backtothemat

Also a break down by regional.
Qualifiers
Calumet- 18
Rochester-15
Crown point-15
Logansport- 8
Championship
Calumet-7
Crown point-4
Rochester-3
Runners up
Calumet-7
Rochester-4
Crown point-3
3rd
Crown point-6
Logansport-4
Rochester-3
Calumet-1
4th
Rochester-5
Logansport-4
Calumet-3
Crown point-2
By grade
Seniors-25
Juniors-11
Sophomore-11
Freshman-2
Champs by grade
Seniors-9 great senior class
Juniors-4
Sophomores-1

I just want to congratulate Brownsburg, They were extremely impressive yesterday. Good Luck next weekend in your chase for the coaches trophy.

One of the hardest matches to watch at New Castle Semi State was the ticket round match between Sam Fair and AJ Black.  I love both of these boys and they are very good friends.  AJ was probably the one most were cheering for, not because of his awesome undefeated record, but because he lives in New Castle and the tragic loss of his brother Levi in November.  Shenandoah brought a huge crowd to cheer on the Raiders and AJ.  Even Sam told me that he was cheering for AJ.  So you can imagine when it was their turn to wrestle in the ticket round, knowing someone was going home.  I felt this was AJ's year to shine and wrestle in honor of his brother. But Sam had the same family tragedy happen to him.  So emotions were running high as they began to wrestle. Great match for both boys.  But Sam came out winning the match.  I cried for AJ, Sam cried for AJ, and probably  most fans shed a tear.  We are so proud of Sam for doing was he was taught to do.  Wrestle hard and win.  We are also so proud of AJ for battling hard till the end.  Its not a loss for AJ!  He will only build on this and become a top notch wrestler!!!! Kudos to both Sam and AJ, for showing respect to each other.  They will be friends forever!!!!!

First round stats last year:
 
Evansville
1 vs. 4: 47-9
2 vs. 3: 39-17
 
Fort Wayne
1 vs. 4: 55-1
2 vs. 3: 38-18
 
Merrillville
1 vs. 4: 51-5
2 vs. 3: 37-19
 
New Castle
1 vs. 4: 50-6
2 vs. 3: 39-17
 
Totals
1 over 4: 90.6%
2 over 3: 68.3%

TripleB and ontherise219.
 
Bam!

so who do you guys think are true contenders coming out of ft. wayne?
 
Brayden Curtis/Tanner DeMien at 106?
Glogouski/Langeloh/ maybe Hunt at 120? I don't see any of them beating Hildebrandt, but I could be wrong.
Sage Coy at 138 has a good shot.
Brad Laughlin at 145 has a solid chance. I think he will have a tough time with the Leo kid at semi state though.
Cael McCormick at 152? Personally I don't think he is athletic enough to hang with Lawrence. Cael is definitely a contender though.
Jacob Gray/Baumgartner at 170? can they hang with Hughes?

Too bad no streaming Saturday.

Here are my picks for Saturday
 
106
Best 1st Round
Ryne Webb Renselear vs Andres Moreno Lowell
Best Ticket Round
Brock Peele Portage vs Jose Diaz Wheeler
Bracket Buster Jose Diaz Wheeler
Top 4 Finishers
1. Jacob Moran CP
2. Kory Cavanaugh Penn
3. Brock Peele Portage
4. Trey McCarthy Harrison
Tough weight to call. Moran has looked great the last couple weeks and Cavanaugh is battled tested. Watch out for Jose Diaz, the sophomore from Wheeler was at the SS last year and his only losses this year have been against CP
  
113
Best First Round
Braxton Alexander Wawasee vs Austin Line Valpo
Best Ticket Round Obvious choice. My opinion the worst ticket round in the state
Colton Cummings Lowell vs Tylor Triana Hobart
Bracket Buster Tylor Triana Hobart
Top 4
1. Cummings Lowell
2. Poynter Portage
3. Slates Penn
4. Uribe CP
My top 2 picks will meet in the ticket round. Cummings has been the winner in every match up of their high school careers. But I wouldn't be surprised if Triana wins. If the Burkhart Finals were any indication to how this match will go, it will be fireworks. The Triana/Cummings winner will face Slates in the Semis I look for Poynter and Uribe to have a rematch of their marathon DAC Final. Donovan Johnson will also be in the mix. 
 
