grappler87

Oracles to compete Saturday in sectional Everett, Atwood remain undefeated Wesley Everett Braden Atwood The Oracles hosted five other teams for a duals tournament last Saturday. Portage (ranked #10) came out on top 5-0. Delphi was second at 4-1. With Calumet and Twin Lakes 2-3, and Frankfort and Lawrence Central 1-4. Delphi Athletic Director Dan Dawson put the "Bad Weather Duals" together in a week. Individual champions for the Oracles were: 103 - Austin Jones, 145 - Aaron Back, 171 - Daniel Clawson, 189 - Braden Atwood, and 285 - Wesley Everett. Individually for the Oracles winning one match each were: 112 - Raul Flores, 130 - Nathan McTigue and 285 - Casey Penn. Winning three matches for the Oracles were 112/119 - Bob Floyd, 125 - Cody Alderman, 135 - Cory Smith, 152 - Dayton Rummell, and 215 - Travis Yoakum. Winning four matches for the Oracles were 103 - Austin Jones, who won on a tie breaker, 140 - Tanner Lynde, 160 - Brandon Delaney, and 285 - Wes Everett. Winning all five matches were Back, Clawson and Atwood. Also competing for Delphi were Kyle Lashley at 152 and Ken Myers at 215. Everett allowed his practice partner, Casey Penn to wrestle one of his matches. Penn dominated the match with two takedowns and a quick pin. He has wrestled for the Oracles for four years but has always been behind Everett. Everett for the season is 33- 0. He has pinned all of his opponents; all in the first period. He also set the school record this year for career pins with 86 and counting. Team scores were: Delphi 55, Frankfort 15; Delphi 60, Calumet 15; Delphi 27, Portage 49; Delphi 55, Lawrence Central 9; and Delphi 70, Twin Lakes 12. Last week the Oracle wrestling squad traveled to Lewis Cass. The Oracles prevailed 67-12. Winning for the Delphi team were: 103 - Austin Jones, 112 - Cesar Cervantes, 125 - Floyd, 130 - Alderman, 135 - Smith, 140 - Lynde, 145 -Back, 152 - Rummell, 160 - Lashley, 171 - Clawson, 189 -Atwood, and 285 - Everett. Everett and Atwood remain undefeated on the season. The Oracles head into the Lafayette Sectional this weekend with a 21-10 dual meet record. Of the ten losses seven have been to top 20 teams.

By Michael Osipoff Post-Tribune staff writer The wrestling postseason begins on Saturday with a slightly different look. Only the first-place team from each sectional will advance to regionals, instead of the top two teams. The semistate round was eliminated. Also, in the individual tournament, the top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance from regionals to semistate, instead of the top three. Area wrestling sectionals (beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday) East Chicago Central Teams: Bishop Noll, Clark, East Chicago Central, Gavit, Hammond, Highland, Lake Central, Morton, Munster, Whiting. Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Kyle Ayersman (Lake Central), Aurelio Medina (Munster); 112 -- Bryan Smith (Lake Central), Danny Rodriguez (Highland); 119 -- Marc Escobedo (Lake Central), Luke Smith (Munster); 125 -- Bradley Wartman (Lake Central), Bret Roberts (Gavit); 130 -- Clint Boelt (Munster), Chris Pajdzik (Gavit); 135 -- Justin Slosser (Munster), Keith Britton (Clark); 140 -- Alex Surma (Munster), Victor Rodriguez (East Chicago Central); 145 -- Chris Almaraz (Highland), Michael Adams (Munster), Emerik Quiroz (Whiting); 152 -- Aaron Estrada (Munster), Brandon Cole (East Chicago Central); 160 -- Rob Keough (Lake Central), Johnny Tyler (Highland); 171 -- Mitch Vis (Highland), Adrian Gutierrez (Munster); 189 -- Willie Lott (East Chicago Central), Jack Seaman (Munster), Jeff Smith (Bishop Noll); 215 -- Vlade Nacovski (Lake Central), Nate Nunez (Highland); 285 -- Coty Anderson (Highland), Breyon Moore (East Chicago Central). Outlook: Munster last season won its first sectional title since 2001, after Lake Central had won back-to-back titles and four in the last six seasons. The third-place Indians narrowly finished ahead of the Mustangs in the Lake County tournament, and it should come down to those two teams. Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to Calumet Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at LaPorte. Calumet Teams: Calumet, Griffith, Hobart, Lake Station, Lew Wallace, Merrillville, River Forest, West Side, Wirt. Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Zac Stevens (Merrillville), Brian Orzechowicz (Griffith), Malcolm Malone (West Side); 119 -- William Ketchum (Calumet), Willy Costakis (Merrillville), Judge Yanez (River Forest); 125 -- Anthony Napules (Merrillville), Sam Camacho (Hobart), J.W. Yanez (River Forest), Jabez Anderson (Wirt); 130 -- Frankie Porras (Hobart), Mike Clark (Calumet), Frankie Valdivia (Merrillville), Nick Gonzalez (Griffith); 135 -- Johnny Dillon (Hobart); 140 -- Darrius Richmond (Merrillville), Jack Hammons (Lake Station), Deontay Taylor (Lew Wallace); 145 -- Aaron Hammons (Lake Station); 152 -- Jack France (Hobart), Chris Hammons (Lake Station); 160 -- Derek Stokes (River Forest); 189 -- Chris Bartley (Griffith), Nathan Fowler (Calumet); 215 -- Christopher Woods (West Side), Anthony Cherry (Calumet), Montell Davis (Lew Wallace); 285 -- James Travis (Merrillville). Outlook: Merrillville has won four straight titles, and the Pirates should make it five in a row. Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to Calumet Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at Crown Point. Crown Point Teams: Andrean, Boone Grove, Crown Point, Hanover Central, Kankakee Valley, Lowell, North Newton, Valparaiso. Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Cameron Halsted (Crown Point), Paul Petrov (Hanover Central); 112 -- Anthony Hawkins (Crown Point), Cameron Wilson (Andrean); 119 -- John Petrov (Hanover Central), Jake Lamb (Lowell), Josh Manes (Crown Point), Kyle Chadwick (Kankakee Valley), Sean Wilkie (North Newton); 125 -- Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point), Cameryn Brady (Lowell), Zeke Escobedo (Andrean), Chad Miller (Valparaiso); 130 -- Aaron Kearney (Kankakee Valley), Derek Wilson (Valparaiso), Mike Fauser (Boone Grove); 135 -- Eric Roach (Crown Point), Dustin Schultz (Kankakee Valley), Cody Jackson (North Newton); 140 -- Josh Flamme (Crown Point); 145 -- Cody Ray (North Newton), Marcus Cooper-Langoria (Hanover Central), Josh Kazee (Valparaiso); 160 -- Mark Myers (Crown Point), Kurt Monix (Lowell), Shaun Taber (Boone Grove); 171 -- Andrew Sands (Hanover Central); 189 -- Marcus Shrewsbury (Crown Point), Adam Mandeville (Kankakee Valley), Will Hoefflicker (Valparaiso), Ben Golub (Boone Grove); 215 -- Nathan Cleveland (Lowell), Donovan Czarnecki (Kankakee Valley). Outlook: Crown Point has won six consecutive titles, and the Bulldogs have been the area's best team this season and among the state's best. Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to LaPorte Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at Calumet. LaPorte Teams: Chesterton, Glenn, Knox, LaPorte, Michigan City, New Prairie, North Judson, Portage. Wrestlers to watch: 103 -- Jesse Duque (Portage); 112 -- Brandon Coppinger (Portage), Travis Mowery (Glenn); 119 -- Danny Bradley (Knox), Kaleb McCallum (Glenn); 125 -- Luis Acuna (Portage), Kyle Hernandez (Knox); 130 -- Zack Thornton (Chesterton), Joe Zigler (New Prairie), Jimmy Poplawski (Michigan City); 135 -- Thomas Lusco (Michigan City), Joel Gillespie (Chesterton); 140 -- Garrett Payne (Michigan City), Brandon Garvey (Chesterton); 145 -- Spencer Stockwell (Chesterton), Tony Nuzzo (Portage); 152 -- Sean McMurray (Portage), Anthony Quiroz (Chesterton), Jordan Martin (New Prairie); 160 -- Jimmy Krause (Knox), Ryan Balanow (New Prairie); 171 -- Adam Winebrenner (Knox), Aaron King (Portage), Kyle Oviatt (LaPorte); 189 -- Alex Windbigler (Knox), Kyle Keith (Portage), Bryce Holland (LaPorte); 215 -- Kannon Keigley (New Prairie), Nathaniel Coleman (Portage); 285 -- Craig Fitzgerald (Glenn), Alex Boatright (Chesterton). Outlook: Portage won 16 straight titles, before Chesterton won the last two. The Indians should be in position to regain the title. Next: Top four individuals in each weight class advance to LaPorte Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Portage Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at East Chicago Central. Note Rensselaer will compete in the 11-team Twin Lakes Sectional; top four individuals in each weight class advance to Logansport Regional on Feb. 7; winning team advances to Peru Regional on Feb. 4 vs. winner at Lafayette Jefferson.

