Westforkwhite

BY JEREMY HINES
thehines7@gmail.com
If it were all about heart, Bloomington South’s Noah Hunt would likely be a multiple time state champion. But, in life and on the wrestling mat, sometimes heart isn’t enough.
Hunt grew up around wrestling. He was naturally gifted in the sport and he spent many nights fine tuning his craft. But, in sixth grade, he decided he had enough. The love just wasn’t there like it used to be.
“I was burned out,” Hunt said. “I quit.”
Soon Hunt realized that quitting wasn’t part of his character. Being away from the sport showed him how much he actually loved it. Midway through the seventh grade season he returned to wrestling.
“I came back with a new mentality,” Hunt said. “I was ready to go. I was ready to get better than ever.”
Hunt pushed his body to the limits for the sport. His sophomore year that hard work started to pay dividends. He won sectional and regional and advanced to the Evansville semistate at 120 pounds. That’s when Hunt’s journey of pain, frustration and a quest for redemption began.
In the first round of the semistate Hunt hurt his knee. He was nine seconds into his match with Eastern’s Robbie Stein. Hunt shot in and grabbed Stein’s leg. As he was lifting it in the air to secure the single, he stepped wrong and twisted his knee. He knew he was in pain, but he continued to compete.
Hunt ended up winning that match in dominating fashion, 9-1. His knee did not feel right, and he knew it - but he had put too much work in to give up. If he was going to get to state, he had to wrestle through the pain and win the next match.
Hunt punched his ticket to state the next round, beating Center Grove’s Zak Siddiqui 12-1.
Hunt ended up finishing fourth at the semistate, winning two matches with a severely injured knee. He couldn’t wait to wrestle at state the next week. It was a dream come true for him - at least that’s what he thought.
The knee injury ended up being worse than Hunt expected. Doctors did an MRI and determined he had completely torn his ACL in his left knee. As much as he begged and pleaded to be able to wrestle at state, the doctors would not release him.
“It was a terrible feeling,” Hunt said. “I knew I could wrestle on it, and win. But I wasn’t allowed to.”
For Hunt, the road to recovery was a long, painful one. It took six months for him to be fully back to wrestling condition. He missed the entire summer of workouts. He knew while his competition was working on improving - he was working on getting back to the level he was previously.
Still, Hunt had a goal to return better than ever - and he did just that.
As a junior Hunt had more regular season losses than he did his sophomore year - but by tournament time he was clicking on all cylinders. He won the sectional and regional at 126 pounds. Then, at semistate, he defeated North Posey’s Cameron Fisher, Center Grove’s Peyton Pruett and Evansville Mater Dei’s Matt Lee in succession. He lost the semistate championship to Graham Rooks, 8-3.
Hunt won his Friday night match at state, guaranteeing him a placement in the top 8. He beat Ft. Wayne Carroll’s Joel Byman in that Friday night round, but then lost back-to-back matches to Michael DeLaPena and Jordan Slivka.
The only thing left for Hunt to wrestle for was seventh or eighth place. There was only one problem - he had hurt his right knee in the previous match. He recognized the feeling, it was almost the same as he had the year before.
He decided to wrestle anyway, knowing the pain he was in. This time around, Matt Lee won the match 6-3 - giving Hunt 8th place in the state.
A few days later he got the news that he had feared - he had torn his ACL. Six more months of recovery. Six more months of watching everyone else get better. Six more months off the mat.
“I just had to focus on what my ultimate goal was,” Hunt said. “I couldn’t feel sorry for myself. I knew I had to work in order to make the most of my senior year.”
Hunt’s mom, Melissa, didn’t want him wrestling again. She thought it wasn’t worth it.
“She was worried about me hurting myself again,” Hunt said. “I told her I’m sorry, but I have to do it. She wasn’t super thrilled, but she knew this was something I just had to do.”
This season Hunt is ranked No. 18 at 138 pounds. He is 32-3 and coming off a dominating sectional performance where he won the championship by eight points.
“A state title is pretty much his goal,” Bloomington South coach Mike Runyon said. “We set that goal early on in his career and despite everything he’s went through, that’s still his goal.”
Hunt has spent a full year of his high school life recovering from knee injuries. He said the hardest part of returning to the sport was getting his mat awareness back. Once he did that, he feels he’s ready to get the job done.
“I never had the thought that this isn’t worth it,” Hunt said. “All I see is wrestling, wrestling, wrestling. I’ve been pushing it as hard as I can. I’ve lost a few. But, if that’s what it takes to make my goals happen, then so be it. I’m there mentally and physically now. If I beat the kids ranked higher than me, some might think it’s an upset - but I won’t. I think I can wrestle with anyone and win.”
Bloomington South is a school rich in wrestling tradition. Pictures of past state champions line the wrestling room - a constant reminder of those that have claimed the state’s ultimate prize. Hunt says he looks at those pictures every day, and every day dreams his will be there as well. If so, perhaps no other wrestler in school history has had to overcome as much as he has to get that prize.