120
Best First Round
Cody Bethoune Harrison vs Julian Miranda Morton 
Best Ticket Round
Jeremiah Reitz Griffith vs Ian Dembowski Valpo
Bracket Buster Cody Bethoune Harrison
Top 4
1. Hildebrant Penn
2. Reitz Griffith
3. Anderson Jeff
4. Moran CP
Another nasty weight class where we could have 4 outstanding ticket round match ups. Cody Bethoune is a strong freshman. He could be a match up issue with Moran. This will be Hildebrant and Reitz's 3rd trip to the Semi State Finals. Reitz has a title and so does Drew. Reitz won his title in a rematch of his loss at the Harvest Classic to.... Hildebrant. Hildebrant beat Jeremiah this year at the Harvest. Does history repeat itself?
 
126
Best First Round
Bryce Niewoener KV vs Cole Cerventes Griffith
Best Ticket Round
Ryan Hardesty Mishawaka vs Michael Delapena Merrillville
Bracket Buster Reese Rodriguez Morton
Top 4
1. Torres Portage
2. De La Pena Merrillville
3. Cerventes Griffith
4. Goering SB Riley
We could have De La Pena vs Torres 5 for the finals. De La Pena will have SQ Hardesty in a possible ticket round match. The 4 man bracket of Biancardi CHES, Rodriguez Morton, Goering SB Riley and Watson Delphi can go either way. Whoever shows up will punch a ticket. Also, look for the Cerventes/Niewoehner winner to possibly punch a ticket.
 
132
Best First Round
Denver Smith KV vs Tristan Ponsler Wawasee
Best Ticket Round
Cody Crary Munster vs Jack Tolin Chesterton
Bracket Buster Cody Crary Munster
Top 4
1. Black Hobart
2. Rumph Portage
3. Tolin Chesterton
4. Strawsma Benton Central
Black is the top dog. I heard recently he has dyed his hair black in preparation for a Match up with Chad Red who dyes his hair Red. Rumph has been Portage's sleeper all year, he finally breaks out. The Tolin/Crary ticket round should be good. A possible Rumph/Tolin semi final will be a DAC rematch which Rumph won in OT
 
138
Best First Round
Jacy Leon Hobart vs Trace Manspeaker Penn
Best Ticket Round
Triston Dembowski Valpo vs Kyle Hatch Warsaw
Bracket Buster
Malik Hoover Merrillville
Top 4
1. Hatch Warsaw
2. Schurg CP
3. Crary Munster
4. Lukazka Benton Central
Another deep weight with an unfortunate draw. Dembowski lost a tight one to Schurg at the CP regional and now will face talented sophomore Myles Krintz first then a possible match with undefeated Kyle "the Sloth" Hatch. The winner of that match will have 2x medalist Jason Crary in the semis, a possible Al Smith rematch awaits Hatch. Cole Lukaszka has made 3 trips to semi state and ended the road there. This year could be different.
 
145
Best First Round
Cam Beam Penn vs Austin Morgan McCutcheon 
Best Ticket Round
Austen Laughlin SB Riley vs Noah Lamore CP
Bracket Buster Dante Colza Hobart 
Top 4
1. Rodriguez Culver
2. Laughlin SB Riley
3. McIntosh Portage
4. Colza Hobart
We could have a couple regional championship rematches in placement rounds. Austen Laughlin can have his hands full in the ticket round with Noah Lamore but if you were at semi state last year you know when Laughlin gets hot he will be tough to beat. But Culvers T-Rod beat Laughlin last week and is a real beast. Triston will be looking to win the semi state and follow the results of the last two culver semi state champs.
 
152
Best First Round
Matt Burns Hobart vs Lucas Scott Lowell
Best Ticket Round
Zack Lorek CP vs Denzyl Prentice Penn
Bracket Buster Kassious Brethitt SB Riley
Top 4
1. Lawrence Portage
2. Prentice Penn
3. Lemley Chesterton
4. Widner Twin Lakes
Another very good weight class. Bam Lawrence is the favorite ranked #1 in the State and was semi state champion last year. The other ticket round match ups could be brawls Scott/Burns have brawled all year, winner gets Cody Widner. Prentice has Illinois third placer Zack Lorek CP and Diego Lemley should also face a tough one in the Grammer/Evans winner. 
 