Seniors? success leads way into sectionals Ross Flint rflint@reportert.com January 27, 2009 As it prepares for sectionals Saturday at Mooresville, the Martinsville High School wrestling team is hopeful that it can take the next step in the program?s progress. Ideally, the Artesians would like to advance as a team to the regional round on Feb. 4. If not, the Artesians would like to advance at least as many wrestlers as last year?s group ? eight ? if not more. ?It?s a lot more fun being under the lights than being in the stands,? coach Lee Liden said. Four have No. 1 seedings entering Saturday: Derek Fisher (112), who has a 26-2 record, James Walker (140), with a 15-1 record, Jordan Krulik (145), with a 26-1 record and Briar Runyan (160), who remains undefeated. Two others, Andrew Bowman (103) and Derek Bratton (125) are ranked second in their divisions and T.C. Frederick (119), Caleb Purtlebaugh (130) and Joe Schoolcraft (171) are ranked No. 3 in their respective divisions. Liden is hopeful that Martinsville can make a run, but there are no guarantees. ?You just never know,? he said. The key won?t be winning individual championships, he said. Instead, he said it will be who will be able to finish higher than expected, those who finish in the third and fourth-place range. ?That?s what has to change,? he said. ?If that happens, we?ll do well.? Martinsville has given some impressive showings throughout the season against some tough competition. The Artesians came away with two wins at the Bloomington Invitational on Dec. 6 with wins against Bloomington North and Lawrence Central, and close losses to Center Grove (37-31) and Columbus North (42-33). A week later, they were champions of the Evansville tournament with 242 points, 16 better than host Evansville Memorial. Martinsville came in second in the Bloomington North tournament, 64-1/2 points behind champion Castle. Martinsville narrowly beat Beech Grove 36-31 and Mount Vernon 45-33, while losing to state ranked Roncalli 42-31 at the New Palestine Invitational before coming in third place with four wrestlers ? Fisher, Runyan, Krulik and Walker ? coming away with individual titles. ?Illnesses happen, injuries happen,? Liden said. ?Those are things you have to work around. I?m happy with how our boys have worked this year.? Leading the way throughout the season has been a group of seniors who have reaped the benefits of hard work in the off-season and beyond. Runyan, who is three pins away from breaking the school record, will be going for his third consecutive appearance in the state finals. As a sophomore, he finished in third. A year ago, he moved up one spot, finishing with a 38-2 record. Krulik made his first appearance at the state meet last year, where he lost in the preliminaries, finishing the season 22-5. This year, both were at the Bo Henry Classic, Evansville Memorial Invitational and Mid-State Conference champions in their respective classes. Their early success was an influence for the other seniors, Liden said. ?I think they realized, ?hey we can do this,?? he said. ?They don?t shrink, they don?t back off.? What that has meant this season is that the seniors have taken extra measures to ensure their final season is a successful one, including staying after practice. It seems to have paid off. Frederick, Purtlebaugh and Walker have all won individual championships. Frederick won his in Evansville and finished runner-up at the Bo Henry Classic; Purtlebaugh won his at the Bo Henry Classic; and Walker won his at conference.

Crawfordsville wrestlers go 4-1 Posted: Sunday, January 25, 2009 11:18 PM EST Journal Review Chaz Brock became the all-time win leader in Crawfordsville wrestling history while going a perfect 5-0 during Saturday?s Cardinal Ritter Duals. Brock now has 117 wins, breaking the previous record of 115 career wins. Three of Brock?s wins Saturday came by pin. Briar Perkins also went a perfect 5-0 at 112 pounds. He defeated Perry Meridian?s Michael Clem, who was a top-15 ranked wrestler earlier in the season. Craig Fairley went 3-1 at 160 pounds, with his only loss coming to No. 16-ranked Cory Hudgins of Perry Meridian 2-1 in double overtime. Nick Baker went 4-1 at 145 pounds. Among his victories was a 3-1 decision overtime decision over No. 5-ranked Jacob Tassef of Perry Meridian. Mt. Vernon Duals Southmont had three wrestlers finish with perfect 5-0 marks as the Mounties finished 2-3 during Saturday?s Mt. Vernon Duals. After opening the duals with losses to Mt. Vernon, Greenfield Central and Franklin, the Mounties defeated Shelbyville 63-16 and Benton Central 47-30. Southmont is 16-7 after the tournament. Nathan Whitlow (140), Alex Worm (152) and Nick Hodges (189) all finished with 5-0 records. Ryan Chism finished 3-0 at 145 pounds. Dalton Buris (112), Dylan Robinson (135), and Tyler Bridge (285) all had 3-2 marks. Bi-County Tournament Fountain Central defeated Attica 76-6, Seeger 40-24 and North Montgomery 54-19 to win the crown. Fountain Central?s Dillon Scott (112), Joey Engle (119), Andrew Mitchell (130), Quentin Clough (14), Luke Vaughn (152), Sam Shoaf (160), Scott Moore (171) and Chase Minick (189) all won their respective weight classes. North went 2-2 on the day, beating Attica and Covington while falling to Fountain Central and Seeger. The Chargers didn?t have any champions. Dalyn Farris (103), Graham Lough (119), Isaac Myers (140), Anthony Peterman (152), David Odle (160), Jordan LeJeune (171), Charlie Akers (189) and Brad Pierce (215) all went 3-1 on the day.

Giant wrestlers get recognition from NCC Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 1:10 AM EST With a second-place finish at the North Central Conference meet, its best ever at the event, the Marion wrestling team has been honored as NCC Student-Athletes of the week. The Giants have never won the meet, since its inception in 1951. Marion?s most recent best finishes have been third in 2003 and 2008. The team had a pair of individual winners, with Nick Duke victorious at 145 pounds and Dustin McGuinn at 152. It was the first conference titles for both wrestlers. Darryn Scott finished second at 189, while Sergio Flores was runner-up at 130 and won his 100th career match. Third-place finishers were Dominic Medina at 135 and Zeke Lloyd at 160. Marion coach Heath Duke also was named NCC co-coach of the year at the meet.

