2023 IHSAA State Preview (106-145)

106

Ranked Wrestlers (12/16):

1) Layne Horn-Rochester

2) Revin Dickman-Brownsburg

3) Ayden Bollinger-Delta

4) Nate Rioux-Avon

5) Julianna O’Campo-F.W. Snider

7) Mason Jones-Lake Central

9) Cameron Meier-Bloomington South

11) Hruai Lian-Perry Meridian

12) Isaac Campbell-Floyd Central

13) Kaleb Salazar-Wawasee

17) Connor Bayliss-Mt. Vernon (Fortville)

18) Gunnar Butt-New Palestine

Weight Preview:

Everyone thought they knew who be in the finals at this weight coming into the season, but after his performance this past weekend, Delta’s Ayden Bollinger is the new frontrunner at this weight class. Bollinger dominated previous number 1, Rochester’s Layne Horn, in the semi-finals of the semi-state. He has not yet wrestled Revin Dickman of Brownsburg, but he has looked the part this season. Dickman is super hard to score on and good on top. Bollinger and he have very similar styles so that semi should be interesting. The match to watch for Friday is Layne Horn vs Nate Rioux of Avon. A lot of people would say Horn takes this one but I am not so sure about that for two reasons. The first is that Horn is big and will have to keep his weight down for Saturday. Second, Rioux is a big pace guy and you do not want that if you are cutting a bunch of weight, which might not even be the case, but Horn looks like making weight is not the easiest for him. If Rioux can stay on him early, he might wear him down and pull off the first “upset” of the tournament. The winner of this match makes the finals. The surprise at this weight, not just here but for the whole season, is Perry Meridian’s Hruai Lian. Lian started wrestling in October of 2021 and has found himself in a great spot to take home his first state medal. While we are down one from last year, we will have our first girl state medalist this weekend. Fort Wayne Snider’s Julianna O’Campo has been lights out this season and will walk away with a medal.

Favorite: Ayden Bollinger-Delta

Darkhorse: Hruai Lian

Best Friday Night Match: Layne Horn vs Nate Rioux

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Ayden Bollinger-Delta

2) Nate Rioux-Avon

3) Revin Dickman-Brownsburg

4) Hruai Lian-Perry Meridian

5) Julianna O’Campo-F.W. Snider

6) Matthew Baylor-Milan

7) Mason Jones-Lake Central

8) Gunnar Butt-New Palestine

113

Ranked Wrestlers (11/16):

1) Jalen May-Kokomo

3) Charlie LaRocca-Center Grove

4) Preston Haines-Brownsburg

5) Gavin Jendreas-Crown Point

6) Jackson Heaston-Indian Creel

7) Isaac Ash-Monrovia

8) Aiden Dallinger-McCutcheon

9) RJ Taylor-Perry Meridian

11) Levi Johns-Bluffton

13) Tommy Frazier-Zionsville

20) Seth Aubin-Hobart

Weight Preview:

Kokomo’s Jalen May comes in undefeated and seen as the favorite to take home this weight. He has Two returning runner-ups at this weight, but fortunately for him they are on the opposite side and see each other Saturday morning. He will have a tough one Saturday morning against Indian Creek’s Jackson Heaston. Heaston pulled off the big upset last week in the round to go, before finishing second at the Evansville semi-state. The bottom half of this bracket is loaded, with Crown Point’s returning 106-pound runner-up Gavin Jendreas having last year’s 113-pound runner-up, Brownsburg’s Preston Haines, in the quarterfinals. While Jendreas has been having a better year, Haines has found a way to beat him, and I see it happening again here. On the top side of the bracket, you have two south-siders on a collision course to see each other in the semis. Perry Meridian’s RJ Taylor is a completely different wrestler from a year ago, where he was put out at the regional. He dominated his way through New Castle ad looks to keep it rolling this weekend. He will likely see another wrestler who has been hot this year, Center Grove’s Charlie LaRocca. LaRocca has beaten Haines twice this year and has a shot to take home a title, which no one outside of his room could have seen coming into the year. This weight is a perfect example of why there needs to be some kind of seeding at this tournament. The 1, 4, 5, 6 all on one side and no one on the top side is a returning medalist.