160
Best First Round
Trey Buehler Wheeler vs Kevin Gonzalez Logansport
Best Ticket Round
Drake Guerreo Portage vs Oskar Kasch CP
Bracket Buster Drake Guerreo Portage
Top 4
1. Covaciu Merrilville 
2. Malone SB Adams
3. Swank Penn
4. Kasch CP
Jacob Covaciu is the State Champ and the #1 ranked wrestler in the State. He is a favorite at the Semi State and State Championship. The rest of the brackets will be tough Penn's Swank will possibly meet Covaciu in the semis. Malone, the Al smith runner-up, will be the favorite and Gurerro and Kasch should keep the budding Portage/Crown Point rivalry going.
 
170
Best First Round
Eli Pokorney Chesterton vs Tristan Goering SB Riley
Best Ticket Round
Logan Nowak KV vs Ismael Cornejo Portage
Bracket Buster Mario Traficanti Crown Point
1. Hughes Lowell
2. Cornejo Portage
3. Goering SB Riley
4. Mote Delphi
I would guess this will be the Drew Hughes Show. No one has made it six minutes with the defending champ. Drew will be looking for his fourth semi state title. Cornejo, who is one of two wrestlers to make it to the second period with Hughes, will likely face two-time state qualifier Hunter Mote in the semis. Goerning SB Riley will see Hughes in the semis. He was also in the semis of the state finals last season with Hughes.
 
182
Best First Round
Mason Cao SB Clay vs KJ Munson Benton Central
Best Ticket Round
Ike James Lowell vs Jeremy Splix Plymouth 
Bracket Buster Randy Sneed Kankakee Valley
Top 4
1. Davison Chesterton
2. James Lowell
3. Mutuwa Hanover Central
4. Gibbs Lake Central
Davison is ranked #2 in the state and was a match away from a national triple crown. The other three tickets will be hotly contested Splix and James who have some history. Mutuwa has a tough first round match with Calumet freshman AJ Fowler. The winner of Cao and Munson will wrestle regional champ Gibbs. I have the CP regional taking three tickets.
 
195
Best First Round
Corrian Correl Laville vs Nate Lafree Plymouth
Best Ticket Round
Jake Kleimola Lake Central vs Lucas Davison Chesterton
Bracket Buster Jeremy Torres Portage
Top 4
1. Jake Kleimola Lake Central
2. Evan Larsen Hanover Central
3. Damari Embery South Newton
4. Jeremy Torres Portage
Evan Larson has put himself in a great position to punch a ticket to Indy in his fourth trip to semi state. In turn, his regional win created a match up for Kleimola and Davison. They have three loses between the two of them all to each other, Jake being up 2-1. The other two tickets should go to whoever is hottest this Saturday.
 
220
Best First Round
Dustin Baldwin Jeff vs Justin Akers CP
Best Ticket Round
Brandon Streck Merrillville vs Dylan Trent West Lafayette
Bracket Buster Patrick Ernst Mishawaka Marian
Top 4
1. Woods Penn
2, Kukurugya Valpo
3. Crider Harrison
4. Streck Merrillville
Woods is nationally ranked and is the returning State Champion. Akers lost a couple close ones to Kuku-rooga which landed him with the worst draw, Kobe Woods. Logansport regional is very tough at this weight and I wouldn't be surprised to see them possibly punch 3 tickets. Some young talent here looks good for the future.
 
285
Best First Round
Dan Cutter Chesterton vs Will Vakalahi Penn
Best Ticket Round
Gio Murillo Portage vs Aron Ceglarek Kankakee Valley
Bracket Buster Jacob Jeeniga Crown Point
Top 4
1. Shawn Streck Merrillville
2. Gio Murillo Portage
3. Clark Delphi
4. McWilliams SB Washington
What can you say, Streck is one of the best 285's in the country. He can set a pace not many can go with and he is looking to add to his state title collection and cement himself in the long line of Pirate heavy weights. I have Murillo meeting him in the finals. Murillo has 13 losses but 13 very good losses if there is such a thing. He will be looking to follow the Merrillville senior all the way. McWilliams and Clark are both very tough but it will be Shawn's night.
 
