When Gary Black Jr. interviewed for the head wrestling coach at Shenandoah, his goals were clear. He didn’t want to maintain the status quo for the Raiders. He wasn’t content with getting a few kids through to semistate. He wanted to put Shenandoah on the wrestling map, and he wanted the small Henry County school to compete, and win against the state’s best programs.
His vision for the program landed him the job, and now, seven years later, he has done exactly what he said he would.
Shenandoah won the school’s first sectional two weeks ago. The Raiders dominated larger schools such as New Castle and Richmond in the process.
Last week the Raiders fell 1.5 points shy of winning the school’s first regional title.
“We had to get a mentality change,” Black said. “We had to understand the physicality of wrestling. We reached out to the elementary school. We implemented a club to get young kids invested in the sport at an early age. It took us a few years, but when we had an opening for the middle school job and I had John Slivka and my dad (Gary) take over, we really started developing our feeder system.”
Shenandoah has seven wrestlers competing at the New Castle semistate Saturday. Sophomores A.J. Black (106) and Dallas Pugsley (126), senior Ryan Surguy (138) and freshman Silas Allred (170) were all Richmond regional champions. Sophomore Hayden Lohrey (132) lost a close match to undefeated Cainan Schaefer in the championship round. Josh Gee (senior, 160) lost to No. 2-ranked Alston Bane 1-0 in the championship and sophomore Jake Webster placed fourth in the 152-pound class.
The Raider success story is one of heartache, determination and a coach that refuses to give up on his kids.
The Heartache
Coach Black’s younger brother Levi was perhaps the most talented grappler on the Raider team. He had an insane dedication to the sport and a work ethic that was unrivaled. Levi was well liked by everyone he came in contact with. But, despite all the positives he had going for him, Levi struggled with a mental illness that eventually led him to take his own life, at the high school, in November of 2015.
The death rocked the tiny Shenandoah community, as well as much of the surrounding area. Levi’s funeral brought together wrestlers from around the state. Many wrestlers, such as Bane at Richmond, have shown support of the Black family and helped raised awareness of mental illness by having a green streak (symbolic of Levi’s fight with the disease) dyed in his hair.
The Shenandoah team needed strength during this time. They needed someone to help them cope with the emotional gravity of the situation. The Black family was there to provide it.
“Both coaches (Gary Jr. and Sr.) are my heroes,” Gee said. “After all they went through, they still took care of us – even over themselves. Through their pain they never let us down. They helped us cope and really turned us into a wrestling brotherhood. We are a family.”
For Gary Jr., he knew he needed to find a way to honor Levi, yet move forward.
“The last 16 months have been a huge learning curve for a lot of us,” Black said. “Not only are you dealing with the daily grind of being a wrestler at a high level, but these kids already battle a lot of things daily. That was one more added struggle for all of us. There are days for me, my dad and I‘m sure the kids – being at that exact same place where everything happened – that make it very difficult. All of our lives have been changed.”
The Determination
Last year A.J. Black, Levi and Gary Jr’s youngest brother, tried doing everything he could to honor Levi. At times, the pressure got to him. He didn’t want to let his family down. When he lost in the ticket round to go to state, you could see that built up emotion boil over as tears streamed down his face.
“The weight of trying to accomplish a goal for the memory of his brother took its toll on A.J. and just mentally wore him down,” coach Black said. “We talked about it. He had to make a shift in how he honors his brother. He needs to start doing things for himself.
“I ask him before every match, who he is wrestling for. He now will say ‘Me’ and then give me a hug and go wrestle. He still honors Levi, but by working his hardest and doing his best. That’s all Levi would have wanted.”
The hard work mantra extends past A.J. To a man, the Raiders pride themselves on outworking other teams. The guys have bought into the system and have dedicated their summers to the sport.
“Levi was the hardest worker in the room,” A.J. said. “Everyone wants to make him proud by working as hard as they can, every day.”
Take Allred for example. He is a 14-year old freshman that won’t turn 15 until May 28. He’s wrestling in one of the most physically demanding classes (170). Yet he’s undefeated.
“We believe success is a mindset,” Allred said. “I constantly train and constantly push myself to get better. If you want to be the best, you have to work to be the best. You can get better, or worse every single day.”
Surguy and Gee are two examples of the dividends of that work ethic.
