EliteAthleticClub

Saw some good duals yesterday.  What were some thoughts on the outcome?
 
Mine are.....
 
CP was the clear favorite.  I thought Avon deserved a higher place than they got (5th) but I know that's how the cookie crumbles with the brackets.
 
Pool A was a crazy bracket - MD, PM, EC and BB.  
EC beat Brownsburg 52-45.  MD beats Perry 52-31.  Perry beats BB 72-25.  Then BB turns around and takes it to the last match vs MD but loses to MD 36-33. PM defeats EC 54-39 in another close one.  That was a wild pool. 4 Solid teams.
 
I didn't get to watch a lot of the other matches in the other pools, but did see some close ones going on.  CG vs Franklin for 3rd and 4th was wild.
 
Overall I thought it was a pretty good day of wrestling.  Congrats to all the kids who competed and to CP for winning ANOTHER championship. 
 
Elementary Runner-ups. Middle School Champs.  IHSWCA Team champs.  Can they bring home another IHSAA individual championship in a couple weeks!?  
 
Pretty wild.

They need a qualifier, one that is well planned and rolled out to the public in plenty of time to schedule.

Here are my 100% non-biased predictions for the La Porte sectional:
 
106
Griffin LP
King GL
Ieraci NP
Ricci KN
 
113
Jackson LP
Hicks VP
Kasper CH
Drews GL
 
120
Demarco CH
Lewis NP
Hunt LP
King GL
 
126
Walden NP
Wilson CH
Whitmer GL
Aldred LP
 
132
Watkins MC
Whitenack NP
Hague LP
Wintczak KN
 
138
Vitello VP
Lukowski NP
Gengnagel CH
Kleist LP
 
145
Torres CH
Ellenberger LP
Krause KN
Laterzo VP
 
152
Salary LP
Staubus CH
Scott NP
Smoot VP
 
160
Bennett VP
Ceja LP
Shaffer CH
Kobelt KN
 
170
Svantner VP
Johnson NP
Stento CH
Lewis LP
 
182
Kwiatkowski VP
Ziegler NP
Mochen CH
Redlin NJ
 
195
Demarco CH
Deutscher NP
Seadorf LP
Pine VP
 
220
Carroll NP
Antrim VP
Katsafaros CH
Conroy GL
 
285
Whitenack NP
Thompson LP
Winkler KN
Ortiz CH
 

106 : Undefeated Jeffrey Bailey is the favorite for this weight class , he has been dominant all year long and is one of if not the best at the weight in the whole state  . And will likely have Eshawn Tolbert in the finals a rematch of a last years sectional and regional finals both going Baileys way by tech fall . I see this match also going in baileys fashion with some sort of bonus points being scored . Rounding out the advancers Seth Aubin of Hobart in 3rd and Angel Franco of highland with a 4th place finish 
 
1st: Bailey ( Rf)
2nd : Tolbert ( Por)
3rd: Aubin (Hob)
4th: Franco ( High) 
 
 
113:  This weight is actually more interesting then at first glance , Trevor Schammert of Hobart is the number 1 seed and holds a win over Owen Bunton of portage , but with a first period fall of Cortez and a recent hot streak in the past week from Bunton he could give us a very exciting finals match at this weight . Winsley of calumet finishes 3rd and Schiedt of River forest with a 4th place ribbon .  
 
1st: Schammert (Hob)
2nd: Bunton (Por)
3rd: Winsley (Cal)
4th: Schiedt (Rf)
 
 
120: A weight class without a single ranked wrestler . Only one wrestler actually has semi state experience in 4th seed miles Conrad , give me Conrad to make the finals of Daniel mata of Hobart and Joey Capella coming from the bottom side . I haven’t seen much film on capella , but Conrad is seasoned a bit more in bigger matches , so I will roll with him . 
 
1st: Conrad (Por)
2nd: Capella (And)
3rd: Mata ( Hob)
4th: Vega (Lse) 
 
 
 
126:  probably the most competitive weight featuring number 7,8,and 9 in the semi state rankings . is led by returning semi state qualifier and semi state ranked Donavon Ruiz of Hobart. He won’t have it come easy as he has another semi state qualifier in River Forest Jon Schultz . Schultz holds 2 wins over Frazier of calumet . So expect a Ingot vs Bricks final. This will likely be very low scoring and will come down to the buzzer. I’m going with the upset and giving Schultz the win 
 
1st: Schultz ( Rf)
2nd: Ruiz ( Hob)
3rd: Frazier ( Cal) 
4th: Westenfeld (Griff)
 
 
132: No ranked wrestlers at this weight, but there is one guy I have been impressed with so far through out the year in Ramirez of River forest . I seen him at the harvest, lake county and then at the Gssc tournament his improvement is noticeable he will likely make the final . Ortega of portage and Delrea will be an exciting semi final , but I am taking the freshmen to win this one . That sets up a final between Ramirez and Ortega . Another low scoring match.but I think Ramirez has the tools to get the win becoming the ingots 2nd champ of the day 
 
1st: Ramirez ( Rf)
2nd: Ortega (Por)
3rd: Delrea ( Lse)
4th: Tibbon ( Cal)
 
 
 
138: Backus of Andrean is the 1 seed but appeared to have a gas tank issue at the lake county tournament. I think he will make the finals. On the other side I think Tive Delgado will completely walk through his side and make the finals with little trouble . the finals will play out with a strong start from backus, but Delgado will bend but not break and be the champ . 
 
