ChrisMC

A former Monroe Central wrestler needs our help and support. Mason is fighting his biggest match right now and we all know how much having support and people cheering for you can make a difference. Please help him if you can, if you can’t help financially, please keep him and his family in your thoughts. 

What a crazy Regional.  I heard from the ticket sales table it was the 5 largest crowd on hand since Jay County started hosting Regionals.  Packed gym.
 
My predictions.....47 out of 56 placers... but 13 out of the 14 Champions (I had 195 flip flopped in the finals).
 
My brief 2¢ on a few of them, and a few others:
 
 
 
106 Johns majored Bollinger, which I think most expected.  But...Johns looked much bigger.  Bollinger will be a force next year.  I think Bellmont's Smedley could have finished 2nd had he not been injured.
 
120 Ruble vs Overby in the Semi's....Overby came out aggressive and looked to slam Ruble...but appeared to hit heads and Overby took the brunt of it.  I think Ruble pinned him soon after in the 1st but it looked to be a fun match before the slam.  The Overby/Curtis match for 3rd was a battle too.
 
132 Bertsch vs Ulman.  Man....I really though Uhlman would have something for Bertsch this time.  I think last week was Bertsch doing just enough to win...when I thought Uhlman closed the gap.  Wrong.  Bertsch then went full throttle and Tech'd him with ease at Regional.
 
138 I REALLY wanted to see Gerencser vs Litchfield in the finals.  The much improved Clark took him out in the Semi's in a great match.  Litchfield went on to win again.  Gerencser then went on to have a great match vs Tuttle for 3rd and won.  Tuttle has a very winnable match vs Eberhart 1st round at SS.  We all knew 138 was loaded this year at Sectional and Regional.  Loshe came out aggressive and got a takedown on Gerencser, which only lasted seconds until he got out of position and pinned.  Some kids with great records went out fast, although I often question some of these loaded records by who they've wrestled.  
 
152 Currie over Dull yet again.  The biggest match here was 1st round Evan Watt vs Drew Barr.  I'm not sure if there were words or prior history between the 2 but....Barr took it too far.  I didn't even get to watch McAfee who was wrestling 1 mat over because I was watching the cheap shots from Barr.  Absolutely awful.  The ref did a great job of awarding penalty points to Watt twice before the final crossface from Barr got him DQ'd.  Kudos to that ref.  The Yorktown staff handled it professionally.  Watt Injury Forfeited the rest of his matches.  It's on Berne Witness if you'd like to check it out.  Mat 3 a little over and hour into the broadcast.  The 2nd penalty point is hard to see but they both go out of bounds.  Barr pushes straight down on Watts face getting up.  Terrible way to act and go out.
 
160 Duke vs Jones was great.  Both had great defense.  Duke seemed a little quicker on his feet to spin around and get a couple takedowns for the win.  I hope both do well at SS.
 
182 Hunter Page looked GOOD.  I didn't want to see Currie on that side of the bracket, but he came back to 3rd.  Very surprised Friedt didn't do more but he looked like a small 182 for how physically fit he is.  
 
220 I think Martin at this point is sick of wrestling Heyerly.  Martin will be a tough out at SS and his next 2 years.  He wrestles like a 160 pounder.  Heyerly on his way to placing again, probably a bit higher this year.
 
HWT Cruz got pinned fast by Orr but I'm very impress by the Sophmore.  He'll be tough too the next couple of years.
 

sorry for the language but my son sent this to me!!  Hilarious!  Anyone have this kid on the team??

Congratulations to Porter Keevers from New Palestine for signing with Indianapolis. Projected to wrestle 184.
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Just wanted to thank this community on behalf of the Rich family. The generosity you all have shown between the go-fund-me and our event last night is overwhelming. 
 
A special shout out to the Carmel Wrestling family for coming out in full force last night and supporting the sport and Harrison. Your kindness does not go unnoticed. 
 
Thank you all again!

