mockdad79

4 undefeated 1 seeds coming to state should be a good wt class to watch Saturday. Looking forward to it.

Good luck to everybody wrestling this weekend, it was an honor to be able to compete at fort wayne semi state 4 years. not everybody has that opportunity, cherish it and be proud of the accomplishment you have made so far, no matter if you advance or not, leave it on the mat and be proud to be apart of the best sport known to man. If you are a wrestler reading this remember, it doesn't matter how many losses you have had this season, or who it was too. It doesn't matter your rank, your school, your record, it matters who shows up for the first 6 minutes, leave it all on the mat. You have plenty of time to regroup and collect yourself for the next round. Wrestle with a clear mind, and a full heart. Good luck to all!

220 Ellis is better than most people think. He just does not see the Name competition during the season. 

Manchester Spartans 31-11 over Trine on senior night, coach Lake has these guys headed in the right direction.

As a coach at a small school that doesn't churn out state qualifiers, I have a request for all the underdogs on the 13th.
 
Don't worry about who you've drawn at semistate. Nobody's past wins, losses, or accolades mean anything once the whistle blows. You've busted your butts all year, more than anyone not involved with wrestling could possibly comprehend. Your blood, sweat, and determination have gotten you this far. Let nothing stand in your way. Fight for victory with every fiber of your being. Win or lose, if you know you have left it all on the mat, you have nothing to be ashamed of.
 
Many great wrestlers have imparted profound words of motivation to the next generation of wrestlers. But I think the strongest words I've ever read have been from a world-class runner, the late Steve Prefontaine. "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
 
Have a great week of practice, and give 'em hell, boys.

I used to be a one class supporter..I wrestled at a larger school and coached at a larger school.  Now I coach at a 2A school.  If you believe that a small rural school has the same advantages as a school in a highly populated area then you are either insane or have never spent time in a rural school.  You can have a competitive group of kids, but its highly unlikely you will be competitive year in and year out.  The funny thing about Hickory Hoosiers you never hear about is how did they do the year after all those kids graduated? How did they do the next 10 years? 
 
1.  Limited pool of kids to choose from
2.  Limited access to open mats and other competitors. (our closest would be :30 hour- :45 minutes away)
3.  Limited competition opportunities. 
4.  The best athletes in the school are pulled between 3 different sports. 
5.  Limited resources. 
6.  This is not a wealthy community, families cant spend hundreds of dollars to send kids to camps and trips. 
 
There are so many more disadvantages as compared to metro city schools.  These not only affect the team aspect but they also affect the individuals.  These are not excuses, these are facts. 2 years ago we win Regionals this season we send no one to Regionals. Coaching hasnt changed, size hasnt changed...the difference is a large group of seniors graduate and now we have to rebuild. If a kid quits on our team we have a ff, if a kid gets injured we have a ff.  Other schools have 30+ kids that they reload with, small schools dont have that luxury. 

Manchester Spartans 31-11 over Trine on senior night, coach Lake has these guys headed in the right direction.

I don't post very often on this board.  To be honest I don't post at all but I follow it religiously just like I follow High School wrestling in Indiana.  It amazes me how quickly people want to overlook the accomplishments of Red.  He has nothing to prove to anyone and has beaten everyone that has stepped on the mat to face in High School and on the national stage (minus a few hiccups).  I take nothing away from Lee (who is an outstanding wrestler on the High School stage and nationally in his own right) but Red is ranked the number 1 wrestler in his weight class not only in the state but the nation for a reason.  I heard the same thing a few years ago when Micic and Lee were in the same weight class, "Micic is going to get beat by Lee"  Yet it didn't happen! Now a few are underestimating another good wrestler in a similar scenario in Chad Red.  Let this unfold on the mat I promise you the best wrestler will come out on top that day.  Both are outstanding wrestlers and deserve the high expectations that are bestowed upon them.  If this match does take place I look forward to it.  But neither wrestler has anything to prove to any of us.

