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navy80

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    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, 2023 State Finals #WAYL2   
    The phrase you hear 100's of times during a seeding meeting is always "who are your losses to?" This year 17 wrestlers will enter the state finals without a blemish on their record. On top of that there are about five wrestlers entering the tournament without a loss to an Indiana opponent. This year we have three weights without an undefeated wrestler, 160, 182, and 220lbs. In total the state qualifiers have 1047 losses of which 657 are to Indiana state qualifiers. Many of the wrestlers with out of state losses will be to eventual state qualifier also.
     
    As always if you can help with the missing data it is greatly appreciated.
     
    Random Stats
    Most losses to state qualifiers
    Gavin Bragg- 10
    Jason Rooney and Logan Haney- 9
    Max McGinley, mason Day, Isaiah Wilson, and Sonny Sessa- 8
     
    Most wins over state qualifiers
    Ashton Jackson- 11
    Eddie Goss, Aidan Torres, and Revin Dickman- 9
    Beau Brabender, Devin Kendrex, Charlie LaRocca, Luke Penola, Christian Chavez, Sam Goin, Jake Hockaday, and Leighton Jones- 8
     
    Non-State Qualifiers with the most wins over state qualifiers
    Trevor Gallagher- 7
    Evan Roudebush- 6
    Hosia Smith, Anthony Rinehart, and Luke Rioux- 5
     
    Undefeated Wrestlers106 Ayden Bollinger- Delta
    113 Jalen May- Kokomo
    120 Ashton Jackson- LaPorte
    126 Tylin Thrine- New Castle
    132 Joey Buttler- Whiteland
    132 Easton Doster- New Haven
    138 Tony Wood- Jay County
    138 Michael Major- Carmel
    138 Cheaney Schoeff- Avon
    145 Aidan Torres- Chesterton
    145 Wyatt Krejsa- Center Grove
    152 Bryce Lowery- Roncalli
    170 Delaney Ruhlman- Bloomington South
    195 Christian Chavez- Mishawaka
    195 Alex Deming- Rochester
    195 Luke Hansen- Roncalli
    285 Titus Waters- Muncie Central
     
    #WAYL2
    Who are your losses to?
     
