Irwin (135 in 2006) and Billy Baker (215 in 2009). The Braves reigned as team state champions in 1987, 1988 and 1994 and were runners-up in 1979, 1999, 2006. Jon Ruble (36-6) took an early 2-0 lead and made it stand in beating Rochester senior Drew Sailors in the Fort Wayne Semistate championship match. “I got that two-point lead and I’ve been riding leg stuff all year so I put the legs in and tried to ride it out and possibly get turns,” says Ruble, who was a state qualifier at 145 in 2018. “(Winning the semistate) means a lot. There’s such a big difference between second place and first place. You’re setting yourself up for that state run.” Both Ruble brothers —#DosRubles on social media — placed first at the Jay County Sectional and Jay County Regional. Isaac Ruble (36-6) placed second at semistate. Sharing the season and the State Finals experience with his sibling is something the older Ruble brother does not take lightly. “This is the only time we get to wrestle together,” says Jon Ruble. “This means the world to me. “We talk about it all the time.” What does Jon see in Isaac the athlete? “He’s a competitive kid,” says Jon Ruble. “He always thinks he’s the best.” With his family history, Jon Ruble was destined to be a wrestler. “I had no other choice,” says Jon Ruble. “Being a part of Bellmont history means the world. They’ve had such a great program forever. To be a part of that tradition is amazing.” The youngest Ruble brother has soaked up his learning opportunities in his first high school season. “I learn things and try to get really good at the — like firemen’s carries,” says Isaac Ruble. “It really helps me out. “There are certain things (Gunsett) gets on me about — like keeping my head up — and I fix them.” Given the age and size difference, do the two brothers wrestle against each other? “I can’t hang with him,” says Isaac. “He’s pretty good.”

Overall Rankings are always a heated debate amongst wrestling fans. Over the years we have always locked our rankings before sectional and let them ride throughout the state series. Every year we lose kids due to unforeseen circumstances and even the death draws at semi-state. However, they always prove to be quite accurate. This year we had the most ranked wrestlers in 175 or just under 78% in our final rankings. On top of that 206 of the wrestlers were in our state or semi-state rankings. Here is a breakdown by weight and highlight matches to watch on Friday night. 2019- 175 2018- 179 2017- 169 2016- 175 2015- 172 2014- 171 2013- 171 2012- 170 2011- 157 2010- 159 2009- 143 106lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14 Unranked qualifiers: Chris Newman- Mt. Vernon Dominic Skees- Lafayette Central Catholic First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #5 Stephen Roberson- Crown Point vs. #11 Isaac Ruble- Bellmont #3 Alec Freeman- Evansville Mater Dei vs. #9 Elijah Anthony- Frankfort #16 Alex Ocampo- Central Noble vs. #6 Malik Hall- Merrillville #2 Brennen Cernus- Culver Academies vs. #20 Aidan Sprague- East Noble #7 Carlton Perry- Warren Central vs. #8 Logan Miller- Brownsburg #12 Blaze Garcia- Avon vs. #4 Suhas Chundi- Carmel 113lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13 Unranked qualifiers: Harper Dedman- Oak Hill Jake Armstrong- Winamac Community. Landon Bertch- Bluffton First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #12 Preston Teusch- Huntington North vs. #14 Jacob Simone- Hamilton Southeastern #9 Gavinn Alstott- Floyd Central vs. #7 Martin Cruz- Merrillville #2 Zeke Seltzer- Indianapolis Cathedral vs. #16 Jett Boots- Angola #4 Giovanni Diaz- Wheeler vs. #17 Kamariyon Nelson- Brownsburg #1 Jacob Moran- Portage vs. #5 Cole Ross- Evansville Mater Dei 120lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14 Unranked qualifiers: John Robinson- Delta Logan Galbraith- North Central First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #19 Beau Humphrey- FW Snider vs. #8 Trey Finnearty- Culver Academies #4 Brayden Lowery- Roncalli vs. #11 Tyler Conley- Avon #16 Jace Alexander- Wawasee vs. #17 Kade Zadylak- Norwell #2 Blake Boarman- Evansville Mater Dei vs. #10 Chris Stewart- Warren Central #12 Evan Beasley- Northridge vs. #14 Ty Haskins- Portage #5 Carson Eldred- Westfield vs. #6 Kysen Montgomery- Brownsburg 126lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13 Unranked qualifiers: Brendon Mark- Mishawaka Hayden Shepherd- Western Jared Brown- Pendleton Heights First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #9 Chase Wilkerson- Mt. Vernon (Fortville) vs. #16 JJ Conway- Floyd Central #3 Hunter Watts- Jimtown vs. #15 Evan Burge- McCutcheon #12 Kane Egli- Evansville Mater Dei vs. #7 Logan Wagner- Zionsville #6 Lukasz Walendzak- Indianapolis Cathedral vs. #14 Cade Meier- Bloomington South #5 Brock Peele- Portage vs. #2 Brayden Curtis- Yorktown 132lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13 Unranked qualifiers: Aundre Beatty- Warren Central Eli Hickman- Rensselaer Central Hunter Brown- Cambridge City Lincoln First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #4 