2021 East Chicago Semi-State Preview

106

This weight is headlined by River Forest’s Jeffrey Bailey who a lot of people believe is the best guy at the weight in the state. In his path for a semi-state title he will have to beat a guy who gave him a close match earlier this year in Crown Point freshman Evan Cruz. Bailey beat Cruz in OT earlier this year. First Cruz must get past Liam Siburcrist, North White, who brings in the only undefeated record at this weight. Cruz has been tested this year and I see that being the difference as he punches his ticket here. In the finals he should have LaPorte’s Ashton Jackson who has looked good this postseason. I have Bailey winning this weight though as he makes a return trip to the Bank. Look for McCutcheon junior Jake Stall to make trio downtown as well.

2019 Champ:

Sam Goin-Crown Point

Ranked Wrestlers:

#5 Jeffrey Bailey-River Forest

#9 Ashton Jackson-LaPorte

#10 Johnny Cortez-Lake Central

#16 Evan Cruz-Crown Point

#20 Jake Stall-McCutcheon

Best First Round Match(es):

Liam Siburcrist, North White vs Lukas Tsirtsis, Munster

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Evan Cruz, Crown Point vs Tsirtsis/Siburcrist winner

Jeffrey Bailey, River Forest vs Johnny Cortez, Lake Central

Dylan Bennett, Penn vs Jake Stall, McCutcheon

Ashton Jackson, LaPorte vs E’Shawn Tolbert, Portage

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Jeffrey Bailey-River Forest

2. Ashton Jackson-LaPorte

3. Evan Cruz-Crown Point

4. Jake Stall-McCutcheon

113

This is a wide open weight that can be won by anyone who shows up to wrestle. Hobart’s Trevor Schammert brings in a perfect record and looks to pinch his ticket. Schammert has a tough freshman to get through in Chesterton’s Hayden DeMarco. DeMarco has been tested and has some solid wins this year. I look for Hayden to qualify a year sooner than his brother did. Anthony Bahl, Crown Point, is a guy who could either win this weight or not make It out, due to his style, but he is my pick to take this weight class. Two freshmen will battle it out in Munster’s Christopher Bohn and West Central’s Drake Fritz. I give the nod to Fritz here. The last guy making the trip will be another freshman in Penn’s Bryce Denton. Denton has a tossup match in the ticket but I’m going with the “better” program to pull it out.

2019 Champ:

Logan Frazier-Crown Point

Ranked Wrestlers:

#9 Anthony Bahl-Crown Point

#13 Trevor Schammert-Hobart

#18 Hayden DeMarco-Chesterton

Best First Round Match(es):

David Maldonado, Merrillville  vs Hunter Miller, Wawasee

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Trevor Schammert, Hobart vs Hayden DeMarco, Chesterton

Bryce Denton, Penn vs Mikkel Cunningham, North Newton

Anthony Bahl, Crown Point vs Miller/Maldonado winner

Christopher Bohn, Munster vs Drake Fritz, West Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Anthony Bahl-Crown Point

2. Hayden DeMarco-Chesterton

3. Christopher Bohn-Munster

4. Bryce Denton-Penn

120

Crown Point’s Logan Frazier and Chesterton’s Sergio Lemley should buzzsaw their way through this weight class to set up another matchup in the finals. Wrestling for the other two spots in this weight, freshman Elaezar Walker, Mishawaka, has looked good the second half of the season and is peaking at the right time. I don't see him having too much trouble punching his ticket. The best ticket round match in this weight will be between Wawasee junior Dylan Tom and Seeger senior Nate Hennessy. Looking just at the records you would lean for Hennessy, but Tom has wrestled better guys this year and I see that as the difference in this match.

