Shoey

Ritter only entered 3 weights. Wow. For having such a fantastic youth program, it is hard to see this. I’ll take Jordan Johnson to win 145 in this sectional. Absolute crime that Josh Johnson isn’t wrestling in the tourney. He got hurt in football, but should have been better by now.

Warren is the absolutel sleeper here. Much better rankings though. Who is EMD’s lock? Freeman, Baumann, Boarman? Do they have 2? Who is CP’s lock after Mendez? Bahl? Estrada? Roberson? I think they have 3 in the finals. Who is Chesteron’s lock? Lemley and Bates? I think so. Torres in the finals? I think so. Seems like the most likely to score highest. Who is Cathedral’s lock? Zeke. Dickey? I think so. Wilson, Urasky or Guhl in the Finals could seal it for the 4peat. Perry Meridian’s lock? Warren? Cottey? Koontz? I’ll don’t think any of them but I’ll go with Warren. And can’t say Cottey.

You just going chalk the whole way? How about an adventurous pick, Slinger?

With Roncalli down so much, this will rival Arsenal Tech for the weakest metro sectional for sure. I think Getz has a shot at Billerman at 106. And, I would be amazed if Perry’s heavy wins.

Hate to see kids not get a shot this late in the season. This will certainly benefit Perry Meridian and Cathedral at 106 and 220 if it’s true. Wonder if the rankings will be amended before the tourney now as there is no way Brownsburg enters the tourney as the #1.

They had 1000 fans and multiple suites open last night for the Pacer game. I think I counted 9 suites that were occupied on the lower level. The entire upper balcony was closed off by curtains. The Club and lower level had seats distanced in 4s and 2s sectioned off with a fancy version of duct tape. There were hundreds of coaches, media, participants on the floor. The floor space is incredibly expanded with the new bleachers and “end zone” entertainment/restaurant design from the would-be All-Star Game that was to happen last spring. The one thing that will be awesome going forward for the finals is the new scoreboard. It is incredible to watch the action despite where your seat is with 4 new LED big screens draped under the original scoreboard.

Thanks Sally Sadpants... By next week everyone in Indiana over the age of 60 will be eligible for the vaccine. This is in addition to first responders and healthcare workers that have already had the vaccine. By the time the Finals roll around in 4 weeks, everyone that wants 2 shots will have access to it that doesn’t already have the antibodies. So, keep pace and let’s have a full tournament. Call it a miraculous recovery from our new President Joe if you want. But don’t call it some debilitating virus anymore. It just simply isn’t. if you can’t get the vaccine in your county, drive to Indy. Plenty of places to get a vaccine down there if over 70. Next week it will be over 60. Coronavirus.in.gov for an appointment.

Let’s quit the faux-fear here. By the time everyone gets to Bankers Life, no one will know who has it, who has been vaccinated, who doesn’t give a sheet, and who can plow through a possible symptom to win a title. If you are 60 or older, don’t come if you are a fan, coach, or ref. Or, if you do, get a vaccine in the next 4.5 weeks. Otherwise, get the kids in the arena w parents or immediate family, and have a tournament. Football had 75 kids in the locker rooms together 6 different times (or a few less for 1A-3A). They spaced the loved ones perfectly with assigned seats, but no way they sterilized the locker rooms and no one cared. The pandemic is about over. IHSAA shouldn’t pump the brakes now and the wrestling community sure as heck shouldn’t give them pause. We are the best sport after all. Let’s get everyone in the arena and make moves. We are setting the bar for this fractured country. Let’s keep charging.

Alrighty then. Let’s debate. No way a team wins the title without an individual champ. And, though Snyder’s guys are deep, I can’t say they have a lock with Cottey dropping to 113. So, I’ll pick from the teams that have a lock and depth: Crown Point, Cathedral, Chesterton, Think I’m leaning on Chesterton as they have the closest to two locks in Lemley and Bates. I wouldn’t put Brownsburg in the Top 4.

Is this the last ranking before the tourney?

I’ll again defer to the progressive stance of the IHSAA for football and continue along that thought process. They allowed 2 tickets per participant. Though they were outside venues, the venues were still smaller than both semi-state and state venues for wrestling minus Lucas Oil and perhaps a 6A stadium. So, my math says 16 wrestlers X 14 weights plus two coaches each is still under 1000 attendees. Throw in referees, table help, trainers, perhaps even concessions, and you have around 1500 per tourney venue. Looks like the two biggest non-coliseums in Indiana are East Chicago and New Castle checking in at right around 8000 seats. I have that at 18.75% occupancy for the smallest semi-state venues. For Bankers Life at 20,000 capacity, all wrestlers, 2 coaches, 2 participant tickets, and tournament help of, let’s just say, 2000 would be only 10% capacity. So, yeah, I can see fans at all venues for the entire tournament. IHSAA gives zero fecks about the Rona impeding their tournaments. They understand the role these sports are playing on our kids’ sanity. It’s a damn blessing and an an honor to be part of setting the bar for the country. Read no farther than landing the entire March Madness in Indy starting 2 weeks after the IHSAA finals.

Zeke 19-5

I’d throw Kyrel’s Leavell in this discussion as well. Carmel forfeited him, but pins over Keaton Morton (Perry) and Reed Egli (EMD) were damn impressive for a freshman in two high stakes duals. He has to be in the discussion for sleeper champ at 113.

Not a chance they allow football and not wrestling. They allowed 7k in tickets to Lucas Oil per class. 67,000 in The Luke with a little more than 12%. If Bankers does 13%, we’ll at least get the parents in to the 17,000 seat stadium. Thinking 2000-3000k loved ones. AlI I know is IHSAA is effing killing the non-fear game. Couldnt be more proud of their efforts.

Exactly. Bureaucrats suck.