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Brendan

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    Brendan reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships   
    By Drew Hughes
     
    Women’s wrestling in college has been on the rise for the past few years with 17 new programs being added this year alone. The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships will feature NCAA women’s teams.
     
    The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships will be taking place March 6, 2021 and will be held at Tiffin University where 2 Indiana athletes will be competing. 
     
    Jaryn Strong who is a freshman at Adrian College took 4th place at Northeast Regional to qualify for the tournament. In high school Strong wrestled for Terre Haute South where she was a 4-time Girls State placer and a finalist her senior year. She will be in the 123-pound bracket where she will face off against Trinity Berry of Tiffin University first round.
     
    Jasime Hale of Pike is another freshman qualifier for Adrian. She won the regional and comes into nationals with a 5-6 record. She will have Madison Horn of Augsburg in the first round at 170lbs.
     
    Alara Boyd who is a sophomore at McKendree University took 1st place at the Southwest Regional to qualify for the tournament. In high school Boyd wrestled for Yorktown where she was a 2-time cadet world medalist earning bronze in 2016 and silver in 2017. She was also a 2019 junior world team member as well as a 2-time Girls State champion. This is Boyd’s second National tournament appearance as she places 2nd at last year’s event. She will be in the 155-pound bracket where she will have a bye first round.
     
    Indiana currently has two colleges that offer women’s wrestling and are both in their first season’s this year, Indiana Tech who will compete at the NAIA women’s national tournament and Trine University who will have one participant, Riley Morrison, competing at this tournament at 109-pounds. Morrison is a Texas native and is coached by Indiana native Amy Hildebrandt who helped start the program just over a year ago.
     
    The brackets will be on TrackWrestling where you can follow along or watch live for a fee.
    https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/predefinedtournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=602244132
  2. Like
    Brendan reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, The Bailey’s find a home at UIndy   
    By Drew Hughes
     
    Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
     
    When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
    Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
     
    Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
     
    The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
         
    Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
     
    While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
     
    Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.
  3. Like
    Brendan reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #WrestlingWednesday: Irick back bigger and better   
    By JEREMY HINES
    Thehines7@gmail.com
     
    Hamilton Southeastern senior Andrew Irick suffered a devastating knee injury in the spring of his junior year. It might have been the best thing for him.
     
    Irick knew, because of the injury (he tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus), he wouldn’t be able to remain in the 220-pound weight class. He also knew he needed to get stronger, but he couldn’t do much with his legs in the weight room due to the surgery on his knee and the recovery time needed. So, he started working upper body. Weight gain wasn’t an issue because he was planning to bump up to heavyweight for his senior season.
     
    “He probably put on 55 pounds,” HSE coach Nick Brobst said. “He’s a totally rebuilt athlete now. His wrestling reflects that. He’s bigger, way, way stronger and way more aggressive with his attacks. Wrestling in the heavyweight division makes him look even faster. He’s a much, much improved wrestler over what he was last year.”
     
    Last season Irick was no slouch. He had his best season of his career, ultimately finishing fourth at state.
     
    Irick started out as a freshman in the 182-pound class. He then moved up to 195 as a sophomore and 220 as a junior. Those early weight class competitions forced Irick to get better on his feet. That has ultimately helped him now that he’s in the heavyweight class.
     
    Irick’s older brother Matt wrestled for Indiana University. His other brother, Spencer, wrestles for IU now. Matt worked a lot with Andrew to help him on his feet and with takedowns. That has transformed Irick’s attack on the mat.
     
    “He has got a lot more aggressive on his feet,” Brobst said. “We used to joke that he wrestled using what we called the ‘Irick stall’ where he would do anything and everything to make a match last forever. Last year he started developing his own gas tank and now he doesn’t want the matches to go that long.
     
    “He still has that heavyweight mentality to a tee,” Brobst said. “Last year he won on Friday night at state. At weigh-ins Saturday morning his teammate was eating yogurt, fruit and a granola bar. Andrew is there eating a bag of leftover Halloween candy. He said ‘this is what I do. Leave the process alone.’ “
     
    Irick is currently ranked No. 2 in the state in the 285-pound class. He’s ranked just below Brownsburg’s returning state champion Dorian Keys. The two could potentially wrestle in 10 days at the Hoosier Crossroads Conference tournament.
     
    “Conference is important,” Irick said. “But ultimately my goal is to win a state championship and that’s the bigger picture for me right now. I want to be at my best come tournament time.”
     
    According to coach Brobst, Andrew goes through a whole gamut of emotions before he wrestles.
     
