blueandgold

120 - Ash and Aubin first round is NASTY.

Clay Guenin was a regional champion with a 36-1 record and has wins over numerous state qualifiers and medalists, yet he was rewarded with Luke Penola in the ticket round. The same scenario was the case for Tommy Gibbs, Preston Haines, Guillermo Rivera, Jaylen Young, Hruai Lian, Jacob McClure, etc. Them losing their matches isn’t the issue. It’s the fact that they proved they were among the best wrestlers in the state all year, had to wrestle another top talent in the qualifying match, and didn’t have the opportunity to wrestle back to be among the best in the group while in some cases, the common opponents they shared with the person who beat them advanced facing less quality opponents. That’s not dissing the kids, either, it’s just the facts of the matter. If you don’t see how seeding based on a full body of work done throughout the season to create separation and full consolation rounds to ensure wrestlers get their rightful chance could fix that, then we don’t need to be having this discussion. If you want to keep semi-state, that’s fine, but then discussion about eliminating sectionals or regionals needs to take place. The reason I say Indiana has a subpar state tournament is because of the long, plodding month-long journey just to get to the state finals, there aren’t any consolations, and because one week in the first three is an unnecessary rehash of what could’ve already taken place. A lot of people don’t want to change it because they either aren’t positively receptive towards change or because they hold the old head “Well, if I suffered, they should too” mentality. There isn’t always testament of who the best wrestlers are, so therefore, we don’t always get a good indicator of how deep or good the field truly is as compared to other states, but that’s also not the IHSAAs priority either. So, until there is change at that level, we won’t see much, but that doesn’t mean you stop voicing what is right for the sport and cease work on improving the system.

Yes, they all have to deal with the same system, but if we all know the system can be improved, why not improve it?

Injured as I’ve heard, but I can’t wait until he’s back. His potential matches with Peyton Hornsby are going to HIT.

First and foremost, I want to say congratulations to Caden for advancing to state once more. Second, I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who felt this way. The restructuring of the weights almost feels nonsensical in a way when you see the omission of a weight for 180-pound wrestlers. I’m just curious to know why there needed to be four weights that are essentially the similar to the one it’s next to (150, 157, 165, 175). It’s frustrating because not everyone can do the bulk job and some guys even get pushed out of the lineup where they once had a secure spot and because of that, coaches now have to choose between two impactful wrestlers instead of having both in the lineup in some cases. I know a lot of this is echoing what we both have already said, I just can’t reiterate enough how it doesn’t make much sense.

You can’t say that when some 4th place finishers are gifted better draws than champs and runner-ups.

How much did the new NFHS weight classes affect and/or change plans, outcomes, and/or possibilities for both wrestlers and teams? I can’t speak for any team specifically, but I feel like eliminating the 182 pound weight class left a lot of upper weight wrestlers lost in the shuffle where they were either too big for 175 or too small for 190. You could argue the over-abundance of middle weights in 150, 157, and 165 seem pointless, but at the collegiate level, the weights are almost exactly the same (149 instead of 150). However, in contrast, there is a proper weight for wrestlers in the 180-pound range in 184.

Yes. Not factual. Eliminating semi-state doesn’t make it easier. Eliminating it and implementing full wrestlebacks at the regional level with a larger bracket size will, in fact, make it harder, “buddy.”

Not factual.

Isaac Ash been cooking crazy these last couple of weeks.

Hosia Smith might’ve just hit the move of the year with a Hi-C to a headlock…

Them boys taking 12 out of 14 and are dominating. This is crazy.

Crown Point running away with it a week in advance.

Hope Preston is alright. What a career. Prayers to him and salute to the Brownsburg staff as always. Congratulations to Ty Henderson as well.

People won’t admit it, but there is a lot of luck involved in the random pairing format. The fact that you can have a 1-3 record at the state finals and be considered top 8 in the state is kind of ridiculous. The whole tournament series needs realignment. A lot of people also don’t like change or don’t want to see better for future generations, so they think it’s worth it to compete in a flawed system that doesn’t truly measure how good you actually are but how lucky you get. There is ZERO reason Hunter May and Tommy Gibbs or Preston Haines and Ty Henderson should be wrestling in the quarterfinals on Saturday. They’ve separated themselves from the rest of the state aside from the #1s ahead of them and this is how they’re rewarded.

Four stages/scheduling, random draws/lack of seeds. In reality, most wrestlers who reach the ticket round are state-level wrestlers. I’m with Triple B, make state a 32-man bracket and add wrestlebacks.

Then Indiana wrestling will continue to have a subpar state tournament series

Semi-State is an extremely unnecessary stage for wrestling. It’s taxing on the wrestlers, coaches, and fans alike between the added weigh-ins, travel, and scheduling conflicts (All-Star Weekend or other events). Keep in mind we are the only wrestling state in the nation with a four-stage tournament series and the only individual IHSAA-sanctioned sport with a semi-state level as Swimming only has Sectionals, Sectional Finals, and State, while T&F has Sectionals, Regionals, and State. I understand it’s a meant to replicate the NCAA Final Four in basketball or football (where the concept actually works) on top of being a money-grab, but it’s pointless in wrestling. For a potential alternative, I’d say to increase the bracket size to 32 and combine sectionals, then combine regionals.

I need Sessa vs. DeMarco expeditiously.

I said they would qualify 13 in my original post. Baca unfortunately drew Zar Walker who is my dark horse to win 144.

I thought last year’s Crown Point team was going to be insane and surpass the incredible feat of the 2021-22 team by having potentially seven wrestlers in the finals at State and breaking the points record, but they fell just a bit short by going 4/4 in the finals and eleven points shy of the previous year’s score with 167.0 (Insane how that is their version of “falling short”). THIS YEAR’s Crown Point team however may break the 2021-22 squad’s points record and match them with six in the finals in #1 Jendreas, #2 Hawkins, #1 Shepherd, #1 Rinehart, #1 W. Clark, and #1 P. Clark. However, I can fully see a scenario where all six win it. Not to mention the additional points coming from a strong cast in #13 Newell, #5 Lewis, #8 Sessa, #9 Nowaczyk, #10 VanTichelt, and #13 Reading. This is assuming they all qualify because they still have to get there of course, and based on their draws and pedigree, I can see them qualifying 13 wrestlers. This team might be the ONE. We will see what these next two weekends bring for the dogs in red.

Curious to know what freshmen still alive (beyond #1 Jensen Boyd) can make a deep run the next two weeks

Oh, I thought it was still the former way just that it starts in the first round instead of quarters, but I didn’t know they gave them full wrestlebacks now. That’s dope. Indiana needs to follow suit.

This is how it’s done in Illinois at the state level and I think it’s a good method.

De’Alcapon Veazy might be top 5 names ever