http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/local_story/12-Grizzly-Cubs-win-individual_1387769549/#.UriAEiihDFJ
12 Grizzly Cubs win individual crowns en route to wrestling title
In perhaps its most dominate performance to date, the third-ranked Franklin Community wrestling team crowned a record 12 individual champions at Saturday’s Johnson County Tournament at Indian Creek High School.
So dominant were the Grizzly Cubs that they recorded two shutouts and lost only two of 56 matches on the day. Seven Cubs repeated as individual champs to go with the five newbies.
Franklin coach Bob Hasseman was even in awe of his team and wondered if this was the best he had ever seen.
“We did what we should have done, but this was something,” Hasseman said. “We have been wrestling at a high-intensity lately. We did it at the Calumet Tournament and here. The most we’ve ever won here was 10 championships, so this is a new high.”
Franklin blanked both Indian Creek (78-0) and Whiteland (80-0), demolished Greenwood, 72-3 and buried No. 16 Center Grove, 58-3.
The Cubs, who earlier this season won the prestigious Calumet Tournament in northern Indiana by recording 28 pins, kept up the falls with 25 on Saturday.
“To be honest we wanted to go after the pins,” Hasseman said. “And, hopefully, we can continue to do that throughout the season because we have some more tough matches and tournaments coming up.”
Cubs’ 220-pounder Connor Tolley won his second straight county title and with four pins and the fastest fall of the day was named at the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament, edging out teammates Jake Brownfield (195) and sophomore Quinn York (285) for the honor.
It was also Brownfield’s second county title, and both he and York also recorded four pins.
Tolley was happy with the honor, but even happier with how the Cubs are wrestling and the team’s camaraderie.
“I just took one match at a time and really wasn’t thinking about anything else,” Tolley said. “We really are wrestling well, and we’re starting to make some challenges at these tournaments. We’re getting better and my favorite part of this season is we are truly a team and really close. We cheer each other on.”
Joining Tolley, Brownfield and York as champions for the Cubs was three-time county champion and third-ranked senior D.J. Smith (113). Repeat winners for the Cubs included sophomore Shane Wilkerson (120), senior Skyler Lykins (138), junior Jake Stevenson (170) and senior Mike Petrole (182).
Debut winners for Franklin were freshman Trevor Reese at 106 pounds, senior Peyton Reese (126), senior John Gramse (132) and senior Matt Wyrick (160).
Preventing a Cubs’ sweep was Greenwood senior Bailey Schober, who won his first county title at 145, and Center Grove senior Matt Kelly, who had a last-second takedown to beat Franklin freshman Burk Van Horn, 3-1.
Shober, who is ranked fifth in the state at his weight, remained unbeaten at 17-0 and has been on a roll since his eighth-place finish last February at the State Meet.
“I’ve been doing a lot of off-season training with weights and wrestling workouts,” said Schober. “That means two to three times a day and it’s helping. I’ve been more aggressive, and as a team we’re all improving.”
Franklin improved to 11-0 and will be at the Evansville Mater Dei Tournament next week before returning for the team championship at Westfield, where defending team champion and current No. 1 ranked Perry Meridian will also be competing.
But for now, Hasseman and the Cubs will enjoy another county crown.
“I’m so happy for the kids as they worked hard for this,” Hasseman said. “It’s a good Christmas present.”
