Steven Sandefer

Glad they are working on the important stuff. 
 
 

I noticed this also and asked my AD
 
This was brought up because of soccer player joining cross country team after they were eliminated from state tourney series (or vise versa).  
 
I was told that it is not about competing but more about being on the roster from day 1.
 

Kris Rumph takes second at the Luther open, beating Gavin Teasdale of Iowa in the semis.
 
https://go-knights.net/documents/2019/11/16//2019LutherCollegeOpenFinalBrackets.pdf

At the Black Knight invite Indiana had 5 finalist, 4 champs, 7 placers
 
Drew Hildebrandt 125 took 1st
Nick Lee 141 took 1st
Cael Mccormick 165 took 1st
Jacob Covaciu 174 took 2nd
Mason Paris HWT took 1st
 
Ben Harvey 174 took 4th
Brad Laughlin 174 took 5th
 
 

The most with today's rules is 66 BEFORE the stat series
6 single duals
6 two-point events that are all two-day 10 match events
It's not likely, but still possible.
Add in 3 matches from sectional, 3 from regional, 4 from semi-state and state and you get 82. FYI, I didn't have to take my shoes off to count!

Alex Tsirtsis 65-0

We went from 51 down to 50.  I'm surprised some of them stuck around.  Our feeder league has 70-90 per year for k-8, but then during middle school season another 20 will come out.   Our last couple freshman classes have been 12-15.  On our current team we have 10 seniors, 10 juniors, 15 sophomores, and 15 freshman.  The kid we had quit was a freshman.  

I began coaching at Mishawaka a year after I had graduated from there, and spent 2 years learning from a HOF coach. Moved on from there and spent 6 years at Jimtown, coaching the likes of Kenny Kerrn, Hunter Watts, etc. I had the privilege of learning under another HOF coach.
Three years ago, myself and friends/coaches that I trust, took over a program that was in desperate need of a revival.  Our first year at Bremen we had 5 kids at the High School level, 13 at the middle school, and 19 came out for the first time for our youth program. Last year we had 11 at the high school, 30 in middle school, and 35 in our club. Going into this year, we have 20 at the high school level, expecting 30+ in the middle school, and we just ended our introductory youth camp with over 40 kids. Our Club is expected to have at least 30+, starting next week, and we are competing in elementary duals in a few weeks. For the first time in about 5 years, Bremen should have a full high school lineup. None of this would be possible if I didn’t have coaches around myself that helped out as much as they do, parents believing in the process, and our philosophy. Good things are in motion and it is exciting to see what we are accomplishing in terms of rebuilding a program. Everything else will fall into place as we move forward!
Call us butter, because we are on a roll!

Congratulations to Joseph Walker from Mishawaka for signing with Michigan. He is projected to wrestle 174, 184.

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There are only nine four-time champs and 28 three-time champs, much more ability to have success when you include more guys.
 

Congratulations to Jacob LaPlace from Mishawaka for signing with Indiana Tech. He is projected to wrestle 184.

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Alex Dolly - Mishawaka

No doubt Marshall. I know that some wrestlers absolutely hate the bus ride to Fargo and hate staying in those dorms. I know of wrestlers that have skipped the trip because of it. Pay a lot for a trip that they don’t totally enjoy. 
Looks like we are getting good numbers at Super 32 with no formal trip. Kids are taking their coaches and / or parents, staying in decent hotels, and paying less (maybe).
I would like to see a poll. Would more people like to keep the Fargo trip like it is or have the camps here (to prepare) and get themselves there. Take who you want with you and stay where they want?

It may be apples to oranges.. but the ISWA sends two elementary teams to Heartland every year. When I first started that trip, the fees were $140 per wrestler. The parents provided there own transportation and lodging. Every year we finish around the top 5. I know that the fees for that trip have went up. With that said, the model works. 
 
I would like to point out some of the National duals that our top kids are doing also. Our elite kids are getting snatched up by Team Shutt, Minions, Scorpions, David Taylor, etc... these kids are going on these trips for way less then it takes to go on an Indiana national team and are getting great exposure.  Seems like our top dogs are willing to spend their money on these trips. Personally.. my son did. He loved his trips with the all-star teams. 
 
It may be time to rethink how we structure our national team trips. We are too good to be finishing where we have been. 
 

Flo just updated their rankings.  Should be the last update before the High School season.  Our guys won't see much movement during season due to  our sweet travel restrictions.
120-Zeke Seltzer-20th
132-Jesse Mendez-2nd
152-Matt Lee-17th
170-Graham Calhoun-20th
182-Joe Walker-13th
195-Silas Allred-2nd
195-Evan Bates-13th
FYI-I updated middle school top 25 on the youth page
 

Even though I am on here daily I never log in  And leave remarks the last time I did  Was to tell everybody that Brayden would not be finishing his freshman year due to moving back to center Grove  And unfortunately that is why I am on here today in preparing for super 32  Brayden  Tore the ACL in his left knee And requires surgery which means this is the  Official end of his high school career Recovery time takes us into the summer There is no doubt in my mind that if all the obstacles were not thrown in his way he could have done so much more in high school His one and only full season resulted in an undefeated state champ We have spoken  To Ohio and they are still honoring his scholarship so there is no doubt that you will hear his name again in the wrestling community This is a hard pill to swallow we will lick our wounds and battle forward  And please grammar police keep your comments to yourself Preciate everybody who has supported him Look for him to take over the mac conference in the next couple years

Just saw where he took visits to IU, Purdue and Michigan. He listed about 10 d1 schools that he’s interested in. Wherever he goes, they’ll be getting a good one.