    “Andrew is probably the first kid I’ve coached in 10 years that’s just never serious,” Brobst said. “He’s a complete goofball everywhere he goes. But come meet time, he goes through this process. He’s nervous at first. Then he starts doubting himself and thinking he can’t beat the other guy. Then he decides he’s going to go out and kick that guy’s butt. Something clicks and he’s ready to go. It’s like that every match.”
     
    Irick is in the top 10 percent of his class academically. He has a 4.27 GPA and plans to follow in his brothers’ footsteps and wrestle at Indiana University next season. He will study biology or chemistry with the goal of becoming a doctor.
     
    Like wrestling, becoming a doctor runs in the family. Both of Irick’s parents are doctors, his grandfather is a doctor, his uncle is a doctor and both of his brothers are studying to be doctors.
     
    “It’s hard to see him as a doctor, knowing him as an 18-year old,” Brobst said. “But I have no doubt that he will be. He might go into a field where he works with kids. He’s extremely good with kids. My son is a kindergartener and thinks Andrew walks on water.”
     
    Irick is focused on getting back to state this year and potentially making is way to the championship match.
     
    “The atmosphere at state is just indescribable,” Irick said. “I can’t wait to get back there.”
  4. Like
    Brendan reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #MondayMatness: Confidence carries NorthWood’s Lone to mat success   
    By STEVE KRAH
    stvkrh905@gmail.com
    Jake Lone has developed an edge in his junior season as a NorthWood High School wrestler.
    Lone was second at the Elkhart Sectional, third at the Goshen Regional and a qualifier for the Fort Wayne Semistate as a 160-pound freshman. As a 170-pounder junior, Lone won sectional and regional titles, placed second at semistate and then eighth at the IHSAA State Finals. As a 182-pound junior, he is 30-3 after winning another sectional title. The 2019 Goshen Regional is Feb. 2.
    Lone, who first competed in Indiana State Wrestling Association events at age 4, is gaining confidence.
    “As the season has progressed, I think I’ve developed a little bit of an attitude out on the mat,” says Lone. “There’s a little more aggression.”
    Shoulder surgery after the 2018 State Finals meant that Lone was away from competition for the spring and summer.
    He was only cleared to play football for NorthWood during the week of the season opener. Switched from linebacker to defensive end, he had a sensational season while helping the 2018 Panthers aka “Black Crunch” go 11-1 under head coach Nate Andrews.
    Lone was selected for Class 4A honorable mention all-state honors by the Associated Press.
    Then it was back to the mat.
    “I think I’ve gotten tremendously better,” says Lone of his progress since the beginning of the 2018-19 wrestling season. “I’ve been getting back in the swing of things after surgery last spring, getting my conditioning up and knocking all the rust off.”
    “Having Coach Andrews is the room to push me has been great.” Andrews, who won a 171-pound IHSAA state title as a NorthWood senior in 1996, took over as wrestling head coach this winter.
    He has watched Lone get better and better.
    “It certainly opens up his offense when he’s lighter on his feet and when his motion is vertical and horizontal at the same time with 1-2 and 3-4 combinations,” says Andrews. “When he opens that up and puts pressure on people, he can be dangerous.
    “A lot of he team aspects and leadership qualities that he learns in football he brings to the wrestling mat.”
    Lone has fed off Andrews’ enthusiasm and intensity.
    “What I get from him is always pushing the pace, staying aggressive, never stop,” says Lone. “It’s that never-quit attitude.”
    Lone knows that there are differences and similarities in his two sports. “Football shape is short bursts,” says Lone. “Wrestling shape you have to go the full six minutes without stopping.”
    While he played some wide receiver or tight end on offense, Lone really enjoyed playing on the other wide of the ball.
    The hand and body fighting and one-on-one battles that a defensive linemen encounters translate to the wrestling circle.
    “I love defense,” says Lone. “I was able to use by wrestling technique for tackling.”
    Andrews, who counts Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dennis Lewis plus Jim Matz and Elisio Roa as assistants, says beefing up the NorthWood schedule was helpful for Lone. “He was able to see a little tougher competition,” says Andrews. The Panthers took on LaPorte, Merrillville and Knox at the LaPorte Super Duals, Churubusco, Eastside, Garrett and Jay County at the Fort Wayne Carroll Super Duals. NorthWood also faced Wawasee, Goshen and Jimtown in duals at home and took part in the 32-team Al Smith Classic at Mishawaka.
    Inclement weather Jan. 19 caused cancellation of the Northern Lakes Conference varsity and junior varsity tournaments.
    “For our program and where we are now, we were devastated,” says Andrews. “A week ago we were really in good shape to do our best and climb another rung on the ladder as we try to build our program.” That meet was to be the last for JV grapplers.