    Key
    *- State Qualifier
    (Losses/ State Qualifier Losses/ State Qualifier Wins)
    106lbs
    Ayden Bollinger- Delta(0/0/2): 
    Mason Jones- Lake Central(1/1/7): Julianna O'Campo*
    Layne Horn- Rochester(1/1/4): Ayden Bollinger*
    Matthew Baylor- Milan(1/1/1): Hruai Lian*
    Julianna O'campo- Fort Wayne Snider(2/1/5): Ayden Bollinger*, Baker(MI)
    Hruai Lian- Perry Meridian(4/2/5): Jeff McGuise, John Bissmeyer, Nathan Rioux*, Revin Dickman*
    Cameron Meier- Bloomington South(4/4/4): Isaac Campbell*, Mason Jones*, Nathan Rioux(2)*
    Isaac Campbell- Floyd Central(4/4/1): Cameron Meier(2)*, Nathan Rioux*, Revin Dickman*
    Revin Dickman- Brownsburg(5/0/9): Harrison(OH), Seacrist(OH), Smith(PA), Timar(OH), Yarbrough(OH)
    Nathan Rioux- Avon(5/5/4): Revin Dickman(5)*
    Kaleb Salazar- Wawasee(5/3/3): Cameron Meier*, Hunter Douglas, Julianna O'Campo*, Kealen Fuller, Mason Jones*
    Rex Moore- Manchester(6/6/0): Julianna O'Campo*, Layne Horn(4)*, Levi Johns*
    Xavier Chavez- Mishawaka(8/4/1):  ???(2), Benton Kanable, John Bissmeyer, Julianna O'Campo(2)*, Kaleb Salazar*, Mason Jones*
    Gunner Butt- New Palestine(8/3/1): Gavin Ash, Heather Crull, Hruai Lian(3)*, Jett McGuire(2), Joey Cline
    Connor Bayliss- Mount Vernon (Fortville)(8/5/0): Cameron Meier*, Cole Vandygriff, E'Shawn Tolbert, Gunner Butt*, Jackson Elliott*, Jett McGuire, Joey Cline, Kaleb Salazar*, Matthew Baylor*
    Logan Haney- Crown Point(14/9/0): Benton Kanable, Cameron Woods, Garcia(OH), Hruai Lian*, Kaleb Salazar*, Marinopoulos(IL), Mason Jones(4)*, Revin Dickman(2)*, Talon Jessup, Xavier Chavez*
    113lbs
    Jalen May- Kokomo(0/0/5): 
    Charlie LaRocca- Center Grove(2/1/8): Cichocki(MI), Gavin Jendreas*
    Gavin Jendreas- Crown Point(2/1/5): Mendoza(IL), Preston Haines*
    Drew Waldon- DeKalb(2/1/1): Blake Byerley, Jalen May*
    Ryan Taylor- Perry Meridian(3/2/4): Gavin Jendreas*, Preston Haines*, Quinten Schoeff
    Levi Johns- Bluffton(3/1/2): Daniel Moore, Isaiah Fye, Jalen May*
    Aiden Dallinger- McCutcheon(4/3/3): ???, Gavin Jendreas*, Isaac Ash*, Jalen May*
    Jackson Heaston- Indian Creek(4/2/1): Charlie Larocca*, Eddie Goss*, Luke Rioux, Toby Billerman
    Isaac Ash- Monrovia(6/4/2): Charlie Larocca(2)*, Luke Rioux(2), Preston Haines(2)*
    Seth Aubin- Hobart(6/3/1): Aiden Dallinger*, Charlie Larocca*, E'Shawn Tolbert(2), Gavin Jendreas*, Ryann Schmidtendorff
    Jackson Elliott- Carmel(6/6/5): Aiden Dallinger*, Charlie Larocca*, Isaac Ash*, Ryan Taylor(2)*, Tommy Frazier*
    Preston Haines- Brownsburg(9/3/4): Brown(OH), Charlie Larocca(2)*, Cichocki(MI), Dyler(OK), Jackson Heaston*, Johnson(IL), Lambers(OH), Rossell(OH)
    Tommy Frazier- Zionsville(9/5/3): Eddie Goss*, Gavin Bragg*, Gavin Jendreas*, Isaiah Schaefer*, Luke Rioux, Quinten Schoeff, Raney(KY), Ryan Taylor*, Terry Easley
    Brayden Raber- Maconaquah(9/3/0):  ???(2), Braylon McIntire(3), Drew Waldon*, Isaiah Fye, Jalen May*, Levi Johns*
    Cameron Sentner- Wawasee(10/2/0): ???, Aiden Dallinger*, Blake Byerley, Braylon McIntire, E'Shawn Tolbert, Josh Kite(2), Kamaron Straw, Matthew Senn, Seth Aubin*
    Porter Temples- Westfield(14/7/0): ???, Charlie Larocca*, Demario Ezelle, Jackson Elliott(4)*, Luke Rioux, Revin Dickman, Ryan Taylor, Ryann Schmidtendorff(2), Tommy Frazier(2)*
    120lbs
    Ashton Jackson- LaPorte(0/0/11): 
    Neal Mosier- Delta(1/1/5): Tanner Tishner*
    Tanner Tishner- Western(1/1/4): Ashton Jackson*
    Bryce Doss- New Palestine(2/2/3): Elijah Broady*, Neal Mosier*
    Isaiah Schaefer- Evansville Mater Dei(3/1/4): Jake Hockaday*, Raney(KY)(2)
    Jake Hockaday- Brownsburg(4/0/8): Butler(OH), DeLuca(NJ), Raney(KY), Stewart(IL)
    Dominic Brown- Lowell(4/4/5): Ashton Jackson(2)*, Eddie Goss*, Sonny Sessa*
    Peter Nguyen- Guerin Catholic(4/4/1): Elijah Broady*, Gavin Bragg(2)*, Neal Mosier*
    Eddie Goss- Center Grove(5/5/9): Isaiah Schaefer(2)*, Jake Hockaday(2)*, Tanner Tishner*
    Elijah Broady- Mount Vernon (Fortville)(6/4/3): ???, Bryce Doss(2)*, Dominic Brown*, Dylan Bennett, Neal Mosier*
    Carter Fielden- Garrett(8/7/2): Eddie Goss*, Isaiah McCue, Linkin Carter(3)*, Neal Mosier(2)*, Sonny Sessa*
    Linkin Carter- Eastside(9/4/4): ???, Ashton Jackson*, Bohls(OH), Carter Fielden(2)*, Estep(OH), Isaiah McCue, Nemitz(OH), Tanner Tishner*
    Logan Bickel- Cascade(9/6/0): Eddie Goss(2)*, Ethan Holloway, Jake Hockaday(2)*, Jalen May*, Jayden Owsley, Peter Nguyen*, Quinten Schoeff
    Gavin Bragg- Indianapolis Cathedral(13/10/3): Ashton Jackson*, Bryce Doss*, Dominic Brown*, Eddie Goss(2)*, Elijah Broady*, Isaiah Schaefer*, Jake Hockaday*, Moreland(OH), Quinten Schoeff, Rahul(OH), Ryan Taylor*, Sonny Sessa*
    Isaiah Wilson- Chesterton(14/8/1): Ashton Jackson(3)*, Dominic Brown(2)*, Hank Phenicie, Isaiah McCue, Linkin Carter*, Matthew Maldonado(2), Owen Bunton(2), Sonny Sessa(2)*
    Sonny Sessa- Crown Point(16/8/5): Ashton Jackson(3)*, Butler(OH), Dominic Brown*, Dylan Bennett, Eddie Goss*, Gibson(OH), Isaiah Wilson*, Jake Hockaday*, Matthew Maldonado(2), Nasdeo(PA), Rsendez(IL), Ryan(WI), Tanner Tishner*
    126lbs
    Tylin Thrine- New Castle(0/0/5): 
    Keegan Schlabach- Lakeland(1/0/4): Braylon Meyer
    Logan Frazier- Crown Point(2/0/6): Campbell(OH), Davino(IL)
    Aden Reyes- Indianapolis Cathedral(2/1/5): Sears(OH), Tylin Thrine*
    Jackson Bradley- Cowan(2/1/2): Cole Stuffel, Keegan Schlabach*
    Evan Seng- Evansville Mater Dei(3/1/3): Aden Reyes*, Raney(KY)(2)
    Cody Rowles- Jay County(3/3/1): Hayden Brady*, Jackson Bradley(2)*
    Griffin Ingalls- Fishers(4/4/2): Aden Reyes*, Jake Hockaday*, Tylin Thrine(2)*
    Hayden Brady- Garrett(4/4/1): Cody Rowles*, Keegan Schlabach(3)*
    Alejandro Ramirez- River Forest(5/6/2): Griffin Ingalls*, Guillermo Rivera(3)*, Jesus Aquino-Morales(2)*
    Chase Stephens- Tell City(5/2/1): Evan Seng(2)*, Liam Krueger, Toby Billerman, Zane Schreck
    Guillermo Rivera- Lake Central(7/5/6): ???, Ayden Campbell, Hyatt Yeager*, Logan Frazier(4)*
    Jesus Aquino-Morales- Union County(7/4/2): ???, Aden Reyes*, Blake Wolf, Griffin Ingalls*, Jack Davis, Tylin Thrine(2)*
    Hyatt Yeager- Center Grove(8/4/2): ???, Aden Reyes*, Blum(MI), Caleb Mattingly, Evan Seng*, Landen Haines(2)*, Liam Krueger
    Landen Haines- Brownsburg(10/3/2): Aden Reyes*, Chase Stephens*, Davis(MI), Garcia(IL), Hyatt Yeager*, Jett(OH), Keith Parker, Liam Krueger, McBurney(OH), Sanderfer(OH)
    Nasir Christion- Merrillville(13/7/0): Alejandro Ramirez(2)*, Ayden Campbell(2), Dalton Robson, Guillermo Rivera(3)*, Liam Bumgardner(2), Logan Frazier(2)*, Quinton Buckmaster
    132lbs
    Joey Buttler- Whiteland(0/0/4): 
    Easton Doster- New Haven(0/0/2): 
    Kyrel Leavell- Warren Central(1/0/5): ???
    Zar Walker- Mishawaka(1/0/3): Hayden Demarco
    David Maldonado- Merrillville(2/1/5): Hayden Demarco, Zar Walker*
    Odin Fortune- Evansville Reitz(2/1/1): Joey Buttler*, Landen Horning
    Mikey Kallimani- Jimtown(3/2/5): David Maldonado*, Easton Doster*, Hayden Demarco
    Justice Thornton- Columbus North(3/2/0): Brady Ison*, Odin Fortune*, Seth Syra
    Hayden Fritz- West Central(4/2/0): ???, Caleb Oliver, David Maldonado*, Griffin Van Tichelt*
    Jacob Weaver- Rossville(4/2/0): ???, Josh Johnson*, Kyrel Leavell*, Quenton Riley
    Brady Ison- Brownsburg(5/2/4): Brown(OH), Joey Buttler(2)*, King(OH), Robinson(IL)
    Keaton Morton- Perry Meridian(6/6/3): Brady Ison*, Griffin Van Tichelt*, Joey Buttler*, Kyrel Leavell(3)*
    Brody Hagewood- Prairie Heights(6/5/3): Dallas Davidson, David Maldonado*, Easton Doster*, Essiah Kamer*, Mikey Kallimani(2)*
    Griffin Van Tichelt- Crown Point(7/5/3): Brady Ison*, Brody Hagewood*, David Maldonado(2)*, Tye Linser(2), Zar Walker*
    Essiah Kamer- Fremont(8/5/1):  ???(2), Brody Hagewood(2)*, Gabe Miller, Mikey Kallimani(3)*
    Josh Johnson- Indianapolis Cathedral(9/6/1): Griffin Van Tichelt*, Keaton Morton(3)*, Kyrel Leavell*, Markour(OH), Tommy Gibbs, Trumble(KY), Wesley Harper*
    138lbs
    Tony Wood- Jay County(0/0/7): 
    Michael Major- Carmel(0/0/5): 
    Cheaney Schoeff- Avon(0/0/5): 
    Jeffrey Huyvaert- New Prairie(1/1/5): Cole Solomey*
    Cole Solomey- Kankakee Valley(1/1/4): Jeffrey Huyvaert*
    Kelby Glenn- Tell City(3/3/3): Branson Weaver*, Cheaney Schoeff*, Reese Courtney*
    Gavyn Whitehead- New Castle(3/2/1): Michael Major*, Silas Foster, Tony Wood*
    Cooper Baldwin- Peru(4/3/2): Jordan Lear, Lucas Clement*, Reese Courtney*, Tony Wood*
    Christian Arberry- Warren Central(4/2/2): Cooper Baldwin*, Gavyn Whitehead*, Michael Ortega, Romeo White
    Wesley Harper- Penn(5/5/2): Cole Solomey*, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Lucas Clement*, Michael Major*, Zar Walker*
    Brock Hagewood- Prairie Heights(5/4/0): Cooper Baldwin*, Evan Cruz, Logan Uhlman*, Lucas Clement*, Max McGinley*
    Lucas Clement- Merrillville(6/5/3): Aidan Torres*, Cole Solomey(2)*, Evan Cruz, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Max McGinley*
    Branson Weaver- Owen Valley(6/5/1): ???, Cheaney Schoeff*, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Kelby Glenn(2)*, Michael Major*
    Reese Courtney- Center Grove(8/4/6): Cheaney Schoeff(2)*, Chinavare(MI), Gates(MI), Michael Major*, Parker Reynolds, Tyler Vanover, Wesley Harper*
    Max McGinley- Indianapolis Cathedral(9/8/2): Ayoub(OH), Brady Ison*, Cheaney Schoeff*, Christian Arberry(2)*, Michael Major*, Reese Courtney(3)*
    Logan Uhlman- Adams Central(9/7/1): Aidan Carter, Jeffrey Huyvaert*, Kelby Glenn*, Tony Wood(5)*, Wyatt Price
    145lbs
    Aidan Torres- Chesterton(0/0/9): 
    Wyatt Krejsa- Center Grove(0/0/4): 
    Wesley Smith- Plymouth(2/2/3): Aidan Torres*, Anthony Bahl*
    Cameron Clark- Jay County(2/2/3): Braxton Miller*, Brevan Thrine*
    Braxton Miller- DeKalb(2/1/2): ???, Luke Teusch*
    Luke Teusch- Huntington North(2/2/1): Cameron Clark*, Kolten Rhonemus*
    Brevan Thrine- New Castle(3/1/3):  ???(2), Dillon Graham*
    Luke Robards- Evansville Central(3/1/2): Cash Turner, Nayl Sbay, Wyatt Krejsa*
    Jack Todd- Pendleton Heights(3/3/0): Brevan Thrine*, Dillon Graham*, Ike O'Neill*
    Dillon Graham- Indianapolis Cathedral(4/2/4): Aiden Kiner, Wesley Smith*, Woodcock(OH), Wyatt Krejsa*
    Ike O'Neill- Westfield(4/3/2): Aidan Torres*, Dillon Graham*, Jessie Franklin, Mason Day*
    Anthony Bahl- Crown Point(6/2/4): Aidan Torres(2)*, Dominique(OH), Herriman(MI), Robinson(IL), Schneider(OK)
    Kolten Rhonemus- Delta(6/5/1): Braxton Miller*, Brevan Thrine*, Cameron Clark(2)*, Cash Turner, Luke Robards*
    Jayden Lewis- New Prairie(7/5/0): Aidan Torres(3)*, Alex Smith, Anthony Bahl*, Caleb Solomey, Wesley Smith*
    Bradley Owen- Jeffersonville(9/1/1): Alex Smith, Asher Ratliff, Braedon Spears, Brown(KY), Jase Robinson, Keegan Williams, Lee Spencer, Montoya(KY), Wyatt Krejsa*