Sounds like an in house issue not one on a messageboard.

Top 4 of each!!!!  LOL

Manchester Spartans 31-11 over Trine on senior night, coach Lake has these guys headed in the right direction.

triton practices in a small room that barely holds the kids. it's tiny, pretty sure it's an old boiler room. they do pretty well because of great coaching. that being said.. it's easy to say everyone is equal when you are a big school or even a medium sized school. when you are a small school the differences are quite glaring and the challenge is all the tougher. people that think it's all equal are delusional. you won't hear a small town wrestler say that they have the same opportunity and for good reason. they don't.

Why do 42 states have class wrestling would be an easier one to answer. Why would Wyoming with 47 schools have a classed system and since 1974? Why does Idaho with 98 schools have classed wrestling since 1963?
 
 
Florida actually tried this a few years ago and it had a solid financial backing, but I'm not sure it lasted past a year or two. There is a reason this doesn't work, much like it didn't for basketball. One week you tell a kid/team they are a state champion, but the next week you say "well you're not really a state champion." 
 
 
But size of state shouldn't matter, much like Mater Dei proves the size of the school doesn't matter.
 
 
Just a question on your stats... Is MD considered 3A? Yes, for two reasons. The first they bump up to 3A for the team state duals and secondly they are an EXTREME anamoly.    If class system happens, does the school still get to bump there wrestlers up to the bigger class if they want too.  In Indiana a team can bump up a class in the classed sports.    I would say class system is not rewarding to the wrestler because of the fact that being the best in your class is not the same as saying the best in your state. Not rewarding? So the kids in the 42 states with classed wrestling don't have a rewarding experience in wrestling? I find that absurd.   I understand the argument that bigger schools consistently produce more talent or state placers and state champs. That isn't an argument, that is a fact as proven by data.   However, as a big fan of Indiana Wrestling, what I love about it is the single class.Wrestling is essentially an individual sport which makes it the best sport because there's no one else to blame when you are out on the mat. It teaches a wrestler many things. That is the same in a classed or non-classed state. Wrestling doesn't change in a classed state.    I also believe in the life lesson it teaches of don't make excuses and adapt and overcome if you want to be the best.  See above, this won't change in a classed system.   This means, don't blame that just because your from a smaller school means you can't be as good of a wrestler as someone from a bigger school. No one is blaming, we are here to grow the sport. We want more kids with a "rewarding experience." More kids with a rewarding experience will grow the sport at all levels.   That's an insane idea. Not in 42 other states   Big schools have more talent because they have more kids attending and more opportunities of getting talent at their school. So thus you are for classed wrestling.   There is no disadvantage though to a wrestler from a smaller school when he steps out on the mat with a wrestler from a bigger school. I beg to differ. Number and quality of practice partners, less multi-sport athletes, and more and higher quality coaches make a huge difference.    You can argue team mates to practice with. Well those team mates are now sitting in the stands watching and can't help the individual. You don't think teammates help? Really? Really? You don't think the kid with better practice partners won't be better prepared for the match?   A wrestler can be as good as HE/SHE wants to be. I just feel that if the system is classed, it takes a lot of the validity of being the best in the state away. Validity? You mean like it takes away from being a state champion in football or even our recently crowned champs? I see that Bellmont is ordering rings, sure sounds like validity to me.   I also feel that the size of the school is not a direct indicator to the talent level of wrestling at that school. The statistics show otherwise. I'll give you the same bet I did Sammy. You get 1000 wrestlers of your choosing from 1A level, I'll take 50 from the 3A level. Whoever gets the most state qualifiers win. I'll even throw in some IndianaMat gear if you win.   The talent level of wrestling is directly affected by the hardwork and dedication put in by the coaches and by the INDIVIDUALS of the program. Then why do small schools struggle? Are you trying to tell me the small school athletes don't work hard or aren't dedicated?   Also, the benefit of a one-class system for smaller schools is there is regionals and semi-state and other accomplishments you can make it too and feel rewarded about for accomplishing. So a small school should celebrate having a regional champion like others celebrate having a state champion. Sounds nice.   I would rather say I wrestled with all the talent and lost in the ticket round than I won state but class 1A and I'll never have the chance or shot to prove my ability and see how I would do in the bigger classes.  Actually your school would have celebrated your championship. You would have a big mural on the wall and get a big fancy ring. Being a semi-state qualifier gets you a pat on the back. There is a difference.   I'll leave you with a quote from a guy that coached in Indiana and then went off to Arizona and coached. He was NOT a fan of classed wrestling, but he stated it perfectly when he said "when you win a state title you win a state title." There was little to no difference having a kid win a title in Indiana or Arizona.

