mikev

Although the tournament was for the most part well ran, the awards were less than adequate. A small plaque for 1st, a decent medal for second, a quarter sized medal for 3rd and ribbons thru 6th place. Come on, these kids wrestled their asses off. The awards should have been the same as high school state. A nice sized medal for 1st thru 8th and an awards presentation. This tournament took in alot of money and they could have easily afforded awards worthy of these kids efforts. And one other item, as the day/night wore on, they shut down the 2nd room and then pulled up half the remaining mats which just drug on the ending forcing alot of us to drive home till well after midnight. Why not leave the mats and wrap things up way earlier so we could all get home on a Sunday night? Not very well thought out on these items. These are the type of things that make parents shy away from tournaments. People want to get in and out in a resonable amount of time (like at MYWAY tournaments). We were at this one for over 14 hours!

WZBD radios Rex Brewer and (my young golf coach) A.J. Kalver ( great job gentlemen) was wondering why Jay County had both the Individual Sectional and Regional. I believe the first Regional after re-alignment was wrestled at Delta. Spectaters had their vision impaired by the railing at Delta and the IHSAA moved Regional to Jay County over Bellmont and AC to centralize the location. I for one like the Jay County Sec/Reg but in Adams County the AC Sectional was rated one of the tops in the State followed by the Snider Regional where Snider with Mike Ester at the helm was and still was one of the best rivalies, 2nd to AC/Bellmont.

 

        Jeff Sheets 

Is this the rex brewer that went to i beleive bellmont high school and southwestern michigan college as a a wrestler?

Elkhart Memorial will have a great team race with Fairfield, Goshen, Jimtown and Elkhart Memorial.

without a doubt, this one is up in the air between memorial, jimtown and fairfield......goshen might be close but i think they'll bow out early......it's gonna come down to some number 2 and 3 seeds possibly pulling some upsets and the lower seeded guys stepping it up......every point is going to count in this one.....if this seasons past is any gage, i would say jimtown is the favorite.....they finished one spot ahead of memorial at the charger invite and beat fairfield by the slimest of margins at their dual......regardless it will come down to the final round......

guesIs wearing sweatpants while coaching doesnt sound or look that bad anymore!!!!!!!!

HAHAHA!......well put......this is my last post on this subject as i feel it's been beaten into the ground enough now....besides the fact that sectionals start in 2 days and we should turn our attention there.......in reading thru all of this i see people saying that we shouldn't be putting down this kid or his family for what they did.......i don't think anyone is really trying to do that......the questionable decisions are more pointed to the yorktown coach who is allowing this to happen to one of his wrestlers - being pushed aside at the 11th hour by someone (who appearently is a better wrestler) that has just now joined the team, all in what appears to be a move geared towards getting his team to the big show.....as i've said before, not something i would do and i feel a coach should have more loyalty than that......i'm sure all the other kids see that too and are just glad a better kid than they are didn't show up because they would haave been out also......and lastly, i don't think the "mom" was who really wrote in....but it was a good try anyway........

Well, I am doing what I thought I would never do. Posting on a chat board. I am an Indianamat junky. I read it every day and find it very informative and, in situations like this, very frustrating. I have watched this topic with great interest because I am very close friends with the Vanhorn's and very involved in the Franklin wrestling program. I love the Vanhorn's and I love Franklin wrestling. I thought I might offer a perspective from someone who knows the facts as well as anyone outside of the family. I don't claim to know everything and I also don't claim to agree with all of the decisions made by the Vanhorn's. Chuck and I have discussed this and he knows how I feel BUT they are my friends and always will be. What I would like to let all of you who hide behind screen names and take shots is that you are picking on very nice people who, right or wrong, made what they think is the best decision for their family and their son. Wrestling is a very small part of the equation ACCEPT for the fact that they are a wrestling family (and have done more for wrestling in this state than most) and wanted Cole to be able to finish his senior year of wrestling. Some facts, so that no one needs to spend more time talking about "word on the street" or any of the other idiotic assumptions that are being made:

 

Cole screwed up this summer. His parents know this, aren't claiming anything different and have dealt with it in the private manner that any of us would when dealing with a childs behavior issue

 

The relationship between the Vanhorn's and the administration at the school is broken. Some think it is the fault of the school, some think it is the fault of the Van Horns, at the end of the day it doesn't matter. Acomplete lack of trust exists and again, that is between the two parties involved.

The Vanhorn's love franklin wrestling more than anyone. Is Coach Hasseman happy to lose a state ranked senior who he had coached for his whole life? Of course not , but again, that is between  he and the Vanhorn's and Bob knows that this has nothing to with him or the wrestling program.