    Mason Day- Brownsburg(11/8/1): Anthony Bahl(2)*, Bradley Owen*, Chase(OH), DiFazio(OH), Dillon Graham*, Guerra(OH), Ike O'Neill*, Luke Robards*, Silas Stits*, Wyatt Krejsa*
    152lbs
    Bryce Lowery- Roncalli(0/0/5): 
    Hunter May- Evansville Mater Dei(1/1/5): Bryce Lowery*
    Mitchell Betz- Western(1/0/5): Anthony Rinehart
    Beau Brabender- Mishawaka(4/3/8): ???, Bryce Denton*, Gavin Davis*, Silas Stits*
    Bryce Denton- Penn(4/4/2): Adrian Pellot*, Beau Brabender*, Hunter Miller*, Reese Courtney*
    Tyce DuPont- Tell City(4/3/1): Evan Roudebush, Hunter May(3)*
    Adrian Pellot- Merrillville(5/2/2):  Anthony Rinehart(2), Beau Brabender*, Evan Roudebush, Hunter Miller*
    Gavin Davis- Bellmont(6/5/7): Aidan Torres*, Beau Brabender*, Evan Roudebush, Mitchell Betz(3)*
    Hunter Miller- Wawasee(6/5/3): Anthony Rinehart, Beau Brabender(3)*, Bryce Denton*, Evan Roudebush, Gavin Davis*
    Jackson Todd- Carroll (Fort Wayne)(6/6/2): Beau Brabender*, Gavin Davis(3)*, Hunter Miller*, Wesley Smith*
    Zach Lang- Hamilton Southeastern(7/2/6): Bryce Lowery*, Mitchell Betz*, Trevor Gallagher(5)
    Christian Wittkamp- Jay County(8/5/0):  Caden Funk(2), Deaglan Pleak, Gavin Davis(2)*, Jackson Todd(2)*, Mitchell Betz*
    Silas Stits- Center Grove(9/3/3): Anthony Rinehart, Evan Roudebush(2), Gage Eckels*, Hunter May(2)*, Katschor(MI), Long(MI), Simcoe(MI)
    Gage Eckels- Ben Davis(9/6/1): Bryce Lowery*, Chase Carrington(3), Jason Rooney*, Silas Stits*, Tyce DuPont*, Zach Lang(2)*
    Jason Rooney- Westfield(11/9/2): Adrian Pellot*, AJ Steenbeke*, Beau Brabender*, Brenton Russell*, Carter Richardson*, Ethan Smith, Nathan Powell*, Trevor Gallagher, Zach Lang(3)*
    Carter Richardson- Noblesville(14/3/1): Xavier Smith, Blake Wahl(3), Bryce Lowery(2)*, Chase Carrington, Gabe Bragg, Greyson Gard, Jaylen Covington, Jesse Derringer, Larz Hughes, Trevor Gallagher, Zach Lang*
    160lbs
    Logan Farnell- Maconaquah(1/1/4): Brant Beck*
    Sam Goin- Crown Point(2/0/8): Garcia(PA), Lamer(OR)
    Nathan Powell- Carmel(2/2/4): AJ Steenbeke*, Brenton Russell*
    Luke Kemper- Evansville Central(2/0/3):  Jeb Prechtel(2)
    AJ Steenbeke- Penn(3/3/7): Conner Watts*, Sam Goin(2)*
    Brenton Russell- Warren Central(3/3/5): Andre Merritt*, Chase Wagner*, Sam Goin*
    Levi Abbott- Cowan(4/2/1): Brant Beck*, Jordan Ayres, Logan Farnell*, Silas Loshe
    Andre Merritt- Center Grove(5/3/7): AJ Steenbeke*, Davis(MI), Luke Kemper*, Marines(MI), Sam Goin*
    Brant Beck- Rochester(5/5/4): AJ Steenbeke*, Conner Watts*, Levi Abbott*, Logan Farnell(2)*
    Chase Wagner- Zionsville(5/5/4): Andre Merritt(2)*, Brenton Russell(2)*, Nathan Powell*
    Conner Watts- Jimtown(5/4/2): AJ Steenbeke*, Ben Shaffer*, Brant Beck*, Deaglan Pleak, Logan Farnell*
    Michael Hutchison- Cascade(5/5/1): Andre Merritt(2)*, Brant Beck*, Luke Kemper(2)*
    Cameron Crisp- Merrillville(8/7/0): Aidan Costello*, Ben Shaffer(2)*, Carlos Perez-Xochipa*, Chase Wagner*, Manolo Hood, Sam Goin(2)*
    Zach Huckaby- Perry Meridian(9/6/0): ???, AJ Steenbeke*, Brenton Russell*, Chase Wagner*, David Oyebode, Jason Rooney*, Nathan Powell(2)*, Sam Goin
    Braden Moore- Charlestown(9/2/0):  ???(2), Andre Merritt*, Corbin Scott, Hayden Newell, Jack Rose, John Rushenberg, Michael Hutchison*, Wojcicki(KY)
    Ben Shaffer- Chesterton(11/6/3): AJ Steenbeke*, Andre Merritt*, Chase Wagner*, Duke Myers*, Isaiah Rivas, Kenneth Bisping(3), Manolo Hood, Sam Goin(2)*
    170lbs
    Delaney Ruhlman- Bloomington South(0/0/6): 
    Noah Weaver- Rossville(2/2/3): Anthony Cashman*, Jaquan East*
    Jaquan East- Kokomo(2/2/2): Braxton Russell*, Evan Tilton*
    Duke Myers- Bellmont(3/2/7): Gavin Malone, Kyle Harden*, Noah Clouser*
    Aidan Costello- Hobart(3/3/5): Cody Goodwin*, Kyle Harden*, Noah Clouser*
    Kyle Harden- Indianapolis Cathedral(4/3/6): Aidan Costello*, Clay Guenin, Noah Clouser(2)*
    Noah Terry- Tell City(4/3/3): ???, Delaney Ruhlman(2)*, Jett Goldsberry*
    Cody Goodwin- Crown Point(4/0/2): Cramblett(OH), Flip(PA), Kelly(IL), Snyder(NJ)
    Tanner Reed- Columbia City(4/4/1): Duke Myers(3)*, Jaquan East*
    Noah Clouser- Center Grove(5/3/6): Boone(MI), Delaney Ruhlman(3)*, Vincent Tinoco
    Anthony Cashman- Warren Central(5/4/3): Aidan Costello*, Clay Guenin, Delaney Ruhlman*, Kyle Harden(2)*
    Carlos Perez-Xochipa- Harrison (WL)(5/4/2): Aidan Costello*, Cody Goodwin*, Daeveon Cheeks, Noah Clouser*, Tanner Reed*
    Jett Goldsberry- Heritage Hills(5/4/1): Gavin Malone, Noah Clouser*, Noah Terry(3)*
    Braxton Russell- Delta(5/3/1):  Clay Guenin(2), Duke Myers(2)*, Zach Wagner*
    Zach Wagner- Hamilton Southeastern(6/6/1): Ethan Popp*, Kyle Harden*, Luke Penola*, Noah Weaver(3)*
    Isaac Valdez- Mishawaka(10/7/0): ???, Aidan Costello*, Anthony Cashman(2)*, Carlos Perez-Xochipa*, Duke Myers*, Kaden Lone*, Kyle Harden*, Zymarion Hollyfield(2)
    182lbs
    De'Alcapon Veazy- Fort Wayne Snider(1/1/5): Orlando Cruz*
    Hunter Page- Monroe Central(1/1/3): Kaden Lone*
    Evan Tilton- Hamilton Heights(1/1/3): Mike Durham*
    Connor Cervantes- Griffith(1/1/2): Orlando Cruz*
    Luke Penola- Zionsville(2/1/8): Ricketts(KY), Orlando Cruz*
    Orlando Cruz- Crown Point(2/0/6): Heeg(OK), McDaniel(OH)
    Bray Emerine- Floyd Central(3/2/1): Caden Brewer*, Luke Penola*, Ricketts(KY)
    Mike Durham- Warren Central(4/3/3): ???, De'Alcapon Veazy*, Luke Penola(2)*
    Laish Detwiler- Goshen(4/4/1): De'Alcapon Veazy*, Hunter Page*, Kaden Lone(2)*
    Ethan Popp- Harrison (WL)(4/2/1): ???, Andy Warren, Connor Cervantes*, Vinny Freeman*
    Kaden Lone- NorthWood(5/5/4): De'Alcapon Veazy(2)*, Laish Detwiler*, Luke Penola*, Mike Durham*
    Brayden Tincher- Eastern Hancock(6/6/0): Evan Tilton(2)*, Hunter Page(2)*, Luke Penola*, Mike Durham*
    Jackson Fox- Columbus East(7/3/2): Bray Emerine*, Christian Chavez*, Jonathan Tanner, Julian Weems*, Shaun Glass, Spencer Fain, Trent Kersey
    Julian Weems- Center Grove(8/5/2): Adams(MI), Caden Brewer(4)*, Ethan Risner, Jaxson Walters, Luke Penola*
    Vinny Freeman- Penn(8/5/1):  ???(2), Connor Cervantes*, De'Alcapon Veazy*, Jaylen Young, Julian Weems*, Orlando Cruz(2)*
    Caden Brewer- Brownsburg(9/3/5): Barr(MI), Havill(OH), Jackson Fox*, Luke Penola*, Miller(OH), Neitenbach(OH), Orlando Cruz*, Shulaw(OH), Westpfahl(OH)
    195lbs
    Christian Chavez- Mishawaka(0/0/8): 
    Alex Deming- Rochester(0/0/4): 
    Luke Hansen- Roncalli(0/0/2): 
    Wyatt Woodall- Southmont(1/1/3): Luke Hansen*
    John Purdy- Castle(1/1/2): Reid Schroeder*
    Reid Schroeder- Southridge(1/1/2): John Purdy*
    Neil Johnson- New Prairie(3/2/4): Anthony White, Christian Chavez*, Nash Shupert*
    Kaden McConnell- Center Grove(3/3/1): Christian Chavez*, Gunner Henry*, John Purdy*
    Orlan Foster- Connersville(3/1/1): ???, Jaxon Copas, Luke Hansen*
    Chad Washburn- Kokomo(5/4/1): Alex Deming*, Armen Koltookian*, Nash Shupert*, Neil Johnson*, Peyton Cross
    Nash Shupert- Elkhart(6/5/3): ???, Alex Deming*, Armen Koltookian*, Donovan Blair*, Jackson Fox*, Neil Johnson*
    Armen Koltookian- Concord(7/5/5): ???, Alex Deming(2)*, Chance Harris, Christian Chavez*, Nash Shupert*, Wyatt Woodall*
    Gunner Henry- Brownsburg(8/3/1): Bennie(UT), Kaden McConnell*, Menifee(VA), quillin(OH), Ray(OH), Reid Schroeder*, Sell(OH), Will Clark*
    Bazle Owens- Tippecanoe Valley(10/5/0):  ???(2), Armen Koltookian*, Austin Farris, Christian Chavez*, Donovan Blair(2)*, Mickey Daring, Neil Johnson*, Preston Duffy
    Cael Albaugh- Clinton Central(10/5/0): Chad Washburn*, Elijah Cox, Jacob Jones, Neil Johnson*, Orlan Foster*, Ray Townsend, Seth Richardson, Trevor Currie, Wyatt Woodall(2)*
    Donovan Blair- Wawasee(13/5/3): Anthony White, Armen Koltookian(2)*, Austin Smith, Christian Chavez(3)*, Henry Kukelhan, Josiah Williams, Nathaniel Rosas, Parker Hart(2), Paul Dewitt
    220lbs
    Tommy Morrill- Columbus East(1/1/4): Will Clark(2)*
    Brady Beck- Rochester(1/1/3): Julante Hinton*
    Julante Hinton- Fort Wayne Northrop(1/0/2): Chance Harris
    Keagan Martin- Bellmont(2/2/3): Brady Beck*, Devin Kendrex*
    Will Clark- Crown Point(3/0/7): Gallo(PA, Shulaw(OH), Snider(OH)
    Cole Chicoine- McCutcheon(3/3/2): Alex Rose*, Jackson New*, Will Clark*
    Nate Johnson- Center Grove(3/4/1): Devin Kendrex*, Jackson Weingart, Keagan Martin*, Tommy Morrill*
    Devin Kendrex- Mount Vernon (Fortville)(4/2/8): Brandon Johnson*, Jackson Weingart(2), Tommy Morrill*
    Austin Hastings- Noblesville(4/4/4): Brady Beck(2)*, Brandon Johnson*, Devin Kendrex*
    Brandon Johnson- Lawrence North(4/4/3): Austin Hastings(2)*, Devin Kendrex(2)*
    Alex Rose- Terre Haute South(4/2/2):  Eli Hinshaw(2), Tommy Morrill(2)*
    Hadyn Ball- Triton Central(6/2/0):  , ???(3), Jackson Goodyear, Austin Hastings*
    Jayden Bartoszek- Hanover Central(7/6/1): ???, Austin Hastings*, Clayton Deutscher*, Cole Chicoine(2)*, Will Clark(2)*
    Spencer Watson- Tri-West(7/2/0):  , ???(3), Alex Rose*, Jakarrey Oliver, Josh Brown, Nate Johnson*
    Clayton Deutscher- New Prairie(8/2/1): Eli Hinshaw, Jack Aranowski(2), Jayden Bartoszek*, Jonathan Neese, Kaleb Abad, Travis Henke, Will Clark*
    Jackson New- Yorktown(10/7/1): Brandon Johnson*, Devin Kendrex(2)*, Eli Hinshaw, Hudson Kahn, Jonathan Tanner, Julante Hinton*, Keagan Martin(2)*, Titus Waters*
    285lbs
    Titus Waters- Muncie Central(0/0/5): 
    Kelton Farmer- Evansville Memorial(1/1/3): Leighton Jones*
    Dom Burgett- Hamilton Southeastern(2/1/4): Jack Milligan, Leighton Jones*
    Aramis McNutt- Highland(2/2/1): Anthony Popi*, Paul Clark*
    Jordan Cree- Rensselaer Central(2/2/1): Aramis McNutt*, Titus Waters*
    Andrew Just- Franklin Central(3/3/4): Dom Burgett(2)*, John Broadwell*
    Paul Clark- Crown Point(3/2/3): Leighton Jones(2)*, Moore(CO)
    Anthony Popi- Plymouth(4/3/3): ???, Jordan Cree*, Paul Clark(2)*
    Tyler Wright- Eastern (Greentown)(4/2/0): Brandt Thornburg, Brayden Jellison*, Mason Moran, Zac Wurm*
    Leighton Jones- Brownsburg(5/0/8): Fockler(OH), Hosia Smith, Neves(NJ), Thomas(OK)(2)
    Brayden Jellison- Elkhart(5/2/2): ???, Anthony Popi*, Christian Carroll, Peyton Kendall, Titus Waters*
    John Broadwell- Beech Grove(5/3/1):  ???(2), Andrew Just(2)*, Eli Smith*
    Zac Wurm- Adams Central(7/2/1): Joseph Orisadare, Juan Cruz(4), Titus Waters(2)*
    Eli Smith- Zionsville(8/7/1): Andrew Just*, Brayden Jellison*, Dom Burgett(2)*, Hosia Smith, Leighton Jones*, Tyler Schott(2)*
    Austin Vanover- Evansville Mater Dei(9/4/1):  , ???(3), Guillaume(KY), Jack Milligan, Kelton Farmer(2)*, Leighton Jones*, Tyler Schott*
    Tyler Schott- Center Grove(11/6/3): ???, Acosta(MI), Andrew Just*, Anthony Popi*, Austin Vanover*, Hosia Smith(3), Kelton Farmer*, Leighton Jones(2)*
     