2019 Champ:

Giovanni Diaz-Wheeler

Ranked Wrestlers:

#1 Sergio Lemley-Chesterton

#2 Logan Frazier-Crown Point

#17 Eleazar Walker-Mishawaka

Best First Round Match(es):

Dominic Skees, Lafayette Central Catholic vs Logan Frazier, Crown Point

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Eleazar Walker, Mishawaka vs Tristan Vaughn, Harrison(WL)

Nate Hennessy, Seeger vs Dylan Tom, Wawasee

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Sergio Lemley-Chesterton

2. Logan Frazier-Crown Point

3. Eleazar Walker-Mishawaka

4. Dylan Tom-Wawasee

126

The two best kids in this weight might be on the same side of the bracket. Crown Point’s Sam Goin missed some time this year with injury but looks back to form in this postseason run. Goin should have no trouble punching his ticket here setting up a match with another state placer in Merrillvile’s Malik Hall. Hall is tough but Goin goes on to win here and secure his second semi-state title. On the other side of the bracket is another guy familiar with Bankers Life, Valparaiso’s Stefan Vitello. Vitello got a better draw, in my opinion, dropping a match last weekend. The last guy making it through here was a state champion a year ago in South Carolina, which is Penn’s Matteo Vargo. The verdict is still out in just how good he is due to the limited amount we’ve seen him this year. Vargo has a tough task in getting past Kankakee Valley’s Caleb Solomey in the ticket round, but Solomey is too uo and down for me to pick him here.

2019 Champ:

Stephen Roberson-Crown Point

Ranked Wrestlers:

#4 Sam Goin-Crown Point

#8 Malik Hall-Merrillville

#9 Matteo Vargo-Penn

#15 Stefan Vitello-Valparaiso

Best First Round Match(es):

Malik Hall, Merrillville vs Matt Adamczyk, Hebron

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Matteo Vargo, Penn vs Caleb Solomey, Kankakee Valley

Malik Hall, Merrillville vs Brodie Fogarty, Mishawaka

Sam Goin, Crown Point vs Dominic Smith, Plymouth

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Sam Goin-Crown Point

2. Matteo Vargo-Penn

3. Malik Hall-Merrillville

4. Stefan Vitello-Valparaiso

132

For whatever reason Chesterton’s Aidan Torres just cannot beat Stephen Roberson, Crown Point. I believe Roberson has beaten Torres 8 times in the past 2 years, and while Torres beats pretty much everyone else he hasn’t figured out this one. Torres and Roberson should meet in the finals for their 9th match of the series and you have to pick Roberson here due to their history. Their semi-finals opponents should be Portage move in Jack Coyle, who was a state placer in Illinois a year ago, and Rensselaer Central’s Lakin Webb. Two bracket busters here could be Kankakee Valley’s Cole Solomey, who is a returning state placer, and Penn freshman Wesley Harper.

2019 Champ:

Jesse Mendez-Crown Point

Ranked Wrestlers:

#3 Aidan Torres-Chesterton

#7 Jack Coyle-Portage

#8 Stephen Roberson-Crown Point

#15 Cole Solomey-Kankakee Valley

#20 Lakin Webb-Rensselaer Central

Best First Round Match(es):

Jordan Lear, West Lafayette vs Aidan Torres, Chesterton

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Jack Coyle, Portage vs Cole Solomey, Kankakee Valley

Lakin Webb, Rensselaer Central vs Wesley Harper, Penn

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Stephen Roberson-Crown Point

2. Aidan Torres-Chesterton

3. Jack Coyle-Portage

4. Lakin Webb-Rensselaer Central

138

This weight belongs to returning 2-time state champion Jesse Mendez, Crown Point. Mendez won’t have any close matches this weekend similar to the rest of his matches this year. The next best kid in this bracket is Jace Alexander, Wawasee, who unfortunately will have Mendez in the ticket round. The best ticket round match will happen uo top with returning state qualifier Bradley Conrad, Portage, meeting Mishawaka’s Andrew Sinkovics in the ticket round. I’ve been high on Sinkovics for years now and I’m making this pick with my heart and saying the Caveman makes a trip to the Bank. Chesterton’s schedule will be the difference in why Ethan Contreras qualifies in his senior season.