Just a couple thoughts.
I am excited to see how East Chicago handles its first semi state. The people I have talked to say they used a lot of the criticism that was posted to this board as input for the tournament this year. Seating through the first two rounds at Merrillville has always been a sore subject but EC Central has plenty of seating so that should no longer be a problem. Other upgrades include a bigger selection of food and I am hearing wrestlers will have an area nearby to warm up. Remember this is their first time hosting the tournament so work with them and lets make this new venue home. 

Only ones upset after that match will you be you two, because that won't happen..

Perry Regional would have to be up there as one of if not the toughest

The 5th Annual IHSWCA Classed Team State Duals will return to the Ft Wayne Coliseum in 2016-17. 
 
Date:  Friday, December 23, 2016  (event set-up will take place the night before... Dec. 22)
 
Additional space:   We have secured the adjoining expo hall which will give the event an additional 35,000 sq. ft. to work with next season.  This will also open up additional bleachers and restroom areas.  We will be able to spread the mats out which will allow us to put the team benches between the mats; thereby improving the spectators' view to the mats.
 
After evaluating this season's event, and listening to feedback and suggestions, we felt like the Ft Wayne Coliseum offered enough positive aspects that it is worth returning for a second year.  We feel like the event's short-comings can be positively addressed and the "learning curve" smoothed out in year two at this facility.  Mr. Brown, and his staff at the Coliseum, have been extremely responsive to our requests and have been wonderful to work with.
 
The tournament planning committee will also be addressing teams' concerns about having to wrestle "the same teams from their area of the state" in the initial rounds of the event.  The selection and seeding committees feel like equitable provisions can be put in place to meet the teams' needs in this area without compromising the integrity of the event.
 
I would like to give a special thanks to JD Minch, Adrian Troyer, Dane Fuelling, Mark Durham, Pat Culp, Patt VanHorn, Nicole Moss, Tom Clark and Jim Russell for their efforts in heading up the various committees and areas for this event. 
 
Respectfully Submitted,
Trent McCormick

220 Meade (Washington) beat Rivera and Dixon both at regional last year
113 Wilson (Washington) beat sullivan at regional last year

I think 145 is wide open....
 
You got Timberman who beats Lee and Bethel
Bethel beats Lee
Vaughn beats Timberman
Laughlin beats Timberman

Team State Classification assignments have been finalized.  A total of 305 schools qualified this year, with 101 assigned to 3A, 102 to 2A, and 102 to 3A.  With two more schools being classified than last year and a 2015 2A school not meeting classification limits, there has been some movement between classes.  Perhaps most significantly, Southmont and Centerville are re-classified to  2A for this season.
 
Here is the final list:
IHSWCA Team State Classification 2016.pdf

First Round: 
 
106- Mark Hall, Reitz vs. Kameron Kendall, North Posey
126- Caleb Craig, Reitz vs. Harley Gorman, Mt. Vernon.  Gorman has wrestled a tough schedule and put together 32 wins.  Craig matches his 32 wins; most of his nine losses came at 132.  Whoever loses this one will have a year to think about it.
132- Joe Craig, Tell City vs. Josh Elpers, North.  Can the Marksman sophomore spoil the senior’s shot at a semistate bid?
132- Nolan Schaefer, Memorial vs. Michael Polen, Gibson Southern.  Both are juniors and have a ton of varsity experience.  Schaefer has just come off an injury hiatus and made a run at the sectional title, while Polen took Josh Elpers to the wall in the sectional semifinal.  This will be a battle.
138- Clay Singleton, Gibson Southern vs. Jacob Brockman, Memorial.  Singleton, a freshman, is fresh off his runner-up finish at sectional.  Brockman, a senior, was unseeded at the sectional, but beat three seeded wrestlers en route to a third place finish.
152- Micah Keller, Mt. Vernon vs. William Nunn, Castle.
160- Knowah Rodgers, Heritage Hills vs. Shawn Coane, North.
170- Kiave Guerrier, Central vs. Mitchell Brown, Memorial.  Brown’s toughest opponent this season has been injury.  If he is healthy, this will be a slobber knocker.
 