Hoosier Heritage Conference
126-Kaeb Stebbins (Delta) over #5 in Fort Wayne Justin Boone series now 2-1 Boone. 113-Lincoln Parsons greenfield central over #25 Stuffel 7-5 OT
 

“The check should  be written to Royals Varsity Club, memo section Harrison Rich“
 
HSE Athletics 
12499 Olio Road
Fishers, IN 46037

3 weeks + with no fw semi state update

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Kelton Farmer is a massive high school junior. He’s ranked No. 5 in the state at 220 pounds. He’s the tackle on Evansville Memorial’s football team and he bench presses over 300 pounds. Yet, senior Aiden Farmer refers to him as his little brother.
 
“Kelton is friggin huge,” Aiden said. “He got really big in the offseason. I put a lot of hours in the weight room, and I can tell you, he lifts more than anyone we know, by far. He even missed his own birthday because he was at the gym. We were supposed to eat cake and he didn’t show up and we had to reschedule.”
 
Kelton said he lifts weights five days a week, for two to three hours a day even during wrestling season.
 
“Weight lifting is relaxing and it’s a way to push myself,” Kelton said. “I know I make myself better.”
 
The Farmer brothers are 15 months apart. Aiden is an 18-year-old senior and Kelton is a 17-year-old junior. Both are ranked fifth in their weight classes in wrestling. Aiden wrestles at 170 pounds.
 
“I let him know, a lot, that I’m bigger than him,” Kelton said. “I think I outgrew him when I was six or seven. That’s when I started getting taller.”
 
Last year the brothers qualified for the state tournament. The oldest Farmer brother, Jacob, had just missed going to state twice. He lost to Gleason Mappes 4-2 in the ticket round in 2015 and then lost to Gleason again in 2016 in the ticket round 8-7 in an ultimate tie breaker.
 
“Qualifying for state was really cool for my family,” Aiden said. “My older brother wrestled for Castle and came so close to going. But I think I was more nervous and excited when Kelton won his ticket round match than I was when I won mine.
 
“I get super excited and anxious for his matches – especially the big ones. I have a lot of faith in him, and I know he’ll do great, but I do get nervous for him.”
 
The brothers line up next to each other on the defensive line for the Evansville Memorial football team. Aiden was an all-state defensive end on the team this year that reached semistate.
 
Both would love to either wrestle or play football in college.
 
On the wrestling mat, Aiden excels in the top position. He uses his length to keep his opponent down and he can get takedowns from multiple angles in the neutral position.
 
Kelton’s style is to use his brut strength to wear down his opponents.
 
“They are only a year apart, but they are very different people,” Evansville Memorial coach Larry Mattingly said. “It’s fun to watch how they interact with each other and how they encourage one another. Bot are very unselfish and are great teammates.
 
“Kelton has a lot of speed and strength, especially for his size. Aiden is very hard to score on. He doesn’t do anything flashy, and his closes are usually pretty close. He’s like a good pitcher. He’s just hard to score on. They are also both very cerebral wrestlers. They understand the sport well. They expect a lot out of each other.”
 
The Farmer brothers are excited about competing today in the Evansville Mater Dei Holiday Tournament. Both wrestlers will have ranked opponents in their weight classes and it’s a great test for the upcoming state tournament.
 
“I have Brody Baummann and Codei Khawaja in my class,’ Aiden said. “They are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state. Kelton has Nathan Critchfield in his class, and he’s ranked No. 2.”
 
There are two other Memorial wrestlers ranked in the state this season. Freshman Landon Horning is at No. 12 in the 126-pound class and junior Keegan Williams is No. 14 at 132.
 
“That tournament is a tough tournament,” Mattingly said. “It’s right there in our back yard and it gives us a chance to go bang heads with the best of them.”
 
The Farmer brothers both hope to get on the podium this year in the state tournament. Aiden wrote that as a goal going into the season. Last year his goal was to get to state, and he accomplished that. This year he’s upping the ante.
 
“Their dad, Eric is very involved with them in wrestling and he’s been a big influence on them,” Mattingly said. “But he will tell you that they get their real competitive fire and toughness from their mom, Jessica Parsons. She played college volleyball.”
 

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By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com

Hunter Page loves it on a wrestling mat. But he hasn’t spent too much time there when at match time so far in 2021-22.
 