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Pokorney and McWilliams are exceptional and outstanding wrestlers and Parris is otherworldly, but none of that speaks to depth. Ault is a guy ive been impressed by and others too, so i certainly recognize there is talent and quality wrestling at hwt. I just don't see it with regularity i see at mid and low weights particularly when you get below the SS qualifier level. 
To your last point, that is a shame. When two kids put forth that kind of effort and performance it deserves to be recognized, no matter when it happens or at what weight. So i cant really refute that aspect. I want our best kids to be celebrated regardless of weight class, and if random draw can help accomplish that with limited drawbacks i see value.
 

Pokorney and McWilliams are exceptional and outstanding wrestlers and Parris is otherworldly, but none of that speaks to depth. Ault is a guy ive been impressed by and others too, so i certainly recognize there is talent and quality wrestling at hwt. I just don't see it with regularity i see at mid and low weights particularly when you get below the SS qualifier level. 
To your last point, that is a shame. When two kids put forth that kind of effort and performance it deserves to be recognized, no matter when it happens or at what weight. So i cant really refute that aspect. I want our best kids to be celebrated regardless of weight class, and if random draw can help accomplish that with limited drawbacks i see value.
 

Top-20 state ranked wrestlers by weight and grade
  106 113 120 126 132 138 145 152 160 170 182 195 220 285   Freshman 9 3 1 1 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 Sophomore 3 4 8 1 5 1 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 36 Junior 5 11 6 6 7 2 8 4 6 6 4 8 6 5 84 Senior 3 2 5 12 7 17 6 9 13 12 15 12 14 14 141

MoWrestler,  They had the same system back in Kansas where you followed the kid who beat you.   They had a 16 person draw and if you lost the 1st round,  then you only advanced to the consolation bracket if the guy that beat you won  in qtrs.  My Soph year (1986) I got 4th in regional and the kid who beat me from Emporia, Ks was a #1 seed and he won his next match.  So I got another match.   The process just eliminated a consolation round of wrestling.  That was in 1986 and was the last year of the follow through.  They went to full brackets in 1987.
Anyway, about 4 or 5 years ago,   there was a post on Indianamat where people did research on wrestlebacks.   I did some myself and we looked at full 16 man brackets  in other state tournament and determined what percentage of wrestlers that lost in 1st round would have came back and placed in the top 8.   If I recall there was a range of 15% to 20% of wrestlers that lost 1st round would come back and place in top 8.   I looked at 4  state tournaments of all weights or 56 brackets.  I  was surprised to see it in about 3 or 4 instances,  a kid came back through wrestle backs and got 3rd.   Anyway,  we concluded from our limited research that in 15% to 20% of the time in Indiana,  the kid that places in the top 8 in Indiana is not  the best wrestler and got his place through the luck of the draw as a result of the variation of competition at different semi-states.
This is specifically what Im talking about when I referenced  the better kid loses early on as a result of no wrestle backs.    
 
 

As great of a wrestler as he is, he’s an even better kid and role model.  My son is a beginner wrestler in 6th grade that’s working hard to be like his idol, but frankly is really really far from being elite.  
Brayton still takes the time and effort to talk, mentor, and encourage my kid every time he sees him...and this is not unique to my son.  Brayton understands and embraces his role as an “elite” wrestler and uses that platform to grow the sport and make an impact.
As mentioned in the article, here is a dude that by all rights should be BMOC as a senior, but instead takes every free moment to lead the student section at other sports games.  As well as be a manager for the golf team because some of his buddies play on the team, which I have always thought is hilarious.
Cant wait to see how much he does representing our state as well as he’s represented Brownsburg.

this belongs in the “advanced 13 to regional” thread

Date: 01/26/2018
Entity: IndianaMat
Type: Power Poll
Class: All
1. Brownsburg
2. Portage


View full team ranking

This chart shows # of Top-20 state ranked guys per weight per regional.  Total for each regional at the end
  106 113 120 126 132 138 145 152 160 170 182 195 220 285   1. Hobart 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 1 26 2. Crown Point 1 3 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 0 2 18 3. Penn 1 1 1 3 2 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 4 19 4. Logansport 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 5. Goshen 1 0 1 3 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 15 6. Carroll (Fort Wayne) 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 2 3 2 1 3 2 1 19 7. Peru 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 6 8. Jay County 2 2 0 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 16 9. North Montgomery 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 2 1 15 10. Pendleton Hts 2 2 2 0 1 4 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 24 11. Perry Meridian 2 2 2 2 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 2 2 0 25 12. Richmond 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 1 12 13. Mooresville 3 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 2 1 3 5 36 14. Bloomington South 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 2 2 0 0 12 15. Jeffersonville 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 12 16. Evansville North 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 0 2 0 2 0 19

