mockdad79

This was an incredible weekend of wrestling, and the Brownsburg Bulldogs and coaching staff earned it.  Congrats Coach Snyder and team.  Love competing and coaching against you guys, and the purple dogs deserve all the praise and celebration.  
 
Brownsburg and Center Grove showed up and competed hard.  Congrats to both of those great teams and coaching staffs.
 
Coach Lorek
Crown Point High School Wr.
 
 
 

You must be great at parties. 

I think it’s important now that the season is nearing its zenith to address one of the most important issues that I think goes under talked around this time, which is the hard working kids who lose at semi state. Obviously, we should celebrate those who make it to state. That is the goal of almost every high school wrestler, to be among the best in the state and compete in the best venue in all of Indiana. But inevitably, most wrestlers Sunday will not end up advancing to the state tournament. And I think it’s important that we address how to support the kids that lose, especially the seniors who will possibly wrestle their very last matches on Saturday.
 
Last year as a senior, I went into my season with high expectations. For three years straight, I went to everything. My high school coaches could tell you I was person who missed the least practices. I showed up to everything; morning practice, optional practice, summer open mats, I even went to RWA three days a week and trained at my coaches own gym in order to build up my strength and conditioning.  I felt like I was one of the hardest working, toughest people in the state. In middle school at my first off-season tournament I suffered a concussion. My freshman year I broke my left elbow and had to get screws out in, which I still have to this day. Junior year I dislocated my rib wrestling freestyle, and over the summer I suffered severe second degree burns which caused most of the epidermis on my back to slough off. But still, I worked through it all because I felt like if I didn’t I wasn’t being the best wrestler I could. Going into regionals of senior year I broke the scaphoid bone in my wrist, and couldn’t press down or grip my right hand for the rest of season. I felt like all of this only contributed to me being a tougher wrestler on the mat. And even with all of that, I got completely out wrestled at semi state. My broken wrist meant nothing, I did not live up to my potential and didn’t wrestle my best, and that’s why I lost. For at least a month after semi state I was completely in the dumps. It’s like I had a rain cloud overhead, I felt like my career meant nothing. It was over, and I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to. No matter what people said to me, it really didn’t ease the fact that I felt completely empty. I also felt angry. I felt so angry that I had teammates who put in way less practice time than me, who didn’t show up to half the things I did, and yet still advanced farther than I did. I wasn’t angry at them, though, I was angry at myself. I was angry because I felt like that there was something that I must have missed, some piece of the puzzle that despite all my hours I just couldn’t get. And that made me really hate myself for a few weeks. Our sport is so much more draining mentally than it is physically, and for those seniors who lose at semi state, it can really knock your happiness down a few notches for a quite a while. So coaches and parents, if you have a wrestler whose career comes to an end this Saturday, it’s important to not look at their whole career under a microscope and appreciate the whole journey. You got to participate in the toughest sport in the world, you were able to make it to semi state, which while not a particularly impressive accomplishment, still means that likely hundreds of hours of hard work went into that qualification. It’s okay to feel upset, but don’t let it hang over your life. You worked hard, and you did something that most wrestlers in the state didn’t. And to those who have more years, never stop grinding. Embrace it, and make sure to have fun with it. When the sport is fun, you do better. You can make it to state, but you can’t take your foot off the gas.
 
I love wrestling, so so much. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done, and something I plan on continuing even though I’m not on a college team. I’m so grateful to the sport and my coaches for making me the man I am today, and for teaching me such invaluable life lessons. And I think loving the sport is really what’s so important. If you were able to make an athlete fall in love with the sport, with the process, then you succeeded as a coach. If you support your kids and help them foster that love, then you succeeded as a wrestling parent. The lessons athletes learn from wrestling are some of the best life lessons you can learn, and when you are able to fall in love with the sport, these values are only engrained deeper. So to those seniors out there, wrestle your hearts out. Don’t be afraid to lose, don’t be afraid to score points. Leave it all on the mat and put your name in the history books. And to those seniors who worked so hard and end up coming up short, it will suck. But you’ll live. You’ll be okay. And I think that, even if you lose at semi state, if you managed to fall in love with the sport, then it was all worth it in the end. We are all apart of something amazing, and wrestling is absolutely the greatest sport ever. Fall in love with it, and wrestle your hearts out. 
 