I certainly don't mean to open up a can of worms on this topic, or hi-jack the original intent of this thread, but I feel compelled to offer my opinion on this topic. I have
long been a proponent of class wrestling. It works beautifully in many other states across our nation and offers magnificent opportunities for kids and teams from
all size schools and communities (that they likely may not have the opportunity to experience in a single class system). The notion and need for some form of class wrestling
in Indiana becomes glaringly evident if you were in attendance at the Classed Team State Duals event. Teams/Schools of all sizes afforded the opportunity to compete within
divisions with schools their own size with similar enrollments, similar size coaching staffs, and similar school resources to name a few "pro-class" characteristics.
 
I don't know that we can put our finger on hard statistics, but I have enjoyed a number of conversations that I have had with coaches and fans from primarily the middle and
small classes regarding the Classed Team State Duals. One coach I spoke with said, "our team numbers are up because our kids want to come back each year and shoot to win the
Team State Duals. They are actually out recruiting friends to come and join the program on our quest to compete and win at the Team State Duals." Another coach noted that the Classed Team State Duals was THE pinnacle event of the season for their team. It's neat to see the teams (from all of the classes) who bought event-specific gear just for
the Classed Team State Duals tournament.
 
As noted in another thread, the fan base for this event is growing. I couldn't help but notice Prairie Heights' fan section when they sealed their championship
yesterday. The roar from their large fan base made everyone's head turn. I realize many people have their varying opinion on the need for classed wrestling in Indiana,
but I think the Classed Team State Duals event is a pretty good indication of what is right and best for ALL wrestling programs in the state.
 
Thank you to all of the schools who participated in yesterday's event and thank you to the fans who made the trip to Ft. Wayne to support your teams.
 
Coach McCormick

Guess they were deserving of that 2 seed after all. Congrats!!

I am not sure what all the fuss is about.  I am just glad someone is putting it all together as we can't depend on the IHSAA to do it.  It is the champion that everyone remembers and if you beat everyone, that is you regardless of where you were seeded.  Trying to seed a team of teenage kids with the outcome also depending on individual match ups, which may be adjusted at the last second seems to be dicey at best.  If the organizers have agreed on a reasonable criteria and they stick by it, I will back them up.  If the results of the criteria isn't what we in our own biases think is right, then we should just live with it and work to change the criteria if you think it is wrong.  Remember though, the change you make may work against you next year.

By STEVE KRAH

Five Penn wrestlers made it to the championship mat and helped the Kingsmen take the team title at Mishawaka High School’s famed Al Smith Classic for the fourth straight time.

Seniors Drew Hildebrandt (22-0 at 120 pounds) and Kobe Woods (12-0 at 220) were winners and junior Kory Cavanaugh (21-2 at 106) and seniors Austin Slates (20-1 at 113) and Cameron Beam (19-4 at 145) were both runners-up in helping Penn hoist the hardware at Mishawaka for the fifth time in six years.
“This was the most grinding,” Kingsmen coach Brad Harper said. “There were no easy matches.”

While Woods won at 220, Hildebrandt, placed second at 113 at the 2015 IHSAA State Finals. He is taking it up a notch or two this winter.
“I’m trying to open up a lot more,” Hildebrandt said. “I want to be more aggressive this year. I was second last year. There’s more to get.”