2019 Champ:

Ethan Kaiser-Chesterton

Ranked Wrestlers:

#1 Jesse Mende-Crown Point

#4 Jace Alexander-Wawasee

#9 Bradley Conrad-Portage

Best First Round Match(es):

Daniel Kooi, Munster vs Andrew Kline, Lafayette Central Catholic

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Bradley Conrad, Portage vs Andrew Sinkovics, Mishawaka

Ethan Contreras, Chesterton vs Kyle Carter, Rensselaer Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Jesse Mendez-Crown Point

2. Andrew Sinkovics-Mishawaka

3. Jace Alexander-Wawasee

4. Ethan Contreras-Chesterton

145

Ethan Kaiser, Chesterton, looks to claim his second semi-state title this weekend. Looking at the field, I think he pulls it off. Outside of Kaiser, this weight is wide open with several guys coming in battle tested. Mishawaka junior Cameron Powell has a deceiving record but he has wrestled, and beaten, a lot of tough guys this year. Look for him to ask it out. West Central’s Braden Nuest comes in having only dropped two matches on the year and while his section of the bracket is a crapshoot, I give him the nod here. However I wouldn’t be surprised if Calumet’s Kaden Armstrong beat him to punch his ticket. Alex Cornejo, Portage, is looking to join his brother as a state qualifier but will have a tough freshman in Kenneth Bisping, in the opening round.

2019 Champ:

Brock Ellis-Chesterton

Ranked Wrestlers:

#12 Ethan Kaiser-Chesterton

Best First Round Match(es):

Ethan Kaiser, Chesterton vs Trevor Tirana, Hobart

Alex Cornejo, Portage vs Kenneth Bisping, Lowell

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Cameron Powell, Mishawaka vs Tyler Tillema, Kankakee Valley

Kaden Armstrong, Calumet vs Braden Nuest, West Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Ethan Kaiser-Chesterton

2. Cameron Powell-Mishawaka

3. Alex Cornejo-Portage

4. Braden Nuest-West Central

152

Javen Estrada, Crown Point, has looked great all year and is on the short list for a state title this year. Estrada already has a pin over who people would agree is the next best guy in this weight, Chesterton’s Brock Ellis, so I see him having little trouble winning this weight. Ellis should also have little trouble until he reaches the finals. Isaiah Ponce, Lake Central, is a returning state qualifier but comes in as a 4 from his regional. Ponce drew into Merrillvile’s Caleb Carter in the opening round and Carter pinned Ponce in their last match. I am still going with Ponce here in a close one. He was winning before being caught on his back. Tristan Hood, Harrison(WL), brings in a spotless record but hasn’t really run into anyone of note this season, which is why I see Valparaiso’s Aidan Pollitt handing him his first loss of the season.

2019 Champ:

Garrett Stuckman-Wawasee

Ranked Wrestlers:

#4 Javen Estrada-Crown Point

#6 Brock Ellis-Chesterton

#18 Simeon Norton-South Bend Riley

#19 Aidan Pollitt-Valparaiso

Best First Round Match(es):

Isaiah Ponce, Lake Central vs Cameron Carter, Merrillville

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Keegan Adams, West Lafayette vs Ponce/Carter winner

Javen Estrada, Crown Point vs Simeon Norton, South Bend Riley

Tristan Hood, Harrison(WL) vs Aidan Pollitt, Valparaiso

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Javen Estrada-Crown Point

2. Brock Ellis-Chesterton

3. Aidan Pollitt-Valparaiso

4. Isaiah Ponce-Lake Central

160

Crown Point won this weight a year ago and Orlando Cruz is looking to give them back to back champs at this weight. Cruz was solid last year and has seemed to up his game this season. The most interesting ticket round matchup at this weight is at the other side of the bracket where Hobart’s Tyler Turley and Chesterton’s Brandon Bolin could meet for the second time this season. Bolin pinned Turley in a thriller earlier this year and if Turley isn’t healthy, he defaulted out of regionals, I see Bolin winning the rematch as well. Penn’s Aaron Steenbeke should make his second trip to the Bank, while Griffith’s Connor Cervantes should make his first trip downtown.