Wrestling: Sectional pairs set Half of top seeds come from Grant County From staff reports Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 1:10 AM EST Grant County has seven top-seeded wrestlers out of the 14 weight classes for Saturday?s Oak Hill Sectional meet. Defending team champion Marion has just one No. 1 seed and another wrestler accorded a second seed. Darryn Scott (27-4) is the top seed at 189 pounds, and Dustin McGuinn (26-4) is second at 152. Eastbrook, Mississinewa and Oak Hill each have two No. 1 seeds. The Indians also have a pair of second seeds, and the Panthers and Golden Eagles each have one. The Indians? Deyan Cardenas (28-1) at 125 and Chandler Pogue (29-2) at 145 take No. 1 seeds into sectional competition. With No. 2 seeds are John Chapman (29-5) at 140 and Dustin Cunningham (16-4) at 189. For Eastbrook, Jackson Bratcher (23-1) at 160 and Spenser Fenner (14-1) at 171 have No. 1 seeds. Jacob Holloway (26-1) has the No. 2 seed at 145 pounds opposite Pogue, who handed Holloway his first defeat Saturday in the Central Indiana Conference tournament. Oak Hill?s top seeds are Matt Davenport (27-4) at 152 and Nate Linna (28-5) at 135. Curtis Jones (25-6) received a No. 2 seed at 103. The Golden Eagles are coming off a first-place finish in the CIC meet and lost the sectional title last year to the Giants by one-half point. Marion placed second ? its highest finish ever ? at Saturday?s 58th NCC meet. Returning sectional champions from Grant County are Linna, Pogue, Bratcher, Fenner, Scott and Eastbrook?s Brady Hovermale, who is competing at 140 pounds. Northwestern has the most No. 1 seeds with three and also has three No. 2 seeds. Kokomo has two No. 1 seeds and Eastern and Western each have one. The meet will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday and admission is $5. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the Peru Regional on Feb. 7. Saturday?s matchups 103 ? Second round: No. 1 Drew Miller (NW) 34-5 vs. Mississinewa-Madison-Grant forfeit; Casey Shue (WE) 20-5 vs. Liz Skinner (EB) 18-11; Dylan Howell (EA) vs. No. 2 Curtis Jones (OH) 25-6. 112 ? Second round: No. 1 Matt Miller (NW) 36-3 vs. Jason Garza (MI) 10-16; Mason Meredich (OH) 20-10 vs. Jacob Jones (EB) 15-11; Kyle Arenas (MA) 20-8 vs. Ty Smith (EA) 10-7; Zac Truman (KO) 15-13 vs. No. 2 Drew Britten (WE) 20-9. 119 ? Second round: No. 1 Joey Sureck (KO) 32-3 vs. Tiy Marble (MA) 7-12; Blake Pence (EA) vs. Chandler Staggs (OH) 27-3; Zach Davis (TA) vs. Tanner Sanders (WE) 2-5; Ben Ratliff (MG) 8-9 vs. No. 2 Jesse Goodnight (NW) 32-7. 125 ? First round: John Horner (EA) 23-9 vs. Billy Heedy (WE) 6-12. Second round: No. 1 Deyan Cardenas 28-1 (MI) vs. Jarek Jarvis (MG) 5-19; Chris Herring (MA) 20-12 vs. Bo Ketring (OH) 21-10; Horner-Heedy winner vs. Sebastian Rybolt (KO) 15-10; Matt Kidwell (NW) vs. No. 2 Kris Workman (TAY) 27-7. 130 ? First round: No. 1 Austin Shepherd (WE) vs. Garret Adamson (MG) 8-13. Second round: Shepherd-Adamson winner vs. Josh Arlt (MI) 10-15; Myles Dennis (OH) 18-7 vs. Ryan McCauley (EA) 29-11; Sergio Flores (MA) 23-9 vs. David Hacker (EB) 6-3; Ian Moses (NW) 13-27 vs. No. 2 Brok Westfall (TA) 10-4. 135 ? Second round: No. 1 Nate Linna (OH) 28-5 vs. Kokomo forfeit; Dominique Medina (MA) 15-18 vs. Tyler Fording (EA) 20-13; Dalton Schave (WE) 16-7 vs. Levi Ryan (MG) 12-14; Kody Pratt (EB) 1-14 vs. No. 2 Doug Kleinkolgh (TA) 18-5. 140 ? First round: No. 1 Chad Barrett (EA) 36-1 vs. Andrea Ghiloni (TA) 11-23. Second round: Barrett-Ghiloni winner vs. Dalton Hall (KO) 10-11; Taylor Freeman (OH) 20-12 vs. Logun Taylor (WE) 23-7; Brady Hovermale (EB) 26-4 vs. Zach Castillo (MG) 10-7; Kyle Coffey (MA) 5-16 vs. No. 2 John Chapman (MI) 29-5. 145 ? First round: Dylan Heedy (WE) vs. Gage Kleinknight (TA) 4-13. Second round: No. 1 Chandler Pogue (MI) 29-2 vs. Heedy-Kleinknight winner; L.T. Nix (KO) 22-13 vs. Nick Duke (MA) 26-5; Dane Dewitt (EA) 29-9 vs. Alec Samuels (OH) 11-19; Thomas Wilkinson (NW) 7-27 vs. No. 2 Jacob Holloway (EB) 26-1. 152 ? First round: Nolan Cockrell (NW) 22-17 vs. Bo Butler (KO) 8-22. Second round: No. 1 Matt Davenport (OH) 27-4 vs. Jeremy Bailey (EB) 8-12; Drew Smith (EA) 16-10 vs. Connor Love (WE) 13-9; Cockrell-Butler winner vs. Brock Newton (TA) 16-16; Caleb Nieman (MG) 5-15 vs. No. 2 Dustin McGuinn (MA) 26-4. 160 ? First round: Josh Shipp (MG) 8-9 vs. Steven Johnston (TA) 21-11. Second round: No. 1 Jackson Bratcher (EB) 23-1 vs. Jerry Flick (EA) 8-22; Zeke Lloyd (MA) 21-11 vs. Shipp-Johnston winner; Travis Marley (WE) 17-8 vs. Ben Heincker (OH) 22-8; Jeff Johnson (KO) 1-22 vs. No. 2 C.J. Hansen (NW) 32-7. 171 ? First round: Adam Goebel (EA) 4-19 vs. Tyler Keesling (MG) 13-6. Second round: No. 1 Spenser Fenner (EB) 14-1 vs. Cameron Colby (KO) 8-17; Tyler Sanders (WE) 12-9 vs. Goebel-Keesling winner; Scott Chain (OH) 23-8 vs. Fernando King (MA) 10-10; Mitch Daily (NW) 9-21 vs. No. 2 Christian Harvey (TA) 30-1. 189 ? First round: Kurtis Brooksher (EB) 15-4 vs. Drake Brubaker (KO) 4-14. Second round: No. 1 Darryn Scott (MA) 27-4 vs. Jake Walden (EA) 3-15; Jared Jarvis (MG) 17- vs. Andy Hunkeler (NW) 11-5; Brooksher-Brubaker winner vs. Marq Reser (WE) 6-3; Joel Millspaugh (OH) 12-20 vs. No. 2 Dustin Cunningham (MI) 16-4. 215 ? First round: Brandon Hansel (EB) 21-6 vs. Aaron Starrett (TA) 7-13; Art Harper (OH) 16-16 vs. David Harvey (MA) 3-7. Second round: No. 1 Dylan Green (KO) 34-1 vs. Bo Weir (WE) 3-13; Hansel-Starrett winner vs. Wes Shockey (MI) 16-10; Clayton Smith (EA) 18-13 vs. Harper-Harvey winner); Jake Leckron (MG) 8-7 vs. No. 2 Jordan Hodupp (NW) 25-15. 285 ? Second round: No. 1 Evan Floyd (NW) 38-1 vs. Oak Hill-Mississinewa forfeit; Patrick Anderson (EB) 16-10 vs. Servando Salinas (MA) 14-15; Chase Starnes (EA) 20-17 vs. Rick Rhine (KO) 5-6; Doug Hartwell (MG) 11-16 vs. No. 2 Trevor Buckalew (WE) 20-7.

By MATT CRESS Matthew.Cress@newsandtribune.com The brackets for this Saturday?s Jeffersonville Sectional don?t contain a lot of surprises ? the host Red Devils are the team to beat. Jeffersonville, the Hoosier Hills Conference champions and 23-7 against a brutal schedule, scored three No. 1 seeds and has 10 grapplers seeded in the top three positions. If everything goes according to plan, Jeff will outscore Charlestown and Floyd Central to advance to the team regionals, also at Jeff?s Johnson Arena, on Feb. 7. Then again, the plan could just as easily go awry. The Pirates and Providence each grabbed four of the 14 No. 1 spots in the brackets, with the others going to Corydon (two) and New Washington?s Josh Sampson, who is 36-1 on the year and ranked first at 152 pounds. Overall, it is a loaded field that features two conference champions in Jeff and Charlestown, which captured the Mid-Southern Conference title, and also the farewell runs of Providence coach Phil Cook and Pirate boss Tom Kendrick, who will be retiring at the conclusion of the season. Jeff will also be trying to reverse an unnerving trend ? the Devils have never won a sectional and the HHC title in the same season. To do that, Jeff will need its big guns to do what they do best ? win. John Clark (22-1) ? a returning state qualifier ? is the favorite at heavyweight, while Tyler Tatgenhorst, who advanced to semistate last year, is the top choice at 215. ?Our goal is to win sectionals and to get as many kids in position to go to state as possible,? said Jeff coach Danny Struck. ?Our kids want to keep making the program grow one tournament at a time.? At 171, Caleb Browner will be likely be tested by Floyd?s No. 2 seed, John McAndrews. The pair have met twice this season, with each winning once. But the Devils will also need production from standouts like Renaldo Weekly, who is the No. 4 seed at 125, which may be the toughest bracket in the tourney. Charlestown?s unbeaten Eddie Duran is the No. 1 seed, but even he is no lock against a second-seeded returning state qualifier in Corydon?s Ryan Hutchinson and Providence?s Omar Salguero, the three seed. Alonzo Shepherd, the No. 2 seed at 103, could also make a big impact. Charlestown is perhaps the most top-heavy team in the sectional, with Duran, Tyler (140) and Taylor (145) Newcomb and Jeff Stotridge ranked as top seeds. For Providence, Kevin Mooney will return to defend his 112 title, where he?ll likely meet Jeff?s Curtis Smith, a returning sectional champ at 103, in the finals. The Pioneers? unbeaten Ethan Cook is the favorite at 189, while Jacob Golembeski (171) garnered the top spot in the 160-pound bracket. Floyd Central, the defending sectional champion, did not grab a No. 1 position in its first postseason under new coach Brandon Sisson. Still, the Highlanders will likely be heard from in the form of Garrett Blackman (No. 3 at 135), Reed Emerson (No. 2 at 152 behind Sampson) and Ben Moberly (No. 3 in the difficult 145 bracket), along with McAndrews. Floyd is projected as the third choice, a single point in front of Providence. ?The coaches in this sectional do a tremendous job,? Struck said. ?It is a real tight race for first place here.? New Albany is slated to finish fifth in front of Corydon, New Washington, Christian Academy, Salem and Pekin Eastern. Jeff tunes-up for postseason by beating Pirates: The Red Devils closed out their regular season by beating visiting Charlestown 51-17 last Wednesday. The win put the Devils? record at 23-7 entering this weekend?s sectionals at Jeff. Still, the Pirates? big guns picked up some big wins, with 125-pound sectional favorite Duran beating Renaldo Weekly by a 9-6 decision. Stotridge, another Charlestown standout at 119, also picked up a victory, as did the Pirates? Aaron May at 135 and Adam Doherty at 160. For Jeff, both Darien and Tyler Tatgenhorst prepared for the postseason with individual wins. Clark, the Hoosier Hills Conference champion, likewise beat Travis Aguirre. ?The guys wrestled well,? Struck said. ?We won some good matches and lost some good matches, but it prepared both teams a little more for sectionals and that?s what this meet was all about for us.? Jimmy Pratt, cited by Struck as perhaps ?the most improved wrestler on our team? at 215 pounds, also picked up a double-overtime win for Jeff