By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
The Diaz family was on the ground floor in building the wrestling program at Wheeler High School.
Now, two Diaz siblings are reaching for the heights during the 2017-18 IHSAA state tournament series.
At the Jan. 27 Crown Point Sectional, senior Jose Diaz Jr. placed second at 113 pounds and sophomore Giovanni Diaz finished first at 106. They both move on to the Feb. 3 Crown Point Regional. 
“He’s very intelligent,” says third-year Wheeler head coach Robin Haddox of Jose Jr. “He knows the sport very well. He’s extremely fast. He’s strong. He’s got the whole package.”
A 106-pound Jose Jr. became Wheeler’s first State Finals qualifier in 2016. He placed eighth at 113 in 2017. Giovanni was an East Chicago Semistate qualifier at 106 in 2017.
Jose Jr. explains why he enjoys wrestling.
“It’s you and another person,” says Jose Jr. “You go out and show who you really are. It’s what you decide to put on the mat.
“Winning feels great. Every time I get my hand raised, it feels great and motivates me to keep going.”
Giovanni likes to be pushed to his limit — something that he gets with wrestling.
“I like everything about it,” says Giovanni. “Most days, we try to push ourselves even when it’s supposed to be a light day.
“You’ve got to have a certain mindset. If you want to achieve your goals, you’re going to have some toughness and think you’re going to break.”
While they sometimes drill with other wrestlers in practice, Jose Jr. and Giovanni often trade moves.
“It’s always close when we wrestle,” says Jose Jr. “It’s always fun.”
Says Giovanni, “sometimes it get a little rough, but we keep it under control.”
The Wheeler Bearcats officially hit the mats six years ago. Jose Jr. was a seventh grader. Giovanni was a fifth grader. Father Jose Sr. introduced the boys to the sport soon after they were born.
Jose Sr. wrestled at Taft High School in Chicago, placing fourth in the city championships — just one win from the Illinois State Finals — as a senior in 1999. 
“I loved it,” says Jose Sr. of the sport. “Wrestling helped me stay out of trouble. That’s what it does for a lot of Chicago Public Schools kids.”
The elder Diaz and wife Patty moved their family to unincorporated Valparaiso near uncle Luis Del Valle.
“It was one of the best decisions we made,” says Jose Sr. “It’s a better than the life I lived.
“There have been a lot of opportunities for all of my kids (Jose Jr., Giovanni, third grader Aidan and second grader Emma).”
Jose Sr. knew he wanted his boys to wrestle and they began training at home, but he waited for them to commit to competition. When Jose Jr. was in third grade and Giovanni first grade, they joined the Boone Grove Wrestling Club as athletes and their father as a coach.
Then came the Wheeler Wrestling Club and the high school squad. Steadily the numbers have grown. This winter, the Bearcats filled nearly every weight class in most duals. The club has swelled to more than 40 wrestlers and the middle school team competed for its second season.
“Wheeler is not a dominant program yet, but we have guys who go down-state,” says Jose Sr., a construction contractor.
Jose Jr. likes the idea of leaving a legacy.
“I want to be remembered at this school as a good wrestler,” says Jose Jr. “When I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a role model. I was always shy. (Success in wrestling) helps me understand that I can be. It helped me with my confidence.”
Jose Jr. stays after high school practice each day to help younger club grapplers and is proud of what Bearcats wrestling has become.
“I love coaching the little kids and giving back to the community,” says Jose Jr. “With our numbers. our program has started getting 10 times better. Being part of this program means a lot to me.”
The Diaz boys will also leave their mark at Wheeler for his academic achievements. 
Jose Jr. carries a 4.089 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and is on his way to making the Wheeler Academic Hall of Fame. Giovanni has a 4.105 GPA.
“Wheeler is great for academics,” says Jose Jr. “Teachers are always there for you.”
With about 500 students, the teacher-to-student ratio allows for one-on-one attention.
Jose Jr., a National Honor Society member, has been accepted at educationally-prestigious Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., where he will compete in NCAA Division I wrestling. He plans to study health science with the aim of becoming a physical therapist.
“It’s a perfect fit for Jose,” says Jose Sr., of Franklin & Marshall, where Mike Rogers in head wrestling coach. “It’s a small private school. The student-to-staff ratio is 9-to-1. The school has history. It’s like an Ivy League school. A degree from there opens up a lot of doors. You go to Franklin & Marshall for academics, not for wrestling.
“I get a good feeling, handing over my son. Jose has been coached by me. I’ve been his dad and his coach. It’s a big step. I wanted to make sure Jose goes into a program that fits him.”
Jose Jr. knows it will be transition.
“I’m nervous to not have (my father) in my corner,” says Jose Jr. “He’s been there since Day 1. He sees what I don’t see. He tells it straight on.
“I’m not always happy about it, but it helps me tremendously.”
The student half of student-athlete is important throughout the Wheeler wrestling program.
“This is the highest grade-point average team I’ve ever been involved with,” says Haddox, an industrial construction manager. “The majority of our kids are 3.0 or better. We have not had to worry about grades at all with any of our wrestlers.”
Haddox wrestled at Chesterton High School, where he graduated in 1981, and the University of Tennessee. After a time in Texas, he moved back to northwest Indiana and began helping with the Portage High School wrestling program before Wheeler came calling.
Besides Haddox and Jose Diaz Sr., the Bearcats are coached by Alex Bravo (former Valparaiso High School wrestler) and Yusef Mohmed (who has a background in mixed martial arts).