As a sophomore Gee was pinned by Bane in the sectional final in 36 seconds. Last year he lost 5-1 to Bane in the sectional final. This year, Gee has dropped two matches to Bane, but both were by the score of 1-0.
Surguy is another senior that struggled early, but has blossomed due to the work he puts in. This year Surguy is 42-2 with a sectional and regional title.
The Coach
Gary has built the Raider program to be one of the state’s best. The Raiders finished No. 2 in the Class A team state, and have higher aspirations down the road.
For Gary, the key to success has been making the wrestlers buy into the fact that the only way to improve, is to outwork the opposition. He also makes sure the wrestlers feel like a family.
“We see each other at our worst, and we see each other at our best,” said Allred, who has a 4.0 GPA and is ranked third in his class. “When one of us has a down day, the rest of us try and pick him up. This is more than a wrestling team. We’re all friends. We’re all brothers.”
The leader of the Raider family is undoubtedly the young coach Black. His passion for the team is evident in every match he coaches.
“On Sundays I’m exhausted,” Black said “It’s hard for me to be on the sideline when I just want to go to war with them. I don’t want to be the general just telling them to go into battle. I want to battle with them. I’ll be the intense guy on the sideline.
“I want these kids to win as bad as they do. I get extremely emotionally involved in their success. I’d like to think they appreciate it, even though I look ridiculous. I love wrestling and I love watching those kids compete.”
Last year only Lohrey punched his ticket to the state meet for the Raiders. This year Shenandoah has high hopes to have more than one kid represented. They know how hard the road is to get to state, but they’ve prepared themselves to complete the journey – just like a young coach interviewing for his first head coaching job seven years ago said they would.
The 2017 Evansville Central Sectional—long considered as one of the toughest in the State—expects to hold its form. A confluence of five counties and three conferences will meet on a trio of mats at 5400 1st avenue, this Saturday morning.
Vincennes Lincoln edged Mt. Vernon for the Big 8 title. This was the Alices’ first title in 20 years. Surging North Posey, Pike Central and Gibson Southern competed for PAC honors, while Mater Dei held service at the SIAC. Will anyone be able to unseat the ‘Cat for the team title?
106- Mater Dei’ Kaleb “Hondo” Hinderliter nabs the top seed with his 21-6 record. Expect North Posey’s Kameron “Was in Egypt’s Land” Kendall to come through the bottom half of the bracket. “Luke, It’s Your” Destiny Garris, Max “Chiller” Ziller, “Battle of” Shiloh Stasi, Dalton “Georgia” Williams and Pake “And Bake” Davis round out the roster.
113- Nathan “Yes I” Willman has rolled up a 32-3 record and earned the top seed. The North Posey freshman will likely meet Mater Dei’s Kane “Mutiny” Egli for the title. Dylan Murray “State”, Caige “Match” Elliot, Parker “Moon” Mullins, Cameron “A tic-tac” Amento and Christian Hilliard “Lyons” fill the bracket.
120- Mater Dei Freshman Eli Dickens has slayed a number of dragons during his freshman campaign. Princeton’s “Bob” Dylan Jones will likely challenge him at center mat. Ira “401K” Stasi, Nate “Shun” Morgan, Tristan “Astin” Martin, Eric Harpeneau “Marx”, Evan “Sville” McGuire and Austyn “River” Hudson will also challenge.
126- Mater Dei Freshman Matt “Lock” Lee impressed with his SIAC title. Vincennes Lincoln sophomore Parker “Brothers” McNeely looks to challenge him for the bracket board. Jacob “Shaw” Shanks, Randy “Bam” Powell, Cameron Fisher “Price”, Michael “Father” Flanagan, Jacob “Sladder” Crissup and Nick “Knack” Renshaw will fight it out for podium spots.
132- Mater Dei’s 25-0, “Sweet” Kyle Luigs, will bring his brand of destruction to Central’s gym. Sorry guys—this is a race for silver. Brayden Bethe “I Hear You Calling”, Luke “Not Quite” Dunn, “Drag” Race Britton, Ashtin “Forzley” Russell, Drew “Kosher” Dilbeck, Kameron “Bottle” Capps, Corbin “Poor Dad” Richeson and Tommy “Machine Gun” Kelley also populate the frame.