BY JIM PETERS jpeters@nwitimes.com Wednesday, January 28, 2009 An ongoing battle with the scale exacted a physical and mental toll on Nathaniel Coleman last season. "I was cutting weight so I didn't feel as strong," the Portage senior said, "so I wasn't as confident." Coleman came out of football as a junior weighing about 210 pounds. The Indians were set at 215 with Billy Pearman, leaving 171 and 189 as options. Since Coleman had the higher percentage of body fat than teammate Kyle Keith, he had to drop the extra baggage. "I think it kind of drained him," Portage coach Pat Wilkins said. "When it got tough, he felt it." Fast forward to this season, where Coleman came in at about the same weight, only in better proportion. He altered his diet, giving up pop, trained harder in preparation for football and worked construction during the summer. The Indians' lineup had an opening at 215 and Coleman fit right into it. "I definitely feel fresher," he said. "It makes a big difference mentally, knowing when I'm training that that's going to be exactly how I feel when I'm wrestling. I can lift hard, condition well, and I'm not going to run out of juice. I'm a lot stronger, so I'm more confident in taking my shot that I'm going to be able to finish it." It didn't take Wilkins long to notice the difference. "Last year, he would create his angles but he would never pull the trigger," Wilkins said. "He'd get close to the leg, maybe halfway, then he'd let it go. Now that the weight's not on his mind, his confidence is up. He's gotten better on his feet. He can post up when he needs to. He's willing to take his shot more. He's got some offense." But at 5-foot-7, Coleman's usually at a size disadvantage, so his game plan is typically a conservative one. "He's really good at staying in position, keeping a good stance so he can fight things off," Wilkins said. "He can't take guys dead on. He's wrestling down the most and is really good on bottom. He's always been a tough kid. He's got a pretty good motor. He can weather the storm and just outlast guys." It's a simple yet successful philosophy, one that harkens back to Portage's glory days. Coleman heads into Saturday's LaPorte Sectional with five losses, all to wrestlers ranked in the state's top eight. "I really just outwork them," Coleman said. "That's how I usually win most of my matches -- being in better shape. My goal's the same as everyone else's. I'm hoping for a state title." Coleman's leadership also has the Indians on the brink of their first sectional title since 2006, his freshman year. "He brings intensity to the practice room," Wilkins said. "He comes to morning practices and gets on people to be there. He's real good with the freshmen. He gets on them when they don't do what they're supposed to do and pats them on the butt when they do something right." PREP WRESTLING The Nathaniel Coleman file School: Portage Year: Senior Background: Coleman is 26-5, wrestling all but one of his matches at 215 pounds. As a junior, he finished 19-15 at 171, qualifying for regionals, where he finished fourth. He was also a starting lineman on the Indians' football team. His brother Tyler is a sophomore on the wrestling team.

January 28, 2009 Western Boone wrestler Beattie picks up sport quickly Late starter at wrestling, Beattie develops quickly By Patrick Dorsey patrick.dorsey@indystar.com Two years ago, Western Boone's Nick Beattie wasn't wrestling. Beattie kept in shape, sure, but he didn't participate in any organized sports until his junior year when he tried wrestling. Now Beattie (29-0) is the 12th-ranked wrestler in the 130-pound weight class on IndianaMat.com. He hopes to qualify for next month's state finals at Conseco Fieldhouse, a process that begins at this weekend's sectional. Yes, it all has happened pretty quickly for the senior. But not too quickly. "At first it was a little bit frustrating just not knowing what to do," said Beattie, who was 19-14 last year with most of those losses coming early in the season. "The more my confidence got built up, the more I kind of expected (better) of myself." Now, Beattie said he doesn't even feel like a second-year wrestler. "To me," he said, "it feels like I've been wrestling a lot longer." Western Boone coach Rick Overfield pointed to several reasons Beattie has taken to the sport so well. Beattie is a quick learner, and he's athletic and willing to work in the weight room. Also, "he doesn't have the bad habits often kids learn starting at a young age," Overfield said. Beattie will take aim at Scott McClain's school record of six technical falls -- Beattie has four. After high school, Beattie plans to attend a junior college, hoping to improve his grade-point average and his wrestling technique, and figure out which of his interests (he also is a drummer) to pursue. "He's just getting warmed up on this wrestling deal," Overfield said. "He has the potential to be an outstanding college lightweight."

January 28, 2009 Only sectional champions advance to team wrestling regionals Sectional runners-up no longer advance to team regionals By Steve Brooks Star correspondent For some area wrestling teams, there's a greater sense of urgency heading into Saturday's sectionals than there has been in previous seasons. That's because first place is the only place that will advance in the team tournament. During the offseason, the IHSAA altered the team state format so that only the sectional champion from each site will qualify for the team regional. In previous tournaments, the champion and runner-up advanced. The semistate portion of the team tournament also was eliminated. In sectionals such as Lawrence Central and Warren Central, where multiple ranked teams will compete, the stakes are higher. "Going into the sectional last year, we knew that if we didn't win it, we'd finish second," said Lawrence North coach Jared Williams, whose 11th-ranked Wildcats are in the same Lawrence Central field as No. 4 Cathedral. "We looked at the sectional as kind of a test run for the (team regional) we knew would happen the following week. We were able to use the sectional as preparation. Obviously that's not the case this year. Now we've got to beat (Cathedral)." The Wildcats made the most of their second-place sectional finish a year ago, upsetting the Irish in the team regional on the way to a state meet semifinal appearance. Cathedral owns a 38-17 dual-meet win against the Wildcats this season. Similar situations are in place at Mooresville (No. 17 Center Grove, honorable mention vote-getter Franklin); Zionsville (No. 15 Carmel, honorable mention vote-getter Westfield); and Warren Central, where No. 14 New Palestine, No. 16 Roncalli, Warren Central and Beech Grove are expected to compete for the title. New Palestine and the host Warriors have been rivals in previous sectionals. Warren Central won titles in 2003 and 2005-07; New Palestine finished second behind the Warriors all four years and won the crown in 2004 and 2008. "We've talked about the situation this year, and we think it's a four-team race for one spot to get out," New Palestine coach Jamie Wingler said. "There's some more pressure, sure. It's really going to come down to having every kid perform at or above their seeding. And you're going to need some help from some other teams." Roncalli coach Lance Ellis, whose team finished second in the sectional last season, said the format change doesn't add pressure. "Last year we got second, but this year our goal was to win it," he said. "Always when we go into a tournament, we tell our kids they need to get as many points as possible on their own. If you get a kid on his back, you need to pin him. If you get put on your back, you need to get off it. We'll tell our kids that same thing this weekend." Additional Facts Sectionals When: Saturday. Admission: $5. What: Top team from each site advances to the team regional Feb. 4; top four individuals from each site advance to the regional round Feb. 7. Sectional sites with area teams: Zionsville, Hamilton Heights, Lawrence Central, Decatur Central, Warren Central, Avon and Mooresville.

