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Science suggests civilization began between the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It's a proven fact Indiana wrestling excels along the banks of the Calumet River (yes, it's sarcasm).   

It can not be worse than hearing the Region pound its chest every year.  I figure that if you wish to put your team out there, be prepared to prove it, or prepared to hear about not living up to "potential." 

Avon is so good I don't even know why the rest of the state has a team. They are probably the sole reason wrestling numbers are down state-wide - because everyone knows that next year Avon will win all 14 championships. I wonder if they could send their JV team and their freshmen team to a few other states and win there too.
This isn't a knock on Avon, it's just a little tiring hearing over and over and over how wrestling starts and ends in Hendricks County.

It seems "Finish Him" is a new catch phrase for some parents. I had flash backs to Mortal Combat on the Sega.

Meanwhile, the Morans, who actually moved to Portage and enrolled before school started are still sitting.  What a joke.  

Phil McDaniel - two time 4th place finisher in the Tri High sectional. Once snuck into the hospitality room and took the last piece of fried chicken ahead of the New Castle coaching staff. No other wrestler has ever been that brave before. It's the stuff legends are made of.

It seems this tourney is always in the dark ages as far as information goes. There are lots of good wrestlers and good schools participating, but it's very difficult to find any info on this. Last year Y2 posted the results. I think he posted some scanned copies, but at least we had something.

I really should get actual work done - but wrestling is much more interesting. Here's my unofficial breakdown of the last four years.
I used a scoring format of 4 points for 1st, 3 for 2nd and so on.
 
2016
New Castle - 4 champs, 5 2nds, 6 thirds, 3 fourths = 46 points
Evansville - 4 champs, 3 2nds, 5 thirds, 4 fourths = 39 points
E. Chicago/Merriville - 6 champs, 5 2nds, 1 third, 5 fourths = 46 points
Ft. Wayne - 0 champs, 1 2nd, 2 thirds, 2 fourth = 9 points
 
2015
New Castle - 4 champs, 6 2nds, 5 thirds, 5 fourth = 49 points
Evansville - 2 champs, 2 2nds, 5 thirds, 4 fourths = 28 points
E. Chicago/Merriville - 7 champs, 4 seconds, 1 third, 2 fourths = 44 points
Ft. Wayne - 1 champ, 2 2nds, 3 3rds, 3 fourths = 19 points
 
2014
New Castle - 6 champs, 5 2nds, 2 thirds, 3 4ths = 46 points
Evansville - 4 champs, 1 2nd, 6 thirds, 3 4ths = 34 points
E. Chicago/Merriville - 3 champs, 5 2nds, 3 3rds, 2 4ths = 35 points
Ft. Wayne - 1 champ, 3 2nds, 3 thirds, 2 fourth = 25 points
 
2013
New Castle - 7 champs, 5 2nds, 4 thirds, 3 fourths = 54 points
Evansville - 1 champ, 1 2nd, 4 thirds, 5 fourths = 20 points
E. Chicago/Merriville - 5 champs, 4 2nds, 1 third, 1 fourth = 35 points
Ft. Wayne - 1 champ, 4 2nds, 5 thirds, 5 fourths = 30
 
Total over 4 years
 
1) New Castle 195
2) E. Chicago/Merriville  160
3) Evansville 120
4) Ft. Wayne 83
 
For whatever it's worth

I didn't do Final Fours - I just went top 2. Here's the breakdown
 
Champs:
 
East Chicago - 6
New Castle - 4
Evansville - 4
 
Runners-up
East Chicago - 5
New Castle - 5
Evansville - 3
Ft. Wayne - 1

Phil McDaniel - two time 4th place finisher in the Tri High sectional. Once snuck into the hospitality room and took the last piece of fried chicken ahead of the New Castle coaching staff. No other wrestler has ever been that brave before. It's the stuff legends are made of.

It seems this tourney is always in the dark ages as far as information goes. There are lots of good wrestlers and good schools participating, but it's very difficult to find any info on this. Last year Y2 posted the results. I think he posted some scanned copies, but at least we had something.

They have a good, young team. Gary Black is a highly energetic coach that is a fiery competitor. He has devoted a lot of time to them.

They just called it graduation, they wanted you out of there!