1st: Delgado (Por)
2nd: Backus (And)
3rd: Frazier: (Cal)
4th : Nelson ( High) 
 
 
 
145: This is a 3 horse race , we have 2  guys who have been to the semi state in Williams and McGill and strong new comer in Manelo Hood . I expect McGill to make the finals with little to no trouble, but the bottom side will be a good semi final with a rematch of hood and Williams . Willams is known for his upper body stuff  , but often gets taken down late in matches . I’m taking hood to get the best of Williams  . McGill will be pretty fresh going in to the finals that’s what makes the difference here .
 
1st McGill (Hob)
2nd Hood ( Por)
3rd Williams ( Lse)
4th: Henderson ( Rf)
 
 
152: Aiden Costello of Hobart is having a great freshmen campaign, he is showing why he was ranked so highly coming out of middle school .  He should make the finals with little trouble . The bottom side we have returning sectional champ Ben Tollard . I see him making the finals but Costellos great freshmen campaign continues with a sectional championship. 
 
1st: Costello (Hob)
2nd: Tollard ( Por)
3rd: Montes ( Rf) 
4th:  Castro ( And )
 
 
 
160: I can honestly say I have never seen any of these guys wrestle . So I’m just going to follow the seeds .
 
 
1st: Calmbacher ( Por)
2nd: Turich ( Hob)
3rd: Sopkowski ( High)
4th:  Falls ( Cal)
 
 
170:  highlands Herrera on the top side should get falls all the way to finals with ease and little trouble . The bottom side shakes up a bit , hurn of River forest wrestled Cervantes of Griffith at the conference finals and he took him down 2 times in the first minute . Hurn appears to be gaining on Cervantes , I think he is going to beat the panther to make the finals . Hurn will have his work cut out for him . Herrera is great on top and can wrestle through positions, I think his mat IQ gets him the win.
 
1st: Herrera ( High)
2nd: Hurn (Rf)
3rd: Cervantes ( Griff) 
4th : Underwood ( Por)
 
 
182: This is a 1 horse race Jake Simpson should have no issues making it to the finals and winning this bracket . Just the question is who is coming in second , I think it will be 20-12 Hubbard of highland .  
 
1st: Simpson ( Hob)
2nd: Hubbard ( High)
3rd:  Darden knox ( Cal)
4th: Xavier Dominguez ( Rf )
 
 
 
195: I think this is where the team title is going  to really get down to the nitty gritty , Paceley of river Forest has had some big wins this season and some odd losses , none the less he holds wins over guys in the bracket and I think he will face calumets Weston Araujo who he is 1-1 against this year . But do not sleep on Justin sawyer to make the finals. I think Paceley on his game becomes the 4th ingot champion . 
 
 
1st : Paceley ( Rf)
2nd : araujo ( Cal)
3rd: saywer  ( Hob) 
4th: thornberry ( Por ) 
 
 
 
220: this bracket unfortunately has the two ranked wrestlers in the bracket on the same side , with silver of river forest and hill of portage meeting in the semi final , i think silver gives hill a good match . But the Indian makes the finals , on the bottom side we have highlands Mcnutt and Hobarts Ashton battistella . Give me another Indian and bricks final . 
 
 
1st: Hill ( Por )
2nd: battistella ( Hob)
3rd: Silver ( Rf)
4th: mcnutt ( High)
 
 
 
285:  I believe this weight may be the one that earns the sectional title , with two state ranked big men in Portages Trey white and The ingots junior Nathan Paceley.  They faced previously in a very tight match with Trey white barley squeezing by as Paceley dominated the 2nd and 3rd period . Both big men are mobile and aren’t afraid to get after it . I think Paceley has improved enough to get the win , but I’m rolling with Trey white to win this bracket . 
 
1st: White ( Por)
2nd: Paceley ( Rf)
3rd: pickettt ( Hob)
4th: Bassett ( High)
 
 
                       1st     2nd   3rd   4th.      RQ
 
portage            5.       5         0      1        11
 
river Forest      4       3         2      2         11
 
hobart              4       3         4      0         11
 
Andrean           0       2          0      1         3
 
Griffith              0       0          1      1         2
 
Highland           1        1          1      4        7
 
Calumet            0        1          4     2        7
 
 Lake station     0       0          2      1        3

I love to see communities supporting high school athletes, especially wrestlers. The town of Chesterton has a great history of doing this. I’d love to see how other communities are celebrating their wrestlers. Please post pics for all of us to enjoy as we head into the state series. 