     
  2. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, New Year College Rundown   
    By Blaze Lowery
     
    Sicker Than a Hound Dog 
    The Greyhounds of Indianapolis look to bounce back this weekend In Louisville at the NWCA National Duals after unfortunate turn of events recently at the Midwest Classic. Heading into the 43rd Midwest Classic, Indianapolis was ranked 4th in the nation with five returning national qualifiers, where they have now dropped to #12 as a team after some illness struck the team and kept them from performing at the level they anticipated.
     
    Both #3 Logan Bailey and #11 Derek Blubaugh fall to illness early on, keeping them from wrestling the second day of the tournament. Bailey gave up a fall to #2 Gabe Johnson of Central Oklahoma and forfeited out the rest of the tournament. Likewise, Blubaugh took a tough a loss to Western Colorado’s Porter Fox, which has now pushed him down the rankings from #2 to #11 at his weight.
     
    Cale Gray takes a loss early to #11 Laron Parks of Notre Dame, and another to #7 Zach Ryg of Upper Iowa on the backside which knocked him out of the rankings all together.
     
    Indianapolis had two wrestlers compete on the second day of the tournament, #8 Breyden Bailey and #8 Jack Eiteljorge. Breyden Bailey ended up taking a loss to #7 Elijah Lusk of Lander in the quarterfinals and started his second day on the backside of the bracket. Consi-semis is where Bailey fell to #5 Eric Bartos of Mercyhurst, sending him to earn fifth place over #9 Collin Metzgar of Colorado Mesa.
     
    Eiteljorge defeated #12 Drew Weichers of Ashland, who was ranked third before this tournament, to send himself into the semifinals match against returning national champion, Shane Gantz of UW Parkside. After losing to Gantz by decision, Eiteljorge finds himself on the backside where he ends up finishing 6th at 165 for the Hounds.
     
    Although it was not the best tournament for the Greyhounds, they look to reclaim some ground at the NWCA National Duals in Louisville this weekend with a healthier team and positive outlook.
     
    Other Indiana-Native Place winners:
    285 Champion Shawn Streck of Central Oklahoma
    157 8th Placewinner Carter Noehre of Colorado Scool of Mines
     
     
    Duo at the Due 
    After the Boilermaker’s recent dual losses to both Campbell and Drexel at the Purdue Duals, the team seems to still have some individual talent shine through at the Southern Scuffle in 2023. Placing ninth as a team, Purdue finishes with two finalists, #11 Matt Ramos and #3 Kendall Coleman.
     
    Ramos defeated #21 Stevo Poulin of Northern Colorado in the semifinals in sudden victory. Then in another close match, Ramos defeated #14 Noah Surtin of Missouri in a 4-3 decision to crown himself as the 125lbs Southern Scuffle Champion.
     
    Coleman, coming into the tournament with a recent win over #4 Will Lewan of Michigan, seemed to keep the train rolling. He won a close one against #11 Jarrett Jacques in a sudden victory win to push himself to the finals. Coleman then fell to #2 Jared Franek of North Dakota State in an ultimate tiebreaker match.
     
    It is safe to say that these two wrestlers know how to keep themselves in the dog fight, but will this magic fizzle out by the end of season? The Boilermakers will be put to the test with their dual against Iowa this Sunday at 2:00PM on BTN.
     
     
    Best Dual Team in the State? 
    Indiana is proving to be much better in a dual than they are come tournament time. Although they do not have the greatest turnouts in their recent tournements, the Hoosiers are currently undefeated in all their duals thus far. They have a tough schedule ahead, but they have already been knocking on the doors of ranked teams this year.
     
    #17 Derek Gilcher defeated both #18 Anthony Artalona of Penn and #21 Andrew Clark of Rutgers at Midlands. There have been major shifts happening at the 157lbs weight class and this could mean good things for Gilcher when tournament time rolls around. Jacob Moran also has a decent tournament with an 8th place finish at 125lbs.
     
    Let’s see if Indiana can keep their undefeated dual record alive as they take on the Buckeyes of Ohio State on Monday, January 9th at 6:30PM on BTN+.
     
     
    Other Indiana Wrestling Events: 
    Indiana Tech, Marian, and Indianapolis at NWCA National Duals on Friday, January 6
    Indiana at #22 Maryland on January 9 on BTN+ at 6:30PM
    Trine at Olivet on January 12 at 7:00PM
     
  3. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, Thanksgiving D1 Rundown   
    By Blaze Lowery
      
    Is IU better than we thought?
    Unranked Indiana defeats #23 Princeton, pushing the Tigers out of the rankings. Although Princeton was without #2 Pat Glory, the Hoosiers dominate them with a 22 – 13 upset. IU has continued to show improvement since last season’s dissatisfactory finish.
     
    #19 D.J. Washington then goes on to wins Army’s, Black Knight Open at 174lbs, beating #21 Benjamin Pasiuk of Army. Keeping his undefeated record in-tact, the Portage native is proving himself week after week since shifting to a lower weight class this season. Longtime teammate, Jacob Moran was runner-up and the Rooks’ brothers both captured a third place wins for the Hoosiers. Indiana is starting their season off much stronger than they left off last season and could make some sparks as they roll into the Garden State Grapple on December 4th.
     
     
    Are the Boilermaker Duals a good indication of Purdue’s success?
    Coming off a surprising dual loss to Rider University on their home turf, Purdue turned their performance around and defeated Cleveland State, Northern Illinois, and Chattanooga at the Boilermaker Duals. Having a younger squad this season, the Boilermakers are struggling to make the same mark at the start of their season as they have in their previous season. At this point in their schedule, it is too early to say if the Boilermakers are a tough to beat dual team, but it is safe to say that the competition at the Boilermaker Duals tournament means little to none when competing in the Big Ten. We look for the Boilermakers to start ramping up as we get closer to the middle of the season.
     
    With that being said, the future looks bright for Purdue wrestling as this young roster will make for some depth in the coming years and the recruiting class coming in will be one to keep an eye on. It is exciting to see guys like Macartney Parkinson, Jaden Reynolds, and Hayden Filipovich really getting their feet wet with some serious mat time. Time will tell if the Boilermakers can show us what is behind the curtains as they compete in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on December 2nd – 3rd.
     
     
    Recent Out-of-State Wrestler D1 Results:
    #3 Mason Parris (Michigan) wins by fall in both duals against UNC and Columbia.
    #5 Brayton Lee (Minnesota) clinches Binghamton dual by major decision.
    #6 Lucas Davison (Northwestern) with a dominant 6-0 decision in Virginia Dual.
    #12 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) pushes Joey Melendez out of the rankings with a pin.
    #19 Silas Allred (Nebraska) wins Navy Classic.
     
     
  4. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #WrestlingWednesday with Jeremy Hines: Critchfield ready for one last go in Indiana   
    By JEREMY HINES
    Thehines7@gmail.com
     
    Nathan Critchfield was down – but he sure as heck won’t allow himself to be counted out.
     
    Critchfield wrestles through pain each and every day. He doesn’t complain. It has become a way of life for the Evansville Mater Dei senior.
     
    Critchfield wrestled his first three years of high school in Illinois. His best finish was third in the state meet in 2020. Then he got the news that would ultimately change his life – he had a tumor on his spine.
     
    “My back was hurting all year and moving into freestyle season I got it checked out that May,” Critchfield said.  “They just did a physical exam and I kept at it and kept wrestling. Then, in August of 2020 I was still in pain and I got checked out again. They told me I had a tumor on the inside of my spinal cord.”
     
    The news rocked Critchfield. He knew he was going to have to endure a grueling surgery and a long road to recovery. They wouldn’t know if the tumor was cancerous until after the surgery. The diagnosis was devastating – both physically and mentally for Critchfield.
     
    “Hearing about the tumor was shocking, to say the least,” Critchfield said. “It came at a time that was so crucial in my life. I was going into my senior year. That’s an important time in your social life and in your academics. Then hearing that you’re probably not ever going to wrestle again, that was a big hit.”
     
    Critchfield ended up sitting out his entire senior year to deal with his medical issues. He would have graduated in 2021 but will now graduate in 2022.
     
    His first back surgery was a 12-hour ordeal. The next week he ended up getting a MRSA infection in the incision that required another surgery.  He wasn’t out of the woods yet. The first surgery had caused his legs to not work properly. That required yet another surgery.
     
    “Between my legs and my back, I couldn’t walk for a few months,” Critchfield said.
     
    Critchfield tried to do a little drilling in wrestling in February, even though he says he wasn’t supposed to. His legs still weren’t working the way they were supposed to work In April he had another surgery to relieve the pressure in both of his legs.
     
    In the end, the tumor was not cancerous. And, although he’s still in pain, it’s something he has learned to live with.
     
    “This whole ordeal has made me a different kind of person,” Critchfield said. “I have really grown in my faith. I get reminded of it all every day when I go to practice. Both of my legs hurt and my back hurts. Wrestling really sucks with the pain – but I love doing it. I put myself through it because I don’t know what else I would do.”
     
    Critchfield doesn’t care if his opponents on the mat know about his bad back, or his issues with his legs.
     
    “People tell me not to let others know I’m hurting,” Critchfield said. “They say to not let your opponents know you’re not feeling your best. I don’t think that would give them an edge on me though. I think it gives me a little edge, actually. They are going to wrestle a guy knowing he’s going to feel like crap and he’s still not scared. They are about to wrestle a guy that has went through hell but is still out there ready to go. That’s got to mess with them more than it does with me.”
     
    Critchfield is currently ranked No. 2 in the state at 220 pounds. He joins a Mater Dei team that is loaded with ranked wrestlers this season.
     
    Mater Dei has two wrestlers currently ranked No. 1 in their weight classes, both are returning state champs in Brody Baumann and Gabe Sollars. Crtichfield is No. 2 at 220. Hunter May is No. 3 at 152 pounds. Isaiah Schaefer is No. 4 at 106. Evan Seng is No. 5 at 113 pounds, Ashton Hayhurst is NO. 8 at 145 and Reed Egli is No. 13 at 120 pounds.
     
    “This is my first year at Mater Dei and it’s been pretty fun,” Critchfield said. “It’s an interesting atmosphere and it’s a lot different than other schools. They put a lot of emphasis on wrestling for your school instead of for yourself. They have built a program and the whole community gets behind it. When you hear about the culture at Mater Dei, you never imagine how it really is until you’re a part of it.”
     
    Mater Dei coach Greg Schaefer is glad to have Critchfield on the squad.
     
    “Nathan is just a genuine, hard-working, hard-nosed kid,” Schaefer said. “He’s one of those guys that will be hard to outwork. He has a great attitude and seems to be extremely grateful doing what he’s doing.”
     
    Schaefer said a lot of the kids in the Mater Dei program don’t even know what all Critchfield has been through.
     