Watched a whole lot of da super 32 on Flo. Mendes had some rough matches - Walker's stock just went way up ! He will be getting some attention from D1 coaches. 

Over 40 of the best wrestlers from Indiana are heading to North Carolina to take on the Super 32 Challenge this weekend. If you have been living under a rock, this is the toughest high school tournament in the country and some brackets that feature over 150 wrestlers. You will see future NCAA All-Americans not place here and even potentially see some future NCAA Finals matches. Indiana’s representatives feature 35 guys that have qualified for state including five state champions.
History Lesson
Indiana has only had four grapplers take home a belt: Ethan Raley in 2010, Jared Brooks in 2011, Chad Red in 2014, and Blake Rypel in 2015. The first placer was in 2008 when Camden Eppert took 3rd. No Indiana native has placed three times in the high school division, but six wrestlers have placed twice(Blake Rypel, Chad Red, Jason Tsirtsis, Brayton Lee, Joe Lee, and Drew Hughes). Since 2015 Indiana has placed five wrestlers each year at the Super 32 with many others being a round or two from placing.
Click here for a listing of all the past Super 32 placers.
https://indianamat.com/index.php?/history/super32placers.html/
The Contenders
This tournament is deep, REALLY deep and placing here is a huge accomplishment. Some of the weights feature as many as 15 of the top 20 ranked kids so placing top 8 is an extreme accomplishment.
The top contender to bring back a belt is #2 ranked Jesse Mendez. He is fresh off an impressive performance at Who’s #1 and the favorite for a title. Potential match with his first opponent from Who’s #1, Ryan Jack, is off as he has pulled out. Jesse will still be challenged by the 13 others that are nationally ranked in this weight class.
State champ and the only returning Super 32 placer, Brayden Littell is going to look to finish higher than 8th this year. He has shown he can bang with the best and is not flying under the radar this year like he was last year. He’ll likely be seeded which should make his path a little easier to finish higher on the podium
Zeke Seltzer is rolling along this spring, summer, and fall with impressive performances throughout the off-season. He was runner-up at Fargo and then won a loaded weight class at this year’s IHPO. He is in the mix to make a deep run this year. The 120lbs weight class is one of the deepest there is, but he is battle tested and ready to do some damage in Greensboro.
Matt Lee is another one to watch from Indiana. While he will be forgoing the high school season he will be taking one more shot at placing at the Super 32. He has the tools to bring back a belt and could make his last high school event memorable with a title.
Under the Radar
Folks in Indiana know these names, but the following guys are ones I have a sneaky feeling will make deep runs and potentially place in this event. Every year Indiana has a few guys surprise everyone with great performances. Look no further than Nick South’s run to the finals last year or Brayden LIttell finishing 8th in a loaded weight.
Elliott Rodgers is someone we all know and know he’s as tough as they come, but nationally he isn’t as well known. Rodgers’ ability to ride is huge in an event with shortened periods on the first day and in the consolations. He also has a knack to find a way to win. Don’t be surprised to see him finishing high here.
Colton Drousias is an Indiana guy that wrestles in Illinois during the high school season. He has had national success placing at Fargo in 2018. He was a state champion in Illinois last year, so he has the tools to make the podium in Greensboro.
Evan Bates has a very good shot at bringing back some hardware. He burst onto the scene at Fargo placing in both styles after a 3rd place finish at state last year. He’s known now and should make a deep run at 195lbs. The upper weights are as loaded as ever, but usually do not field as deep of a field as the lower and middle weights.
Graham Calhoun has wrestled every where and always shown he is a contender at any tournament he enters. He has been in and out of the national rankings and beaten a lot of the best guys in the country. This could be his year to bring back a medal.
Five state runner-ups from this year all should have deep runs here. Alex Cottey, Alec Viduya, Blake Boarman, Ray Rioux, and Cooper Noehre are all solid grapplers that could make a surprise appearance on the podium. Cottey and Boarman have both had some national success and could surprise some people here. Rioux is an extremely dangerous wrestler that cannot be overlooked by the top guys. Viduya has been in the mix nationally and always wins matches at the big events. Noehre had a breakout season last year and is one that has the tools to place here.
Others to watch
There are many others than I’m gonna keep my eye on that may just find their way to day two and the podium after the dust has settled.
Alec Freeman and Eli Dickens from Mater Dei are both solid wrestlers that have shown they can compete with the best. Logan Bailey has had a fantastic off-season and his ability to ride and turn could pose a hazard for his opponents. Mason Winner had a good GFC this past weekend and like others he is good on the mat which can make a huge difference here. Brock Ellis has had national success and going to be down at 145lbs.
Some incoming freshmen to watch are Sam Goin of Crown Point, Christian Carroll of Penn, and Sergio Lemley who will go to Mount Carmel. They will have tough roads to hoe, but should be on the podium in Greensboro during their careers.
Where to Watch
You can watch the action starting on Saturday on FloWrestling.org. Brackets will be on Arena.FloWrestling.org. You can also check out @IndianaMat on Twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
Indiana also has many wrestlers in the elementary and middle school divisions that hit the mat on Sunday. You can find all the entries and other tournament information at Super32.com.
Indiana Entries
Weight Name School 106 Sam Goin Crown Point, IN 113 Alexzander Cottey Perry Meridian H.S. 113 Cole Ross Evansville Mater Dei 113 Sergio Lemley Mount Carmel 120 Braden Haines Brownsburg high school 120 Christian White New Palestine High School 120 Colton Drousias Chicago - Mount Carmel 120 David Pierson Warren Central High School 120 Giovanni Diaz Wheeler high school 120 Landon Bertsch Bluffton 120 Riley Bettich Crown Point High School 120 Zeke Seltzer Indianapolis Cathedral 126 Alecsander Freeman Mater Dei High School 126 Brayden Littell Center grove 126 Hayden Watson Center Grove High School 126 Kysen Montgomery Brownsburg 126 Stephen Roberson Jr Crown Point 132 Blake Boarman Evansville Mater Dei 132 Jesse Mendez Crown Point 132 Raymond Rioux Avon High School 138 Anthony Poindexter Jr. Harrison High School 138 Aundre' Beatty Warren Central High School 138 Drake Campbell Brownsburg 138 Logan Bailey Cathedral High School 145 Alec Viduya Roncalli 145 Brady Mckivitz Perry Meridian High School 145 Brock Ellis Chesterton High School 145 Jaden Reynolds Avon High School 145 Kailan Keith Ben Davis 152 Brice Coleman Warren Central High School 152 Matthew Lee Lee Homeschool 152 Nick Buchanan Coldwater 152 Tristen Hood Harrison (WL) 160 Christian Carroll Penn High School 160 Cooper Noehre Greenfield Central  160 Eli Dickens Mater Dei 160 Elliott Rodgers Indianapolis Cathedral 160 Isiah Levitz Prairie Heights 170 Graham Calhoun Plymouth 182 Joseph Walker Mishawaka High School 182 Mason Winner Jay County High School 195 Evan Bates Chesterton High School 195 Robert Bowman Mount carmel high schol  

