blueandgold

I’m waiting for @FCFIGHTER170 to mention Keith Garrard. One of my favorite stories from the New Castle wrestling lore.

I’m not disagreeing with any of this, I guess my initial thought was the guys who didn’t do much before or weren’t considered “blue chip recruits” and ended up being undeniable.

Thomas Penola

I must add Austin Bethel to this discussion. He was a four-time state qualifier who then became an All-American as a true freshman at Wabash.

Nick Lee was a state champion and two-time Fargo champion in high school. He definitely isn’t one I’m thinking of for this group of names as it was pretty clear where he was headed after the announcement of the Penn State commitment his sophomore year.

KK was definitely one I thought would be at the state tournament, but I’m glad to hear he’s making his stride.

Who are some guys who didn’t really hit their stride until after high school? A couple that come to mind include Sam Osho of Avon and Jack Servies of Perry Meridian, both were teammates at Marian. Osho was only a semi-state qualifier in high school, but in college he managed to become a five-time national qualifier and All-American in 2022, placing third at 184 lbs. and ahead of former D1 wrestler, two-time state champion, and Super 32 champion Blake Rypel. Servies only qualified for state once as a junior in 2017, but later became a two-time All-American, placing sixth twice and racking up wins over numerous state champions including Blake Rypel in a decision. Who are some other names that realized their true potential after high school?

I feel like this is another impressive feat that doesn’t get spoken about enough. Yes, the bigger one happens the next weekend, but anyone who can win Evansville four times regardless as to whether or not they win state deserves some kind of love. Who are some guys that conquered their quarter of the state each year? Have any of the four-time state champions ever lost at Semi-State?

(The year beside each name indicates that particular version of that wrestler); This list is in no particular order. 2016 Chad Red… Pinned his way to the finals and beat #2 Nick Lee for his fourth title. 2013 Cody LeCount… 40-0 with the fastest technical fall in the finals. Virtually untouched as I don’t think he had an offensive point scored on him all season. 2022 Jesse Mendez… Self-explanatory. 2015 Blake Rypel… While he was a two-time champion, his junior year was wicked. He pinned his way through the state tournament series except for one tech fall in the semi-state finals against Tristen Tonte. 2015 Drew Hughes… He couldn’t be touched throughout the state series and was only held to a decision once before pinning his way through the state. 2015 Shawn Streck… Couldn’t be touched and pinned his way through heavyweight at the state. 2021 Brody Baumann… That finals performance showed his guts. 2021 Gabe Sollars… I watched him show how wide the gap was between he and Drake Buchanan in the semi-state finals that year. 2021 Leighton Jones… Up until the semis loss at state, he was probably the meanest, scariest heavyweight in recent memory. 2014 Vinny Corsaro… I vividly remember him dominating #3 Nick Borta by technical fall in the semi-state finals, and I was sure he was winning the next weekend.

2021 Perry Meridian had nine state qualifiers with six semifinalists scoring a total of 97 points, the then-most ever for a third place team until Brownsburg last year.

You and Mike are pretty spot on with the rankings and analysis, and I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. In addition to Warren, Delta is another team I see who likely won’t make a big dent in the team race if everything plays out as it should, but could still have a trio of finalists in Boyd, Bollinger, and Russell. However, like you said, if the big three take any hits, that could be huge for them because they could have at minimum four semi-state champions coming out of Fort Wayne and place themselves in good position.

While I won’t say they could pull off the feat that Center Grove did last year, I still believe it is a very real possibility they could have five semi-state champions and five in the finals at state. They have four wrestlers ranked atop the New Castle Semi-State and one ranked second, and they have two wrestlers ranked #1 overall along with a #2 overall ranked state champion. If their core can grab semi-state titles, they set themselves up well the next weekend. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and they still have to all make it there first, but as we’ve all seen, at least three semifinalists can snag a top five finish, and five finalists put you in place for a team trophy. In most cases, five finalists, or even four (Lawrence North’s Fab 4), would almost certainly guarantee a win, but with the depth of Crown Point, Center Grove, and Brownsburg in recent years, it may not be enough. I’m very interested to see how the Warriors continue to roll for the remainder of the season.

I don’t think either side gives up that many falls nor does 157 give up a major. Will Clark likely bonuses McConnell as well.

I would like to think Columbus East, EMD, and Franklin among others are some of the only programs that you will see at Team State in 3A/4A who actually still develop their own kids. No shade to kids who go to academies, and I encourage program athletes to go to them in the offseason for an RTC or extra training session as it’s always good to get outside looks, but the success of these programs mostly featured kids developed by the coaches of that program. If you look at Mater Dei’s success from 1996-2003, I am willing to bet they were all developed under Goebel, which we need more of today.