Page, a Monroe Central High School junior 182-pounder, won the 2021 East Central Indiana Classic title Dec. 23 to move to 17-1 (13 pins and a major decision).
 
“I shoot first,” says Page. “I don’t wait around.”
 
Page, whose current current record in 85-14, was the first IHSAA State Finals placer in Monroe Central history when he came in sixth at 182 in 2021.
 
Brett Hodson (Monroe Central Class of 1985) and Calvin Combs (Monroe Central Class of 1988) represented MC as seniors then Logan Swallow (Monroe Central Class of 2020 made it there as a junior and senior.
 
“The community was completely behind Hunter last year,” says second-year Golden Bears head coach Andy Richardson. “Last year was an unusual year with restraints on the number we could have in the audience (because of the COVID-19 pandemic). At least we were able have a season. Illinois didn’t have a season.”
 
Richardson is watching Page have another strong campaign.
 
“Hunter’s just a hard worker,” says Richardson, who was a Monroe Central assistant for two years before becoming head coach. “Last year, he surprised some people.
 
“He’s a grinder and not real flashy. He’s a strong kid and very athletic.”
 
Page is also coachable, taking information and applying it.
 
“He’s a sponge,” says Richardson. “He’s bought into our blue collar approach. We’re going to work and we’re going to win.”
 
Richardson is a 1993 Muncie Southside High School graduate who was a freshman on the 1990 state championship team which featured senior Tony Abbott (now head coach at Cowan High School).
 
Including the U.S. Navy (he served for 11 years) and stints with Bob Brennan at Zionsville, Mike Smitson at Greenwood and Brett Clark and Gary Schliessman at Delta, Richardson has coached 26 years.
 
Noah Richardson, Andy’s son, is a 2017 Delta graduate and current Monroe Central assistant. He and cousin/two-time state qualifer Scottie Evans were both 100-match winners as Eagles.
 
Though Page can put points on the scoreboard, Andy Richardson says he is content to win close, low-scoring matches.
 
“We go after that first takedown,” says Richardson. “It’s something we preach — set the tone. I want (opponents) to react to us, not react to them.
 
“(Senior 160-pounder Jonah Jones) does that, too. I think he’s going to have some real success this year.”
 
Jones is a regular workout partner.
 
“He’s quick and technical,” says Page of Jones, who shares team captain duties with Page and senior Peyton Tinsman.
 
“I try to lead by example,” says Page. “I help show moves (to others).”
 
Page grappled at 160 and 170 as a freshman and went 32-6. He posted a 36-7 mark at 182 as a sophomore.
 
The 6-footer is still at 182 this year, but with more strength.
 
“I was in the weight room a lot this year,” says Page, who as a defensive lineman enjoying breaking through the line making 34 total tackles with eight for loss and one quarterback sack in helping Monroe Central football go 10-1 in the fall.
 
Page started school at Union (Modoc) and came over to Monroe Central in third grade. His first real exposure to the mat came in the Golden Bear Wrestling Club.
 
Page, who lives on a farm near Modoc, is considering either Architecture or Agriculture for a college major and might wrestle as well if the situation is right.
 
His father is Tink. His mother is Jennifer. Siblings are Lexi (20), Destiny (6) and Leo (6).
 
Jennifer’s boyfriend, Nick Terharr (Monroe Central Class of 2004), was the Delta Sectional champion at 171 in 2004.
 
“Nick helps me out with my singles,” says Page. “Andy kind of polished it up.”
 
Uncle Zeb Doss, who wrestled at Winchester, also offers occasional mat advice.
 
The lone loss this season for Page came Dec. 22 in Fort Wayne Snider Duals against Snider freshman D’Alcapon Veazy.
 
Monroe Central’s next match is a Jan. 4 dual at Southern Wells. The Randolph County meet is Jan. 15 at Winchester. The Mid-Eastern Conference meet is Jan. 22 at Cowan.
 
The Golden Bears’ postseason path includes the Delta Sectional Dec. 29, Jay County Regional Feb. 5 and Fort Wayne Semistate Feb. 12 with the State Finals Feb. 18-19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

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A lot of great matches... 
 