    “You wouldn’t even know that there was anything going on with him,” Schaefer said. “He doesn’t talk about it, and he doesn’t act like there’s any issues. It’s pretty incredible to think about what he’s been through and that he still maintains the attitude and desire to chase after his dream.”
     
    As far as Critchfield’s wrestling abilities, Schaefer describes him as a big guy with the skill set of a little man.
     
    “He’s very skillful,” Schaefer said. “He’s not like some of the guys that are just big bruisers. He’s more technical than most big guys. He wrestles more like a little guy.”
     
    Critchfield has wrestled for Mauer Coughlin since he was very young. He parents used to drive him to the practices over an hour away, three times a week. There he made friends with a lot of the guys on the team and a lot of Indiana wrestlers throughout the state.
     
    This year his goal is to go out on top. He’s seen the Indiana state finals and wants nothing more than to wrestle under the spotlight.
     
    “My No. 1 goal is to win a state title,” Critchfield said. “I like to go as hard as I can and put it on people. I keep the pace up and make people want to quit. I make them tired, and I ride hard. I’m real tough on top – but nobody holds me down either. And I don’t quit. That’s my biggest strength. I will not ever quit.”
  5. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, 2021 Olympic Trials Preview   
    Becoming an Olympian is the pinnacle of wrestling and something little boys and girls always dream of when growing up. The chance to represent the USA on the biggest stage in sports comes only once every four years. Obviously with COVID everything got pushed back a year and this is the weekend we have been waiting for in over a year. There are five Hoosier natives vying for the coveted spot on the Olympic team this weekend.
     
    Watching the trials will be on NBCSN on TV along with the Peacock Network online. The Peacock Network has a free seven day trial to use that would be enough for this weekend. The schedule is at the bottom of this article for reference during the weekend. The format for the Olympic Trials differs slightly in each division, however the base is the same. Some weight classes have wrestlers sitting until the best of three finals, some do not. On Friday the bracket challenge will occur where wrestlers will wrestle in a single elimination tournament. The finals on Saturday will be a best of three series to determine the USA representative. If a weight has someone sitting out until the finals the bracket will be wrestled until a champion is determined. If not the bracket will halt at the finals with the finals being a best of three series.
     
    For the Olympics each country must qualify their weight via their placement at the World Championships and a series of continental and last chance qualifiers. The USA is qualified in every weight for Women’s Freestyle. Men’s freestyle is not qualified at 65kg, while Greco-Roman is not qualified at 77kg and 130kg. There is one more last chance qualifier for every country that has not qualified the specific weight to enter. That event is May 6-9 in Bulgaria where the USA will look to qualify the remaining three spots.
     
    Indiana has the most representatives in the Women’s Freestyle division at the Olympic Trials. Both Sarah Hildebrandt and Kayla Miracle have the privilege of already being in the best of three finals. They earned the bye to the finals via qualifying the weight class for the Olympic Trials at the Pan-Am championships a year ago. Yorktown’s Alara Boyd is in the challenge bracket at 68kg.
     
    In 2018 Granger native and Penn grad Sarah Hildebrandt brought back a silver medal at the World Championships and is looking to make her first Olympic team. She is sitting until the finals on Saturday and will be the winner of a bracket that consists of 14 women battling it out for the right to wrestle her. The top seed is Whitney Conder while the second seed is Alyssa Lampe. Hildebrandt has recently beaten Conder in a special wrestle-off last February to wrestle at the Pan-Am championships. She teched Lampe in November on a Wisconsin RTC card.
    Bloomington native and Culver Academies grad Kayla Miracle has had success at every level possible in this sport. She was the first girl to qualify for the state finals in Indiana and has been breaking down barriers since she strapped on her first headgear. She will be sitting out until the best of three finals at 62kg. The top seed in her weight is Maya Nelson and the second seed is Macey Kilty. All three of these women were on the 2019 U23 World Team where Miracle and Kilty both won silver medals. Nelson was at 65kg and Kilty was at 68kg.  The last time Miracle wrestled Nelson was 2012 at Fargo and it does not appear as if she has wrestled Kilty. Nelson defeated Kilty at the World Team Trials tournament in 2019 and should be the favorite to win again.
     
    Alara Boyd has brought back world medals two out of three times while representing the USA. She was a Cadet bronze medalist in 2016 and silver medalist in 2017. She also wrestled at the world championships in 2019 in the Junior age group. She comes into the Olympic Trials as a 5 seed at 68kg.  Boyd qualified for the trials via winning the NCWWC championship about a month ago. In the first round she will have a familiar opponent in Ashlynn Ortega. Boyd defeated Ortega just over a year ago at the WCWC Nationals in the semi-finals by the score of  7-1. The likely next opponent would be Forrest Molinari. Molinari has been a mainstay on the women’s circuit that includes a 5th place finish in the world in both 2018 and 2019. The second seed and likely finalist out of the bottom bracket is Alex Glaude who was a 2019 Final X finalist. Sitting in the best of three finals in 2019 World Champion Tamyra Stock-Mensah.
     
    On the men’s side of things Indiana will have two representatives in Mater Dei’s Nick Lee and Lawrenceburg’s Mason Parris. Others to watch include former Indiana University runner-up Nate Jackson at 86kg and Gable Steveson at 125kg. Steveson grew up in the state and won multiple ISWA titles during his youth.
     
    Lee will come in as the 6th seed and have Minnesota’s Mitch McKee in the first round. They have wrestled multiple times in folkstyle with Lee gaining all the recent victories. McKee is very dangerous in folkstyle and will be an interesting first round match. The winner of that will face off with #3 seed Jordan Oliver, a former Oklahoma State national champion. Lee was teched by Oliver at the US Nationals in December of 2019. The two-seed at this weight is Yianni Diakomihalis that could be a potential semi-final opponent. Also lurking in that side of the quarter bracket is 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro whom Lee beat at 2019 US Nationals. On the top half of the bracket is another Penn State stud in Zain Retherford along with multiple-time world team member James Green.
     
    Just like the NCAA’s, the heavyweight bracket is loaded with talent at the Olympic Trials. Mason Parris will come in as the 3rd seed and have Daniel Kerkvliet in the first round. They recently wrestled at the Big Tens where Parris won by major decision. Kerkvliet has multiple world medals and a dangerous opponent in the international styles. The semi-finals would feature another familiar foe in Gable Steveson. While they have not met in freestyle, Steveson owns three folkstyle wins over Parris. The top half of the bracket features world team mainstay Nick Gwiazdowski and former NCAA champions Anthony Nelson and Dom Bradley. Parris was 1-1 with Gwiazdowski at the RTC cup this fall.
     
    Indiana does not have any natives on the Greco-Roman side of things. However, former Indiana University starter Lucas Sheridan is the 2nd seed at 97kg. He has had a solid amount of success in Greco-Roman and would be Indiana’s first Olympic representative since Charles Burton in 2000. There are also four wrestlers participating that have wrestled at the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open. Mason Manville is the 6th seed at 77kg in Greco-Roman. He was an IHPO runner-up in 2011. Nick Lee won IHPO as a 7th grader in 2011, while making the semi-finals in 2012. Logan Massa participated in the IHPO in 2010 as an 8th grader and will be at 74kg at the trials. Lastly, Gable Steveson was a middle school champion in 2012 at IHPO.
     
     
    U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials Broadcast Schedule
    Day Competition Time (ET) Network Friday Challenge Tournaments 11 a.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS   Challenge Tournament Finals Mat 2 7:30 p.m. NBCSN | LIVE STREAM   Challenge Tournament Finals Mats 1, 3, 4 7:30 p.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS   ‘Rulon’ film premiere on Rulon Gardner 11 p.m. NBCSN | STREAM Saturday Challenge Tournament Consolations 1 p.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS   Championship Series Mat 2 7:30 p.m. NBCSN | LIVE STREAM   Championship Series Mats 1, 3, 4 7:30 p.m. Peacock | LIVE STREAMS  
    Useful Links
    USAW's Olympic Trials Information Center
    TrackWrestling brackets
     
  6. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, 2021 NCAA D1 Nationals Preview   
    By Drew Hughes
    This year there will be 13 Indiana guys competing in St. Louis across 8 different weight classes. This puts only 7 other states ahead of us for the number of qualifiers. Out of these 13 qualifiers only 1 of them is not from the Big Ten.
     
    Drew Hildebrandt will be competing in the 125-pound bracket for the Central Michigan Chippewas. This will be Drew’s 3rd NCAA tournament appearance and has earned the 4th seed. The Penn High School graduate also won his 2nd MAC title to qualify for the tournament and is undefeated on the season.
     
    Nick Lee will be competing in the 141-pound bracket for Penn State and will be in the hunt to win a national title. Lee comes into the tournament as the 2nd seed just like he was last year for the cancelled championships. The Evansville Mater Dei graduate is 8-1 on the season with his 1 loss coming in the Big Ten finals to the 1st seed Eierman.
     
    Chad Red will be competing in the 141-pound bracket for Nebraska where he will be looking to All-American like he has at every NCAA tournament he’s wrestled in. Red comes into the tournament as the 8th seed with his only losses this year coming from the 1st and 3rd seeds of the tournament. As most people have seen, the New Palestine grad has always showed up for the big show.
     
    Cayden Rooks will be competing in the 141-pound bracket for Indiana where he will be wrestling in his first NCAA tournament. Rooks earned an at-large bid to qualify for the tournament and will be the 32nd seed. Cayden is a Columbus East High School graduate where he won 2 state titles.
    Graham Rooks will be competing in the 149-pound bracket for Indiana, and this was his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. After a 6th place finish at the Big Ten tournament, Rooks earned himself the 21st seed. Graham is also a Columbus East grad and is the older brother of previously mentions Cayden Rooks. 
     
    Brayton Lee will be competing in the 157-pound bracket for Minnesota, and this was his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. After being seeded 7th for last year cancelled tournament Lee will be 1 spot higher at the 6th seed this year. The Brownsburg native is coming off of an impressive 3rd place Big Ten finish.
     
    Jake Tucker will be competing in the 165-pound bracket for Michigan State, and it is a little controversial to claim him for Indiana. Tucker went to Mount Carmel High School in Illinois BUT has lived in Lowell Indiana his entire life. Since he has an Indiana driver’s license, I think it’s only fair we get to claim the now 2-time NCAA qualifier. Tucker earned the 25th seed after finish 6th place at the Big Ten tournament.
     
    Joe Lee will be competing in the 165-pound bracket for Penn State where he will be wrestling in his first NCAA tournament. The Evansville Mater Dei grad will be the 23rd seed of the tournament after placing 8th at Big Tens. While Joe didn’t get a top 8 seed like his brother Nick, he does still have 1 more state title then his older brother.
     
    Donnell Washington will be competing in the 174-pound bracket for Indiana where he will be wrestling in his first NCAA tournament. The Portage grad has really proved himself this year and will be the 9th seed. Washington is coming off a 6th place Big Ten finish and holds a win over the 3rd seed.
     
    Drew Hughes (also the person writing this article) will be competing in the 174-pound bracket and is the 32 seed. This will be his 4th NCAA tournament and holds one of the worst records in the entire tournament at 3-7 on the year. All that we can know for sure is that the Lowell High School grad is going to choose top and probably get hit for a few stalling calls.
     
