pritchem

Many historians believe that fireworks originally were developed in the second century B.C. in ancient Liuyang, China. 
 
 
LC definitely raged on us in the last 40 seconds of those two finals. Tip if the cap to them for a great wake up call to us in our first meet of the year. 

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the fact Alex Cottey is just a fricking straight hammer???! 12-3 after the first period UNDER THE LIGHTS after having the draw he had!

What you call wild, I call wrestling like a maniac. 

Linser is a solid wrestler! What a hard draw

[  ] 

And just for the answer to the question that was actually asked...tomorrow at noon CST.

Cross bracket the two sectionals that feed into the regional. 
for example Mishawka sectional and Plymouth sectional feed into Penn regional
 
so top bracket 
Mishawaka 1 vs Plymouth 4
plymouth 2 vs mishawka 3
 
bottom bracket 
mishawka 2 vs Plymouth 3
plymouth 1 vs mishawka 4
 
 

Hate to hear that for him. Hope all is well. 

125
Extra: Jacob Moran (Indiana) over Kurt McHenry (Michigan) (Dec 4-1)
 
saw this result on one of the extra matches.Huge win for Jacob Moran over a 2x world Champ 

I'd be willing to watch state from the North Pole with the Connersville Bowl's internet connection if it meant my kids had the opportunity to compete at state. 
 
I'm not a fan, so maybe I don't understand, but having wrestling in any capacity this season is a blessing. 

Faulkens expressed that they are not changing the venue no matter how much they take a bath on it. He said they are not going to take away from the athletes experience. I almost shed a tear.

This weekend in Philadelphia, Bryce Lowery of roncalli takes out the #18 ranked 120 pounder in the nation (on flo rankings) Jett Strickenburger
 
bryce won the battle 7-5
 
great job bryce!

Willie Saylor (the best ranker in the USA) has named Jesse top pound for pound high school wrestler in the USA. I have had the pleasure of seeing Jesse wrestle since he was very young. It’s been amazing to see the progress that he has made and continues to make. Sky’s the limit for this awesome kid. Great kid and great family. Keep it up champ!!! 

Remind him that mat retuning the kid running in front of him is generally frowned upon.   

I feel like there wasn't much discussion on either of these events.  Here are a few things I saw from our Indiana guys.
IHPO
105: 
Reed Egli wrestled well losing to Michigan state champ Wertanen.
CP's Bahl beat state qualifiers Cortez and Brady
Evan Dickey beat AZ state champ and finished with 4 wins
Brady beat incoming freshman Courtney 5-4 and Egli in sudden victory
Haines beat Seng in SV and finished the tournament with 5 wins taking 4th.
Toby Billerman beat Cortez 8-4
Courtney beat Seng 1-0
116:
Gilbert lost in semi finals and finished the day with 4 wins.  Will he go 113 for the season?
KT Nelson is back and had 3 falls and a TF to make the finals and finish 2nd. Where will he land?(Perry, Ben Davis, or BB)
Sam Ford was KT's only non bonus point win.
Driver beat Schammert 5-1 and finished the day with 5 wins
123:
Miller lost to Larkin who was later pinned by Schoeff.  Schoeff beat Frazier 2-0 and finished as the runner up.
IL freshman state champ Lemley is staying home his year and wrestling for Chesterton, instantly making them a title contender.  Lemley had a great tournament beating Lowery, Hooper, and Schoeff.
Hooper had a great tournament pinning Teusch, DQ over Ross, and a win over last years champ Cole Thomas.  Hooper took 3rd and earned an entry spot in Super32.
129:
Glithero and Goin finished with 3 wins.  Solomey and Roberson finished with 4 runs each.
Zeke stole the show beating Ison(7-3), Goin(9-1), and Roberson(8-4)
135:
Ian Heath beat Ohio stud Hart and beat Garcia 5-0.  Heath lost 3-2 to the finalist
Kysen lost to Fedalen twice 1-0.  Kysen beat IL champ Mylin and VanDyke
VanDyke then beat Alstott 4-3 
David Pierson won this bracket going 6-0.  Pierson beat Garcia 4-3.  Garcia beat Gunn 6-5.
Looks like Wagner is going 132 for the year and finished with 4 wins losing to Federlan 3-2
141:
Cowan, Ruhlman, Ponce, and Alcala each picked up 4 wins.
Alcala beat Sinkovics, Cowan beat Alcala, and Otto Beat Alcala.
Hayhurst dropped his first match and then won 5 straight in loser bracket beating Conrad  along the way.
Mendez had 4 first period falls before beating #12 ranked Alanis in SV.
148:
Blaze looked good up in weight losing close matches to state qualifiers Kaiser and Arthur 1-0 each.
Arthur gave eventual champ Gavin Brown a tough matching losing 4-2.
Crown Point's Estrada made the semi finals beating Larkin 7-6, Jeivan 13-5, and pinning Barnett.  Estrada finished 4th.
Koontz finished with 4 wins beating Haskin, Jeivan, and Barnett.
Watson was the most impressive beating Michigan state champ Hanau. Watson lost in the finals to #5 ranked Gavin Brown 3-2.
155:
Conway made the finals winning 5 matches.  JJ beat Rust in SV 5-3 eventually losing to Reynolds 5-0.
Reynolds looked dominant winning all 6 of his matches.
Rust beat Fitts 4-1 and Anderson 6-4.
Brock beat Tattini 6-2
Hardcastle picked up 4 wins by eliminating both CP wrestlers Carter and Tattini
163:
Camel's Major finished with 5 wins.  Baumann won 4 matches losing to the 1st and 3rd place wrestlers.
Urasley lost 5-1 to Baumann and then won 3 matches in consolations
Law won 3 matches before losing to eventual 3rd placer.
173:
Bryer Hall went 5-1 on the day beating Eastlin who took out Timmerman and 8th grade Veazy.
Veazy is going to be problems when he arrives in HS next year, he finished 2-2.
Henry went 5-2 winning 4 in the consolations beating Mosconi and Kemper.
Welch won 4 matches losing to the 3rd place finisher.
185:
Parker lost to the champ, but was able to come back and finish 3rd.
Layman looked good only losing to 1st and 4th placer.
198:
Barket went 3-1 and finished 2nd 
223:
Bates pinned to the finals before getting upset by Shephard helping him earn #18 ranking.
Ruhlman went 5-1 taking 3rd.  Tristan only loss was a 4-3 decision to Shephard.
285:
Erb went undefeated going 4-0.
 