By JEFF SKIRVIN Sports writer Jan. 28, 2009 The Grizzly Cubs are ready for the state wrestling tournament, according to Franklin Community High School wrestling coach Bob Hasseman. The Cubs went 20-8 against a difficult schedule and are relatively healthy heading into the Mooresville Sectional on Saturday. But Hasseman, who got his 500th career win Saturday, also thinks this year's team has the potential to do more than just win a sectional title. "I think if we can be a little more consistent, we can get back to the state finals," Hasseman said. "This is a good, young team with a talented nucleus." From 1996-2002, Franklin advanced to the team state finals each year. While Hasseman sees similarities between this year's squad and several of the teams during that seven-year run, he said the team still is working on staying consistent with its intensity at practice. When Franklin was an annual contender for the team title, Hasseman said practices were brutal. Every wrestler took drills seriously, and no one minded going the extra mile for a teammate, he said. Unselfish individuals also make up the core of this year's team, but Hasseman added that practices have yet to become as intense as they were during Franklin's run of state finals appearances. "It was just knock-down every day," Hasseman said. "We have days like that, but we haven't been able to do it consistently enough for us to really find out what this team can do." The sectional provides Franklin's wrestlers an opportunity to show their coach that his assessment of their talent and ability to return to the top is on point. Senior Nick Smith said he thinks the pieces are in place for Franklin to have another stretch where it is expected to make it to the state finals each year. "We really were able to do a lot this year without having a ton of seniors," said Smith, who is 30-4 at 135 pounds. "There are some young guys that got a lot of experience, and they'll come back and be even better." Among that group is sophomore Cole Van Horn, who went 32-5 while wrestling at 125 pounds. He comes from a line of brothers who have wrestled for Hasseman at Franklin, so he knew the expectations are high. But Van Horn said there seems to be a different feel about this year's team. "We've really got a good group here right now," he said. "If we can come together as a team, we can be really good for several years to come." In addition to Van Horn and a talented sophomore class, Hasseman said Austin Bowman leads a deep freshman class. With seven juniors expected to return next season, Hasseman likes the team's chances of being a contender next year. But the Cubs aren't getting ahead of themselves. They still have their sights set on winning this season. And their quest for a team championship begins Saturday at Mooresville. The eight-team sectional field includes No. 16 Center Grove, Greenwood, Indian Creek and Whiteland. Franklin enters the tournament ranked 21st. Senior Neal Lane said Franklin's wrestlers enter the sectional with confidence after going 5-0 on Saturday at Mount Vernon (Fortville). "We feel like our schedule prepares us better than most teams," Lane said. "The young guys have stepped up; they've challenged us and pushed us. I think that is going to be really good for the program." While Hasseman wants to wait until he sees his wrestlers compete Saturday, he said he does think the team possesses the potential to become one to be reckoned with. If the wrestlers can be consistent with their approach on a daily basis, Hasseman said the sky is the limit for the Cubs. "You're only as strong as your weakest link," Hasseman said. "That's something we're working on, but I think we're on the way to getting there. "We're hoping to put forth our best effort in the sectional and see what happens from there. But if these guys come out and wrestle like they're capable, we can start working to get things back where they were." IF YOU GO What: IHSAA wrestling sectional Where: Mooresville High School When: 9 a.m. Saturday Admission: $5 In the field: No. 16 Center Grove, No. 21 Franklin, Greenwood, Indian Creek, Martinsville, Monrovia, Mooresville and Whiteland Of Note: Franklin coach Bob Hasseman picked up his 500th career win Saturday during a tournament at Mount Vernon (Fortville). He came to Franklin with 85 wins and now has 502 in his career.

103 #1 DUSTY KIEF (FRA) 10 31-4 vs DILLON SUTTON (WHI) 9 8-22 #5 ROY WILLSEY (CEN) 9 25-10 vs #4 JACOB SWIGERT (MOR) 9 22-7 #3 ANTHONY SPARKS (GRW) 11 25-8 vs #6 LEX VOSS (MON) 9 17-15 FORFEIT (IND) vs #2 ANDREW BOWMAN (MAR) 10 21-5 112 #1 DEREK FISHER (MAR) 11 26-2 vs FORFIET (IND) #5 NATHAN EPLER (GRW) 9 15-18 vs #4 PATRICK HOLLCRAFT (MON) 9 15-14 #3 CLINT PLAKE (CEN) 11 25-11 vs #6 RHONDA PRYOR (MOR) 12 8-17 KELLI OSTLER (WHI) 10 6-14 vs #2 CAMERON WILLIAMS (FRA) 11 24-6 119 #1 ETHAN RALEY (IND) 10 22-0 vs AUSTIN CECIL (MON) 12 13-10 #5 T.C. FREDERICK (MAR) 12 17-13 vs #4 PRESTON WILSON (WHI) 10 21-10 #3 AUSTIN BOWMAN (FRA) 9 22-8 vs #6 JABOB LANNAN (MOR) 9 13-16 TIM HARRIS (GRW) 10 6-27 vs #2 MATT MILTON (CEN) 11 21-5 125 #1 MATT ADAMS (CEN) 12 24-4 vs BRIAN BYRNE (WHI) 9 6-16 #5 CAMERON STOUT (GRW) 11 16-11 vs #4 DAMON MARTIN (MOR) 11 10-11 #3 DEREK BRATTON (MAR) 11 20-8 vs #6 KEVIN GIZA (MON) 9 21-10 FORFEIT (IND) vs #2 COLE VAN HORN (FRA) 10 29-5 130 #1 JORDAN LEGAN (CEN) 11 20-4 vs FORFEIT (IND) #5 GAVIN DOUGLAS (MOR) 11 18-11 vs #4 JOHNNY MICHIELS (WHI) 12 11-12 #3 CALEB PURTLEBAUGH (MAR) 12 16-3 vs #6 DANIEL SELPH (GRW) 11 23-11 TANNER SIZEMORE (MON) 10 15-12 vs #2 SAM VAUGHT (FRA) 11 21-12 135 #1 NICK SMITH (FRA) 12 30-4 vs TONY PATTERSON (MON) 10 6-6 #5 BRANDON BREWER (WHI) 11 12-17 vs #4 ZACH HIGDON (GRW) 11 5-5 #3 SPENCER HAYS (CEN) 10 19-14 vs #6 JACOB BOLIN (IND) 10 6-0 JACOB FERGUSON (MAR) 9 12-20 vs #2 STUART TOLLISON (MOR) 12 22-8 140 #1 JAMES WALKER (MAR) 12 15-1 vs CHARLES SNODGRASS (IND) 9 6-18 #5 MATT GIBSON (MOR) 9 15-15 vs #4 ZANE PING (GRW) 9 3-18 #3 DALTON CLEMENTS (MON) 10 23-6 vs #6 HUNTER SWAILS (WHI) 11 14-11 QUINCY HOUSTON (FRA) 10 9-18 vs #2 JEROLD CRUMP (CEN) 12 31-4 145 #1 JORDAN KRULIK (MAR) 12 25-1 vs CHANDLER JOYNER (MON) 9 8-19 #5 D.J. DICKINSON (FRA) 11 21-17 vs #4 JARYD BAKER (WHI) 12 23-9 #3 SEAN MAPPES (CEN) 9 25-9 vs #6 JOHN KANG (MOR) 11 9-11 ETHAN WALTZ (IND) 11 7-8 vs #2 DANNY WATERS (GRW) 11 28-6 152 #1 JOEY JULIANO (MOR) 10 21-3 vs KILE LILLEY (GRW) 10 2-8 #5 JACOB UNDERWOOD (MAR) 9 18-12 vs #4 BRANDON GIESEKING (WHI) 11 20-11 #3 BRETT BASS (FRA) 11 24-13 vs #6 LOGAN SABIK (CEN) 9 10-18 ADAM WILLIS (MON) 9 8-19 vs #2 TREY REESE (IND) 10 26-2 160 #1 BRIAR RUNYAN (MAR) 12 28-0 vs FORFEIT (MON) #5 DILLON WILSON (WHI) 10 6-11 vs #4 JOSH MIDKIRK (FRA) 12 7-13 #3 CHAD MADDOX (IND) 12 16-9 vs #6 ANDREW GIBSON (MOR) 11 11-11 ALEX WASSMAN (GRW) 9 10-10 vs #2 CHRIS KUEHNER (CEN) 11 8-7 171 #1 SHELBY MAPPES (CEN) 12 32-2 vs ALAN WELLS (MOR) 11 1-6 #5 TYLER GRIBBONS (WHI) 11 7-9 vs #4 KEITH KNURA (FRA) 9 18-16 #3 JOE SCHOOLCRAFT (MAR) 9 21-11 vs #6 CHRISTIAN MINNICK (IND) 12 13-17 FORFEIT (MON) vs #2 ALEX RAU (GRW) 11 23-11 189 #1 AARON STEVENSON (IND) 10 32-0 vs ETHAN BODI (MAR) 11 6-21 #5 KENNY HOLLICRAFT (MON) 12 15-13 vs #4 MARK MATHEWS (FRA) 12 15-10 #3 D.J. WATERS (GRW) 12 26-6 vs #6 NICK KOGER (CEN) 11 5-5 LUKE STRAIN (WHI) 11 6-18 vs #2 TODD HACKER (MOR) 11 26-2 215 #1 NEAL LANE (FRA) 12 27-5 vs LUKE KNOX (MAR) 10 10-16 #5 TANNER BEATON (GRW) 12 28-5 vs #4 EVAN WOODING (MOR) 11 25-7 #3 DREW DORSEY (CEN) 12 30-6 vs #6 JAKE STEVENSON (IND) 10 19-12 KURTISS FAULKENBERG (MON) 10 18-8 vs #2 JORDAN SHARP (WHI) 12 18-3 285 #1 ZACH VANDEMAN (WHI) 11 22-5 vs FORFEIT (IND) #5 WILL ROGERS (MAR) 11 12-14 vs #4 NICK SMALE (GRW) 12 26-8 #3 RYAN BAILEY (MOR) 12 24-8 vs #6 JORDAN BEDAN (CEN) 9 12-15 FORFEIT (MON) vs #2 DILLON JOHNSON (FRA) 12 18-5