U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier Sarah Hildebrandt helped coach her brother along with Harper.
“It’s pretty nice,” Drew Hildebrandt said. “Sometimes I hear her and say that’s not coach Harper and coach (Chad Hershberger).”

Penn, which took its first IHSAA team title last February at Bankers Life Fieldhosue in Indianapolis, tuned up for the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association State Duals (the event is Saturday, Jan. 2, at Fort Wayne’s Memorial Coliseum) by amassing 226 points. Rounding out the top five were Portage (191), Columbus East (150), Lawrence North (149) and Merrillville (136).

The 32-team event wrapped up its two-day run and 37th year Wednesday, Dec. 30, with Lowell senior Drew Hughes (23-0 at 170) taking MVP honors (he pinned all five of his opponents in 6:50) and his fourth Al Smith Classic individual title.
“I was sick Monday,” Hughes said. “It was about getting on and off the mat. I had to take care of business.”

With a pile of early pin falls, Hughes said he has not wrestled in a third period yet this season.

Senior Steven Lawrence (16-0 at 152) was a champion for Portage. The Indian is ranked No. 1 at his weight.

Freshman Cayden Rooks (18-1 at 106) took a title for Columbus East. The Olympian is ranked No. 8. His last two wins Wednesday came against No. 4 Tanner DeMien (at NorthWood sophomore) and No. 3 Cavanaugh of Penn.

Two Merrillville senior athletes — Jacob Covaciu (18-0 at 160) and Shawn Streck (21-0 at heavyweight) — were winners. The Pirates are both ranked No. 1 and coming off state titles in 2015 (Covaciu at 145 and Streck at heavyweight).

A pair of Danville senior grapplers — Brock Hudkins (24-0 at 126) and Elliott Molloy (23-0 at 132) — took top honors back-to-back. Hudkins ranks No. 1 at 126 and Molloy No. 2 to three-time state champion Chad Red of New Palestine at 132.

With his best move — the “blast double” — not paying off Wednesday, Molloy focused on continuous movement and said it benefitted both he and Hudkins that they are Warrior workout partners.
“We are like brothers,” Molloy said. “He’s gotten a lot better at neutral. He keeps moving and gets a lot of points. He’s better on top, too. He can take someone down and finish them.”

Three other first-placers came from The Region in Lowell junior Colton Cummings (23-0 at 113), Chesterton junior Andrew Davison (18-0 at 182) and Lake Central senior Jake Kleimola (20-0 at 195). Cummings is ranked No. 1 in his weight class while Davision is No. 2 and Kleimola No. 3.

Jimtown junior Kenny Kerrn (145) turned up the intensity and took his weight class with father, Mishawaka graduate and IHSWCA Hall of Famer Mark Kerrn (Jimtown’s head coach) in his corner. The unranked wrestler who began the season at 152 said recent ramping up in practice was helpful for him at this tournament.
“We’ve been working really hard in practice this past week,” Kerrn said. “We’ve got (IHSWCA) Team State coming up (Saturday in Fort Wayne). I’ve been practiced with (former Jimtown state champion) Nick Crume and (former Jimtown state runner-up) Colin Crume and athletes.”

AL SMITH CLASSIC
(At Mishawaka)
Team scores (final): Penn 226, Portage 191, Columbus East 150, Lawrence North 149, Bellmont 146, Merrillville 136, Lowell 134, Prairie Heights 132, Chesterton 129, Fort Wayne Carroll 121.5, Jimtown 117, Garrett 114, South Bend Riley 104.5, Elkhart Memorial 103.5, Center Grove 98.5, Hobart 87.5, Lawrence Central 86.5, Danville 77.5, South Bend Adams 77.5, Zionsville 77, Peru 73, Goshen 69, Mishawaka 69, NorthWood 69, Warsaw 55, Princeton 48, LaPorte 42, Munster 40, Rochester 28, Calumet 25, West Noble 15.5.