190: NCSS #6 Jaylen Young (Perry Meridian) dec. NCSS #2/State #9 Clay Guenin (Greenfield-Central), SV-1 4-2

Curious to know some of the biggest dual upsets that have taken place as we are in a dual-heavy December. I’ll get one out the way now: Franklin Community over then-#1 Perry Meridian 27-26 at 2014 Team State. PM were defending four-time state champions (3 IHSAA, 1 IHSWCA) and Franklin ended up beating EMD the next dual as well and later were IHSAA State Runners-Up.

He wasn't a senior, but Brayden Littell only competed in the state tournament once as a junior and won it. He later didn't compete his senior year due to injury.

Drop your top rated matches here... I have a few on a five-star scale with a criteria that factors story, competitiveness, talent, ranking, and stage. I've got a few to share. Five Star Matches (Greatest of All Time) Blake Maurer vs. Alex Dolly 2/22/03 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA Individual State Finals, 171 lb. championship Paul Petrov vs. Brenden Campbell 2/18/2012 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA Individual State Finals, 120 lb. championship Cody LeCount vs. Tommy Forte 1/12/2014 Decatur, IN - Bellmont Main Event Final: Perry Meridian vs. Mishawaka, 145 lb. match Chad Red vs. Nick Lee 2/20/2016 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA State Finals, 132 lb. championship Robert Samuels vs. Rickie Clark 2/18/2017 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA State Finals, 285 lb. third place match Brody Baumann vs. Robert Major 2/20/2021 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA State Finals, 160 lb. championship 4.75 Star Matches (Near-Perfect) Deondre Wilson vs. Brandon James 2/15/2014 New Castle, IN - IHSAA Semi-State Championships, 132 lb. championship Logan Boe vs. Jonathan Kervin 2/15/2020 Evansville, IN - IHSAA Semi-State Championships, 152 lb. semifinal 4.5 Star Matches (Instant Classic) Deondre Wilson vs. Brandon James 2/22/2014 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA State Finals, 132 lb. championship D.J. Brookbank vs. Zach Melloh 2/14/2016 New Castle, IN - IHSAA Semi-State Championships, 132 lb. quarterfinal Brendan Black vs. Kris Rumph 12/3/2016 Saint John, IN - Lake Central Harvest Classic, 138 lb. championship Jordan Slivka vs. Donnell Washington 2/16/2019 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA State Finals, 160 lb. championship Joseph Walker vs. Macartney Parkinson 2/21/2020 Indianapolis, IN - IHSAA State Finals, 182 lb. first round Jacob Johnson vs. Nate Johnson 1/29/2022 Mooresville, IN - IHSAA Sectional Championships, 285 lb. championship There are so many more I'm missing, but I'm having a brain fart and can't think right now. Drop yours here.

Not mad, brother. You stated unfortunate facts, but facts nonetheless

RPW was never going to work for exactly why I stated above. Cards and champions in wrestling won’t attract anyone besides people who are already wrestling fans because of the lack of perceived violence. So, you have to appeal another way.