Semifinal: 
 
120- Neal Bealmer, Castle vs. Levi Miller North Posey.  Bealmer has put together an impressive freshman campaign, while Miller, a sophomore, hopes to repeat last year’s feat of a State appearance.
126- Joe Happe, Mater Dei vs. Craig/Gorman winner.
132- Josh Elpers, North vs. Braedon Clopton, Castle.  Two athletic seniors will duke it out for the right to face Nick Lee.
145- Nick Burke, North vs. Austin Bethel, Mt. Vernon.  Austin Bethel shocked the state last weekend with his sectional victory.  Do you think he is looking past his likely semifinal opponent?  Not likely.  Although Burke receives no love from the rankings people, southern Indiana wrestling fans know that he is very good. 
152- Hunter Baehl, Gibson Southern vs. Chance Williams, Memorial.  Two seniors, eight varsity wrestling letters, eight trips to the regional between them; they will compete for the remaining spot in the 152 final.
160- Jacob Farmer, Castle vs. Hunter Carr, Mater Dei.   
170- Jaylon Owens, Pike Central vs. Evan Dowell, Castle.  Owens lost his first match of the year in the sectional final.  Dowell is studied and smooth.  This one will be fun!
195- Kyle Lang, Mt. Vernon vs. Keith Barclay, South Spencer.
220- Blake Huggins, Reitz vs. Payton Halbig, Princeton.
 
Best matches of the Day
 
126 Semifinal- Logan Dilbeck, Gibson Southern vs. Carson Willis, Castle.  7th ranked Logan Dilbeck had his perfect season spoiled at Central.  In Paradise, the 13th-ranked Willis also has a single loss.  Both have State aspirations—Yahtzee!
170 Final - Raymond Garnett, Bosse vs. Evan Dowell, Castle.  Garnett is unorthodox and unpredictable.  0-2 against Dowell, can he continue to close the gap?  Can he turn the tables on Saturday?
285 Final- Wade Ripple, Mt. Vernon vs. Cory Klem, Gibson Southern.  With only three losses between them—two generated by their match-ups—look for them to hook up again for the last match of the day.  The sectional final was a snoozer until Ripple stepped on the gas in the third period, resulting in a bracket board.  I hope someone tells them that conservative wrestling does not win titles!  On Saturday, whoever turns the dogs loose will win.
 
Most Underrated Wrestler- 160-pound Colton O’Neal from Pike Central.  Most fans from the Central sectional saw the 38-3 O’Neal for the first time last week.  Castle sectional fans, you are in for a treat.
 
2016 Castle Regional All-Name Team:
 
Baxter “Luke, I’m Your Father” Annakin
Dylan “Aircraft” Carrier
“Arch” Bishop Coomer
Buddy “12 Ounce” Curl
Logan “Vlasic” Dilbeck
Clay “Hammond” Egli
Jarrett “Rebel Yell” Hawhee
Kyle "Clubber" Lang
“Orange” Julius Malone
Quentin “The Mighty Quinn” Might
Michael “North” Polen
“Idon’ta” Knowa Rodgers
Connor “Caviar” Sturgeon
David Teague “Of Their Own”

By seeds I think we mean from each Sectional (1-4) not the "fake" seeds from the regional that are on Track (1-8).

By seeds I think we mean from each Sectional (1-4) not the "fake" seeds from the regional that are on Track (1-8).

Looking at the brackets 120 looks really tough. Think it will be Anderson (42-1; loss to DeLapena at 126), betourne (42-5; 3 of which from anderson), white (28-1; loss was an inj. Default), ragen (27-6)

Warren Central has 12, yes, 12 champs, 1 2nd, 1 3rd

By TIM CREASON
 
The wind was howling and snow was blowing on Feb. 14, 2015.
 
As the Merrillville wrestling semistate drew to its close, a blizzard was blanketing northern Indiana.
 
Visibility on some roads was down to zero. Sections of U.S. 20 were closed by police.
 