Championship Summary
106 — Cayden Rooks (Columbus East) dec. Kory Cavanaugh (Penn) 8-3. 113 — Colton Cummings (Lowell) dec. Austin Slates (Penn) 5-0. 120 — Drew Hildebrandt (Penn) maj. dec. Graham Rooks (Columbus East) 12-4. 126 — Brock Hudkins (Danville) dec. Gaige Torres (Portage) 7-1. 132 — Elliott Molloy (Danville) pinned Brendan Black (Hobart) 4:23. 138 — Kyle Hatch (Warsaw) dec. Jason Crary (Munster) 3-0. 145 — Kenny Kerrn (Jimtown) maj. dec. Cameron Beam (Penn) 14-3.
152 — Steven Lawrence (Portage) pinned Doug Levitz (Prairie Heights) 3:11. 160 — Jacob Covaciu (Merrillville) dec. Tavonte Malone (South Bend Adams) 9-2. 170 — Drew Hughes (Lowell) pinned Bryce Baumgartner (Bellmont) 1:24. 182 — Andrew Davison (Chesterton) dec. Cameron Jones (Lawrence North) 6-2. 195 — Jake Kleimola (Lake Central) dec. Erik Hobbs (Peru) 5-0. 220 — Kobe Woods (Penn) dec. Derek Paz (Goshen) 3-2. Hwt — Shawn Streck (Merrillville) tech. fall Ethan Bunce (Lawrence Central) 24-9.

Consolation Summary
106 — Tanner DeMien (NorthWood) pinned Brayden Shearer (Garrett) 1:26. 113 — Colin Poynter (Portage) dec. Jake Schoenegge (Columbus East) 3-1. 120 — Mason Mendez (Bellmont) dec. Isaac Castro (Lawrence North) 7-3. 126 — Marcus Mejia (Elkhart Memorial) dec. Michael DeLaPena (Merrillville) 6-3. 132 — Daniel Gunsett (Bellmont) dec. Jack Tolin (Chesterton) 5-2. 138 — Kris Rumph (Portage) dec. Riley Rasler (Prairie Heights) 6-4. 145 — Austen Laughlin (South Bend Riley) maj. dec. Logan Coyle (Center Grove) 13-4.
152 — Denzyl Prentice (Penn) dec. Diego Lemley (Chesterton) 6-4. 160 — Jarod Swank (Penn) dec. Jordan Rader (Peru) 6-2. 170 — Tristan Goering (South Bend Riley) dec. Ricky Samuels (Lawrence North) 8-5. 182 — David Eli (Elkhart Memorial) pinned Isaac James (Lowell) 1:39. 195 — Lucas Davison (Chesterton) dec. Michael Leonard (NorthWood) 5-1. 220 — Maliq Carr (Lawrence North) dec. Tyler McKeever (Fort Wayne Carroll) 10-3. Hwt — Sean Galligar (Columbus East) dec. Robert Samuels (Lawrence North) 3-2.