Five Scots claim OAC championships By Quintin Harlan, Herald Bulletin Sports Writer ANDERSON January 25, 2009 12:24 am Note to Donovan McNabb: There are tiebreakers in the sport of wrestling. And it took a tiebreaker to determine the 2009 Olympic Athletic Conference wrestling team champion after the day?s round-robin format had three teams finish with 2-1 records at Bob Fuller Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday. Total points decided the winner, and it was the Patriots from Jay County taking first place with a total of 121 points on the day. Second place went to Connersville, which finished with 118 points. The host Highland Scots wound up in third with 114 points on the day. Individually, Highland had five champions, and all five finished the day unbeaten. Highland senior Camden Eppert started the Scots? parade to the medal stand in the 119-pound weight class. The Purdue recruit highlighted his day with a 12-4 major decision win over Jay County?s Casey Kenney. Eppert and Kenney are both highly rated grapplers in the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association poll. Two weeks ago, they met on the mat at the Adams Central Invitational, with Eppert coming away with a 7-4 decision win. ?I didn?t feel like I wrestled real well (last time against Kenney), so coming in I wanted to make sure I was wrestling well,? Eppert said. ?We got after it, and I felt real good afterwards. All in all, I got a major (decision), and that?s what we were after.? Highland junior Mason Berryman won the title at 135 pounds. He defeated the Patriots? Cameron Pfeifer in the title match. The Scots then swept the titles in three straight weight classes. Junior Sammy Bennett took the top spot at 152. Meanwhile, it was senior Cody Teeters winning at 160 in his final OAC wrestling tournament. Junior Josh Logan won the crown at 171. ?I was satisfied with our kids,? said HHS coach Kyle Poyer. ?Our better kids wrestled well, and our younger kids continue to improve.? The Scots? chances at the team title took a hit early as they lost to Connersville in the first round 43-34. The host team bounced back with a 47-25 win over Muncie South in round two. Heading into the final match against the Patriots, Highland needed to score at least 28 points and win by at least seven to mathematically win the championship. Things started off well enough, as Eppert got a major decision win over Kenney. Highland took a 24-15 lead after Logan defeated Jay County?s Frank Sannons by fall in the 171-pound match. After that win, though, Highland?s fortunes would take a downturn. Highland lost the next three matches at 189, 215 and 285. ?Any time you have a small round-robin tournament, any small mistake can cost you,? Poyer said. ?We made a couple of those, and we couldn?t recover.? The Scots would take the final two matches on the day, as freshman Ben Branson won a 10-6 decision over Matt Seagraves in the 103-pound tilt and Alex Warner won at 112 to make the final score 33-30 in Highland?s favor. Highland will turn its attention to next week?s Hamilton Heights Sectional. The Scots may not be the favorites coming in, but they still have lofty expectations. ?I think we?re always hungry,? Poyer said. ?Sectional time, you?d like to think about team, but mostly we?re thinking about individual championships and making a march and getting a bunch of kids down to Conseco (Fieldhouse).? ?I think our individual guys will step up and it?ll be good,? Eppert said. ?I don?t think I?ve had a break since last season. I?ve been ready for the state tournament for a long time. It?s finally here, and we?ll see how it goes.?

WRESTLING: Charlestown wins SIWC title By MATT CRESS Matthew.Cress@newsandtribune.com January 22, 2009 01:25 am ? Charlestown wrestling coach Tom Kendrick may have procrastinated for a while, but finally collected a Southern Indiana Wrestling Conference title. The Pirates blitzed the 13-team field last Saturday at Southwestern High School, putting six grapplers in the finals and collecting four individual championships to outduel the host Rebels, 238-205. ?In my 10 years as the coach, we?ve finished second (in the SIWC) maybe five or six times,? said Kendrick, who will remain around the program he has built but will retire as head coach after this season. ?We?ve had a lot of bad luck in it, and a lot of things have happened that have caused us to barely lose. It was nice to finally win one. I told the kids it was my retirement win.? At this year?s SIWC, the Pirates put seven wrestlers in the finals, a crop that yielded three winners. This season, the six finalists became four champions. Jeff Stotridge took the 119-pound title for the Pirates, while Eddie Duran (125), Aaron May (135) and Taylor Newcomb (145) also emerged victorious. Tyler Newcomb (140) and Travis Aguirre (heavyweight) finished as runners-up. ?It was a very solid performance,? said Kendrick, whose team does not have a 103-pounder and has forfeited the class every time out this year. ?We had 13 guys finish sixth or better. We were happy overall.? Providence, which produced three individual champions in Kevin Mooney (112), Omar Salguero (130) and Ethan Cook (189), racked up 191 1/2 points to finish third. The Pioneers were followed by Anderson, Mitchell, Milan, Forest Park, New Washington, Paoli, Salem, Crawford County, Pekin Eastern and Christian Academy of Indiana. The Mustangs were propelled to their solid eighth-place showing by Josh Sampson, who won the 152-pound class and was voted MVP of the tournament. While the SIWC may have lost some its importance with the emergence of Charlestown?s traditional Mid-Southern Conference rivals, it was the perfect prelude to the MSC championships at Salem tonight. The Pirates, with eight grapplers seeded No. 1 in their respective classes, will be the favorites. The margin, however, isn?t as overwhelming as it seems. ?When we added it up, it looks like we are supposed to win by about 20 points,? Kendrick said. ?In wrestling, that?s razor-thin. If Scottsburg wins one final that we are supposed to win, that?s a 12-point swing right there. A lot of things can happen.? Though the Warriors will likely be Charlestown?s biggest competition, the Pirates already knocked them off at the MSC Duals earlier this season. Charlestown (15-6) also will bring in the swagger of a program that has won four consecutive MSC titles. ?We are the favorites and we are supposed to win it,? Kendrick said. ?We will be the favorite until someone knocks us off. It?s been our goal since Day 1 ? and maybe we stress it more than most teams ? and the kids know that, and they stress it, too.? If anyone is to knock off Charlestown, they?ll have to contend with all four of the Pirates? titleists from the SIWC ? No. 1 seeds Stotridge, Duran, May and Taylor Newcomb. They will be joined by Aguirre, Tyler Newcomb, Justin Wolfe (112) and Steve Martin (171) as the top-ranked grapplers in their classes. Last season, the Pirates put 13 wrestlers into the MSC finals. While Kendrick would like to improve that number, the lack of a 103-pounder will make matching it the goal. ?The goal is always to put 14 in the finals,? he said. ?But if we can get 13 in there, that will be another good retirement present.? Pirates show might at Forest Park: Charlestown likewise proved its ability against tough competition at the Forest Park Invitational on Jan. 10, finishing 4-1. The Pirates beat Tecumseh (70-6), North Knox (56-18), Pike Central (60-9) and the host Rangers (48-21). Their only loss came in a narrow decision to North Posey (39-37). The usual suspects again dominated for the Pirates, as Stotridge, Duran, May, Taylor Newcomb and Aguirre went a perfect 5-0 on the day. Taylor Newcomb, Duran and Aguirre each had three pins. But there was plenty more success up and down the lineup. Brad Smith (140), Ryan Miles (152) and Mark Daugherty (160) went 4-1, with the trio each collecting two pins. Eleven Pirates had winning records on the day.

Sunday, January 25, 2009 Times Staff Report For the 14th consecutive year, the top senior wrestlers from Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs will face off in the Times Braggin' Rights Wrestling Classic. Purdue Calumet's Fitness and Recreation Center again will play host to the event, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. That's the day after the prep season ends in both Indiana and Illinois with the team state tournaments. According to state by-laws, only seniors who have completed their eligibility in a particular sport may participate in all-star competition. Indiana won the meet last year, 39-22, and leads the all-time series 11-2. Teams are selected by members of the Times sports staff and will be announced soon. PREP WRESTLING | TIMES BRAGGIN' RIGHTS CLASSIC Times Braggin' Rights Classic When: 2 p.m., Sunday, March 1; doors open at 1:30 p.m. Where: Purdue University Calumet's Fitness and Recreation Center, 173rd St. between Woodmar and Wicker avenues in Hammond. Tickets: Available at the door -- $5 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under.