138- North Posey’s Levi “Ticus” Miller is the top seed with a 31-4 record. The junior put his feet on the mat of Banker’s Life two years ago and looks poised for a repeat performance. In his way is Mater Dei’s Nolan “Double” Weidner. Josh “Tosh.O” McIntosh, Jerry “Top” Greer, Jaxon “Tie” Dye, Nick “Belfast” Ireland, Colton “45” McCrary, Landon “Dam” Hoover and Jalen “Semi” Kenworthy will look to mount the podium.
145- Mater Dei’s Joe "Don't Worry B." Happe looks to capture honors for the second straight year. The one seed will probably meet the winner of Mt. Vernon’s Harley “Davidson” Gorman and Gibson Southern’s Michael “North” Polen. Tyler “Vacuum” Kirby, John “Blues” Klus, Josh Wiggins “Wam”, Caden “Def Jam” Deffendoll, Brennan Schutte “And Ladders”, Brady “Bunch” Blankenship and Matthew “Popeye” Sailer will bang heads for ribbons.
152- Last year’s sectional final between Mater Dei’s “Cuppa” Joe Lee and Mt. Vernon’s Austin “Texas” Bethel produced an outcome that will be talked about for generations to come. Does Bethel still have the magic? You can bet your sweet bippy the restrooms will be empty for this one. “Prince” Albert Spencer, Nick Jett “And the Blackhearts”, Dylan “Aircraft” Carrier, Gavin Boyd “Sbear”, Clay “Double, Triple” Singleton, Jesse “The Body” Holder and Tristan “Life Of” Riley will slug it out for third.
160- Princeton’s Chase Wilson is legitimate…so is Pike Central’s Colton “Shaq” O’Neal. They will be challenged by Mater Dei’s Macartney “Live and Let Die” Parkinson, North’s Shawn “Ice Cream” Coane and North Posey’s Colton “Hot Streak” Gamblin. There are five contenders, but only four will advance. Luke Price “Is Right”, Beau “Bridges” Lamey, “R” Cade Latshaw, Tylar “Spellar” Mitchell and “Orange” Julius fight for air in this deep, deep weight class.
170- Pike Central’s “Go Directly To” Jaylon Owens brings a 37-0 record to the top seed. Not so fast! Mt. Vernon’s “For” Micah Keller will also challenge with his 28-1 record. Chance “Community Chest” Price, Lucas “Klassie” Plasse, “William” McKinley Kemper, Joe “Octane” Bichler, Wyatt “Earp” Montgomery, Tyler “Ring” Tasa and Nate “The Natural” McDowell round out the roster.
182- Central’s Kiave Guerrier “& Ives” has a high energy style which earned him the top seed. Vincennes’ “Arch” Bishop Coomer is poised to come through the bottom half of the bracket. Quinten “The Mighty Quin” Might, Marcus “After Weigh-In I’m” Eatan, Zach “Diet” Adkins, Luke McGennis “Stout”, Robbie “The Helfrich, You Say” Helfrich, James “Perm” Curl, Noah “Sark” Wade and Chris Leavitt “Town” fill the bracket.
195- Mater Dei’s Kurtis “Born To Be” Wilderman looks to again stand on the podium at Banker’s Life. Mt. Vernon’s Cam “Shaft” Maier will be his primary competitor. David Etolen, Josh Riley, Aaron Breivogel, “Buffalo Bill” Cody Martin, Kevante “The Big Un” Guerrier and Nick “I Got Questions” Query will also challenge.
220- Mater Dei’s Michael “Row The Boat Ashore” Boots should reprise the 2016 regional final against Princeton’s Payton “Place” Halbig. Ryan “Carriedt” Heldt, Cole “Miner” Werkmeister, Jake “In” Sisk, Kaleb “Corporal” McCaffry, Ethan “Allen” Smith, Evan “Of All The” Gallaty and Macray “The Knife” Robinson will fight for podium spots.
285- Who will get in the way of Mt. Vernon’s Wade “Let ‘Er” Ripple? So far, no one. The senior is a perfect, 35-0. Vincennes’ Spencer “For Hire” York and Princeton’s Dalton “Real Deal” Beal will fight for a spot in the final. Holton “Cranberry” Zoss, Chris Cross “Applesauce”, Silas “Marner” Goff, Blake “He’s Pinned, He’s” Stuckey and Scott “Captain” Kirk will look to mount the podium.