    “The kids who come out and go through this grinder of a season, they didn’t get rewarded,” says Andrews. “They didn’t get to play in their Super Bowl. It’s very, very unfortunate.”
    Andrews said the focus turns to individuals still alive in the state tournament series, but he is still trying to “rally the troops” for those who saw their season come to an end.
    The Panthers are young with just two seniors on the squad.
    “I’m looking forward to the future,” says Andrews.
    Jake has been in wrestling practice rooms since age 3. His father, Rod Lone, was head coach at NorthWood for seven seasons. After two years as a volunteer assistant at Jimtown, he has returned to NorthWood as head middle school coach. He is also a volunteer with the high school and helps the NorthWood Wrestling Club.
    A former wrestler at Clinton Prairie High School and then for Tom Jarman at Manchester College (now Manchester University), Rod Lone has witnessed a rise in his eldest son’s confidence level.
    “With that confidence he’s gotten more aggressive and that’s shown in his matches,” says Rod Lone. “He’s never been that fast-twitch, go-get-em kind of kid. This year, he’s finally starting to get there.”
    “He’s trying to control the match instead of letting the match come to him.” Says Andrews, “He should be a pretty confident kid the way it is. He’s been on the mat a long time. He had a good sophomore campaign.”
    Getting down to Indianapolis and competing at Bankers Life Fieldhouse has helped fuel the self-assurance.
    “After going to State last year and having all that experience, I feel I know what it’s like,” says Jake Lone.
    Rod and Denise Lone’s second son — eighth grader Kaden — just won an ISWA Middle School State title at 132 pounds. He has a chance to be the first NorthWood wrestler to go unbeaten through their middle school career (sixth, seventh and eighth grade) with three Big 11 Conference championships.
    Jake and Kaden work out together and use the wrestling room in the family basement.
    “We go down there and roll around a lot,” says Jake Lone. “It’s fun.”
    Given the size differential, Kaden has to use his quickness against his big brother.
    “He can’t muscle things and just rely on strength,” says Jake Lone.
    “That’s been great bond at home,” says Rod Lone. “They push each other in a very positive way.”
  5. Like
    Brendan reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #MondayMatness: Bellmont, family tradition carries on with Ruble brothers   
    By STEVE KRAH
    stvkrh905@gmail.com
    It’s an Indiana tradition unique to wrestling and two brothers from Bellmont High School will follow in the footsteps of so many Braves that came before them.
    Qualifiers for the IHSAA State Finals will parade into Bankers Life Fieldhouse before first round of the tournament Friday, Feb. 15 and Jon and Isaac Ruble were be representing their family as well as their storied mat program.
    “That’s pretty exciting, especially for their parents, Becky and Joe,” says Bellmont head coach and former state champion Paul Gunsett.
    “They’ve done a lot for those two. They’ve traveled everywhere for these two to wrestle. They’ve earned it with all the time and effort they’ve put in.”
    Jon Ruble is one of Bellmont’s captains and often leads the squad in during warm-ups at practice.
    “He’s a leader in our program,” says Gunsett of the older Ruble boy.
    “He’s been real reliable for me. He’s pretty special. He spends a lot of time with our younger kids. He spends more time with them than he probably needs to. He’s helped groom them and made them better.”
    Freshmen Carter Thomas (120) and Dominic Litchfield (113) are Isaac aka Ike’s usual workout partner during practice.
    Like many wrestling families in and around Decatur, Ind., there is a mat legacy. Joe Ruble is one of Bellmont’s many State Finals qualifiers, competing at Market Square Arena in 1991. The boys’ uncle Paul qualified for State and blew out his knee the week of the meet and was unable to compete.
    Joe Ruble’s uncle Kent Buuck was a a standout Braves wrestler. His best friend was Bill Schultz (uncle to Becky Ruble). When Buuck died in a highway accident before his senior year, Schultz dedicated his training to Buuck and became the second state champion in Bellmont program history, winning the IHSAA heavyweight title in 1977.
    The Braves’ first state winner was Phil Lengerich (138 pounds in 1969). Gunsett reigned at 135 in 1988. On 10 other occasions, a Bellmont wrestler has ascended to the top of the victory platform —Chris Mahlan (185 in 1979), Brent Faurote (98 in 1981), Paul Baker(130 in 1988), Tim Myers (119 in 1993 and 130 in 1994), Jason Baker (125 in 1996), T.J. Hays (152 in 1996), John Sheets (103 in 2000), Matt Irwin (135 in 2006) and Billy Baker (215 in 2009).
    The Braves reigned as team state champions in 1987, 1988 and 1994 and were runners-up in 1979, 1999, 2006.
    Jon Ruble (36-6) took an early 2-0 lead and made it stand in beating Rochester senior Drew Sailors in the Fort Wayne Semistate championship match.