The nearly empty Southside gym for Tuesday?s dual with Delta that used to draw upwards of 3,000 fans to the same venue. Both programs wrestle with a fraction of the roster they once carried as high school wrestling has lost popularity in Delaware County January 25, 2009 A fall from grace By MICHAEL CASAGRANDE mcasagrande@muncie.gannett.com MUNCIE -- The gym wasn't always half empty at the Delaware County wrestling tournament. Forfeit totals didn't always rival pins. This place used to be home to some of the state's elite programs. Wapahani coach Ralph Smith can tell you all about it. He was one of many local wrestling old-timers in the Wes-Del gym on Jan. 8 who could tell stories of packed gyms, top talent and a passion for a sport that has long since passed in this corner of the state. From 1974-1990, Delaware County schools won eight state titles. Since then, no local team has come close. The skeleton of a county meet served as another reminder of just how far the sport has fallen in this area. There were 46 wrestlers competing in the event with room for 70. Among the five teams participating, only Yorktown had a wrestler in each of the 14 weight classes as the Tigers cruised to their 13th title in the past 14 years. Yorktown won all 22 dual meets this season and is ranked No. 12 in the state heading into Saturday's sectional competition. Southside was the last local team to stand on top of Indiana wrestling when it won state in 1990. Delaware County has produced 41 individual state champions but none in the past 13 years. That drought coincided with a decline in interest among local wrestlers. As a former state champion wrestler and coach at Southside, John Smith was in the crowd watching the once-mighty county meet. He's been an official since 1990, and from his observations, decline in popularity wasn't instant. Wrestling in ECI has been dying a slow death. But people like Ralph Smith are taking steps to revive it. The better days Wrestling wasn't quite as contagious as boys basketball in the 1970s and '80s, but it certainly had its place at the table. John Smith hears talk that a few video tapes survive from a match between Delta and Southside in the 80s. The Eagles were the No. 1 team in the state and the host Rebels No. 2. The fever was at an all-time high. "They had to put bleachers at the end of the gym," John Smith says. "There were easily 3,000 people. They came from Indianapolis, Fort Wayne. ... It was nothing to fill your gym, and occasionally have standing-room only. We even moved the weight room off the stage to get 250 extra seats up there." With just over 100 fans in the seats, Delta's trip to Southside on Tuesday didn't exactly stir memories of better days. Eight of the 14 weight classes were decided by forfeit and the 112-pound weight class was conceded by both sides. Delta's stranglehold on Indiana wrestling was at its height when it won five straight state titles from 1981-85 preceded by Northside (1974) and Southside (1975). John Smith remembers when programs consistently had enough wrestlers to fill freshmen and junior varsity rosters to go with the varsity. His first year coaching Southside followed the 1975 state championship season. Returning for his senior season was Ralph Smith and a bond developed in that season that continues today. The coach made enough of an impression on the wrestler that the younger Smith later named his son, John. Both John and Ralph still hold love for the sport, but they are falling into more of a minority in this area. Powerhouse tags have left Delaware County and moved to schools in the Indianapolis, northwest region and Evansville areas. Mater Dei of Evansville won eight straight state titles from 1996-2003. Why the drop-off? No one reason can be blamed for wrestling's lost popularity. Nearly every coach, past and present, surveyed by The Star Press pointed to the expanded menu of after-school options from part-time jobs to technology that keep teens busy. In the past, kids didn't have video games to play or a World Wide Web to search. They just wrestled. A lack of drive and motivation in the current generation of high school-aged students gets some of the blame from John Smith. Another of his former Rebel wrestlers, Tony Abbott, is now the Southside coach. Abbott wrestled for that 1990 Southside state championship team, but he says a lot has changed since then. In 1983, Southside had 54 wrestlers. Now, Abbott has just 14. He faces a dilemma that many wrestling coaches face. They don't just need 14 warm bodies to fill a roster; they need 14 who range in weight from 103 pounds to 285. "In football, you need 11 kids to fill the team and they can weigh anything," Abbott says. "You can have 11 kids that weigh 160 and still be competitive. ... We have three 152-pounders, but we don't have a 125-pounder or a 130-pounder so there is nothing we can do." Central has the smallest team Mark Scott has coached in his 20 years at the school. He has 15 wrestlers this year, down from the 20-25 who competed last season. When Scott took over the program two decades ago, he had 30- to 40-member teams. "There's no magic formula," Scott says. "You just have to try to keep kids involved. I teach eighth grade and I'm trying to keep those kids active so they (keep wrestling) when they are in high school." Kyle Mosier, a Yorktown senior ranked second in the state in the 152-pound weight class, said the lack of wrestlers comes from the nonexistent work ethic the coaches have identified. "It's just our generation -- they want to find things that brings glory and recognition without working hard," said Mosier, a Purdue University signee who is 31-0 this season with all but one win coming by pin. "Wrestling is not one of those sports. You've got to put in the time and effort, because if you don't, it definitely shows. It's just you and the other guy on the mat." Another deterrent wrestlers face is the limited opportunities to pursue their sport beyond high school, John Smith says. He was an All-American at Ball State when it ranked in the top 10 nationally. Not long after Smith's graduation, the university scrapped the program. The last power standing Yorktown was hardly a powerhouse when Trent McCormick graduated from Ball State and went from Yorktown assistant coach to head coach in the mid-90s. He had as few as eight team members before he decided to take the next step. Along with the help of his wife Jennifer and several parents, including John Smith, McCormick established the Yorktown Wrestling Club 15 years ago with 10 elementary school students. How fast the program grew "was the miracle in it," McCormick says. He thought it would take eight to nine years for the high school team to reap the benefits, but the infusion started in just three. Today, the club has about 75 elementary and middle school wrestlers and the high school team carries a roster of 32. All 20 of the Tigers' team sectional titles have come in the past 30 years, but they have not broken the 18-year string of state meets without a local champion. Reaching the pinnacle of winning a state championship has been elusive in spite of the Tigers' local domination. Twice, in 2000 and 2001, Yorktown advanced to the round of eight in the team state tournament. McCormick, who was a state champion at Delta in the 1980s, acknowledges the "distractions" that lure athletes away from wrestling, so he works to make sure there are incentives built into team membership. Every once in a while, for instance, the Tigers leave the wrestling room dark and go paintballing among other recreational excursions. Hope for the future Wrestling might be on its back in Delaware County, but there is a movement to keep it from talking the fall. Club programs are popping up around the area with Yorktown's serving as the prototype. Ralph Smith started a program two years ago at Wapahani to cultivate the interest in Selma. The response, he says, offers encouragement. What started as 10 elementary-age athletes has grown to more than 100. The idea is simple: Start them young and develop the passion and talent to carry over into high school -- make it hard to quit. In the 1970s and '80s, off-season wrestling wasn't even allowed by the Indiana High School Athletic Association. John Smith says there never was that need to get kids interested back then and he worries about young wrestlers getting burned out before reaching the high school level. Either way, the club wrestling model is gaining popularity. The Wapahani club competes with similar growing programs in Winchester, Union City and Monroe Central. Wes-Del coach Jason Roth says he is in the process of setting up a club in Gaston to curb the steady drop in participation. Just last year, he had 30 wrestlers on the high school team; now he's down to eight. Roth also uses Yorktown as the model. First-year Delta head coach Eric Ryan is also in the process of building a club program to "revive" the school's status as a wrestling power along with assistant coach Josh Smith -- John Smith's son. Ryan, a former middle school coach, says he started this season with twice the number of wrestlers he has now, but the familiar story of injuries and defections left him with a skeleton crew. Building that culture of commitment to wrestling is incredibly important to the effort, McCormick says. "It's a way of life," he says. "Wrestling is not easy. We got done with a grueling two-hour practice (Jan. 15) then the kids ran interval runs in the hallways. When you aspire to be at the top, you have to put the work in. "You have to instill it and build it into the kids." The plans are in place and the motivation from the organizers is unmistakable. But can the rest of Delaware County catch up with Yorktown and make this area a wrestling power once again? People like Ralph Smith sure hope so. He doesn't want to coach in quiet gyms anymore. He doesn't want to see the sports he loves die in his hometown. Additional Facts Delaware County champions Number School Last Sectional 20 Yorktown 2008 16 Delta 1996 15 Southside 1999 13 Central 2002 7 Northside 1984* Regional 15 Delta 1996 7 Southside 1997 3 Central 1998 3 Yorktown 2002 3 Northside 1974 State 5 Delta 1985 2 Southside 1990 1 Northside 1974 1 Central 1932 Total: 9 Individual state champs by school 17 Delta 13 Central 5 Southside 4 Yorktown 2 Northside Total: 41 *Northside became a middle school in 1988.