MVP: Drew Hughes (Lowell), five pins in 6:50.
Other placers
106 — 5th, Brock Peele (Portage); 6th, Lucas Finger (Lowell); 7th, Fernando Flores (Goshen); 8th, John Gobeyn (Zionsville).
113 — 5th, Christian Mejia (Elkhart Memorial); 6th, Matt Gimson (Jimtown); 7th, Kyler Mckinney (Princeton); 8th, Joey Zahl (South Bend Adams).
120 — 5th, Azariah Ellis (Zionsville); 6th, Joel Byman (Fort Wayne Carroll); 7th, Datrion Vaughn (Lawrence Central); 8th, Dylan DeMarco (Garrett).
126 — 5th, Ryan Hardesty (Mishawaka); 6th, Jon Becker (Bellmont); 7th, Dawson Combest (Columbus East); 8th, Zane Standridge (Fort Wayne Carroll)
132 — 5th, Preston Risner (Mishawaka); 6th, Cody Crary (Munster); 7th, David Roth (Center Grove); 8th, Kameron Hile (Warsaw).
138 — 5th, Jacy Leon (Hobart); 6th, Trace Manspeaker (Penn); 7th, Anthony Williams (Center Grove); 8th, Malik Hoover (Merrillville).
145 — 5th, Chase Wilson (Princeton); 6th, Kasper McIntosh (Portage); 7th, Dante Colza (Hobart); 8th, DeShawn Bayless (Peru).
152 — 5th, Tavris Evans (South Bend Adams); 6th, Kassius Breathitt (South Bend Riley); 7th, Peyton Sturgill (Peru); 8th, Lucas Scott (Lowell).
160 — 5th, Tony Busse (Bellmont); 6th, Josh Garman (Fort Wayne Carroll); 7th, Jed Levitz (Prairie Heights); 8th, Austin Wilson (Columbus East)
170 — 5th, Ismael Cornejo (Portage); 6th, Steven Trammell (Lawrence Central); 7th, Jonah Hays (Center Grove); 8th, Coy Park (Columbus East).
182 — 5th, Joey Blakeley (Prairie Heights); 6th, Caleb Hankenson (Bellmont); 7th, Cameron Simmons (Lawrence Central); 8th, Rhett Mappes (Center Grove).
195 — 5th, Beck Davis (Garrett); 6th, Jarod Hayes (Jimtown); 7th, Jake Grossnickle (Fort Wayne Carroll); 8th, Nate Williams (Elkhart Memorial).
220 — 5th, Blake Davis (Garrett); 6th, Andrew Brock (Warsaw); 7th, Cory Heinrichs (Center Grove); 8th, Dan Mochen (Chesterton).
Hwt — 5th, Givoni Murillo (Portage); 6th, Braxton Amos (Prairie Heights); 7th, Jessie Lawson (Fort Wayne Carroll); 8th, Scott Fuller (Zionsville)
MVP: Drew Hughes (Lowell), five pins in 6:50.
 
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In case there are any more hurt feelers in this thread

By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com
 
Blake Glogouski wants to ascend to the top of the IHSAA wrestling hill and he wants to get there quickly.
 
The Fairfield High School senior sees speed as one of his weapons as he looks to add to a prep resume that already includes two trips to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (he was a state qualifier as a freshman at 106 pounds and placed fifth at 113 as junior). He wants to compete “under the lights” this time around and speed will be part of the package.
 
“I always push the pace,” Glogouski said. “My coaches always tell me to move faster than the opponent and don’t slow down.”
 
Falcons assistant Jesse Espinoza is taken with the intensity and toughness packed into an athlete who clocks in at 5-foot-7 and plans to wrestle at 120 on the back side of the 2015-16 season.
 
“It’s hard to explain,” Espinoza said. “He’s just one of those kids. You tell him to run through a brick wall and he’ll get through it.
 
“If you are wrestling in the (practice) room and he gets hold of a leg, it doesn’t matter what you do to him he’s not going to let go of that leg.”
 
Dan Glogouski, Blake’s father and another assistant on Fairfield head coach Jim Jones’ coaching staff, has watched his son became more of a leader to his teammates.
 
Maturity and off-season work, including an appearance at the Disney Duals and workouts with older brother Forrest who will again be a teammate when he is joined by Blake at NCAA Division II Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, in 2015-16, have combined to make Blake a better Falcon since he went 52-3 last winter.
 
“Mentally, he’s gotten better,” Dan Glogouski said of Blake. “It’s from growing up, being a senior, being that leader. He’s the guy most of the kids on the team look up to.”
 
Blake tends to be quiet, but when he uses his deep voice, he commands attention.
 
“He may be little, but he’s a mighty kid,” Dan Glogouski said of an athlete who was also an impact performer on offense, defense and special teams in football for Fairfield’s NECC big school division co-champions.
 