I posted this on the InterMat board, and figured I'd post here as well. Another revised concept of association wrestling in the United States. Original post: If the United States and other nations in the Americas (North, Central, and South) introduced an association wrestling system the way we see with association football (soccer), how plausible is it that it could find success to some degree? I've been active in the sport of wrestling for over ten years now as a competitor, coach, and fan, and I've recently become a big association football fan, and I wonder if how well it would work if we borrowed their system for wrestling. In the United States, it seems we try to build cards like boxing, mixed martial arts, or professional wrestling when in reality it's hard to promote a freestyle match in the same vein as the aforementioned sports due to lack of perceived violence. From RPW to the recent Flo cards, the promotion and events are fine, but they don't click. So, what's next? Well, association wrestling. When people hear "professional wrestling", the term immediately makes one think of WWE, AEW, NWA, etc., so the first step is stepping out of the shadow of sports entertainment. Second, what would it look like in the USA? Here's a quick write-up I made borrowing some elements from Premier League, La Liga, NBA, NFL, and the current NCAA wrestling system. The Name The League of American Wrestling Premier Division (Legal); American Premier League (Informal) Country United States of America Confederation Union of American Wrestling Associations (UAWA) Number of Teams 24 Level on Pyramid 1 Relegation to National Wrestling Championship of the United States (Legal); League II (Informal) Competition Format Each club wrestles a 20-match regular season schedule including six matches from a double round robin against the three other teams in their region. The top two teams from each region will qualify for the final stage bracket to determine a league champion. The top four teams based on record (total dual meet points used for tiebreaker) entering the final stage will automatically toggle the top four seeds and receive a bye, while the remaining teams will do battle in the Round of 16. Teams are ranked by record and dual meet points. Individual weight class champions are determined prior to the beginning of the final stage of the team tournament. The top 12 wrestlers from each weight (based on record and total points) will compete in a round robin of four pools, the winners from each of the four pools are then paired in a bracket to determine the individual champion. The top four wrestlers who make the final stage of the individual tournament will be named to the Iron League (compare to NBA All-Star or NFL Pro Bowl) while champions and runner-ups will also be named to the All-America first and second team (compare to All-NBA or NFL All-Pro). Weight Classes 126 lbs. 134 lbs. 142 lbs. 150 lbs. 155 lbs. 165 lbs. 175 lbs. 190 lbs. 225 lbs. 285 lbs. Rules and Scoring Two 4-minute periods + one 2-minute sudden-victory period (if necessary), followed by a two one-minute shot clocks to determine a winner (if necessary) Par terre optional only after a wrestler scores Takedown (three points of contact) = 2 Points Exposure = 2 Points Feet to Back = 4 Points Grand Amplitude Throw = 5 Points Reversal = 1 Point Passivity = 1 Point (2nd Warning), 2 Points (3rd Warning), Disqualification (4th Warning) No points awarded for push-outs Takedown can still be scored out of bounds as long as contact was previously established on the mat A match ends by technical fall when a wrestler is ahead by 15 points minimum Win Conditions and Point Totals Fall = 3 Points Technical Superiority = 2 Points Decision = 1 Point Disqualification = 1 Point A wrestler will receive 0 points for a loss and will be deducted 0.5 points for a disqualification. Teams (23 United States + 1 Canada) Arlington WC (Arlington, Texas) Atlanta WC (Atlanta, Georgia) Atlantic City WC (Atlantic City, New Jersey) Austin WC (Austin, Texas) Boston WC (Boston, Massachusetts) Carolina United WC (Charlotte, North Carolina) Cheyenne WC (Cheyenne, Wyoming) Chicago WC (Chicago, Illinois) Colorado Springs WC (Colorado Springs, Colorado) Detroit WC (Auburn Hills, Michigan) Indianapolis WC (Indianapolis, Indiana) Iowa City WC (Iowa City, Iowa) Las Vegas WC (Las Vegas, Nevada) Lincoln WC (Lincoln, Nebraska) Los Angeles WC (Los Angeles, California) New York WC (New York, New York) Orlando WC (Orlando, Florida) Philadelphia WC (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Portland WC (Portland, Oregon) Richmond WC (Richmond, Virginia) Sioux Falls WC (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) Tulsa WC (Tulsa, Oklahoma) Twin Cities WC (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota) Vancouver WC (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Teams by Region East Atlantic City Boston New York Philadelphia Midwest Chicago Detroit Indianapolis Twin Cities Mountain West Cheyenne Iowa City Lincoln Sioux Falls Southeast Atlanta Carolina United Orlando Richmond Southwest Arlington Austin Colorado Springs Tulsa West Las Vegas Los Angeles Portland Vancouver Postseason Individual Group Stage (Pool A, Pool B, Pool C, Pool D; winner from each pool advances to final stage) Final Stage (4-Man Knockout, all final stage qualifiers named to Iron League and begin American Super Cup, champion and runner-up named to All-America team) Team Top two teams from each region advance to final stage (12-man knockout, 4 byes for top seeds) Top four teams based on record and total dual points earn 1-4 seeds, remaining eight teams battle in qualifying round Final eight teams begin Schultz Cup, top four teams receive banners, champions and runners-up receive hardware

It’s WrestleMania season. Make it a Triple Threat elimination match.

I’ve got a few! Regardless of whether these guys were champions or not, I’m more interested in the style clashes. Dream Matches 106 - Brennan Cernus vs. Cody Phillips 113 - Alex Cottey vs. Leroy Vega 126 - Logan Frazier vs. Kyle Ayersman 126 - Tylin Thrine vs. Brenden Campbell 132 - Chad Red vs. Angel Escobedo 132 - Zeke Seltzer vs. Nick Lee 138 - Jesse Mendez vs. Jason Tsirtsis 138 - Blake Boarman vs. Brandon James 145 - Brayton Lee vs. Cody LeCount 160 - Andrew Howe vs. David Palmer 160 - Sammy Goin vs. Drew Hughes 170 - Graham Calhoun vs. Tyler Willis 182 - De’Alcapon Veazy vs. Blake Rypel 195 - Silas Allred vs. Nate Moore 220 - Mason Parris vs. Gelen Robinson 285 - Shawn Streck vs. Chico Adams 285 - Dorian Keys vs. Robert Samuels 285 - Leighton Jones vs. Norman Oglesby

Was bored and figured I’d make an unbeatable squad that I believe would be ranked #1 in the country. 106: Leroy Vega (Portage) / Jason Terry (Cathedral) 113: Stevan Micic (Hanover Central) 120: Lance Ellis (Cathedral) 126: Angel Escobedo (Griffith) 132: Chad Red (New Palestine) 138: Jesse Mendez (Crown Point) 145: Alex Tsirtsis (Griffith) 152: Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point) 160: Andrew Howe (Hanover Central) 170: Blake Maurer (Mater Dei) 182: Blake Rypel (Cathedral) 195: Mitch Sliga (Fishers) 220: Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg) 285: Shawn Streck (Merrillville)