bluechipper

Wrestle-backs are needed. If we want the best tournament possible, they must be a priority. There were PLENTY of wrestlers yesterday who didn't advance because of terrible draws and others who advanced because of sheer luck of draws. When two top ten wrestlers are battling to a one-point decision in the ticket round and two unranked wrestlers are battling in the ticket round, it's a problem. When you're at state and a wrestler places eighth with a 1-3 record, it's a problem. Compare results with any state or even the NCAA. All placers in tournaments have at least a .500 or winning record at the tournament. In Indiana, you can have a losing record and still be considered a state finisher. It's beyond flawed.

106: Bailey 113: Lowery 120: Fair 126: Rooks 132: Rooks 138: Melloh 145: McIntosh 152: Lee 160: Mappes 170: Warren 182: Walton 195: Davison 220: Parris 285: Pokorney

Servies “upsetting” Slivka.

While I’m not big on classing Indiana Wrestling, I can see the benefits of it. The arguments of kids needing to work harder instead of classing the tournament is weak because this next weekend, you’ll see kids who work their butts off not even break the bank because of draws. It’s not the wrestlers who are flawed in this sense, it’s the system. There are no wrestlebacks in place, no classes, etc., so we’re not seeing the very best Indiana has to offer. While I agree some small schools have created a victim language in believing they cannot compete with big schools, some literally will just never break through. It’s true, though, that making state can transform wrestlers. I’ve seen it first hand with a wrestler who qualifies that no one or even himself thought he would, then the next year he’s in the finals launching a Purple Hulk. So, class wrestling could potentially have major benefit in the talent pool. You never know until it happens, until then, it’s going to take a leader like Gary Black to transform a small school program and bring them to prominence. Guys like that are few and far between.

At 145, while the safe bet is Slivka, I refuse to count out Servies in the probable ticket round bout. He’s a tough, experienced senior, and he’ll give everything in the tank. The match-up is reminiscent of the Brookbank/Melloh clash two years ago that resulted in the Cathedral wrestler and medalist being knocked out. Saturday will be a fun day of wrestling!

Just want to give some big props to this guy. He wrestled his heart out the other night against Zach Melloh on his senior night. Many believed he would give up bonus points to a very-polished Melloh, but Blaze stayed in the match the whole time, and after several crazy takedown defenses, even scored a takedown on Melloh and held him to an 11-8 decision. That is heart and what every coach looks for in a wrestler and what every young teammate looks for in a senior. Wishing you the best of luck on the rest of your senior year, bro! Blessed to call you a friend and awesome to see the growth you’ve shown!

I don't see the WWE garnering interest unless significant buzz were to come about. They are always scouting, however. I know it's a common thing to have talent agents from the company at the NCAA tournament to recruit for the performance center, but it would be a whole new world for them if they were to venture to mat wrestling. After doing research, Ring of Honor doesn't have the money to sponsor or partner with a company like Flo. Flo partnering with an MMA company like Bellator would be an easier route possibly due to the amount of coverage Flo gives to guys who have entered that realm. (Pico, Ruth, Fortune, etc.) Kyle Dake posted a tweet back in 2016 with a poll asking fans if they would support a professional freestyle wrestling league, and with 3,327 votes, 89% voted yes. The responses from fellow wrestlers, such as Reece Humphrey, Jake Herbert, Tony Ramos, and OSU All-American, Nick Piccinnini, all were in favor of it, but they all agreed that for it to happen: • A businessman or sponsor is needed to back it for the idea to happen. • Freestyle rules are needed to transfer seamlessly to the Olympics • A season-schedule. A season schedule may be needed for the inception and early stages, but without a doubt, marketing and endorsements from some of the biggest stars are key. A lot of the UFC's success came after the Zuffa, LLC deal. The company was strategic with creating more concepts than just pay-per-view events and placing their shows in time slots that didn't compete with WWE Raw. With the help of crossover stars such as Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz, and ideas such as The Ultimate Fighter, the company was able to catch the attention of major mainstream media outlets such as ESPN and USA Today. AGON was able to pull in $100K from each of their four pay-per-view events. It'd be interesting to see what else could be done.