While Blake regularly works out with junior 132-pounder Dillon Yoder, he does not shy away from larger wrestlers in practice.
 
“He’s not scared of anybody,” Espinoza said. “Some kids will go after him, but after about 30 seconds or so they are done.
 
“He kind of turns it on.”
 
Blake Glogouski began the season at 126, but intends to drop down to 120 because he thinks it gives him a chance to be stronger and for the most success. Of course, he has the prerogative to change his mind.
 
The highly-ranked grappler said his biggest area of improvement has come in takedowns. He uses about five or six and goes with the shots that opponents can’t easily stop.
 
With two State Finals appearances, 125 high school victories and numerous Indiana State Wrestling Association laurels coming into his senior season, Blake knows he will see the best others can throw at him.
 
“There’s definitely a target on my back,” Blake Glogosuki said. “I’ve just got to work harder.”
 
As Glogouski and the Falcons head into the 2016 part of the calendar, the heat will go up in practice.
 
“We’ll turn up the intensity in practice as we get closer to our conference tournament and on into sectionals,” Espinoza said.
 
On Wednesday, Dec. 23, Glogouski became a four-time champion at Rochester’s John McKee Invitational. He was named the meet’s outstanding wrestler for the second time.
 
Fairfield is scheduled to host Churubusco in dual Jan. 5 with the West Noble Super Dual Jan. 9 and Goshen Invitational Jan. 16, followed by the Northeast Corner Conference meet Jan. 23 and Elkhart Sectional Jan. 30. After that comes the Goshen Regional Feb. 6, Fort Wayne Semistate Feb. 13 and State Finals Feb. 19-20.
 
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Just voted looks like he's back on top, no way we can let a wrestler lose to a bb player!

Just voted looks like he's back on top, no way we can let a wrestler lose to a bb player!

Now that my wrestling career at Avon High School is over I would like to thank all the coaches and people who have helped me become the wrestler and person I am today. Thanks to my high school coaches you guys are a second set of parents to me and helped me through my darkest days. To my teammates you guys stare my backbone and I wouldve never gotten as far as I did without you. And to all my other coaches that I have came to your club thank you for all of the knowledge you have given me to further my wrestling abilities. Finally to every person who I have even talked to at a wrestling tournament and has told me how I wrestled great or tried to help me back up when I was down thank you it really means a lot to know how sto eg of a wrestling family Indiana is as a whole. To all of you seniors wrestling this weekend go out there with no doubt in your mind that you will win don't hold yourself back.

This is not a good comparison.  The Success factor is in place for a number of reasons.  Most of those affected by the success factor?  Private schools.  We can debate all day why the small private schools regularly out perform public schools in athletics, but that is a different discussion all together which I do not pretend to know the answer to.
 
I strongly believe that changing to a Class based Individual Tournament would increase participation, would expose more Indiana wrestlers to college programs and would allow more young men to be SQ's and State Champs.  No one loses in this scenario, some just gain.  How can that be a bad thing?
 
So, you don't want the sport to grow?  Or it can only grow if people who join share your opinions?

How is it weaker overall talent?  This isn't scarcity unless we make it that.  There isn't only so much talent to go around, we can grow MORE talent.  Success, breeds success.  Getting more athletes wrestling makes everyone better.  The cream will still rise to the top.  The best wrestlers will still get the best offers.
 
 More wrestlers get to taste success, and that takes nothing away from anyone.
 
Wrestling was sent a strong message by the IOC.  Failure to change with the demands of modern society will get wrestling left behind and is much more of a threat than any supposed weakening of the sanctity of the sport by instituting a class tournament like pretty much every other sport in the state.
 
Smaller schools have to fight for every athlete in every sport.  Many good athletes will choose the sport that gives them the best chance at making it deep into the tournament.  So if an athlete has to choose between class A basketball and single class wrestling and they have a decent basketball team and they are competent in each sport, something has to break the tie.  A better chance at making it to State would be a strong influence in such a scenario.