    Lucas Davison will be competing in the 197-pound bracket for Northwestern, and this will be his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Davison is coming into the tournament as the 12th seed after placing 5th at Big Tens. The Chesterton native will be looking to become an All-American just like his dad was back in the day.
     
    Thomas Penola will be competing in the 197-pound bracket for Purdue, and this will be his 2nd time qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Penola qualified for last years cancelled tournament at 285-pounds. This year he’s down a weight and earned himself the 19th seed of the tournament. The Zionsville High School graduate finished 7th at the Big Ten tournament.
     
    Mason Parris will be competing in the 285-pound bracket for the Michigan wolverines, and this will be his 3rd NCAA tournament. Parris will be the 2nd seed of the tournament for the 2nd year in a row. The Lawrenceburg native has placed 2nd at the big ten tournament the last 2 season and will be looking for a rematch of the Big Ten finals in the NCAA finals. 
  7. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, Red doing big things for the Big Red   
    By Drew Hughes
     
    Anyone that has been around Indiana wrestling in the last decade probably knows the
    name Chad Red. In high school Red had about as good of a career as anyone could ask for
    winning 4 state titles and going a perfect 183-0. Along with this he won 3 of the toughest off-
    season tournaments in the country; Fargo, Super 32, and FloNationals. He finished his high
    school career ranked #1 in the country at 132lbs along with being ranked #8 out of all seniors in
    his graduating class.
     
    Being one of the most sought after recruits Red decided on Nebraska as his college
    destination. Red said “I chose Nebraska because of Jordan Burroughs and the coaching staff is
    very helpful, and my family thought they were the best coaches for me.”.
     
    Red has very well in college so far where he has become a 2 time All-American as well
    as a Big Ten finalist. He has had some great matches in his college career with one of the best
    coming in the blood round of NCAA’s his freshman year. In this match Red pinned the two-time
    defending National Champion Dean Heil in the first period to become an All-American. Red also
    placed 3rd at last year’s Big Ten championship and qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAA
    championships where he was named a NWCA first team All-American.
     
    This season Red is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and his lone loss coming from
    Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman. Red is currently ranked 6 th in the country at 141 and in the upcoming
    weeks will get the chance to wrestle #1 ranked Sebastian Rivera before the Big Ten tournament.
    Now the big question that people are asking right now for most college seniors are if they
    will be returning for a 6 th year. Due to Covid the NCAA has made it so this year does not count
    towards your eligibility giving athletes the chance to compete for an extra year. With that being
    said Red is planning on wrestling next season and will still have a shot at being a 4 time All-
    American and possibly a National Champion.
     
    After college Red plans to stay in Nebraska and wrestle for the NWTC where he would
    compete internationally in an attempt to make world and Olympic teams. He also plans on
    coaching and we could see that being anywhere from the college level to even coming back to
    Indiana to coach at Red Cobra Wrestling Academy where his father, Chad Red Sr., is the coach.
    Looking far down the road we could also see him coaching his little brother to 4 high school
    state titles but that wouldn’t be until at least 2034.
  8. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #WrestlingWednesday: Gilbert's big dream will not be deterred   
    By JEREMY HINES
    Thehines7@gmail.com
     
    For as long as Sullivan freshman Lane Gilbert can remember he has dreamed about having his hand raised at the Indiana High School wrestling state championships.
     
    He’s done more than dream about it. As a young kid he would go into the wrestling room at Sullivan High School and act out having his hand raised. It didn’t matter that nobody else was around him. In his imaginary scenario he always emerged victorious. No obstacle stood in his way. No opponent could beat him. He was the champ. That dream would never be taken away.
     
    The dream was much different than real life for Gilbert. In real life, he has had far more hardships than one kid should experience. He’s overcome situations that would break others. Through it all, he’s come out stronger.
     
    To get a clear picture of just how tough Lane Gilbert is, it is important to dive into his uncomfortable past.
     
    Gilbert’s mother, Rachel, became Indiana’s first female sectional champion in wrestling. She won the 103-pound class in the North Knox sectional in 2002. Rachel was going places in life. News agencies had reported on her wrestling journey, because at the time, female wrestlers were still very new in the state. She had some colleges showing interest in her.
     
    But Rachel began facing a more formidable opponent than anyone she went up against on the mat. She started battling an addiction with drugs. Lane’s father had his own battles with drug addiction.
     
    For Lane’s father, that addiction would eventually lead to a prison sentence.
     
    Young Lane didn’t want to miss an opportunity to visit his dad, even if that meant going to the prison any time he could.
     
    “Lane worshipped his dad,” Lane’s wrestling coach and grandfather Roy Monroe said. “Lane never failed to go see him. He always wanted to see him.”
     
    Tragically, Lane’s father developed cancer while in prison and ultimately died due to the disease.
     
    “That was really rough on Lane for a while,” Rachel said. “His dad was a drug addict for a long time and Lane always held out hope that one day he would get better. Once he got sick, that was probably the hardest thing. Lane stayed strong through the whole thing.”
     
    At nine-years-old Lane did something no kid his age should ever have to do. He stood up in front during his dad’s funeral and sang a special song.
     
    “I don’t know how he did it,” Monroe said. “That’s almost an impossible thing to get through, and he did it. He toughed it out.”
     
    That’s what Lane always does. He toughs things out. He toughed it out when his mom was having her struggles. He toughed it out seeing his dad in prison, and then watching as cancer slowly took its toll. He toughed it out when his uncle Jordan, who had taught Lane quite a bit about wrestling, died in a fiery car crash. No matter what life threw at Lane, he toughs it out.
     
    Perhaps he gets his fighting spirit from his grandfather. Roy has been a major part of Sullivan wrestling for over 30 years. He’s watched his daughter struggle with drug addiction. He lost his son in that tragic car accident. He’s experienced heartache and he remained the rock Lane needed in his life. Lane could always stay the night at Roy’s house. He could always get the right words from his grandpa. And, on the wrestling mat, he could look to Grandpa Roy for direction as well.
     
    “He’s my role model,” Lane said. “He’s nice to everyone. He’s a good coach. He’s all the things you can think of if you were to make the perfect person – that would be how I describe him.”
     
    But Lane’s toughness also comes from his mom.
     
    In a time when people frowned on girls wrestling against boys, she held her ground. In fact, she and Roy had to go to the Sullivan school board to even get approved to wrestle back in her high school days.
     
    Later, as has already been alluded to, Rachel battled a fierce drug addiction. But, for Lane’s sake – and for her sake, she fought through and emerged victorious. She is currently a Dean’s List student working to become a nurse.
     
    “I am so proud of her,” Roy said. “I’ve been a counselor. I’ve went into the jails and counselled drug addicts. I’ve seen them come in and out of addiction. The real truth is, only about one percent of drug addicts make it to where she is now. It’s so hard to overcome, but she’s done it. And she’s a great mom.”
     
    She is also very, very protective of Lane and worries almost to a fault about the decisions he makes in his own life.
     
    “After having made the decisions at a young age that I made, I saw first-hand what can happen and how quickly everything can just spiral out of control,” Rachel said. “One mistake and everything can be gone. I have that fear in the back of my mind that he’s of the age and he could make the wrong choices. I’m almost too hard on him, but I am terrified because I know what can happen and I keep my eye on him. I do trust him. He’s seen what can happen and how bad things can get.”
     
    Lane knows when his mom tells him to keep on the straight and narrow, it’s because she cares.
     
    “I have so much respect for my mom,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot from her.”
     
    One thing Lane has learned is to never doubt himself. This summer when he was a third alternate for the Pan-American games, he let doubt creep into his psyche. After the first two qualifiers couldn’t attend the games, Lane got the call to participate. But, going into the event, he felt like he really didn’t belong.
     
    Boy was he wrong. Lane went undefeated in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. News of his success quickly spread throughout the town of 6,500 people. When he arrived home, he was given a police escort through the streets.
     
    “Oh my gosh,” Rachel said. “The town put on this whole show when he returned. The police and emergency vehicles all met up on the north end of town. He had no idea it was going to happen. There were fans from all over our town and they all followed him to the high school. It was so cool. He was so surprised.”
     
    Currently Gilbert is 28-1 on the season and ranked No. 5 at 113 pounds. He has carried the confidence he developed during the Pan-American games over to the season. Now he knows he belongs. Now he knows that dream he played through his head so many times growing up isn’t just a dream – it’s an attainable goal.
     
    “I’ve been coaching at Sullivan for 13 years as head coach and I’ve been there 30 years as an assistant,” Monroe said. “I’ve never seen anything like him. I look at Lane, with his skills and what he’s been through, and I just know that adversity isn’t a problem anymore. He can do whatever he sets his mind to do.”
     
    As for Rachel, well, she says nowadays she’s just like any other wrestler’s mom.
     
    “I’m still up in the stands screaming my head off,” she said. “But when I’m shouting, at least I know which moves to shout. The other moms look at me and ask what they should be yelling.”
  9. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #MondayMatness: Portage heavyweight Dancy making up for lost mat time   
    By STEVE KRAH
    stvkrh905@gmail.com
     
    Some are introduced to wrestling as toddlers and go on to enjoy plenty of success. Others come to the mat for the first time as teenagers and shine in the circle.
     
    The second scenario describes Damari Dancy, a 17-year-old senior heavyweight at Portage High School.
     
    After winning the Portage Sectional title Feb. 1, Dancy goes to the Feb. 8 Hobart Regional at 27-2 in just his second full season as a wrestler.
     
    A basketball player as an eighth grader, Dancy went out for that sport his freshmen and sophomore years of high school (2016-17 and 2017-18) and was cut each time.
     
    The second cut ushered in his introduction to a new way of life.
     
    “I went across the hall to the wrestling room,” says Dancy. “They accepted me.”
     
    A few weeks later, he was competing in his first-ever wrestling event — the junior varsity Duneland Athletic Conference tournament — and suffering a season-ending broken wrist.
     
    “My mom didn’t want me to wrestle after that,” says Damari, the son of Rachel Hawkins and the fourth of eight children (five boys, three girls).
     
    But that was not the end of wrestling for Dancy. He spent that winter watching his friends compete and practice. He was there at Lake Central for the Harvest Classic taking in all the quality competition.
     
    “That’s when I fell in love with it,” says Dancy.
     
    When he was healed, Dancy began training. He went to the freestyle/Greco-Roman state tournament and went a combined 0-4. He told his coaches he was not going to stop and began working on wrestling year-round.
     
    As a Portage junior, Dancy took part in the Harvest Classic. There he faced Hobart junior Mark Mummey.
     
    “I took him down the first time,” says Dancy. “Then he took me straight to my back and pinned me.”
     
    Dancy used the moment to fuel the rest of his season. He placed third at the Portage Sectional and third at the Hobart Regional, using a double-leg takedown to best Mummey 4-2 in overtime in the consolation match. He then finished fourth at the East Chicago Semistate and qualified for the IHSAA State Finals at 220. He was 21-13 for the 2018-19 season after being pinned on Friday night by North Montgomery junior Drew Webster, who went on to place fifth.
     