As a fan of this sport, I was truly impressed this weekend by Flo's latest edition of their annual Flonationals tournament. The awarding of the belts to the champions, big stage for the finals, and the compression shirt/fight shorts made it all feel big. I know they've done the attire switch and stage in the past, but I think the belts are new. The best part about this tournament was the presentation. It felt like a big event that would attract viewers who are new to the sport. With that being said, there's a lot of talk about growing the sport and many express their desire to make wrestling a cultural phenomenon across the globe. That brought me to Flo Premier League. When it was first introduced, it seemed awesome, but it was quickly overshadowed by what was wrong with it rather than what was good. One of the outstanding negatives was the rule set. The Tirapelle rules were confusing to fans and newcomers. With that being said, should FPL return, it should follow the standard Freestyle rules with a few additions/adjustments such as overtime and maybe par terre opportunities. The obvious goal is to have the casual sports fan who's searching the tube to be able to come across this channel and say, "Holy crap. This is awesome." Presentation is everything. Part of what makes companies like WWE and UFC possible are their presentations. I'm not sure which thread it was in, but someone mentioned how to grow wrestling with simple things like teaming with a graphics designer to advertise your school's top wrestler in a headline match-up and that's where it starts. Little ideas like those will help push wrestling to the forefront. I've been observing India's Pro Wrestling League, and they have a good idea going with the wrestlers represented by team, but still, it's a little too confusing. Also, with Flo's growing appeal, indie wrestling or fight promotions seek new talent and ways to grow. Partnering with a company like Bellator or Ring of Honor would help increase viewership considering many collegiate or international wrestlers venture to both sides. The ideas aren't longshots and could make a huge impact if done correctly. If the FPL were to return, how would we, as fans, like to see the action? - UFC format (Year-round competition, schedules vary between wrestlers, showcases and big events of top stars) - WWE format (Year-round competition, weekly event schedules) - NCAA format (traditional competition schedule, wrestlers sign with teams/clubs) I'd like to see an MMA-style pro schedule with the Flo belts defended. Flo has a way of producing excitement for hot matches such as the Mark Hall/Anthony Valencia rivalry in high school that came with a press conference and a full build-up of advertised promos and video packages. Mason Parris has been the talk of the weekend, and his newly one belt has solidified him as quite possibly the best 220lber in the nation. I understand these are high school guys and they have a lot to do, but imagine Flo events with the belts defended. That's what FPL could bring and I think it could be amazing. I'm interested in hearing what others think about this. Please share ideas.

Thanks for the insight. You brought to my attention things I previously neglected to mention/ask. Do kids feel obligated to go Division I because of their state championship or high placement(s)? What about the late bloomers who's potential doesn't shine until late? (ex.: Riley Lefever) I can agree that I would like to see more of our best go to Division II programs and thrive rather than fizzling out on the D-I scene. For example, Nick Crume, a state champion and three-time medalist (1, 3, 3) chose to attend the University of Indianapolis, and I believe he's already a three-time All-American. Josh Kieffer, also a multiple-time state runner-up/placer, was a four-time All-American for the Greyhounds. You could argue those guys could have seen success on the Division I level, but could they really? I know another thing that comes to mind is cost. As you mentioned, you owed way more coming out of Findlay than you would've IU or Purdue. A lot of kids try to avoid that it seems, but is it worth it? A 2008 NCAA survey reported Division I athletes on average devote 44.8 hours a week to athletic responsibilities and a little less than 40 hours a week to academics, with about every 2/3 considering themselves athletes first. I know there are coaches out there who say, "Get your school paid for," but if the academic side suffers and you are unhappy, is it at all worth it?