Best Quarterfinal Matches- Wiggins/North Posey vs. Deffendoll/Vincennes, Gamblin/North Posey vs. Coane/North, Bichler/Princeton vs. Kemper/Central, Guerrier/Central vs. Martin/North Posey.
Best Semifinal Matches- Fisher/North Posey vs. McNeely/Vincennes, Gorman/Mt. Vernon vs. Polen/Gibson Southern, Sisk/Pike Central vs. Halbig/Princeton.
Best Semifinal Match- At 132 pounds, Central’s Bethe possesses a big motor and insane scrambling skills, while Princeton’s Luke Dunn is a wily veteran. This should be a good one.
Best Finals Match- This is a tough one. At 113, Willman beat Egli at the Holiday Classic on a last second move. I also like Miller and Weidner at 138. The Boots/Halbig rematch at 220 is intriguing. I wanted to pick 160 as the top final, however, I cannot predict who will be at center mat. Therefore, the nod goes to 170 pounds where Mt. Vernon’s Micah Keller will look to hang the first loss of the season on Pike Central’s Jaylon Owens. These two are athletic, fast and full of go-go juice. This one has the makings of a classic!
Team Race- Mt. Vernon, Vincennes Lincoln, Gibson Southern and North Posey will have a good amount of placers and rack up team points. Princeton and Pike Central also have strong teams and will look to carry momentum into the regional. However, at the end of the day, Greg Schaefer’s crew from 1300 Harmony Way is too deep to overcome. About 4 pm, the Wildcats will hoist the sectional trophy for the 41st consecutive time.
Hookemendations:
*The sectional is an annual homecoming for a number of old-timer Mater Dei wrestlers. Have one of them regale you with a “Back in the Day” story—you won’t be sorry. The 1964 145-pound state champ, Fred Happe, will likely be there—I’m pretty sure he can still put a power half on you. The 1954 state qualifier, Tom Scheller, often attends. Mr. Scheller is an all-around gentleman and a heck of a guy. Hit him up! Central had a number of powerhouse teams and state qualifiers in the 1950s. Do any of these guys ever come around?
*Get up early and have breakfast at the Pie Pan. After your omelet, (Hookticia prefers pancakes) have a piece of pumpkin or pecan pie...you don’t have to make weight! If you are a Mater Dei or Mt. Vernon fan (travelling from the west) try out the Kite & Key on Franklin Street. Great coffee and the friendliest wait staff in Evansville.
*If home takes you north or east, ask any Central or Mater Dei fan for directions to the Hornville Tavern. Madonna was there for filming of “A League of Their Own”. Fortunately, the place has since been sandblasted and fumigated. But, I digress. In terms of value and food quality, this is Hook’s FAVORITE restaurant in Vanderburgh County. If the prime rib is on special, you want it. Otherwise, go for the smoked pork chop. You’re welcome.
*At the corner of 41 and I-64, you will find Stoll’s County Inn. This is the best buffet you will find and has an Amish influence. Load up on mashed potatoes and fried chicken. Tell ‘em Yoder sent you!
*When Hook was a kid, he thought sushi was bait. Now this he is an elite sophisticate, he knows better. If you like sushi or hibachi, Fujiyama offers the best value for Japanese cuisine in the city. It is Mrs. Hook's favorite place to eat. Banzai!
I miss Team State at the end of the year too. The Coaches Association has done an outstanding job of giving us the best we can have now. Thanks for the positive feedback, but after tonight I'd say Perry wins 7 or 8 out of 10. Very impressive. I need a counselor and sleep therapist. Perry took earned the #. Sorry to TheCounty. Lol.
Snyder - will try to sleep now....but think Falcons will be hovering over me.
Again, awesome job of making an incredible atmosphere. My bus driver said, "Coach, I know you guys lost and I'm sorry...but I've never seen a wrestling meet. (He is new to the job). When is the next "game". That was awesome!"
Marinelli wins 17-6. Hughes just wasn't able to get his offense off against a relentless Marinelli. There is a reason this guy in #1 at his weight and top 10 in the P4P rankings. Still a great experience/honor for Hughes, and something that will help make him an even tougher wrestler this season.
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