In the gym, thousands of wrestlers and fans literally didn’t know where to go, or what to do. Many were calling hotels, trying to find vacancies. Others scanned Mapquest, trying to find alternate routes home.
 
In the middle of all this, as I was speaking to a Merrillville police officer about my options for getting back to South Bend, my cell phone rang.
 
It was Richard Jay.
 
“Tim,” he said. “Go to my house.”
 
Now, the thing to understand is this: Richard was not at the semistate.
 
For the first time in decades, he was missing from his usual spot in the crow’s nest, the one with a “Mat Burns” banner hanging on the rail.
 
Richard’s wife was in the hospital. She wasn’t doing well. Truth be told, she was dying.
 
The semistate was always one of Richard’s favorite events. He would alternately cheer local wrestlers while recording the results from every mat for the local media. He was the ultimate wrestling fan.
 
But this year was different. His wife was dying and Richard was at the hospital by her side.
 
And then he looked out the window.
 
“Go to my house. Don’t try to drive home in this. I’m only a few miles away,” I heard Richard’s voice say, crackling over a cell phone in the middle of Merrillville’s gym.
 
“But … but …,” I stammered. “Aren’t you at the hospital?”
 
“Yes, but I’ll leave and go let you in,” he said. “The place is yours. I’m going back to stay with my wife.”
 
“Richard ….,” I said.
 
“Don’t argue about it,” he said. “Just go.”
 
I should have. I didn’t.
 
In hindsight, out of the many stupid decisions I’ve made in my life, this was one of the biggest.
 
Not because it took four hours to get home, and I was terrified the whole way, and I almost drove into a drainage ditch.
 
No, in hindsight, it was stupid because it deprived me of the opportunity to thank Richard for being such a wonderful person, and let him know how much we all missed him that day, and how much he meant to the wrestling community.
 
Because, God knows, he would have done that for any one of us.
 
Richard Jay died from complications of a stroke on Dec. 23. It was about eight months after his wife died.
 
Richard adored his wife. Everyone in his family agrees: the two events were tied together.
 
Richard had been a coach in the Hammond school system – mostly at Gavit – for something like 38 years. He coached wrestling. He coached track. He coached tennis. Hell, he could coach anything.
 
A lot of people came to the funeral home. A lot of people cried. I was one of them.
 
“Richard had a … a humanity that most coaches don’t have,” said veteran Mishawaka coach Al Smith, who, like most of us, was unprepared when he heard the news.
 
Yes. Al Smith.
 
“Rich wanted his kids to win, of course he did, but he was always more interested in what kind of person they would grow up to be,” said Smith. ”Whether you were a good wrestler or not, he always wanted to know how he could help you. You were a person first, a wrestler second.”
 
In the weeks since his death, I’ve been stunned by the number of young wrestlers and coaches who never knew Richard Jay, didn’t even know who he was.
 
Trust me on this: You would have liked him.
 
The “Pick the Champions” contest, the one you saw at every state meet? That was Richard’s contest.
 
The “Quick Pins” list, the one that every wrestler wants to make? That was Richard’s, too.
 
And most of all, there was Mat Burns, the greatest magazine of Indiana wrestling history that ever existed.
 
If you are from a wrestling family – if you and your brother or your father or your sister ever stepped onto a mat in Indiana – odds are that you are in Mat Burns. There are thousands of records in that thing.
 
Literally. Thousands.
 
“I remember he came over here a couple times when he was starting Mat Burns,” said Smith. “He went through our records, he really wanted it to be complete.”
 
Richard sold some ads to try and finance it, but most of the money came out of his own pocket. He didn’t care, he thought it was important.
 
And he was right. I cited Mat Burns -- a lot -- in the wrestling columns that I used to write for the South Bend Tribune.
 
Richard was special because he cared, really cared, about the sport, and all the people in it.
 
Over the years, I have learned one thing the hard way: Lots of coaches say they care about their sport, but the truth is that they only care about stuff that benefits their own teams.
 
Even if a proposal makes all the sense in the world, if it doesn’t help them directly, then … pfffft. They’re gone.
 
Richard was never that way. Wrestling came first.
 
In reporting Richard’s passing, NWI Times sportswriter Jim Peters repeated a story first told by Calumet coach Jim Wadkins.
 