    That experience taught Dancy something.
     
    “I can actually do it,” says Dancy. “I can actually compete with the good guys. It helped me build my confidence.”
     
    “I’m not just some random guy. Guys have to practice everyday to watch out for me.”
     
    Portage head coach Andrew Bradbury saw the change in Dancy.
     
    “He was starting to believe he’s pretty good and holding himself to a high standard,” says Bradbury. “His technique is improving in all areas. He’s pretty technical, especially in the neutral position.”
     
    At 6-foot-2, Dancy has been carrying about 245 while competing in the 285 division as a senior.
     
    “I wrestle like a little guy,” says Dancy. “I go for ankle picks a lot. I go for a low single (leg takedown) and drive through. Once I’ve got the ankle, I don’t feel endangered. I’m really comfortable in that position.”
     
    While many heavyweight matches are of the 1-0 and 2-1 variety and full of underhooks, that’s not Dancy’s preference.
     
    “I feel more comfortable in high-scoring matches,” says Dancy. “I like to get at least two takedowns in the first period. If not, two takedowns in the second period.”
     
    Bradbury looks at Dancy and does not see a normal heavyweight. For one thing, he is among the team leaders in takedowns.
     
    “He’s more than capable of wrestling in that heavyweight style by pummeling in,” says Bradbury. “But he mostly uses a technical, shot-oriented style of wrestling.”
     
    “It’s a lot easier for him to lower his level and get in his shots. He does a good job of picking and choosing his shots. He does get into clinches or ties.”
     
    “Some of his best wrestling comes off his motion.”
     
    Dancy won a Greco-Roman state title in the summer.
     
    “It was positioning for me,” says Dancy. “I was creating positions with arm drags. I didn’t throw anybody.”
     
    He placed third in both the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open and Preseason Nationals in Iowa and has used his quickness and agility to enjoy success in his last high school season. He has drawn some attention from college wrestling programs and has bumped up to heavyweight with that in mind.
     
    Damari lives with brother Dimonya Dancy and the two enjoy working on computers. Dancy would like to study computer since in college. Dancy has joined a program proud of its tradition and has become one of the team’s leaders, especially since so many talented wrestlers graduated after the 2018-19 season.
     
    “We needed somebody to step up,” says Bradbury, who tapped Dancy and Ty Haskins (who was a state qualifier at 120 in 2019 and a sectional champion at that weight in 2020) for the task. “We need them to help lead this team to where we need to be.”
     
    “We let Damari know we have high expectations and he needs to lead that. He took on the challenge.”
     
    “We lot of first-year varsity wrestlers at the beginning of the year. It was rough (Portage placed fourth in the Duneland Athletic Conference meet and it’s three dual losses came to powerhouses Crown Point, Chesterton and Merrillville). We feel like we can do some good things in the state series.”
     
    Leadership styles are not the same for Haskins and Dancy.
     
    “Ty, he’s the vocal guy,” says Dancy. “I try to do it by example. I’m not that vocal.”
     
    “Practices at the beginning of the year were so hard. They helped us build physical and mental strength. We know we can be good. We work everyday to get to that point.”
     
    Dancy often finds working out with sophomore Cory Hill (who placed third at sectional at 220) or assistant Montell Pace.
     
    “He goes all out and scrambles with low singles,” says Dancy of Pace. Assistants Kyle Keith and Mark Devyak tend to work more with the upper weights while Eric Keith and Jose Torres are with the smaller wrestlers.
     
    Pace is a Merrillville High School graduate. The rest of the staff went to Portage.
     
    Bradbury, a 1999 graduate, placed seventh in the state as a junior and was state runner-up as a senior — both at 119. He and 112-pounder Eric Keith were both members of the Indians’ state runners-up at the 1998 Team State Finals.
     
    “Tradition, it’s extremely important,” says Bradbury, who came back to Portage as an assistant in 2018-19 after serving as head wrestling coach at Seminole Ridge in Palm Beach County, Fla., a school built in 2006. “We’ve always expected to compete at a high level and be one of the best teams in the state.”
  10. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #MondayMatness: Harrison’s Poindexter makes wrestling his 'thing’ and excels at it   
    By STEVE KRAH
    stvkrh905@gmail.com
     
    A.J. Poindexter has experienced moments of motivation during his wrestling career.
     
    His first season at Harrison High School in West Lafayette ended with Poindexter — then a 138-pound sophomore – placing sixth at the 2018 Lafayette Jeff Sectional.
     
    After that, he really dedicated himself to the sport and qualified for the 2019 State Finals in the 138 bracket as a junior.
     
    A 1-0 loss to Mt. Vernon (Fortville) junior Chris Wilkerson (who wound up seventh) in the Friday night match ended his second prep campaign and fueled his desire to excel in his senior year and beyond.
     
    “I can’t let the big stage change the way I wrestle,” says Poindexter, referring to the lesson he learned last February at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. “I took a lot of shots. But I didn’t get to my finishes quickly.“
     
    “When you get on the bottom in the third period, you’ve got to get away. There’s no excuse for (not escaping).”
     
    A major point of emphasis in Poindexter’s training since then has been in the bottom position when the opponent puts in his legs.
     
    Poindexter was born in California, moved to Virginia around age 1 and then Connecticut. His father, Anthony Poindexter, was in the National Football League with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns and then became a coach, serving at the University of Virginia and University of Connecticut prior to becoming co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Purdue University.
     
    Anthony and Kimberly Poindexter have three children — Morocca, Anthony Jr. and Chloe.
     
    Morocca (20) is a 400/800 runner on the women’s track and field team at UConn.
     
    A.J., who turns 18 on Jan. 14, says eighth grader Chloe (13) placed seventh in the junior state cross country meet last fall and was second in the 800 and fourth in the 400 as a seventh grader in the junior high state track meet last spring.
     
    A.J. went out for wrestling as an eighth grader in Connecticut at the insistence of his coach for lacrosse, a sport he began playing in kindergarten. He grappled as a short 120-pounder as a freshmen then moved to Indiana when his father was hired at Purdue.
     
    By growing and hitting the weight room, Poindexter has added length and strength to his frame and is now a shade over 5-foot-9 — taller than many in his weight division, which is now 145.
     
    “I’m deceptively strong,” says Poindexter, who is a senior.
     
    The younger Poindexter played football as a Harrison sophomore then opted to focus on wrestling.
     
    “It’s kind of my thing,” says Poindexter of wrestling. “You can’t blame your teammates or the ref. It’s all on you.“
     
    “If you want to be good, you have to put int he work.”
     
    Third-year Harrison head coach Johnny Henry says that what makes Poindexter special is his dedication and his athleticism.
     
    “Practice room through competition, he’s put in hard work,” says Henry of Poindexter. “He is fully-committed. He has speed. He is just very quick on his feet.“
     
    “His technique has improved so much over the last two years.”
     
    Poindexter says Harrison coaches have told him to use his quickness and athleticism to his advantage.
     
    “Wrestle like an athlete instead of robotic,” says Poindexter of the advice. While he considers his double-leg takedown to be his “bread and butter” move, Poindexter has been working to make his offense more diverse.“
     
    “I watch tons of wrestling on YouTube and TV,” says Poindexter. “I’m trying to pick moves. Wrestling freestyle and Greco-Roman in the spring has added more upper body (moves) in my arsenal.”
     
    To get different looks against different body types, Poindexter works out with various teammates in the Harrison practice room. Some of his steady drill partners are Tristen Hood (152), Matthew Baylay (138) and Sam Hein (120).
     
    Poindexter has honed his skills by attending camps, clinics and tournaments and attending workouts led by Henry at Harrison as well as Chad Red of the Red Cobra Wrestling Academy in Indianapolis.
     
    “He really cares about his guys,” says Poindexter of Red.
     
    Poindexter is also thankful to the knowledge and encouragement provided by former Harrison assistant (and ex-Purdue University head coach) Scott Hinkel.
     
    “How bad do you want to be good at this?,” says Poindexter, echoing the question Hinkel asked him.
     
    Poindexter has committed to continue his wrestling and academic careers at George Mason University, an NCAA Division I program in Fairfax County, Va.
     
    By going 5-2 at the Virginia Beach Junior Nationals, Poindexter caught the attention of Patriots coaches. He was invited for a campus visit and later committed.
     
    George Mason assistant Camden Eppert wrestled for Hinkel at Purdue.
     
    “It’s the place for me in terms of culture and coaches,” says Poindexter. “I want to try to be a D-I All-American.”
     
    Poindexter enjoyed taking Journalism at Harrison last year and his current favorite class is Intro to Communications, where he has learned video editing and recently posted a commercial parody of the Nike “Dream Crazy” ad using Raiders wrestlers. It can be viewed on his Twitter page at @AJ_Poindexter.
     
    With the help of Poindexter (28-0), Harrison is 21-2 in dual meets and won the 32-team Spartan Classic at Connersville.
     
    Prior to the IHSAA tournament series (Lafayette Jeff Sectional Feb. 1, Logansport Regional Feb. 8, East Chicago Semistate Feb. 15 and State Finals Feb. 21-22), the Raiders’ Varsity “A” team has a dual meet at Tipton Jan. 15, a home dual against Rensselaer Central Jan. 23 and North Central Conference meet at Richmond Jan. 25.
     
    Henry promotes closeness with his Raiders and Poindexter embraces that model.
     
    “A.J.’s very enthusiastic,” says Henry. “He can pump up the team. Practice is very team-oriented. We stick together as a family. It helps us stay mentally tough and focused as a team.“
     
    “We build each other up when one person’s down. There’s times when the season feels long.”
     
    To break up the monotony, the team sometimes plays games — like ultimate frisbee with a football.
     
    “It gives our minds a break,” says Henry. “It’s a workout but they have fun with it. It’s team bonding for them.”
     
    Henry was a Harrison for four seasons before becoming head coach. Before that, the former University of Indianapolis wrestler spent one year as an assistant at his alma mater — Benton Central. He is a full-time trainer at Miracles Fitness in West Lafayette.
     
    The Raiders have about 50 athletes in the program and 13 coaches — Henry plus assistants Bill Bailey, John Campagna, Kevin Elliott, Donnie Fahler, Aaron Hawkins, Michael Kern, Dustin Kult, Chris Maxwell, Jonathan Mongold, Walt Prochno, Aaron Quakenbush and Dennis Synesael.
  11. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #WrestlingWednesday: The Floyds Knobs three amigos   
    By JEREMY HINES
    Thehines7@gmail.com
     
    In a town that literally gets its name for being tough and rugged, the Three Amigos personify what Floyds Knobs is all about.
     
    Floyd Central High School, located in Floyds Knobs, is the home of wrestlers Gavinn Alstott, J. Conway and Jonathan Kervin. The trio is known around town as the Three Amigos, primarily for their success on the wrestling mat. They are tough wrestlers that like to grind out wins and be physical. One wouldn’t expect anything less from a Floyds Knobs resident.
     
    Floyds Knobs is named after the Knobstone Escarpment located there (and Colonel Davis Floyd). The Knobstone is the most rugged terrain in Indiana. It has steep hills which are commonly referred to as knobs.
     