    “I got that two-point lead and I’ve been riding leg stuff all year so I put the legs in and tried to ride it out and possibly get turns,” says Ruble, who was a state qualifier at 145 in 2018. “(Winning the semistate) means a lot. There’s such a big difference between second place and first place. You’re setting yourself up for that state run.”
    Both Ruble brothers —#DosRubles on social media — placed first at the Jay County Sectional and Jay County Regional. Isaac Ruble (36-6) placed second at semistate.
    Sharing the season and the State Finals experience with his sibling is something the older Ruble brother does not take lightly.
    “This is the only time we get to wrestle together,” says Jon Ruble.
    “This means the world to me. “We talk about it all the time.”
    What does Jon see in Isaac the athlete?
    “He’s a competitive kid,” says Jon Ruble. “He always thinks he’s the best.”
    With his family history, Jon Ruble was destined to be a wrestler.
    “I had no other choice,” says Jon Ruble. “Being a part of Bellmont history means the world. They’ve had such a great program forever. To be a part of that tradition is amazing.”
    The youngest Ruble brother has soaked up his learning opportunities in his first high school season.
    “I learn things and try to get really good at the — like firemen’s carries,” says Isaac Ruble. “It really helps me out.
    “There are certain things (Gunsett) gets on me about — like keeping my head up — and I fix them.”
    Given the age and size difference, do the two brothers wrestle against each other?
    “I can’t hang with him,” says Isaac. “He’s pretty good.”
  6. Like
    Brendan reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #WrestlingWednesday: Cornwell looking to finish on top   
    By JEREMY HINES
    Thehines7@gmail.com
    Kyle Cornwell was ready to give up wrestling for good. Almost every time he stepped on the mat, he would eventually watch his opponent have his hand raised in victory. The losses piled up, and the frustration mounted along with it.
    “I’ve had some mental blocks in wrestling,” Cornwell said. “In sixth grade I was something like 1-26. I was so frustrated with myself. I didn’t think wrestling was for me. I really wanted to just throw in the towel.”
    That’s when Cornwell got a little encouragement from his family and one of his closest friends.
    “My dad (Jade Cornwell) and friend Jalen Morgan talked me into sticking with wrestling,” Kyle said. “Jalen told me we have to start training. We’re not going to get better without putting in the work. So, we started training. We trained and trained and trained. By my 8th grade year we went to a preseason national tournament in Iowa and Jalen finished third in his weight class and I won mine.”
    That tournament success vaulted Cornwell’s wrestling career. He fell in love with the sport and is now ranked No. 1 in the state at 220 pounds and will wrestle for Indiana University next season. The Elwood senior’s training partner is still that same kid that told him in sixth grade to stick with wrestling. Morgan is ranked fourth at 182 pounds.
    “Jalen and I have been friends since fourth grade,” Kyle said. “We wrestle every day at practice. He has more speed than I do, so that helps me, and I am stronger than him, so that helps him.”
    Last season Cornwell finished fifth at 220 pounds. He was a state qualifier in the same weight class in 2017.  He is happy to be ranked No. 1 this season.
    “It’s really a relief to be ranked No. 1,” Cornwell said. “Yeah, you have a target on your back a little, but I’ve been ranked behind Mason Parris for a while and it’s nice to have that top spot now. You have to be confident to be that No. 1 guy or you are going to lose. You don’t go to a match with your head down. You know who you are and that you can beat anyone.”
    Cornwell wrestled Parris last season in the New Castle semistate championship. That match didn’t work out well for Cornwell, as Parris pinned him in 1:14.
    “It was a really good experience to wrestle Mason,” Cornwell said. “He’s one of the top kids in the nation. It opened my eyes to what I need to be like and what I need to be training for. It really helped me step up to that next level.”
    Cornwell committed to improving in the offseason, with a focus on pushing the pace and scoring. His mission is to score as many takedowns and points as possible. He wrestled over 100 matches during the offseason and feels right now he’s at the best he’s ever been.
    “Kyle has a funk to him that he’s been getting into for the last few years,” Elwood coach Fred Short said. “He likes to do the scrambling like they do in college. In high school it’s a little weird to see when you’re not used to it. He is a lot slicker now than he was last year. I think a lot of that is because of wrestling with Jalen and really having to be quick against him.”
    Cornwell’s goals this season were to go undefeated and win a state championship.
    Elwood, as a team, is down this season. The team had 10 wrestlers early on but are down a few since that time. Coach Short, who has been a wrestling coach in some capacity since the early 1980s, is retiring after this season.
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