Indiana finished with 6 champs and probably should of had at least 2 more.
 
Tyrant Duals
-8th grade Jacob Hockaday finished 8-1 at 98lbs
-Haines with another strong weekend going 7-2 at 106
-Lowery looked great beating formally ranked Strickenberger and finishing 8-1 at 120
-Hooper finished 7-2 at 120
-incoming freshman Brady Ison finished 8-1 at 126
-Kysen went 7-2 at 132 beating Barnhart along the way
-Gavin Garcia went 8-1 at 138 
-Pierson coming off a IHPO win went 5-4 at 138
-Heath beat Pierson Manville and finished 5-4
-D. Ruhlman had some battles finishing 4-5
-Logan Wagner went 4-5 with a good win against Zurawski
-Holt went 7-2
-Koontz went 6-3 with good wins against Poore, Sarbo, and Cymmerman.
-Cody Goodwin went 6-3 as well with a 7-0 win against Koontz, Goodwin did take losses to 2 guys Koontz beat.
-Freshman Emerine went 7-2 at 152
-Rust went 5-4 with a good win over 2X NY 4th placer Schubert
-Anderson went 8-1 with his only loss to #8 Gibson
-Law finished 8-1 as well
-incoming freshman Gunner Henry finished 7-2
-Duke went 8-1 with his only loss to #19  Duvall in SV.
-Griffin Ison finished 6-3 for the weekend
-Tristan Ruhlman finished 7-2 with one of the losses to #14 Misita
 
Overall I think Indiana is starting to open other states eyes.  Great 2 weekends of wrestling.
 
 
 

In all fairness....I think Silas has solidified himself as a pretty special talent regardless of school size.  So with all do respect, I genuinely feel to draw a question about why aren’t more 1A or 2A wrestlers like him, is a bit unfair. Almost as unfair as if I asked why aren’t more 4A wrestlers like him.
 
Admittedly....I certainly don’t have the answers regarding pros/cons of class wrestling.  I think there’s evidence of beneficial dynamics on both sides.  The class question is always intriguing to me because comparisons are frequently made to other power states whose classed (PA, Ill, IA, OH, etc).  But I question these comparisons as it pertains to the benefits of classing Indiana.  In other words....if those states weren’t classed, would they not be as strong?  I personally feel their strengths are elsewhere apart from the classification system. 
Specifically....their head start in club training, and especially collegiate RTC opportunities. Most notably in PA.  In PA alone there are 11 D1 wrestling programs, 8 D2, and 14 D3.  This equates to NEVER having to drive too far down the road to get your butt kicked for 2hrs.  And in my experience, that dynamic coupled with an athletes desire to close the gap....is the biggest catalyst in the evolving of more nationally elite kids.  And unfortunately....class or no class, at this point.....only a handful of young athletes are driven enough to embrace a “Get beat up, or get better” mentality.  In fact, classing things in hopes to raise 1A numbers, kinda caters to many of those athletes who are hesitant to compete because of that fear.  If numbers is the only goal, then classing definitely benefits.  But I’m confident that strictly more bodies on the mat isn’t the zeal motivating class wrestling advocates.
 