2019 Champ:

Noah Hollendonner-Crown Point

Ranked Wrestlers:

#6 Orlando Cruz-Crown Point

#10 Tyler Turley-Hobart

#12 Aaron Steenbeke-Penn

Best First Round Match(es):

Christian Chavez, Mishawaka vs Jamaal Salary, LaPorte

Carlos Pérez-Xochipa, Harrison (West Lafayette) vs Tyler Turley, Hobart

Brandon Bolin, Chesterton vs Bradley Pittman, Plymouth

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Brandon Bolin, Chesterton vs Tyler Turley, Hobart

Connor Cervantes, Griffith vs Salary/Chavez winner

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Orlando Cruz-Crown Point

2. Connor Cervantes-Griffith

3. Aaron Steenbeke-Penn

4. Brandon Bolin-Chesterton

170

Penn’s Pate Easton has looked great this year and comes into semi-state unscathed. This weight will see two guys take their first loss of the season as Hobart’s Jason Simpson and McCutcheon’s Spencer Phillips both come in with perfect records. Simpson has the unfortunate luck of having Eastin waiting for him in the semis so he will have to settle for 3rd most likely.  Up top tough Aiden Sneed, Kankakee Valley, or Jesse Herrera look to meet up in the ticket round. Sneed won their first match of season so I’ll go with him to win the rematch as well. Jacob Linky, Warsaw, can’t be overlooked at this weight. Linky is a returning state qualifier.

2019 Champ:

Graham Calhoun-Plymouth

Ranked Wrestlers:

#2 Pate Eastin-Penn

#10 Jacob Simpson-Hobart

#16 SpencerPhillips-McCutcheon

#17 Nick Tattini-Crown Point

Best First Round Match(es):

Cade Johnson, Chesterton vs Mac Smart, Faith Christian

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Nick Tattini, Crown Point vs Jacob Simpson, Hobart

Spencer Phillips, McCutcheon vs Jacob Linky, Warsaw

Aiden Sneed, Kankakee Valley vs Jesse Herrera, Highland

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Pate Eastin-Penn

2. Aidan Sneed-Kankakee Valley

3. Jacob Simpson-Hobart

4. Jacob Linky-Warsaw

182

Chesterton Gavin Layman has looked great all year and this is his weight to lose this weekend. I don't see anyone being able to really push him this weekend and he should put himself in a good spot for next weekend. Other guys at this weight that will try to prove me wrong include a pair of state qualifiers in Mishawaka’s Cody Timmerman and Valparaiso’s Colin Kwiatowski. Timmerman has clearly jumped levels since last season and should be in the finals here. Kwiatkowski on the other hand has not looked great since returning from injury. I still see him making it out though. I have a 4-over-1 pick at the bottom of the bracket with LaPorte’s Jaden Browder punching his ticket after finishing 4th a week ago.

2019 Champ:

Khris Walton-Merrillville

Ranked Wrestlers:

#4 Gavin Layman-Chesterton

#5 Colin Kwiatkowski-Valparaiso

#6 Cody Timmerman-Mishawaka

Best First Round Match(es):

Jacob Stepek, Gavit vs Jaden Browder, LaPorte

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Brandon Estepp, Warsaw vs Stepek/Browder winner

Levi Buck, Harrison(WL) vs Colin Kwiatowski, Valparaiso

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Gavin Layman-Chesterton

2. Cody Timmerman-Mishawka

3. Colin Kwiatowski-Valparaiso

4. Jaden Browder-LaPorte

195

There were a few questions regarding Eli Pack, Culver Academies, coming into this postseason and he answered them last week. Pack his a head above the field here and should remain unbeaten after this weekend. The story of this weight however is that absolutely terrible ticket round match between two top ranked kids. West Lafayette’s Connor Barket comes in ranked 2nd in the state and will meet Penn’s Juan Grange, who is ranked 5th, for a chance to go downtown. One of these wrestlers will be home next weekend instead of on the podium where they belong. Lafayette Jefferson’s Daeveon Cheeks got the best draw he could’ve asked for and should make the trip. We could get an early preview of next weeks state finals with Pack and Barket.