It went like this:
 
“Sitting in the bleachers after losing a freestyle wrestling match, Jim Wadkins was approached by then-Gavit coach Rich Jay.
 
"I remember, I was having a problem with a certain technique," said Wadkins, now the coach at Calumet.
 
"Rich said, 'Jim, come here.' He took me down to an empty mat and showed me a little tweak that helped me fix the problem. That's the kind of guy he was. He was a good guy, a wrestling guy, somebody who was always there to help you regardless of what school you were from."
 
It was exactly that reason another Times columnist, Al Hamnik, wrote a piece titled: Rich Jay was the model for all coaches.
 
It started like this:
 
“If you're a young coach, regardless of the sport, please put your clipboard and whistle down and read the following carefully.
 
“It will help your career.
 
“Let me tell you about Rich Jay.”
 
And then he described the things that made Richard Jay a great coach, and none of them had a thing to do with wins or losses.
 
I can tell you about Richard Jay, as well.
 
Richard was the kind of guy who --while sitting in a hospital room with his dying wife, whom he loved dearly – would look out the window, see a blizzard, and take the time to call a lowly, struggling sportswriter from South Bend, and offer his home as shelter.
 
That’s who Richard Jay was.
 
As I have grown older, I have become convinced of two things.
 
There is a God. And he has put angels in this world.
 
I know, because one of them was just called home.
 
Rest in Peace, Richard. God Bless you.
 
Here is a link to Richard Jay's obituary with many pictures from on and off the mat.
http://obits.dignity...53&locale=en_US
 
Click here to view the article

You guys got a hold of him?
 
For those who don't remember him, he was a 2x state champ, Fargo placer, highly sought after recruit out of high school. He enrolled at Neosho juco and insisted they offer his older brother John a scholarship too. In one of those all too familiar stories of wrestler burnout, he withdrew from Neosho after 1 semester. However, his impact didn't end there. His brother John, who was the 'lesser' recruit, stayed with it and wound up a part-time starter for 2x national champ Minnesota. The Princeton HS grad had a nice career for the best team in the country, and it might not have played out that way if his younger brother hadn't fought for him at Neosho. Great careers for both Hardy Boys

I assume it is random draw, but when is it determined which Regional's 1-seed wrestles which other Regional's 4-seed (and the same for the 2 and 3 seeds) at each Semi State?  If I recall some wrong brackets came up last year at the end of Regional Saturday and were corrected later that evening creating quite a stir.  Maybe if everyone knows how it works, there won't be such a controversy?

This is a record for BlueBolt; he got all the way to January 27 before he delivered his annual "Mater Dei ain't what they used to be" speech.  
 
Let's begin with the stipulation that this team does not match up to the 2003 team which had four state champs, a runner-up two thirds and a sixth.  Mater Dei has not had a team like that before, since, or likely ever again.   (Tip to Bluebolt:  This gives you grist for your next "Mater Dei is in decline" post).  This year's dual meet team is not as accomplished as last year's team; the 2015 team set an all-time MD record for points scored/dual and won the Team State Duals.  (Tip:  More grist for your "MD is in decline" post)
 
As far as 113,126,160-182, and 220-285 goes...as usual, you are fact deprived. In that group there are SIAC champs, a couple of likely sectional champs and maybe even a State Qualifier.  Virtually every one of those kids has beaten higher-seeded and/or ranked kids throughout the season.  The seven wrestlers you named could find a starting position on a large majority of Indiana's 300+ high school wrestling teams.
 
 
Your comments of:   "This not what i have seen in the past.  Take a look and tell me you don't see what i see", make you no less wrong.  Why?  Maybe because you do not pay attention.  Maybe because as a not-so-sly MD-hater, you are going to find a way to get in your trying-to-not-be-be-obvious-but-really-are digs in.  At the end of the day, your invective does not matter, the facts stand on their own.
 
This year's team consists of a couple of stars, solid wrestlers, up and comers and some guys of whom you have never heard, all of which are home-grown talent, from a school with about 270 boys.  In other words, the 2015/16 team is pretty much identical to most of the Mater Dei teams in its 66-year wrestling history.

How exactly is this BS chatter?

Not without Owens ^^^^^