Most competitive ECIC in a long time!!!

Agreed a lot of great matches, and the most competitive ECIC in years.  But some of the worst if not the worst officiating ever at this tournament.  

Subpar I think,  a lot of weird calls imo.

12 seed Ryder Brandenburg of Winchester busting up the 132 bracket! He’s taken out 5th seed Bollenbacher of South Adams fall and 4th seed Kendall of Oak Hill 12-7. 

Rankings will be released fully after 24 hours. If you purchased a magazine you will get immediate access.
Date: 12/22/2021
Fort Wayne Fort Wayne #2
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Congratulations to Hayden Shepherd from Western for signing with Southern Illinois Edwardsville. Projected to wrestle 165, 174.
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1A/2A should have 24 schools and do a 2-day tourney over the holidays!  Problem solved (until 50 other schools think they should be 24th!)

I watched a lot of talented wrestlers today from Oak Hill. Good job they deserved it!

Thank you! 

I watched a lot of talented wrestlers today from Oak Hill. Good job they deserved it!

106 Tishner, Eckman, Malott, Rowles
113 Ruble, Brabender, Brady, Brooks
120 Pucket, Sprague, Wood, Belt
126 Bertsch, Olson, Higgins, McCormack
132 Stroud, Heath, Baker, Hawkins
138 Miller, Hooley, Gerenser, Lounsbury
145 Levitz, Shepherd, Chacon, Abbott
152 Currie, Ulrick, Stockman, Dull
160 Buchanan, Lone, Jones, Sheets
170 Myers, Lundy, Porter, Morris
182 Summerset, Brege, Lockwood, Thompson
195 Lepper, Khaoucha, Heyerly, Jenkins
220 Dilbone, Bills, Clifford, Higgins
285 Erb, Muncie, Villafuerte, Orr
 
 
 

no certain order just top to bottom of bracket
106 Rowles, Eckman, Tishner, Weimer
113 Cornewell, Brooks, Brady, Ruble
120 Veatch, Wood, Lewis, Sprague
126 Uhlman, Bertsch, Olson, Dedman
132 Stroud, Clark, Litchfield, Heath
138 Hooley, Gerencser, Tuttle, Arthur
145 Chacon, Levitz, Abbott, Sheppard
152 Jones, Ulrick, Hardcastle, Currie
160 Hilger, Jones, Buchanan, Johnson
170 Morris, Myers, Porter, Lundy
182 Brege, Thompson, Summersett, Page
195 Lepper, Heyerly, Khaoucha, Grider
220 Dilbone, Hinton, Clifford, Beck
285 Orr, Muncie, Erb, Villafuerte

With perorder tickets and assigned seats I'm wondering who's section I'm sitting in?   
 
 
Section 215 row 5 seat 1-4 
 
I wish they would have broke the seating down by school. So we could ride this roller coaster together.

I did really well in my Jay County Regional picks, so here it goes...
 
106: Tishner, Rowles, Weimer, Clark
113: Ruble (and then the rest...), Brooks, Brady, Martin
120: Sprague, Wood, Lewis, Puckett
126: Bertsch (and then the rest...he looked outstanding the last 2 weeks), Olsen, Kinnick, Higgins
132: Heath (and then the rest...), Stroud, Baker, Litchfield
138: Arthur, Gerencser, Hooley, Tuttle
145: Chacon (and then the rest), Abbott, Shepherd, Levits
152: Currie, Ulrick, Hardcastle, Jones
160: Hilger, Johnson, Buchanan, Farnell
170: Porter, Myers, Lundy, Morris
182: Brege, Summersett, Lockwood, Thompson
195: Heyerly, Khaoucha, Lepper, Grider
220: Clifford, Hinton, Beck, Dilbone
285: Erb, Muncie, Orr, Villafuere

A ticket for the Ft Wayne semistate is $11.50 ....   before the fees....  there is a $7.05 service fee and a $5.25 processing fee and a .50 facility fee PER ticket....  So the fees actually cost more than the ticket itself!!!!!
 
Gotta love Ticketmaster.....