Moving up in an age group should be allowed during High School season with 14U wrestlers.  I understand the idea behind it but disagree with it during HS season.  16u wrestlers are in 8th grade. 14u are mostly middle school if not all in Middle School.  Elementary Duals can have a 6th Grader wrestle a 2nd grader which is also an ISWA event.  I would love to see ISWA change the rule during HS wrestling season.  Some middle school programs do not even start wrestling until the end of January, and finding matches can be hard.  My son doesn't go to many tournaments but the 2 we have been to have only had a handful of kids in the 16u division.  He doesn't have a great birthday for wrestling I guess.  I would just like to know others thoughts on this.  Maybe I am just looking at from a Dads perspective.

Another name mentioned was Layne Horn...he was also a 5th grader when my son was a 2nd grader and did the same thing...again there was confusion...I'm fairly certain these matches happened on the same day...it wasn't a national tourney, but these hammers happened to be on their school's team that day...glad my kid kept a good attitude after that!

Landon “LT” Hawkins Will make an impact on CP line up next year. Was just 2nd at Tulsa behind Bo Bassett.
 
he was 3rd at IHPO beating some out of state, state champs and placing ahead of multiple indiana state placers 

Watching Jensen (Boyd) and Ayden Bollinger go-live in the CIA room was always entertaining. Those two together were a human perpetual motion machine, no scoring, but endless motion. He's a good one.

Revin Dickman 
Parker Reynolds 
Nate Rioux 
Tommy Gibbs 
Alex Huddleston 
Miguel Rojos 
Landan Haines 
Case Bell 
Case Bridge 

Who is Kevin English and what are his wrestling credentials? 

I know he’s a 

Missing quite a few from up North…Jeffrey Huyvaert, Evan Stanley, Clinton Sheperd, Layne Horn, Angelo Vargo and Griffin VanTithelt are a few that I can think of.

Lucas Anderson from Chesterton. The kid is tough, but still a little green. I’ve watched him beat some significant wrestlers the past few years on the national level. 
 
Quinton Buckmaster CP He is long!! Legs for days and rides em too! Nationally he been banging for a while now with Kevin English and Also with Fleeger, so watch out for him too.

600+ no, but numbers double at least within 48 hours of the deadline. 
 
There are only a handful of tournaments where you can judge the numbers more than a week in advance.

Must be your first tournament.
 
No one registers for wrestling tournaments until 24 hours before the deadline and most within the last 2 hours.

Y'all crazy..... for real........
 
"It's inconvenient to me so I don't like it"
 
Then stuff a sock in it and don't go. 
 
This is what kills the sport, I like EAC's comment above, ask the IHSAA if you can skip Sectionals, Regionals, SS when you get to High School, don't want to risk injury on anything. 

There should be 4 qualifiers with 4 guys making it through like semi state

Those saying they won't give an extra weekend to attend a qualifier, when your wrestler reaches HS make sure you ask the IHSAA if your kid can skip Sectionals, Regionals, and Semi State, because they are too good to be attending those events? 
 
We need this extra step, in fact it be great to have a Regional, Semi-State, then MS State. Make qualifying for Sate and earned event not given. Make a show and an event out of MS state, let them have a nice show cased event!! 

This is gonna be a fun one to watch, but I have to go with Crown Point being victorious over Mt. Carmel. They are both very good, solid teams with a lot of fun matchups to watch, but I think CP middle and upper-weights are very tough. Mt. Carmel is gonna have their hands full.
 
One of the best matches of the dual is gonna be Sergio Lemley vs Logan Frazier as both are very tough wrestlers to score points on.

Wait till you guys see Boersma, dude is hugeeeeee.

Damn RSN is not going to cover this event? Well guess I'll just inform my dad how it goes. Sucks we have our local broadcasting station but keep getting beat out by stuff we have to pay for. Guess those donations and people who pay for their ads isnt enough. I'll see if I can live stream it to my dad somehow from my phone. Sorry but.... not sorry.

106 last year Jackson's broomstick in the finals 

152- 3rd Freshman A. Rinehart
 
put TeamGarcia down for a wager 12,500 bananas for A-Train to finish 3rd or higher . In his 1st Al Smith . I think he’s ranked to low.  @ontherise219 keep a eye on it . He’s a pinner ! Don’t act like I didn’t tell ya . 

Have you watched how Illinois does their youth State Series with the IKWF? Mimic what works, what's proven, use that format to build a better foundation.