North Miami wins the Peru Sectional for the first time since 1979.

Not a surprise at all. West central should have never been a 2 seed.....I called this "upset" during the seed announcement

North Miami:
Girls did not wrestle at Lebanon 12/09.
 
Boys 3-way listed at Taylor 01/04 is at Caston and we are sending JV team.

On the second day of Christmas, IHSAA gave to me, no wrestle backs
Indiana is one of the only states that doesn’t use double elimination format with full wrestlebacks in its state tournament.  We have a total of 5 single elimination rounds in our state tournament series.  We are a state, possibly the only state, that eliminates half of its state qualifiers in a single match.  Here’s a comparison to other states: 
 
The Outlier
State
Population
Wrestle Backs?
Placement
Indiana
6.8 million
first round single elimination
Remaining 8 wrestle for placement to 8th
 
The Norm (8 state comparison)
State
Population
Wrestle Backs?
Placement
Iowa
3.2 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Pennsylvania
12.9 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Illinois
12.5 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
Michigan
10 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Ohio
11.7 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Missouri
6.1 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
Nebraska
2 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
Tennessee
7 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
 
 
Part of wrestling is wrestlebacks.  Wrestlebacks allow a wrestler to deal with the adversity and bounce back from losing a match.  Colleges scouts want to see how wrestlers handle failure.  Also, if they are scouting at state, they want to see their prospects wrestle more than one match. 
 
ISWA tournaments use wrestlebacks.  NCAA tournaments use wrestlebacks.  Other states use wrestlebacks.  Not having wrestlebacks is changing a fundamental part of the sport.  It’s like not allowing the forward pass in football (go back to 1905), not allowing 3 point shot in basketball (go back to 1966), not allowing a designated hitter in baseball (go back to 1972).    
 
When you have among the lowest success rates in the country, it makes using wrestlebacks even more important.
 
Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association has been asking for wrestlebacks (especially at semi-state).  This request is consistently denied by IHSAA assistant commissioner Robert Faulkens.  Is that the right decision?
 
If you agree Indiana should have wrestlebacks, click “Like”.
 

On the first day of Christmas, IHSAA gave to me, lowest success rates in the country.
 
Indiana qualifies a significantly lower number of wrestlers to their state tournament annually when compared to other states.  Here’s a comparison to 8 other nearby states: 
 
The Outlier
State
Population
Annual State Qualifiers
Classes
Qualifiers per Class
Indiana
6.8 million
224
1
16
 
The Norm (8 state comparison)
State
Population
Annual State Qualifiers
Classes
Qualifiers per Class
Iowa
3.2 million
1008
3
24
Pennsylvania
12.9 million
840
3
20
Illinois
12.5 million
672
3
16
Michigan
10 million
672
3
16
Ohio
11.7 million
672
3
16
Missouri
6.1 million
896
4
16
Nebraska
2 million
896
4
16
Tennessee
7 million
616
3
16 (12 in 1A)
 
A big part of wrestling is setting and pursuing goals.  The IHSAA does a great job at its state tournament of putting on a great show…the wrestling state finals is an amazing event.  However, it is an event that very few Indiana wrestlers get to experience. 
 
Think of some of the positives that occur when a wrestler makes it to state:
1.       The community gets excited about wrestling and their wrestlers
2.       The school makes announcements about their accomplishments and hosts student pep rallies for wrestlers
3.       T-shirts are made with the wrestlers name on it “road to state”
4.       Coaches recognize the accomplishment by putting a wrestler’s name on wrestling room wall (list of qualifiers)
5.       Young athletes see all of these activities and are inspired to want to be wrestlers (youth and middle school participation numbers get a boost)
    
By qualifying so few to state makes these types of positive activities a rare occurrence for wrestlers and wrestling programs (except for powerhouse programs).  Also, the IHSAA consistently eliminates amazing athletes at semi-state.  We have college level wrestlers coming out of Indiana who never qualified for a high school state tournament. 
 
Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association has been asking to take more to state.  This request is consistently denied by IHSAA assistant commissioner Robert Faulkens.  Is that the right decision?  Given we don’t have classes, should we only take 16 wrestlers per weight, which appears to be the minimum when compared to other states?
 
If you agree Indiana should take more to state, click “Like”. 
 
 

Of course they ship out one of Fort Wayne’s best teams 😠

It would be lovely to keep debating, but for now, I have to go help with MS wrestling practice. Maybe next year I will decide to truly work hard and go for it, but for now, the Cavs are stuck with my half-hearted efforts...

The pride of Lawrenceburg Indiana gets it done in the finals.  Years of struggle and hard works pays off.  Great job young man, you earned it. 

Rooks with the upset over #4 Henson from VT

honestly   its hard to believe the ihsaa/ticketmaster/gainbridge is making it this difficult for wrestling fans that dont have a dog in the fight to get a frick'n TICKET to a HIGH SCHOOL event!!!!!!!!!!!!    guess im gettin too old for this crap.   I miss the 90s when u slid in on 2 wheels in the parking garage and ran in and threw your cash down and found THE best seat you could..............................

I know I am not the only one who enjoys this weekend the most in the state series.  For some, I know they expect to be here and at next week's slamdango for the precious metals.  Yet, I think a lot of wrestlers making it here for perhaps the first or the last times have to be gratified to see their hard work paying off.  Every lap, sprint, shark tank, four-hour drive, close loss and quick pin....the growing wrestler has endured so, so much on this uphill journey.  Some will reach a career highlight in the second round, while some will not.  Others, again, will expect to be here and will move on.  Yet, some expectations will be unmet.
 
Oh, how well we know this is an individual sport!  By this time, the wrestler has pushed their body and mind to their known limits in hopes of attaining success.  Many may not realize that during this pursuit, greatness has already been achieved.  Acts of perseverance, willingness, and respect for the sport and those who continue to carve legacies add up.  The discipline it takes to properly nourish the mind in the classroom and the body at the dinner table does build the toughness needed to get to this stage as well.
 
Clearly, the spirit of victory can be felt by flesh and blood and the pain of loss can likewise be as deeply known.   As exhilarating and stark the extremes may be for the wrestler, the coaches, parents and teammates have played a game or two of Chutes and Ladders themselves.  They will continue to venerate your name and deeds no matter the outcome.  May you continue to profit both in wrestling and in every facet of life from your priceless sacrifices.
 
 
 
 

Kudos to Peru for what I thought was another very well ran tournament.  Great refs and the best announcer in the state.
Of what I saw  all day ran smoothly!!!!!!

Before the season I watched one of his matches on Flo, and as an 8th grader he wrestled a hard 6-2 loss to Mitchell Betz at Cadet 160.  Having watched some of Betz's matches in the state series, I was blown away.
 
It is hard to tell who is the best freshman at Rochester, and that is crazy.  
 
Speaking of freshman, that freshman class at North Miami is no joke.  They are going to be a ranked 1A school in a couple of years, if not sooner.

160: #10 Beck (Rochester) dec #2 Farnell (Mac) 8-6

Congratulations to Bryce Lowery from Roncalli for signing with Indiana. Projected to wrestle 157.
View full signing

1A should have their own venue.  Two years in a row we have been in a field house with not a lot of seating.  Causes a lot of issues between fans and it takes away from team seating as well.  Rochester could have hosted and we offered...never even got a sniff.
 
Stop using Track Wrestling.  Use Flo Arena.  It's easier to use and it won't crash.  Every tourney we have attended this year has had problems with TW.  
 
@PMURPH505 Our spotlight is awesome and our kids love it!  We had 1,000 people come to the Western Dual and probably 600+ at the Huntington Dual.  I think it creates a little more than an "alright atmosphere".
 