I’m fully aware that more participation will undoubtedly eventually mold some freak athlete whose a football player at the small school level into a great wrestler.  But what about the “in-betweens”.  The guys who literally just lack the drive, and want the accolades without the effort.  That’s one of my biggest issues with classing it here.  And full transparency......I’m definitely bias by what I’ve personally experienced at the small school level, in contrast to having graduated and competed athletically myself at Muncie Central. 
 
The Silas scenario is 100% the embodiment of hard work and extreme levels of self motivation. For 2 years, his daily partner was a 160lb’er.....and a true 170 wrestling up to benefit our team. So having a no excuse mentality.....we had to find partners, supplental/paid clinicians for live wrestling, stance and motion in live match format for 5 periods, old school Rocky like strength training, and literally driving anywhere & everywhere in the off-season....to ensure he’d taste humility and have to overcome a peak to close a gap.  Ultimately....it’s simply been a mantra of “Nobody will outwork me”.  That alone excited the recruiters.  Silas’ ceiling hasn’t even been close to established. He’s never had regular elite partners to push him.  He’s a product of self-push, and an overwhelming desire to succeed.
 
In fact, the argument could made.....that Silas is the example of what’s possible at the 1A level.  When you simply don’t make excuses about school size, strength of schedule, partners, etc.  And just literally make it a lifestyle.  Daily telling yourself....I’m going to be better today than I was yesterday. 
 
Again....I don’t have all the answers.  And I respect the opinion of those whose researched the benefits.  I’m just simply sharing what I know to be truth in the lives of my son Silas, and his overzealous dad who fell in love with sport a mere 6 yrs ago. 🤷🏻‍♂️  
 
That said......will classing create more elite athletes?  I can’t buy in.
 
But will it raise numbers and help even more young men become better men?  I’m sold on that.

Asa - 6 
Blaze - 4 
They thought it was going to be like WWE . We walked in the Muncie Pal Club on the their first day and they seen a boxing ring . Blaze darted for it, until I told him NO ! That’s not real wrestling. Rest is History. Wish I could go back to the beginnings . Fun times, a lot of crying . 😊

Alex Cottey started when he was 4yrs old. We couldn’t keep him off the mat while his brothers were wrestling.

I think we should talk about how one of the biggest upsets in Indiana State History almost happened. You could see Koontz smiling on the ground after he got reversed because that was a NASTY headlock. Seemed to only make Mendez mad tho. Props to Koontz for coming to play and congrats to soon to be four-timer Jesse Mendez 🔥

Koontz has a good headlock. 

Seltzer crushes Cottey and Mendez crushes Boarman...
 

You just keep doing what your doing kid. This idiot troll made a profile just to bust the chops of a kid that wrestled very smart. Way to put this dude in check. With that said, leave this chat to idiots like us. Check all this out after next weekend. You just keep grinding champ! 

I didn’t really think you had anything against him. Just good natured fun. In fact I enjoy seeing people’s predictions. Keep it up.

#2 Ben Dalton versus #3 Alstott is nuts. 

Dalton beat him at semi state last year and for 3rd and 4th at the state finals. 

this has to be the toughest ticket round match this year.
 
 
 
 

I’ve avoided dialogue regarding Silas vs Bates all year.  For obvious reasons on one hand as Silas’ father, but also due to privileged information regarding weight changes, and the initial facilitation of this “should have been” match up. 
I could allow pride to take over and list countless examples of top 10 Nationally ranked young men from 182-220 that Silas has pinned or tech’d. Including some Bates was unfortunately on the losing end to.  And I say “unfortunately” GENUINELY.  Because despite how I know this match up would go.....we genuinely root for Evan on the National scene.  We want Evan to continue growing his skill-set, smash opposing nationally ranked wrestlers, and continue growing the reputation of our very underrated State’s wrestling rep.
 
That said.....I’ll only divulge this bit of information.  Silas trended down nearly 30lbs prior to BMI’s to make this match happen. We were told by reputable sources that Bates was going to stay at 195lbs and challenge himself.  We admired that attribute....and were more than willing to give him opportunity.  Regardless of Silas’ initial plan to wrestle a VERY comfortable 220lbs prior to leaving for Lincoln in June.  
The weight class jump wasn’t solidified until after the first of the year.  Now.....opinions are just that.....”opinions”. And everyone is entitled to their own.   But those closest to the initial facilitation of this match know the truth.  And that’s what matters most.
 
We appreciate the statewide support for Silas, and fully respect the opinions of those who support, and are fans of Evan. It’s great for the sport.  We wholeheartedly regret this match isn’t going to happen this year, but will very much look forward to a potential Fargo match-up. 
We wish Evan and the Chesterton team nothing but good health, and success moving forward.  And hope they collectively enjoy the ride in pursuit of their goals. -The Allred’s 
 
Plenty of other talented and driven 195 and 220lbs young men for Silas & Evan to focus on as we speak.