I think grades or emotional issues is a valid point only when you don't allow Little Johnny to wrestle in meets ( national or local) if the grades are not up to your standard then Johnny needs to work on homework not practice .. same with emotional issues , maybe they should go to counseling instead of wrestling practice.. my point is it is obvious who does it for their advantage on the mat so they are only fooling themselves ... just be honest with people and with yourself , it's because they can't compete with kids at the same age so it's cheating ( might be legal) but it's cheating

There have been instances where kids will stay with family or friends in order to compete at a certain school.

They have a good, young team. Gary Black is a highly energetic coach that is a fiery competitor. He has devoted a lot of time to them.

I can give you some clarity brother. My name is Eric Allred and I'm the father of Silas Allred, our (Shenandoah's) state ranked 170lb freshman. I also have the privilege of being our team chaplain/life coach and take great pride in helping our young men become the best version of themselves possible on & off the mat. I moved to this community from Muncie 4yrs ago when I gained custody of my sons. At the time, Silas hadn't wrestled since winning the ISWA State Championship as a 9yr old bantam

Correct.  Because one of the biggest life lessons sports participation is supposed to teach is if you don't like your situation just find a better set of circumstances instead of dealing with potential adversity.  

Just want to commend you guys on an excellent job. Even being as invested as I am in our team and my own son.......I'm pretty confident that I'll end up leaving Ft Wayne with borderline whiplash from breaking my neck to get a peek at some of these other match-ups! Wow. Good luck to all the teams competing. Safe travels, I genuinely pray for the safety of all the athletes competing, and remember to represent your program and Indiana wrestling with integrity, sportsmanship and humility. Especially after trying to rip your opponents heads off

I read and reread the post. I just don't see the big deal. This is a forum where we constantly predict winners and losers. Just because someone predicts a wrestler will lose - doesn't mean they are taking away anything from that wrestler. Half of this forum would be closed down if we can't predict winners and losers. And this user wasn't focusing on a wrestler losing as much as he was promoting another wrestler he thought would win.
From what I read, this poster thinks Garcia is beatable. Pretty much every wrestler to ever don a singlet in this state is beatable. I don't see that as being a negative. It's fun to make predictions - but we all know the real proof is what actually happens on the mat.

I read and reread the post. I just don't see the big deal. This is a forum where we constantly predict winners and losers. Just because someone predicts a wrestler will lose - doesn't mean they are taking away anything from that wrestler. Half of this forum would be closed down if we can't predict winners and losers. And this user wasn't focusing on a wrestler losing as much as he was promoting another wrestler he thought would win.
From what I read, this poster thinks Garcia is beatable. Pretty much every wrestler to ever don a singlet in this state is beatable. I don't see that as being a negative. It's fun to make predictions - but we all know the real proof is what actually happens on the mat.

Your 100 percent correct. The following statements are in my post: "Not everyone shares that view and I can respect that also. Sure... everyone is entitled to an opinion. It is very fun to see the people on this board debating who will come out on top." My only issue is with this anonymous poster that spends most of their time (while on here) posting that our kids will not win or fail. That's it. I typically enjoy and respect all post for or against my guys.
 
Btw... sportsfan is spot on with his comments also.

#TheCounty..totally disrespected with 4 number 1s individually and top 2 team wise. Time to #LetItgo on the disrespect thing, no?

I agree. I've always felt that the best way to increase numbers is any sport is by having an energetic coach that can connect with the athletes, but, more importantly - having athletes that talk their friends into participating.

The talking points of this article are ideas of getting higher participation in wrestling, from what I gather. I don't think making more mid-week duals will help that in the least bit. In fact, it will probably hurt it. Kids don't want to make weight two and three times a week. Most wrestlers I know like the Saturday multi-dual events. They make weight once and get to wrestle up to 5 times.
As far as the uniform change - I don't particularly like the idea of the two-piece uniform - but I'm not resistant to it either.
I'd say declining numbers aren't so much about how the sport is currently ran, as it is the culture of the kids in school. Used to be, where I'm from, there would be 20 kids cut from the basketball team each year. Now they are looking to get kids to go out for the team. Football participation is down, as are many other sports. A lot of kids simply don't want to put in the work it takes to be good at wrestling.
If numbers are your end game - go to two day a week practices and promise kids they won't have to run. As it is, the kids that want to wrestle enjoy the hard work, the long Saturdays and even the uniforms. The kids that don't want to wrestle, generally, are the ones that wouldn't want to as long as hard work is involved.
End of long rant.