January 24, 2009 Teams at the top Today's MIC meet may come down to 3 stellar squads By Steve Brooks Star correspondent Five teams in today's Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference wrestling meet at Lawrence North have at least two wrestlers seeded first. Four teams have at least seven wrestlers seeded fourth or higher. Carmel coach John Kopnisky believes it will be a three-team race for the conference title. Carmel has 12 wrestlers seeded fourth or higher, tying Warren Central and Lawrence North with three No. 1 seeds each. Center Grove has 10 wrestlers seeded fourth or higher, while Lawrence North has eight. "I think it comes down to us, Lawrence North and Center Grove," Kopnisky said. "I think it will be close between us three. If you look just at the seeds, Lawrence North is right behind us, and Center Grove is right behind Lawrence North." Carmel is ranked 15th, four spots behind Lawrence North. Center Grove is 17th. The Greyhounds beat Lawrence North 30-21 and placed ahead of Center Grove in the Zionsville Invitational. "When our kids do see Lawrence North or Center Grove (today), some of them will have already beaten those kids head to head," Kopnisky said. "It's got to be a confidence boost, and for our kids who wrestled those other kids close and lost, that's going to give them some confidence, too." Carmel's Pat Parham (23-6 at 103 pounds), Will Mascaro (28-0 at 135) and Curtis Anderson (24-5 at 145) are No. 1 seeds. Mascaro is ranked fourth in the state. "I think he's elevated himself this year," Kopnisky said of Mascaro. "He's doing everything we ask of him, and he's also motivating the other guys on the team. He told us that he's got to go out and get pins against his guys (today) for the team. He wants to rack up as much points for us as possible. If he does that, he can really go into the state tournament on a roll." Winning the team title could be contagious for all the Greyhounds, Kopnisky said. "I think it all comes down to the individual wrestler," he said. "The kids get a couple extra matches going into the tournament, and as long as they wrestle well, they can carry that over into the tournament."

January 24, 2009 Wrestling coach's advice to Southport's McNeal: attack By Steve Brooks Star correspondent When Southport senior wrestler Alan McNeal is aggressive, coach Todd Weaver believes his wrestler can compete with any 160-pounder in the area. "The thing we've got to do is make sure that (McNeal) keeps attacking," Weaver said. "At times he's wanted to relax and hang on to what he's got. We've tried to get him to keep attacking and go from one move to the next. When he does that, he's hard to beat." McNeal is 24-7, which includes second place in the Marion County Tournament -- he lost to Perry Meridian's 16th-ranked Cory Hudgins 3-1 in overtime in the finals -- and third place in last Saturday's Conference Indiana meet. Weaver said he's seen flashes of just how good McNeal can be. "When he beat the Zionsville kid (Max Youngs) at the Corydon tournament this year, he kept attacking and attacking. I thought he beat the kid pretty good," Weaver said. "The problem is when Alan gets satisfied with what he's doing or gets down on himself out there." Work ethic isn't a problem for McNeal, who went 25-8 last year and reached the regional. "He's probably the hardest-working kid in practice," Weaver said, "and it's come down to his senior year. He knows this is it. It's his last chance, and he wants to make the most of it." The road to Conseco Fieldhouse for the state meet is clogged with seven ranked wrestlers who could feed into the New Castle Semistate. Three are former state qualifiers, but none has placed at the state meet. "There are a lot of good kids at 160 pounds in our semistate, but I don't think there is one that really is set apart from everyone else," Weaver said. "I think that Alan is right there in the mix with those guys. "Part of getting to Conseco is preparation, but part of it is also getting a good draw. If you go into the semistate as a regional champ, you get a good draw, but if you don't go as a regional champ, then you have to beat one of those other good kids to get to state. I think Alan is capable of going in as a regional champ."

January 24, 2009 Pike wrestling coach's freshman son proves he's varsity worthy, hopes to match his dad's state title Wrestler is 21-4, wants to match his dad's state title By Steve Brooks Star correspondent There might be some hesitation for a coach to place his freshman son into the varsity starting lineup. Such moves sometimes elicit whispers from parents and fans that the only reason the athlete is starting is because of his lineage. But Pike wrestling coach Spence Spencer never gave any of that a second thought when he put his son, Tre, into the starting 135-pound spot in the Red Devils' lineup. "He's beaten everyone close to his weight. He belongs in that spot," Spence said. "I don't think he's gotten any preferential treatment. We had wrestle-offs, and he won the spot." The move has paid off. Heading into this week Tre was sporting a 21-4 record. His losses have come to a sophomore, a junior and two seniors. While Spence knew his son was the right wrestler for the spot, he wasn't expecting this kind of season. "To be honest, I am surprised," he said. "I talked to my old coach, Royce Deckard, and he said that sometimes things just jell. I think that's what's happened with Tre. It's been a pleasant surprise." Tre feels the same way. "I've had some losses that I probably shouldn't have lost," he said. "I made some mistakes I'm not going to make again. I've learned a lot this year." Spence said that while it's not intentional, there are times when he's probably harder on Tre than any of his other wrestlers. "I know what his capabilities are because I've coached him so long. I know what he can do, and I know when he's doing his best," Spence said. "I probably am tougher on him at times because of that, but it's not something I consciously do. But there are times when I send an assistant coach over to work with him because I want a non-biased party involved. There are times when I am probably too close to the situation." Tre admits it's sometimes difficult to try to live up to the Spencer name in wrestling. His dad was 41-0 while winning the 135-pound state title in 1984. Tre's cousin, Pike senior D'Marcus Spencer, was 112-10 over the first three years of his varsity career and has just three losses this season while being ranked fourth in the state at 130 pounds. "There is a little pressure there to try to be as good as them," Tre said. "My dad was a state champ and had a great high school record. And D'Marcus has had a really good high school career, too." Tre said he wants to equal his father's high school accomplishment. "I want to make it to the No. 1 spot," he said. "I want to try to be a state champ."

January 24, 2009 By Steve Brooks Star Correspondent Heading into this week, Danville wrestling coach Steve Pugliese was surprised that Warriors' 103-pounder Jordan Judy had only one loss this season. But Pugliese isn't surprised in the way one would think. "Honestly, I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be 32-0 right now," said Pugliese. "I thought he was better than (Southwestern's Paul Schroeder, who beat Judy 3-1)." Judy, who is 31-1, actually is disappointed to see the one loss on his record, but he also sees the upside. "It's better then than now," Judy said. Judy still has enjoyed a standout freshman season. He's won both Hendricks County and Sagamore Conference titles and was dominant in the latter, pinning his first three opponents before topping Lebanon's Clayton Campbell 5-3 in the finals. "He's pretty much handled everyone he's wrestled. He got two takedowns against Campbell and gave up two stalling points from on top," Pugliese said. "I thought he'd be pretty good this year, especially for 103 pounds. He's really mature, and he's very physical." Judy's success this year hasn't come by accident. "I've just done pretty much everything I can. I've come in before school to work out, and I've worked out after practice," Judy said. "I went to two camps last summer, and I wrestled all three styles in AAU. I won folkstyle state in AAU last year. And I sometimes train at (Central Indiana Academy)." Pugliese believes getting to the state meet is a reasonable expectation for his wrestler. "That's the goal, but we know there are some good 103-pounders down south, and Franklin has a pretty good one (Dusty Keif) who we could see in the regional," Pugliese said. "How you do in the regional really sets you up for the semistate. "But we haven't really talked about all that. We don't talk about being 31-1. We don't talk about winning the conference and county. We talk about the next match. We just try to work on things to keep improving." But that doesn't always stop Judy from looking ahead. "My dream has always been to win state," he said. "My main goal right now is to make it out of the semistate, but I know I have to take it one match at a time. And I wanted to go undefeated. But I can't really do that now."

Warrendad, don't feel bad. I am Y2CJ41 Trained!!!

It might have been dual meet format and they took the best records of each weight class to determine the individual champions.

5-0 Franklin Community 4-1 Mt Vernon (Fortville) 3-2 Greenfield Central 2-3 Southmont 1-4 Benton Central 0-5 Shelbyville Round 1 Franklin 55 Southmont 17 Mt Vernon 42 Shelbyville 25 Greenfield Central 52 Benton Central 18 Round 2 Franklin 61 Benton Central 13 Greenfield Central 57 Shelbyville 15 Mt Vernon 45 Southmont 34 Round 3 Franklin 63 Mt Vernon 12 Greenfield Central 38 Southmont 31 Benton Central 54 Shelbyville 24 Round 4 Franklin 55 Greenfield Central 15 MtVernon 46 Benton Central 30 Southmont 63 Shelbyville 16 Round 5 Franklin 74 Shelbyville 6 Southmont 47 Benton Central 30 Mt Vernon 39 Greenfield Central 34

I like the college tech fall rule where you have to have back points to get the 5 match points.

103: Jason Sipher F pinned Dillon Sutton W, 1:13 112: Conrad Ling F pinned Kelli Ostler W, :48 119: Brandon Gray F pinned Bryan Byrne W, 1:32 125: Preston Wilson W def. Clayton Miller F 10-5 130: Cameron Collins F def. Joseph Floyd W, tech fall 18-3 135: Brandon Brewer W def. Jake Brown F 9-5 140: Joe Lile F pinned Braden York W, 1:45 145: Jaryd Baker W def.Taylor Montes F 4-1 152: Troy Hollings F def. Brandon Gieseking W 10-4 160: Brad Farrell F def. Dillon Wilson W, tech fall 28-10 171: Kaleb Ferland F pinned Tyler Gribbons W, 2:55 189: Patrick Lux F won def. Luke Strain W, tech fall 16-0 215: Jordan Sharp W def. Adam Larson F, 6-0 Hvt: Zach VanDeman W pinned T.J. Chamberlin F, 1:57.