Geremia Brooks- Wawasee vs. #11 Clay Egli- Evansville Mater Dei #13 Seth Johnson- North Montgomery vs. #17 Logan Mosser- Adams Central #7 Logan Boe- Plainfield vs. #16 Reese Rodriguez- Hammond Morton #2 Alec Viduya- Roncalli vs. #15 Owen Krider- Carroll (FW) #10 Ricky Hegedus- Portage vs. #9 Drake Campbell- Brownsburg 138lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12 Unranked qualifiers: AJ Poindexter- Harrison (WL) Cameron Worley- Lafayette Jefferson Gabe Weeks- Mishawaka Treyton Mucker- Tell City First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #1 Cayden Rooks- Columbus East vs. #20 William Fiechter- Southern Wells #3 Conner Gimson- Jimtown vs. #8 Drew Kreitzer- Brownsburg #4 Braxton Alexander- Wawasee vs. #5 Gabe Phillips- Centerville #15 Jaden Reynolds- Avon vs. #11 Dylan Goudy- Western 145lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14 Unranked qualifiers: Kade Law- Columbus East Scottie Saylor- Carroll (FW) First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #8 Jacob Burford- Crown Point vs. #5 Antwaun Graves- Warren Central #20 Terrell Leavell- Lawrence Central vs. #10 Jacob Maldonado- Merrillville #3 Alex Mosconi- Indianapolis Cathedral vs. #13 Jeffrey Harper- Penn #7 Jonathan Kervin- Floyd Central vs. #11 Jake Jenkins- Homestead #6 Jorden Douglass- Attica vs. #4 Aiden Warren- Perry Meridian #14 Ryan Rasler- Prairie Heights vs. #12 LJ Burdon- Plainfield 152lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 12 Unranked qualifiers: Cody McCune- Huntington North Isaiah Mohmed- Wheeler Mathew Mangus- Zionsville Noah Hollendonner- Crown Point First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #3 Cooper Noehre- Greenfield-Central vs. #15 Ellisston Ross- Bloomington South #10 Cole Cervantes- Griffith vs. #11 Eric Hiestand- Yorktown #7 Nathan Conley- Avon vs. #2 Elliott Rodgers- Indianapolis Cathedral #9 Sam Fair- Perry Meridian vs. #5 Jake Schoenegge- Columbus East 160lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 11 Unranked qualifiers: Abel Verbeek- Lowell Braden Welch- Culver Academies Drew Sailors- Rochester Community Gabe Sollars- Evansville Mater Dei Jaymiere Johnson- Hammond Gavit First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #6 Jackson Pettigrew- Columbia City vs. #18 Hayden Lohrey- Shenandoah #2 Jordan Slivka- Indianapolis Cathedral vs. #19 Joe Parrish- Homestead #11 Jon Ruble- Bellmont vs. #12 Jake Lowe- North Montgomery 170lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 14 Unranked qualifiers: Bryce Buckley- Eastern (Greentown) Delton Moore- Manchester Jason Streck- Merrillville First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #11 Kyle Saez- Westfield vs. #6 Macartney Parkinson- Evansville Mater Dei #7 Derek Blubaugh- Bloomington South vs. #10 Logan Hart- Carmel #5 Elijah Mahan- Roncalli vs. #14 Thierry Jean-Baptiste- Brownsburg #16 Colin Kwiatkowski- Valparaiso vs. #18 Zane Gilbreath- Rochester Community #1 Nick South- Columbus East vs. #13 Josh Lowe- North Montgomery 182lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13 Unranked qualifiers: Austin Leech- Garrett Jacob Combs- Hagerstown Zachary Flynn- Jasper First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #7 Mason Winner- Jay County vs. #19 Devontay Moore- North Central (Indpls.) #17 Noah Perez- LaPorte vs. #3 Levon Bellemy- Edgewood #1 Carson Brewer- Avon vs. #15 Noah Brown- Penn #14 JD Farrell- Fishers vs. #6 Jake Lone- NorthWood #5 Evan Bates- Chesterton vs. #9 Trizton Carson- Danville Community 195lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 13 Unranked qualifiers: Chandler Chapman- Jay County Griffin Stine- Martinsville Kyle Krummen- East Central First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #9 KJ Roudebush- Tipton vs. #17 Dakari Kenny- Pike #5 Nick Willham- Greenwood Community vs. #12 Austin Lane- Perry Meridian #2 Ewan Donovan- Hebron vs. #8 Stewart Mossholder- Oak Hill #7 Cale Gray- Norwell vs. #18 Ethan Potosky- Crown Point 220lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 10 Unranked qualifiers: Christian Graft- Huntington North Cullen Browning- Northeastern Damari Dancy- Portage Grant Johnson- New Prairie Josh Howell- Terre Haute South Vigo Reese Wicker- Churubusco First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #6 Joey Kidwell- West Lafayette vs. #4 Kyle Cornwell- Elwood Community #3 Andrew Irick- Hamilton Southeastern vs. #10 Drew Bailey- Merrillville #13 Will Stewart- South Spencer vs. #9 Jayden Elwood- Leo 285lbs Number of Ranked Wrestlers Qualifying: 11 Unranked qualifiers: Aidian Rea- Heritage Hills AJ Jones- Madison-Grant Logan Swallow- Monroe Central Matthew Munoz- Jeffersonville Sam Jones- Perry Meridian Vince Yoder- Fairfield First round match-ups of ranked wrestlers: #1 Jamichael Watts- North Central vs. #19 Anthony Atria- Merrillville #17 Crae Kunkleman- Hamilton Southeastern vs. #2 Yehezquel DeVault- Penn #18 Will Crider- Harrison (WL) vs. #10 John Harris- Roncalli First round match-ups of unranked wrestlers: Matthew Munoz- Jeffersonville vs. Vince Yoder- Fairfield