Congrats to the Marksmen.  Very good team and they had some hammers.  I knew they'd be the 4th seed but they shouldn't have been...at worst they should have been the 2 seed but IMO they should have been #1.  2x defending champs and lost no one...still can't wrap my head around it.  Anyway, I also knew we'd have to wrestle our best to beat them no matter when we wrestled them.  We had our chances but made little mistakes that you can't make against their team.  Our guys battled hard and gave themselves a chance to win, that's all I can ask for.  I was also proud of how our guys responded and wrestled back for 3rd.  Cascade has some hammers and we wrestled well.  One of the hardest things to do in wrestling is wrestle back for an award you didn't want.  Our guys responded! 
 
We love Team State and we are looking forward to coming back next year but we got a lot of work to do to make that happen.
 
 

Rochester: 
106: Layne Horn 21-0
195: Alex Deming 24-0
220: Brady Beck 24-0
 

Western was a great add. They are really good 

Very impressive that a small school like Western finishes in the top 5 of the Al Smith.
 
Tanner Tishner is tough and can win a title.
 
Hobart kid Costello doesn’t mind making it a dogfight. The matches I saw of his were fun to watch.
 
Demarco vs Walker was action packed!
 
Luke Penola of Zionsville is a tank. I need to send my son to the “Penola School of Handfighting” this offseason. I could hear his clubs from the nosebleeds.

That doesn't really help your thinking. I can drive an hour + in all 4 directions and not have the availability of a room with just semi state qualifiers. Let alone multiple Medals and champions. We have kids in the NE part of the state that put the same amount of time in as said group. Just don't have 3-4 different Academies to bounce in and out of like Indy and the region.

But is it really watering down? The top schools are still going to be the top schools. Nine of the top ten scoring teams at the state finals last season were all 4A or 3A with a 2A coming in tenth off of the strength of two wrestlers (one of whom transferred in from a 4A school). Immediately behind that 2A team were three more 4A/3A teams with a single 1A team finishing 14th with one wrestler winning and more 4A/3A teams following behind. As it stands, the 1A and 2A teams are never going to beat out the top nine teams ever, and one wrestler winning a title and scoring 26.0 points is not indicative of a 1A team overall being competitive, it just means that wrestler alone is. It’s the same story year after year. Give 1A/2A their own class to bring more involvement and spotlight and I guarantee you we’d end up becoming more competitive as a state overall. Everyone wouldn’t want to just flock to Brownsburg, Crown Point, or Perry to win a championship, they’d stay where they are and they’d be more willing to go out of state to compete at these bigger tournaments with the confidence boost.

Saw a comment in the thread discussing the final Team State votes that mentioned how the Coaches’ Association re-classed the Team State Duals to four classes because they wanted more representation from the small schools and how the large schools were over-represented. So, if it is okay from a team standpoint, why does everyone cry when it’s mentioned from an individual standpoint? Isn’t that what we want?
 
It’s an attempt to grow the sport at a smaller level. Large school competition will always be the same; Perry and Warren will always wrestle, Crown Point and Brownsburg will always wrestle, Cathedral and EMD will always wrestle, and Penn and Portage will always wrestle. None of that changes. However, with new opportunity, the little guy from Benton Central now gets a chance to compete for a state championship more often, and NO, it does not diminish the value in being a champion in any way. Go tell an Illinois kid his 1A title means nothing to the 3A title, and see how he responds when he takes on one of our kids, because all classes in Illinois are still better than our one.
 
Having a single class and telling kids to simply “work harder” will not make this sport grow or make our overall quality better. In fact, it will only drive them further from the sport. The only ways for this sport to grow are through added resources and opportunity. And yes, while everything in our state is equal in terms of opportunity, it is NOT equitable. Some people just need more, and that is OKAY. If three of us are standing on a milk crate looking over a fence, and only two of us can see, why is it not okay to give that one person who can’t see a little extra help so they can enjoy the view too?