    As for the Three Amigos – all three qualified for state last season. Alstott finished fourth and Kervin sixth. This year, all three are ranked in the top 10 in their weight classes.
     
    “The Three Amigos is a term we coined last year and started calling them that,” Floyd Central coach Brandon Sisson said. “I don’t think they mind it. They all three work together and have pushed each other to get better.”
     
    Kervin is the only senior in the trio. He is currently ranked No. 2 at 152 pounds. Last season Kervin finished with a 39-4 record. He won sectional and regional and eventually finished sixth at state in the 145-pound class.
     
    “Jonathan is a really tough wrestler,” Sisson said. “He wrestles hard for all six minutes. He works really closely with is uncle, former two-time state champion Cooper Samuels. Those two have worked together for the past five years and it has really benefited Jonathan.”
     
    Kervin’s goal this season is to win a state title.
     
    “My style is sort of dynamic,” Kervin said. “I like to be a little deranged. I use my length. Last year I felt like I wrestled poorly at state. I didn’t do my normal workout to get ready. I want to get back and show what I can really do.”
     
    Alstott, a junior, finished 42-4 last season. He was a sectional and regional champ and ended up third in the Evansville semistate and would later place fourth at state.
     
    “Gavinn is a grinder,” Sisson said. “He gets out there, gets in your face and pushes the pace non-stop. He’s very business-like on the mat and in the practice room. I’m not ever going to have to see if he’s just messing around. When it’s time to work, it’s time to work. No matter what he does, he puts his head down and goes to work.”
     
    Alstott’s uncle, Craig Alstott, was Floyd Central’s first ever four-time state qualifier. Craig never placed at the state meet, however.
     
    “I think Gavinn got the monkey off his back a little by placing last year,” Sisson said. “But he has his sights set significantly higher this year.”
    Off the mat, Gavinn is an excellent student and has been a team leader since his freshman season.
     
    “He’s a really good kid,” Sisson said. “He gets good grades and is good to the other kids. Even as a freshman I thought of him as a team leader. He’s just a phenomenal kid.”
     
    Conway is the quietest in the group. He had a not-so-quiet season last year, however. Conway went 23-4 on the year and claimed a sectional and a regional title. He finished runner-up in semistate but lost on Friday night at the state tournament.
     
    “He’s a really, really quiet kid,” Sisson said. “I don’t think I heard him say anything at all his freshman year. Now as a sophomore he’s coming out of his shell a little bit. On the mat he’s more open. He is already at 130 takedowns in just 18 matches this season. He’s full throttle. You let him go, and he goes.”
     
    Sisson is pleased with his team this season and hopes the Three Amigos will help lead them to great things.
     
    “There are years where you have a lot of talent, but also a lot of drama,” Sisson said. “Then there are years where you don’t have any drama, but you don’t really have any talent either. This year, I really feel like we have a lot of talent and no drama. I’m lucky this year.”
  12. Like
    navy80 reacted to Y2CJ41 for a article, #MondayMatness: Mishawaka’s LaPlace, Walker keep on making each other better wrestlers   
    By STEVE KRAH
    stvkrh905@gmail.com
     
    A friendship formed at a junior high football practice has led to a pair of successful high school wrestlers.
     
    Jacob LaPlace met Joseph Walker when both were gridders at Mishawaka’s John Young Middle School.
     
    LaPlace, who had been wrestling since age 4, saw mat potential in Walker.
     
    “You’re really athletic, you’ve got to come out for wrestling,” says LaPlace of his invitation to Walker, who was already around 160 pounds. “Since then, we’ve been training together.”
     
    Now in their fourth season as Mishawaka High School teammates, Walker is competing at 182 and LaPlace at 195. LaPlace is 16-0 so far in 2019-20 and 125-22 for his career. Walker is 6-0 and 75-25.
     
    LaPlace placed fourth at the IHSAA State Finals at 138 on 2017 and was a state qualifier at both 145 in 2018 and 182 in 2019.
     
    After being a state qualifier at 152 in 2018, Walker placed sixth at State at 170 in 2019.
     
    Going against Walker everyday in the practice room makes LaPlace better.
     
    Third-year Mishawaka head coach Steve Sandefer has watched iron sharpen iron with LaPlace and Walker.
     
    “They’ve drilled and wrestled live with each other their entire high school careers,” says Sandefer. “The other person is the reason they are as good as they are now.”
     
    “They wouldn’t be where they’re at without each other.”
     
    LaPlace agrees with that sentiment.
     
    “He gives me quick and agile,” says LaPlace of Walker. “He’s got a real explosive double (leg takedown). His strength and defense is really good and that helps my offense.”
     
    “I help him because I’m bigger than him.”
     
    Walker credits LaPlace with getting him started in the sport and is grateful to his first head coach and his current one.
     
    “Jacob’s always been my partner since seventh grade,” says Walker. “I have the speed so I give him different looks. He keeps good position and gives me looks.”
     
    “Adam Sandefur was my first coach and he’s always been on me, directing me. Steve (Sandefer) has also pushed me to become greater.”
     
    Walker, a University of Michigan commit, credits his faith for his success.
     
    “God’s my source of energy and power,” says Walker. Sandefer uses adjectives like hard-nosed, hard-working and super-athletic to describe Walker. He knows that he is also meticulous in his approach to wrestling and its technique, position and adjustments.
     
    “He really takes the time to learn the finer details of wrestling,” says Sandefer of Walker. “He is very detail-oriented. That’s going to benefit him not just on the mat but off the mat.”
     
    Says Walker, “I want to make sure everything is done right so I don’t do a wrongful move and don’t drill it wrong. I want to make sure it’s precise.”
     
    While he has the physical tools, Walker is also a technician.
     
    “Athleticism does help a lot, but I’m making sure my technique is down,” says Walker. “That’s a big factor.”
     
    “With the bigger guys, strength is going to help a lot. But technique is the main source. I have to make sure my technique’s sharp.”
     
    Most days, there’s a Hall of Famer in the room.
     
    “Having Al Smith in there is a big help,” says Walker. “That’s another set of eyes watching us to make sure we’re making moves correctly.”
     
    Walker says he likes to keep his bucket of moves open.
     
    “If one thing doesn’t work, I can hit another thing,” says Walker.
     
    “But all those moves, I have to make sure I sharpen them in the practice room each and every day.”
     
    “A lot of wrestlers have one good move and it’s very hard for people to stop. That’s their move. It’s what they drill. It’s what they do. It’s their bread and butter.”
     
    Walker chose Michigan for college because of the academic and athletic connections.
     
    He plans to study anesthesiology while grappling for the Wolverines.
     
    “(Anesthesiology) fascinates me,” says Walker. “You have to make sure you have the right dosage and all the math behind it and the science. Grades and school comes first. School is very heavy in my life.”
     
    “The wrestling is very heavy in freestyle. They’re going past folkstyle. There’s a lot of international wrestling. That’s what I want to do.”
     
    “I want excel in the sport and be the best I can be.”
     
    Joseph is the son of William and Rhonda Walker has eight siblings, including Salome Walker (on the women’s wrestling team at McKendree University) and Queen Walker (on the women’s track and field team at Bethel University).
     
    LaPlace, the son of Lester and Rae and younger brother of Mariah and an Indiana Tech commit who plans to study business administration, explains his mat style.
     
    “I rely on my defense a lot,” says LaPlace. “I only have a few offensive shots, but I’m really confident in those shots.”
     
    “I’ve always been a defensive-type wrestler. Most of my offense comes outside of a tie.”
     
    LaPlace says he was more offensive as a freshman and sophomore when he competed at 138 and 145.
     
    “Moving up, I figured out that you’ve got to slow down,” says LaPlace.
     
    “You’ve got to wear out the bigger guys before you can start to get on your offense.”
     
    As he grew and got older, LaPlace decided not to cut as much weight.
     
    “I wanted to wrestle what I weigh (as a junior),” says LaPlace. “The same thing this year. I’m walking around at about 188.”
     
    “I feel comfortable wrestling 195 at about 188 or 189. I might not look it, but I’m pretty strong in wrestling positions. I’m confident in my strength.”
     
    Sandefer, who won state titles for Mishawaka at 140 in 2008 and 2009, has become a believer in wrestling at a comfortable weight rather than cutting all the time.
     
    “That’s a mistake a lot of kids make,” says Sandefer. “They come into the wrestling room and think about how much weight do I have to lose rather than getting better”
     
    “We’ve gotten away from pushing kids to cut too much weight.”
     
    Sandefer looks at LaPlace and sees wider shoulders and thicker legs.
     
    “That’s exactly what he needed — not just for our season but going forward in life,” says Sandefer. “It’s really given him an opportunity to focus more on his wrestling more than cutting weight.”
     
    LaPlace, Walker and the rest of the Cavemen are gearing up for the 32-team Al Smith Classic, which is Friday and Saturday, Dec. 27-28.
     
    “The Al Smith is a real eye opener and we train really hard for it,” says LaPlace. “We’re excited for it. We’re going to have a really good run this year as a team.”
     
    Many coaches over the years have described the Mishawaka event as a “meat grinder.”
     
    “That’s exactly what it is,” says LaPlace. “It shows you just what State’s like. You’ve got to make weight two days in a row. There’s really tough competition.
     
    “It’s a tough tournament. It’s fun.”
     
    Mishawaka is coming off of the Henry Wilk Classic at Penn Dec. 21.
     
    After the Al Smith Classic, the Cavemen will take part in the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Class 3A State Duals in Fort Wayne Jan. 4.
     
    Other meets on the horizon are the Northern Indiana Conference Championships at Mishawaka Jan. 18, Mishawaka Sectional Feb. 1, Penn Regional Feb. 8, East Chicago Semistate Feb. 15 and IHSAA State Finals in Indianapolis Feb. 21-22.
     
    It will take mental toughness for the Cavemen to get through the season and Sandefer emphasizes that on a daily basis.
     
    “Today in our society there’s a lot of people who find excuses for their failures and easy ways out with no responsibility or accountability,” says Sandefer. “Be responsible for yourself. If you’re losing matches what are you not doing in the wrestling room? Are you playing around too much? Hold yourself accountable.”
     
    “(It’s about) being mentally tough to push through these tough times. If we’re in a tough practice, everybody else is going through it. It’s not just you. Lift your teammates up. It’s much easier to get through it together.”
     
    As a wrestler, Sandefer put in plenty of time away from practice, putting in miles on the treadmill and stationary bike. That extra work had a carry-over effect.
     
    “It makes it that much tougher to give up,” says Sandefer. “When you’re putting in that kind of quality time and work in the wrestling room, when you step on the mat, you say, ‘I did not put in all this time and all this effort to come out here and lose or just give up in the middle of a match.’”
     
    Sandefer has watched Mishawaka numbers grow from less than 30 to about 45 in his three seasons in charge. The Mishawaka Wrestling Club has more than 60 members.
     
    “We have all the right people in the right places,” says Sandefer. “I couldn’t be doing this without my club coaches, assistant coaches, my family and the group of parents we have who are supportive of Mishawaka wrestling.
     
    “They help us get a lot accomplished. They get everybody pumped up and fired up.”
     
    That includes Jacob LaPlace and Joseph Walker.
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