What contributes to next level success? I've been curious about this subject for a long time. We've seen some of the best in high school, who seem poised for success, fail to live up to standards at the next level (specifically Division I). What's the issue? I've talked to former and current Big Ten wrestlers from IU, and a lot of them say for many, it's coaching practices and rituals. I've heard stories from ridiculous weight cuts to being over-trained and doing hard two-a-days a night before the Big Ten Championships, where as some kids just never seem to get off of the ground. There's always the select few who prosper through the training and come out successful during the postseason at the NCAA tournament. IU has had an All-American (two of those wrestlers weren't Indiana natives) every year since 2014, but is this due to maturity, talent, coaching, a combination of all three, etc.? I'm just not understanding why a lot of our Indiana kids don't succeed as often on the highest level. The future does look bright for us, however. In Division II and Division III with programs like Wabash and UIndy, kids are thriving. I can only remain optimistic for Division I. Lots of talent is coming in, but if someone could please give me something as to why generally our kids don't do well on the Division I level despite their talents, work ethics, etc., I would greatly appreciate it. Really curious to gain some insight.

I was conversing midday yesterday with some friends, and we were wondering about what the state finals would be like in a different venue. To my understanding, there's a little over 10,000 people per session at the IHSAA state finals. Bankers Life Fieldhouse is an 18,000+ seat multi-purpose arena, and if a little over 10,000 are at each session, that leaves roughly 7,000-8,000 seats empty during the tournament. What would the event look like in Evansville's Ford Center (11,000+ seating) or Fort Wayne's Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (13,000+ seating)? I don't expect the tournament to run any different, just wondering what the atmosphere would be like in a different venue. Many talk about home-field advantage in sports, and that makes me wonder about matches like the Red/Lee match. Would an already pro-Lee crowd be more intense if the match took place in Evansville? Curious and interested in hearing opinions on this.

I would love to see Deondre Wilson, Cody LeCount, Nick Lee, and Chad Red in a round robin of when they were all 132 lbs.

I don't know much about a few of these guys, so it's a mix of facts, placements, losses, and slight opinion. Gable - World Champ, 3x State Champ Chad - Dexter Larimore's last loss Dexter - Dominant heavy, pinned Chico in a cradle, 3x finalist, 1x champ Frank Hammond - Dominant heavy, 1x Champ, 1x finalist DJ Radnovich - Dominant 215 in his era, considered one of the best ever Chico - 2x champ, 112-0 in last two seasons mentored Wes and Donte both, L'd Chalfant Chalfant - L'd by Chico, champ the next year, NCAA AA Donte - L'd Wes, Streck, and Gelen, State Champ, Fargo Runner-Up Wes - L'd Donte, Streck, State Champ, Fargo 4th Gelen Robinson - L'd Streck, 2x champ Streck - 2x Champ, National #2, 2x Fargo AA Mason - Dominant 2x Champ, National #3 Don't eat me alive on this one. I know arguments could be made with Mason, Gelen, Radnovich, and Chalfant, but I tried to use placements and who wrestled who for the most part along with what the people have said consistently.

What if... We had a big man super bracket? Consisting of Gelen Robinson, Wes Bernard, Donte Winfield, Chico Adams, Frank Hammond, Dexter Larimore, Adam Chalfant, Shawn Streck, Mason Parris, DJ Radnovich, Chad Ruggeri, and former Indiana kid, Gable Steveson... Who would come out on top?

I have a few... In 2015, during the fiery dual with Penn, we were behind and it looked like we would have to go wrestle for 3rd/4th for the second straight year, but our "murderer's row" entered and just rallied off win after win that was exclamated by Jordan Napier's spladle. It was truly a memory that will stick with me forever. Last season, I watched Brett Johnson wrestle Trent Pruitt at the Capital City Classic, and he was slammed and unconscious for a slight moment (the kid went limp), and then he proceeded to get up and wrestled like a man possessed dominating Pruitt 9-2. That was special to me watching a guy I looked up to continuously fight and wear people down. It's like when you wound him up, he would keep going. Lastly, this past year watching Tristen Tonte and Noah Warren do the traditional dive in the circle before the state finals matches got underway was a huge moment to see. When the Tonte family left for Warren Central, a lot of outsiders had a lot of negatives things to say, but that moment for me was a lasting image. Although, Tristen was in a different uniform, he was still Perry Meridian's blood. Even after Noah's finals loss, the entire Perry Meridian section stayed to watch Tristen's last match, and it was a great sight seeing everyone cheer on Mac Daddy and Sunshine. Much love and respect to the Tonte and Warren families.