 

The suspension that Franklin gave to Cole was honored by Yorktown. In the drama that ensued after the original and secondary suspension, a review board chose to reduce the original punishment and the athletic director, understanding that the issue was far bigger than athletics, opted to release him from Franklin.

 

The situation with Keith Knura and Cole was completely separate from the situation with Dusty Kief. Dusty's dad simply got a job out of state and Dusty chose to go ahead and move and finish his season there. He had a choice and made it.

 

These are all facts. In the end, the Vanhorn's, who love their son like any of us do, decided to make the move. I am sure they spent many sleepless nights thinking about it and unless they are different than me, they probably haven't made a decision yet that they are 100% sure was the right one. They have been very negatively affected by all of this (which they will readily admit started when Cole screwed up).

 

My issue is this, it is easy to come on here and hide behind a screen name and criticize anyone that you want. I can promise you that the Vanhorn's didn't, in a million years, think that they would be at Yorktown right now. This is not the perfect scenario that they, like all of us who are parents, had hoped for. It is easy to think that you could have done better but until you have walked in the shoes, don't even pretend that you know. And as long as we are all spreading our wisdom, I have told my kids that they shouldn't ever say anything that they aren't willing to take ownership of. For those of you who like to take anonymous shots at peple, you may want to think about it.

 

As for the venom that is being directed at Yorktown, I am guessing that most of you are involved with a team that may have to face them and if that is the case, I wouldn't be happy about it either. The bottom line is that the rules have been followed. You heard from the mom of the kid who was knocked out of the line-up (if you believe that it was her and I do) and that doesn't seem to be an issue. Do I like that it is ok to do this? No, actually I don't, but the IHSAA is ok with it and I think in the past they have always been on the side of being overly sensitive about these situations. Wow, I was way too wordy......Sorry!

With all of that said, I guess this really comes down to the Yorktown coach making a decision to push aside the kid that had wrestled for him all year to make room for someone else who was a better wrestler and added more to his teams chances. I think that was part of the original posters b!tch about what was going on. So is this what happened? If I were the parent of that kid I surely wouldn't be happy about it, unlike the supposed mother who added to this post. Where is the loyalty of the coach to his athletes? I guess I could understand it better if it were another kid from the team who had been there all year and finally won his challenge match, but to bring someone else in at the last minute, not to cool in my opinion.

wow.....alot of allegations here......why isn't the yorktown coach weighing in on this and explaining his actions so everyones knows what's what?......and i hope he doesn't just come on and say it's nobody's business......because if in fact nothing was done wrong, he should want to set the record straight in my opinion.....

I think you're half right and half wrong. From an individual standpoint, I agree. Coaches shouldn't move a kid out just because they know the other kid is a stud and he's probably going to put a whuppin' on your kid. Part of getting better sometimes involves losing  - and learning from that loss. But from a team standpoint, it's a crucial part of winning sometimes. Moving 1 or 2 kids can many times make the difference between winning and losing a match, as a team.

Anyone who watches this please turn in your man card immediately, thank you.

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hahaha......that's for sure.......

awesome job of seeding......many 1 versus 2 matchups on the finals......and regardless of what anyone says.....the best guy won in the end......great tournament as always!

great tournament and kudos to the seeding guys......alot of 1 versus 2 championships.....definitely a few upsets along the way but that always happens......

ouch......bellmont gets beat at the buzzer.......great job penn and bellmont.......

like it was said earlier, the main goal is to get the number 1 and number 2 at different ends of the bracket.....i feel a good job was done doing that.....as good as you can do with the circumstances as they are........in some cases, who is 1...and 2...and 3...and so on?.....it's a coin toss in alot of the weight classes....... no different that in any other tournament at any other time of the year.......opinions are just that.....and for this case, that is the way it has to be done.....bottom line is the best guy will be champion because he beat everyone in his path......the others all lost at some point so they don't deserve to be the champ for that day.......everyone else is wrestling for a place in the top 8......and if you don't make it - regardless of the seeding, then you need to work harder and get better.......i think enough has been bitc**d about so lets let the boys all get down to business and see who can get the job done......good luck to everyone.......

it's wednesday the 29th and thursday the 30th......

Codey Flickinger @ 103 from Elkhart Memorial......4-0 with 4 pins.....

I need to clarify......Codey was not picked as the outstanding wrestler for the day.....I was just putting my 2 cents in as to who I thought had a great day and was deserving of it.....probably should have worded that a little different......he did have a great day and spent very little time on the mat......