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Yup it’ll be broadcast by the Berne Witness, as was sectional and will be semi state 

The same stuff happened 25 years ago. The whole, "we were tougher back when" gets tiresome. Maybe this is one of the reasons kids quit, they get told how soft they are constantly by these glory dayers.

http://www.journalgazette.net/sports/high-schools/20180128/dedicating-sectional-to-dad

The same stuff happened 25 years ago. The whole, "we were tougher back when" gets tiresome. Maybe this is one of the reasons kids quit, they get told how soft they are constantly by these glory dayers.

Actually, I'll reply to this post since I happen to be one of the parents of this particular individual.  First of all, I will be the first to say that before this season ever started and Myles was going back and forth on whether not he was going to wrestle, the only thing we asked of him was that if he did indeed start the season that he finished it as that is all we've ever asked of any of our kids. We didn't "allow" him to quit the team. He is almost 19 years old and unfortunately he is technically an "adult". As his parents, there's not a whole heck of a lot we can do! Believe me there have been numerous people, past/present coaches, administrators, mentors, that have tried talking to him. We have literally done all we could to try to get him to complete the season. It's easy to point fingers and say "why would they", "how could they"? Sometimes as parents our hands are tied. We have to let them fail on their own, allow them to make those "adult" decisions and pay the consequences. There's no doubt that he will regret this decision one day. We don't support or agree with his decision but we will love him regardless. If this past year had taught me anything, it's this. I will never again say "that won't be my kid" or "why didn't those parents do something about it" because now we are "those parents".  

The same stuff happened 25 years ago. The whole, "we were tougher back when" gets tiresome. Maybe this is one of the reasons kids quit, they get told how soft they are constantly by these glory dayers.

Update: surgery went as well as expected. He has lost movement on the left side of his body. He is in bad shape but still kicking! Long road ahead. It really sucks. Michael was Peyton's first round opponent this Saturday. The Irony is them two plus my nephew were Steve Livingston's first kids in the club 11 years ago at Cloverdale. Please keep Michael and his family in your prayers. 

If i want nuance i'll watch a French art film, but when i go to a wrestling meet i prefer to see wrestling rather than pushing and the nuances of drawing stall calls.

If i want nuance i'll watch a French art film, but when i go to a wrestling meet i prefer to see wrestling rather than pushing and the nuances of drawing stall calls.

If i want nuance i'll watch a French art film, but when i go to a wrestling meet i prefer to see wrestling rather than pushing and the nuances of drawing stall calls.

Can you recommend a good cheese to go with the county whine?

I'd watch a 106 match over a heavy weight match ANY day.

Bad idea. I have seen a lot of quality wrestling at 106 & 113 in every region of the state. Can't say that for Hwt and 225, in fact ive observed mostly ms quality wrestling from these groups. We'd rather have David Taylor and Logan Steiber sit so we can watch large unskilled wrestlers push each other towards the out of bounds line for 3 periods?
If anything eliminate 225 for another middleweight.

Bad idea. I have seen a lot of quality wrestling at 106 & 113 in every region of the state. Can't say that for Hwt and 225, in fact ive observed mostly ms quality wrestling from these groups. We'd rather have David Taylor and Logan Steiber sit so we can watch large unskilled wrestlers push each other towards the out of bounds line for 3 periods?
If anything eliminate 225 for another middleweight.

Bad idea. I have seen a lot of quality wrestling at 106 & 113 in every region of the state. Can't say that for Hwt and 225, in fact ive observed mostly ms quality wrestling from these groups. We'd rather have David Taylor and Logan Steiber sit so we can watch large unskilled wrestlers push each other towards the out of bounds line for 3 periods?
If anything eliminate 225 for another middleweight.