2019 Champ:

Jacob LaPlace-Mishawaka

Ranked Wrestlers:

#1 Eli Pack-Culver Academies

#2 Connor Barket-West Lafayette

#5 Juan Grange-Penn

#6 Gage DeMarco-Cheserton

Best First Round Match(es):

Ahmad Al-Khalil, South Bend Riley vs Milton Lenoir, Gavit

Trevor Hoffman, Hebron vs Daeveon Cheeks, Lafayette Jefferson

Kooper Kinser, Delphi vs Will Clark, Crown Point

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Gage DeMarco, Chesterton vs Al-Khalil/Lenoir winner

Connor Barket, West Lafayette vs Juan Grange, Penn

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Eli Pack-Culver Academies

2. Connor Barket-West Lafayette

3. Gage DeMarco-Chesterton

4. Daeveon Cheeks-Lafayette Jefferson

220

Evan Bates returns to pick up his 3rd semi-state title and he continues his run to another state title. This is a weight where there are guys to push but I don’t know if any of them will. Another wrestler looking to make his third trip downtown is Merrillvile’s Jason Streck. Streck, like Bates, brings in an undefeated record as well. In the semis, Streck will likely wrestle another guy with a spotless record in Lafayette Jefferson’s Jacob Raub. Raub’s record is a little deceiving due to his schedule this year so we will get a real look at where he stacks up if he makes it to Streck. Penn’s Peyton Kendall got a great draw and I look for the sophomore to punch his ticket here.

2019 Champ:

Evan Bates-Chesterton

Ranked Wrestlers:

#1 Evan Bates-Chesterton

#3 Jason Streck-Merrillville

#13 Jacob Raub-Lafayette Jefferson

#16 Hayden Lewter-Gavit

#19 Peyton Kendall-Penn

Best First Round Match(es):

Paul Clark, Crown Point vs Commander Jenkins, South Bend Riley

Jalen Thomas, Mishawaka vs Michael Degrado, Lake Central

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Trey White, Portage vs Peyton Kendall, Penn

Jason Streck, Merrillville vs Jenkins/Clark winner

Jacob Raub, Lafayette Jefferson vs Thomas/Degrado winner

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Evan Bates-Chesterton

2. Jason Streck-Merrillville

3. Peyton Kendall-Penn

4. Jacob Raub-Lafayette Jefferson

285

This weight has a lot of good guys who you could argue should be ranked for various reasons. There are a lot of matches in the first round that could go either way. New Prairie's Hunter Whitenack should cruise to the semifinals, but it’s hard to say who he will wrestle. Mariere Omonode, West Lafayette, comes in with an undefeated record but has only wrestled 9 matches this year. Mishawaka’s Justice Binder comes in with almost as many loses as Omonode had matches, but he has wrestled a lot of good guys this year and has picked up some solid wins. Binder is my pick to make it out here and hand Omonode his first loss of the season. Penn’s Brock Donati, like Binder, has wrestled a solid schedule compared to a lot of the guys he could to make it out and I give him the nod here as well. He does have a tough Cory Hill, Portage, right off the bat and Hill can definitely go with him. Sergio Bueno, South Bend Riley, is in a good spot to pull off a 4-over-1 here as he has the sophomore Hayden Lewter from Gavit.

2019 Champ:

Damari Dancy-Portage

Ranked Wrestlers:

#7 Hunter Whitenack-New Prairie

#9 Mariere Omonode-West Lafayette

#12 Sergio Bueno-South Bend Riley

Best First Round Match(es):

Cory Hill, Portage vs Brock Donati, Penn

Cody Winkler, Knox vs Kayden Sowders, Lafayette Jefferson

Edgar Decker, Gavit vs Sergio Bueno, South Bend Riley

Best (Possible) Ticket Round Match(es):

Justice Bender, Mishawaka vs Mariere Omonode, West Lafayette

Donati/Hill winner vs Winkler/Sowders winner

Jonathan Mollencupp, Wheeler vs Decker/Bueno winner

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Hunter Whitenack-New Prairie

2. Brock Donati-Penn

3. Justice Binder-Mishawaka

4. Sergio Bueno-South Bend Riley

Qualifiers by Team:

Chesterton(10)

Crown Point(8)

Penn(6)

Mishawaka(5)

Merrillville(3)

Valparaiso(2)

Portage(2)

Lafayette Jefferson(2)

LaPorte(2)

Wawasee(2)

River Forest(1)

Culver Academies(1)

West Lafayette(1)

New Prairie(1)

McCutcheon(1)

Munster(1)

South Bend Riley(1)

Rensselaer Central(1)

West Central(1)

Lake Central(1)

Griffith(1)

Kankakee Valley(1)

Hobart(1)

Warsaw(1)