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Great wrestling, a lot of out of state talent, great officiating. Kudos to Joe for running another great tournament. Will be hard pressed to find a better ran national caliber tournament like Joe runs. I’m just sad it was our last one👍

My OW goes to Logan Bailey. 
Mendez put on a show too. 
Crown Point, Avon, Brownsburg, EMD, Cathedral, Chesterton, Roncolli, and Mishawaka with multiple placers. Sorry if I missed any other school with multiple placers. 
Only top 4 place. 
Btw... weights were all funky, so take the results with a grain of salt. Some kids wrestled at off season walk around weight, and some kids cut hard. I like that fact. We get to see match ups that we would never get to see in season. 

I mean Laplace has had over a year now to adjust to the weight and fill into a healthy build. You also can't forget how difficult he can be to score on and remaining athletic while going up in weight over the last year. Laplace and Walker are both solidddd.
 

185 and 135 both just got a little juicier!

More than Penn

The Indiana wrestling community lost a great coach yesterday. Mike Ester of Fort Wayne passed away. Mike was the coach of Fort Wayne Snider before starting the Indiana Tech program and then recently returning to Snider as an assistant to help coach his son Brady Ester who is going into his senior season. Mike was my high school coach. I graduated from Snider in 2004. He had a tremendous impact on my life and I wouldn't be the man or coach I am today apart from his influence. I know Mike had a personality that rubbed a lot of people the wrong way but those closest to him know how big his heart was for his wrestlers and this sport. Even if you would classify him as 'enemy' you cannot question his passion. Remember, we all have our flaws and it never hurts to extend grace rather than judgment. This is a husband, a father, a son, a brother and a fellow coach. It is times like these when our community has an opportunity to set our differences and our competitive nature aside to respond in love and support to show just how bonded and unique this family of wrestlers is. 
As a gift for the family, I am collecting letters from individuals who have a memory, a word of encouragement or a story to share of how Mike impacted your life. This will help capture some sweet memories that they can reflect on to know just how special he was. If you would like to contribute, you can send it to me via e-mail at spartangrappling@gmail.com. If you know someone who doesn't visit this discussion board but would like to contribute, please share this message with them. 
The family is unbelievably broken and at a loss right now, please lift them up in your prayers. 
Whatever you are facing today may not be as big or as serious as it seems. Take the time to let someone know they are loved.
 
God bless,
Nathan DeVaux - Head Coach - Homestead High School
Snider '04

7-8:30, Tuesday the 20th