Austin DeSanto, the Pennsylvania wrestler who handed Spencer Lee his only loss, wrestled for Exeter Township. However, it is worthy of noting, the commentators pointed out that he is a home-schooled student that lives in the township and the PIAA granted him eligibility to wrestle. Is this allowed in Indiana?

I'd throw in Logan Cooper, Shaun Richardson, Brian Vest, Nick Bova, and Cornelious Elliott.

I absolutely had to revise this list. If you saw the original post, Jacob Tonte was ranked #7, then #10, but after some more information, he's definitely a top six kid from Perry Meridian. Placed as a Frosh. Ranked third in state as soph. Placed as a junior and ranked #3 and 40-0 as a senior. Beat Kyle dake. Beat Mango. Beat Clark glass. 18-0 with 18 falls at schoolboy duals. Three time MS state champ. Incredible.

Wait, wouldn't Maurer technically be considered the first 3xer since he won 4?

Yes, absolutely. Thank you for the information.

I saw Jayruss's post about MD, and thought it was fairly interesting to see what people thought of Perry Meridian's best of all-time. 1. Nate Moore, 2x Champ, Fargo Champ 2. Chico Adams, 2x Champ, 112-0 in last two seasons, started as a freshman 3. Cody LeCount, 2x Champ, 184-2 record, one was a 1-0 loss to 3x Champ Ayersman in state championship match, other was ticket round frosh year, Fargo Runner-Up to Aaron Pico 4. Jared McKinley, 2x Champ, 200+ career victories, 2x Fargo All-American (5th-6th), Preseason Nat'l Champ 2011 5. Nick Walpole, 1x Champ, 2x 3rd, loss 2-0 in OT to Andrew Howe in 2006 6. Jacob Tonte, see below 7. Frank Hammond, 1x Champ, 1x Runner-Up 8. Brandon James, 4x All-State (3rd-5th-2nd-3rd), Super 32 All-American, 2x Fargo All-American (7th-8th), Preseason Nat'l Champ 2011 9. Donte Winfield, 1x Champ, Fargo Runner-Up to Adam Coon (1-0, 1-0) 10. Kirk Johnson, 3x All-State (4th-4th-3rd), Fargo All-American defeated 2x NCAA Champ Isaiah Martinez

So, from my understanding, Team State was sectional championship team advanced to team regionals. If we were to bring the IHSAA Team State back as a classed tournament, how would teams qualify per class if the sectional was the original decision maker? Most states I've seen have a team sectional. Would this be the route Indiana would need to go? How would this play into matches in a season?

I ask a lot of these it seems like, so I'll try to keep it to a minimum, but I am HIGHLY curious to gain insight on the New Castle wrestling program. They have three of the six (should be seven) kids listed on the IHSAA website for 200+ victories. What was this program like from 1996 to 2003? What were Keith Garrard (1996), Matt Jaggers, and Mac Taylor (2003) like?

The Ohio Tournament of Champions is coming up next month. This is another great opportunity to get some high level competition in Freestyle. Perry Meridian went last year and won the Small School team division. Are there any other Indiana teams or individuals considering competing this year?

How would #TheCounty fare versus the New Castle Semi-State? 106 - Brayden Lowery 113 - Alec Viduya 120 - Tyce Freije 126 - Jordan Slivka 132 - Breyden Bailey 138 - Zach Melloh 145 - Boone Welliever 152 - Noah Warren 160 - Alston Bane 170 - Jake Ruberg 182 - Tanner Webster 195 - Tristen Tonte 220 - Mason Parris 285 - Elijah Bailey