Codey Flickinger @ 103 from Elkhart Memorial......4-0 with 4 pins.....

to bad penn and jimtown aren't going head to head.....there would be some good matchups......

Zen,

 

Self-Serving??? We have won individual state the last 4 out of 5 years.  If it was the old format we would have 4 state titles...with team state we only have two.  I have talked to guys on the 1991 Mishawaka Team that won state - Mike Lehman and Corey Sinkovics, etc...Corey told me it was cool for the team to win it, but he did not feel like he was a part of it since he was in the stands.

 

Those of you that have never experienced Team State have no idea what you are missing.  That is why we have to fight to get it classed...

 

I am not saying past teams didn't care about the team, but I will tell you I wrestled at Mishawaka before team state....and I talk to past wrestlers and coaches all the time - including Coach Smith and Coach Beehler...both absolutely say Team State has made our wrestlling program more of a team sport.

 

Get it classed and so many more schools can expereince this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have any idea how much easier my job would be if we lost team state? The goal at Mishawaka is to win state championships...If it is based off of individual state, all that determines the state champions are my 5 best kids versus everyone elses 5 best kids...My best few kids are already motivated...makes my job easier, but terrible for our sport...

 

Snyder

 

well said......we need it to be a classed system for the team part.......

nothing against iswa at all, but the hyway and myway (michigan) are the smoothest and best run tournaments i have ever been to......the mat side pairings keep things moving, you wrestle on the same mat all day, and with the bout numbers being posted at the mat, you always know when you're up.......no listening to pa systems which half the time you can't hear anyway.......i'm not sure why more people putting on tournaments don't go this route......

Penn wins with about 400 points, Jimtown 2nd with about 350 and Memorial 3rd with about 320........

Is there going to be a DJ and spotlights again this year?  Who is the lucky guest referee?

 

The 4 & 8 year olds have their Christmas music program that night!  The principal at the school won't return my calls or emails.  I am pleading my case to their mother.  If we come late we will be stuck standing on top behind the batting practice nets  :-\

 

 

there should be with all the hype this dual gets......and honestly both teams deserve it......two awesome programs......my pick?.....penn wins by less than 4 points.....gonna come down to the last match i hope......can you imagine being those 2 kids if it's tied with one to go......the cave is gonna be rockin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cam Matteson is at 152 for Elkhart Memorial

Dantrell Goodman is at 145 for Elkhart Memorial

Both are undefeated at this point.

Good point, bflatt, south bend schools are at a disadvantage when it comes to sports like wrestling. I would guess the only possible way to have a kids program would be to have a joint program with all the schools, but that would be really interesting with coaches trying to persuade the students to go to a certain hs later on.

a joint program for sure is the way to go......harpers penn program isn't just for penn kids......they come from all over......and they are welcomed in no matter where they are from......it isn't about just training the penn kids......it's about promoting the sport to everyone......they do it well and that is in part why they are so successful.......pin2win1, my hat goes off to the mishawaka program also.....they do it right there too and like you said, with half as many kids........

ya know....you can get in alot of trouble posting a teams lineup on here......that is top secret classified information!......lol.....

Ask Brad Harper at Penn how to avoid this. I beleive he will say start a kids program, run it with enthusiasm, staff it with good coaches and parents who work hard to keep kids interested, and most of all, be a class act. Parents and kids will flock to you because they enjoy it and have fun. These kids will then turn into high schoolers who still want to be a part of what he has made a local dynasty. I truly feel that about any school can get to a similar point if you have a coach who not only cares about his high school team, but also the young kids. Not everyone has the amount of kids Harper does for sure, but I can assure every school has kids who could wrestle that aren't. Alot of them because they didn't get exposed to it till 7th grade, and in some cases, 9th grade. Gotta start them young and keep them interested. Not saying that it's an easy thing to do, but it is doable if you recruit people to help out.

It is not about the hand shake. It is about a kid walking over to a coach to shake hands or bump knuckles and the coach doesn't acknowledge the kid. He may even hide from the kid. If a team doesn't want to shake, then the coach should Man-Up and tell the opposing coach to let his team know that there will be no hand shaking. All other fighting sports have a shake or hug after their match. Simply put it is about Respect.

What a true statement this is. I've seen it so many times where coaches turn their back. One did it to my son just the other night and my son lost to this coaches kid! But the coach felt his wrestler should have pinned my son so when he didn't he was pissed. My son stood right behing this coach and waited for him to turn around and then put his hand out only to get a limp wristed hand slap. Who is the "adult" here? All coaches should be available to shake a kids hand if the kid comes over to do so. Remember, they are not only coaching wrestling, but also teaching life skills and sportsmanship.