aoberlin

Don't be rude. It is not like we are the worst every year. It has just been a while since we were at the top. Since your comment seems like you're a kid let me enlighten you. There are always ups and downs with who are the powerhouses and what areas are producing the top kids. So to run your mouth about Penn and Mishawaka get 12-14 kids to state every year is ridiculous.

Well the "ty" and "ky" in your name makes sense now.

Because I am biased. Here is 138. Currently ranked # 3 Novice - 75 5th Tommy Cash Currently ranked # 4 Novice - 75 8th Kyler Fleener (I am assuming this is Tyler Fleener) Currently ranked # 5 Novice - 70 2nd Zach Krumlauf (Behind Kentucky native Nathan Boston) Currnetly ranked # 1 Midget - 60 1st Drew Hughes Just goes to show how much youth wrestling is where it is at.

While I would welcome Penn to be a part of our Semi-State I am hoping that the Northeast will rise again without having to add an external powerhouse. Here are my thoughts Fort Wayne Semi-State took a hit when the SAC was no longer able to produce. There used to be at least a couple State Champs out of that Conference every year. If not a few contenders. There are many reasons for this that I will not get into. I will just say this. I do not place the blame on coaching. Side note With Homestead and hopefully Carroll moving into that conference hopefully it will help strengthen it over time. Here are my hopes Within the last 5 years a few things have happened in this area that I feel have the potential to help bring us back. Back in my day Manchester had a major role in are area as far as recruiting, camps, and coaches coming from there. It doesn't seem like Manchester has been producing like it used to. My coach was a Manchester wrestler and I went to camp there. So much of what I coach is directly related to that college and coach Jarman in one way or another. I also personally know a ton of coaches that wrestled there. In my opinion the landscape is changing quickly. With Indiana Tech, Trine, and Wabash all starting to focus in on the Northeast Indiana wrestling I believe this will help more local wrestlers continue to wrestle in college and those wrestlers going back to their area and bringing their experience there. (I mention Wabash because Coach Erwin is from Norwell and has a bias for our area. 8) ) Also I know Indiana Tech is doing a great job with some off season training for the local wrestlers. Wabash is also offering some camps. Combine that with more RTCs and no school affiliated Wrestling Clubs (IE Blackbelt Wrestling) opening up in the Fort Wayne area and I think we have a good formula brewing. If you can't tell I am a cup half full kind of guy. Good luck to everyone this weekend.

Fair enough. Good luck this weekend.

Mr. Lovejoy, As I remember the match. (I remember it well) Frane was up by 2 with 30 to 40 seconds left and your kid being the tough aggressive wrestler he is did not lay off the gas and Frane did. Frane then got caught in a headlock and was pinned. Frane never came off his back so there was no 2 awarded. If there was your son would have won 7 to 3. But it was not tied at the time.

That's funny because I thought that match sucked.

What about the fact that not all semi-states are created equal. Would it not be easier for a small school team to do well in the FW semi-state compared to Merrillville? Do you think we will have a small school bias in Northeast Indiana?

Memorable enough for you to spell his name right. :P

I can't say matches I coached. I am biased and I think they were all great. Even yours and we know that isn't true.

I am with Dwilly on the Ester match. It heard that Wilson had the flu that week. Ester held him down for the win. Wilson was never to been seen again. There are rumors that he still roams Fort Wayne only to be seen on Semi-State weekend with a hoody over his head jogging to cut weight.

I get asked all the time why I think Bellmont is successful every year. And here is my opinion. It is for 4 reasons. 1. Great coaching from top to bottom. (Consistent in what they coach) 2. The school has pride in the program. 3. Tradition 4. Their attitude of expecting to win or at least compete no matter what level of competition they go against. (Strength of schedule matters) Number 2 and 3 go together to result in kids not dropping out of the program because they didn't make varsity or they may not be doing as good as they hoped. This results with really good wrestlers in JV. It happens all the time that a wrestler was JV last year and a State Qualifier this year. This system does not account for that and can't. I realize it is supposedly the best we can do. But in all honesty if we can't somehow account for this it is truly not going to work. Sorry but I believe this somehow needs to moved to the end of the season and go off the last of the rankings in order for it to truly be representative. Otherwise you are just slapping great programs in the face and it will turn on you sooner or later. This is just a short guys opinion.

Sorry, but if Bellmont isn't in next year the system has some major major problems.

That is your fault for not getting 11 through.

Okay that made me laugh. LOL

Blind draw. If my statistics are right. (Not my best class) There is about a 33.3% chance they will be on the same side. There has been many a state finals in the semi-finals.

Go figure on the Knapp vs Sawyer match. It usually works that way. Hmmm... What is the worst possible draw that could happen in this semi-state. Oh look it happened. Good luck to both wrestlers. I am very biased so I will be rooting for the Knappster. By the way if you didn't get a chance to see it the Knapp vs. Forrest match was pretty impressive.

Sorry. I have a major bias at 138 and I have witnessed Krumlauf beat some of the best including Cash. So I will throw him in the mix.

Keep giving the kid fuel.

Looks like Carroll needs to get more than Bellmont on their schedule to prove just how good they are. Since they will be leaving the NHC that will give them some openings .

If they were updated then how would we ever know how bad our Semi-state rankings are?

I added wrestle backs to the topic since this is what it has turned into. I will wait to chime in when the semi-state draws screw some kids.

Are you talking about the Wilms' match? I think it was just a mistake in the heat of the moment.

Thanks. I remember it was a Portage wreslter. They had an extremely good run in the early 2000's and were in your face physical wrestlers.

Did Elkins win state with a funky pin in the finals. I can't remember what it exactly was but I believe he was working on a reversal and stuck the kid in an awkward situation. If I am remembering right I do believe he was winning at the time and was expected to win state. He was tough.