Favorite: Jaylen May-Kokomo

Darkhorse: Charlie LaRocca-Center Grove

Best Friday Night Match: RJ Taylor vs Isaac Ash

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Jalen May-Kokomo

2) Charlie LaRocca-Center Grove

3) Preston Haines-Brownsburg

4) RJ Taylor-Perry Meridian

5) Gavin Jendreas-Crown Point

6) Levi Johns-Bluffton

7) Jackson Heaston-Indian Creek

8) Seth Aubin-Hobart

120

Ranked Wrestlers (12/16):

1) Ashton Jackson-LaPorte

2) Jake Hockaday-Brownsburg

3) Isaiah Schaefer-Evansville Mater Dei

4) Tanner Tishner-Western

5) Neal Mosier-Delta

6) Eddie Goss-Center Grove

7) Dominic Brown-Lowell

10) Peter Nguyen-Guerin Catholic

13) Bryce Doss-New Palestine

14) Gavin Bragg-Indianapolis Cathedral

16) Elijah Brody-Mt. Vernon (Fortville)

20) Linkin Carter-Eastside

Weight Preview:

Two state champions headline this weight class and one of them will deny the other history. LaPorte’s Ashton Jackson already has two state titles and is looking to finish it off with a third one this year, but in his path is Brownsburg’s Jake Hockaday. Hockaday is looking to keep the dream alive of being a four-time state champion. Outside of the two heavy favorites, you have Western’s Tanner Tishner and Delta’s Neal Mosier. Both guys have only one loss on the year, with Tishner giving Mosier his only loss. Last year Tishner was on the wrong end of an upset last Friday, but you can tell he has jumped levels since then. When you see the record you assume he got lucky and will be going home early. Well, Crown Point’s Sontonio Sessa is legit. He has taken his lumps this year, but he is only a freshman. He also has a list of good wins this year. Sessa got a great draw, pulling Garrett’s Carter Fielden, who he has a 4-2 win over already. Evansville Mater Dei’s Isaiah Schaeffer is probably the third best kid as this weight but he will have Jackson Saturday morning. I would not pick him to beat Jackson, but he is ranked 3rdfor a reason. This weight has a lot of toss up matches on Friday night. The first being between Cascade’s Logan Bickel and New Palestine’s Bryce Doss. Doss has looked good, but Bickel is a tough out, especially seeing how he got 4th at regionals and still making it out. Another match you won’t want to miss is on the bottom side with Center Grove’s Eddie Goss and Mt. Vernon’s Elijah Brody. Both kids are hard nosed kids and wrestle hard from start to finish.

Favorite: Ashton Jackson-LaPorte

Darkhorse: Isaiah Schaefer-Evansville Mater Dei

Best Friday Night Match: Neal Mosier vs Dominic Brown

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Jake Hockaday-Brownsburg

2) Ashton Jackson-LaPorte

3) Tanner Tishner-Western

4) Neal Mosier-Delta

5) Isaiah Schaefer-Evansville Mater Dei

6) Bryce Doss-New Palestine

7) Eddie Goss-Center Grove

8) Sontonio Sessa-Crown Point

126

Ranked Wrestlers:

1) Logan Frazier-Crown Point

2) Aden Reyes-Indianapolis Cathedral

3) Evan Seng-Evansville Mater Dei

5) Tylin Thrine-New Castle

7) Keegan Schlabach-Lakeland

8) Cody Rowles-Jay County

9) Hayden Brady-Garrett

10) Hyatt Yeager-Center Grove

11) Landen Haines-Brownsburg

12) Guillermo Rivera-Lake Central

13) Griffin Ingalls-Fisher

17) Jackson Bradley-Cowan

19) Chase Stephens-Tell City

Weight Preview:

This weight will be won by Crown Point’s Logan Frazier. I know anything can happen and nothing is a guarantee, but Logan is about as close as it gets. Outside of Frazier, New Castle’s Tylin Thrine has been on a tear this offseason. He pinned Cathedral’s Aden Reyes, who a lot of people had penciled into the finals, in the finals of semi-state this past weekend. Thrine beats a lot of people due to being super explosive and powerful, and when you pair that with his wrestling ability, he is a nightmare match for most guys. On the top side, you have Cathedral’s Aden Reyes and Evansville Mater Dei’s Evan Seng meeting Saturday morning. Reyes has historically won this matchup and is the favorite to make the finals from the top side. The winner of that will likely see Lakeland’s Keegan Schlabach in the semis, and while I do not think he beats either of those guys, I also would not have guessed that this would have even been a discussion a year ago. I know I just gave Schlabach his flowers, but he has a tough road to get into the semis. Friday night he has Center Grove’s Hyatt Yeager. You know that Yeager will have a great game plan due to the great staff at CG, and Keegan can not overlook the senior. The match I look forward to the most at this weight is the match between Brownsburg freshman Landen Haines and Garrett senior Hayden Brady. Brady has been here and done it already, but do not let the record fool you, Haines is ready and good enough to get his hand raised Friday.

Favorite: Logan Frazier-Crown Point

Darkhorse: Tylin Thrine-New Castle

Best Friday Night Match: Landen Haines vs Hayden Brady

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Logan Frazier-Crown Point

2) Aden Reyes-Indianapolis Cathedral

3) Tylin Thrine-New Castle

4) Keegan Schlabach-Lakeland

5) Evan Seng-Evansville Mater Dei

6) Landen Haines-Brownsburg

7) Griffin Ingalls-Fishers

8) Chase Stephens-Tell City

132

Ranked Wrestlers (13/16):

1) Kyrel Leavell-Warren Central

2) Brady Brownsburg

3) Joey Buttler-Whiteland

4) Easton Doster-New Haven

5) Keaton Morton-Perry Meridian

8) David Maldonado-Merrillville

10) Griffin Van Tichelt-Crown Point

11) Odin Fortune-Evansville F.J. Reitz

13) Zar Walker-Mishawaka

14) Joshua Johnson-Indianapolis Cathedral

15) Brody Hagewood-Prairie Heights

17) Mikey Kallimani-Jimtown

18) Justice Thornton-Columbus North

Weight Preview:

Warren Central’s Kyrel Leavell is a returning state champion whose only loss downtown came to by the hands of a two-time champ. Well, there are not any of those at the weight this weekend and I look for Leavell to become one. He will have to go through both Brownsburg’s Brady Ison and Whiteland’s Joey Buttler. Buttler was runner-up a year ago, but you can just tell he is not the same kid. Coming into the season, I did not see him picking up multiple wins over Ison and making a legit case that he can win a title this weekend. Ison was the victim of an upset last year, and I do not see that happening again. He will have to pull off an “upset” of his own in the semis if he wants to make his first trip to the finals. Do not overlook Perry Meridian’s Keaton Morton. I am not sure if you have seen this kid wrestle, but his style is very unique and hard to wrestle with regardless of who you are. Morton is a pinner and really funky, making him someone that no one wants to see. Outside of these four guys, you have Mishawaka’s Zar Walker and New Haven’s Easton Doster. Walker is phenomenal and he has a legit chance to take out Ison Saturday morning. Walker is a volume attacker, while Brady is more defensive and tough on top. Easton Doster just does not lose much and he comes in here with a spotless record. We have not seen him against a lot of good guys, so it will be interesting to him navigate this tournament. The match to watch Friday is between Keaton Morton and Merrillville’s David Maldonado. These two are complete opposites, Morton being tall, lanky, and scrambly and Maldonado being shorter and much more compact with a straightforward, hard-nosed style.

Favorite: Kyrel Leavell-Warren Central

Darkhorse: Joey Buttler-Whiteland

Best Friday Night Match: David Maldonado vs Keaton Morton

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Kyrel Leavell-Warren Central

2) Joey Buttler-Whiteland

3) Brady Ison-Brownsburg

4) Keaton Morton-Perry Meridian

5) Zar Walker-Mishawaka

6) Easton Doster-New Haven

7) Odin Fortune-Evansville F.J. Reitz

8) Joshua Johnson-Indianapolis Cathedral

138

Ranked Wrestlers:

1) Cole Solomey-Kankakee Valley

2) Cheaney Schoeff-Avon

4) Tony Wood-Jay County

5) Michael Major-Carmel

6) Kelby Glenn-Tell City

7) Jeffrey Huyvaert-New Prairie

8) Wesley Harper-Penn

9) Branson Weaver-Owen Valley

10) Lucas Clement-Merrillville

12) Gavyn Whitehead-New Castle

14) Reese Courtney-Center Grove

17) Christian Arberry-Warren Central

18) Max McGinley-Indianapolis Cathedral

20) Logan Uhlman-Adams Central

Weight Preview:

Avon’s Cheaney Schoeff has made the semis every year and has come up short on two previous occasions. I think this is the year Cheaney will finally get that title. He has looked like the guy most of the year and he is my pick this weekend. The other guy who was an early season favorite to win is another runner-up, Kankakee Valley’s Cole Solomey. Solomey has avenged his only loss of the year this past weekend, but will have to see Schoeff to make the finals. On the top side, Carmel’s Michael Major was good a year ago, qualifying as a freshman, but he looks like a title contender this year. He brings one of the three undefeated records into this weight. The other one being Jay County’s Tony Wood. Wood has been downtown twice but has come away empty handed both times. He will have a tough one in Cathedral’s Max McGinley first round, but I see Wood finally getting on the podium. The match I look forward to the most Friday night is the match between Tell City’s Kelby Glenn and New Prairie freshman Jeffrey Huyvaert. Glenn is big for the weight which might be an issue come Friday. While he was not mentioned above, Jeffrey Huyvaert is one to keep an eye on this weekend. He will have Major Saturday morning and I believe the winner of that makes the finals in that side of the bracket. Huyvaert also has a win over Solomey already, so if Cole comes out on the other side we could have the rubber match for the whole thing.

Favorite: Cheaney Schoeff-Avon

Darkhorse: Jeffrey Huyvaert-New Prairie

Best Friday Night Match: Kelby Glenn vs Jeffrey Huyvaert

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Cheaney Schoeff-Avon

2) Jeffrey Huyvaert-New Prairie

3) Cole Solomey-Kankakee Valley

4) Tony Wood-Jay County

5) Michael Major-Carmel

6) Logan Uhlman-Adams Central

7) Reese Courtney-Center Grove

8) Gavyn Whitehead-New Castle

145

Ranked Wrestlers (12/16):

1) Aidan Torres-Chesterton

2) Anthony Bahl-Crown Point

3) Wyatt Kresja-Center Grove

4) Jack Todd-Pendleton Heights

5) Brevan Thrine-New Castle

6) Cameron Clark-Jay County

7) Wesley Smith-Plymouth

8) Dillon Graham

11) Ike O’Neil-Westfield

12) Mason Day-Brownsburg

16) Luke Robards-Evansville Central

20) Jayden Lewis-New Prairie

Weight Preview:

Chesterton senior Aidan Torres is making his 4thtrip downtown and has looked like the guy at this weight this year. For the second year in a row, Torres has a guy who can put you away in a split second with him likely having New Castle’s Brevan Thrine in the semis. Thrine, like his little brother, is quick, strong, and explosive. One mistake and the match could be over. Crown Point’s Anthony Bahl was my preseason pick to win this weight class, but health has been an issue for him this year. I can see him putting it together for four matches and still winning it, but it’ll be tough given the field. Speaking of health, Center Grove’s Wyatt Kresja missed a bit of time with an injury but has looked great since returning. With Bahl not possibly not being 100 percent he is my pick to make the finals from the top side. To do so he will likely have to go through Cathedral’s Dillon Graham. Graham jumped up four weight classes a year ago and took some lumps in the process. Having grown into the weight more, he looks more like the kid who made the semi-finals two years ago. The match to watch Friday night is on the topside of the bracket with Plymouth junior Wesley Smith and Jay County’s Cameron Clark hitting right away. The two have four losses between them and both have a great resume of wins. Clark has been here before, having placed a year ago, and that experience may be the difference here.

Favorite: Aiden Torres

Darkhorse: Dillon Graham

Best Friday Night Match: Wesley Smith vs Cameron Clark

Hoosiermat Top 8:

1) Aidan Torres-Chesterton

2) Wyatt Kresja-Center Grove

3) Dillon Graham-Indianapolis Cathedral

4) Brevan Thrine-New Castle

5) Cameron Clark-Jay County

6) Ike O’Neil-Westfield

7) Braxton Miller-DeKalb

8) Anthony Bahl-Crown Point