State Finals Preview (106-145)
February 19, 2020
106
This weight will be won by whoever shows up ready to go this weekend and while that can e said for any weight really, the parity at this weight is crazy. Only 1 wrestler comes into this weight class unbeaten and that is 5th ranked Bryce Lowery from Roncalli. Lowery picked up a big win over 3rd ranked Suhas Chundi from Carmel to claim his first semi-state title. Brownsburg’s Logan Miller should technically be included into the category of undefeated wrestlers since his only loss came to a Michigan kid. Miller has beaten both Sam Goin, Crown Point, and Chundi this year in close matches. Goin should be a favorite to make the finals, but he has shown to struggle right off the scale, and he will be one of the first matches Saturday morning. Chundi pushes the pace and gets after it for 6 minutes which is not good for Goin. I predict Chundi avenges his loss to Goin from earlier in the year. Isaac Ruble, Bellmont and Evan Dickey, Cathedral were both good but small for the weight last year. Both have filled out and are having great seasons. Dickey has shown to struggle with taller, longer guys making Ruble a very tough match-up for him. Ruble should be getting his first medal after falling short last year. A match-up that should be interesting to see is between Cardinal Ritter’s Joshua Johnson and Garrett’s Hayden Brady. Both wrestlers are tall and long for the weight. Saturday morning, I already said Chundi over Goin, but I see Miller, Lowery and Ruble picking up wins as well. In the semi-finals Lowery beats Ruble and Miller picks up another win over Chundi to reach the finals. Coming into last weekend I would not have thought much of this match-up, but after seeing how Lowery was able to slow down Chundi and control it from neutral forcing Chundi to take bottom, where Lowery is best, I can see him doing similar to Miller here. While I am going to pick Miller to win this weight, Lowery winning here would not surprise me at all.
2019 Champ:
Brennan Cernus-Culver Academies
Ranked Wrestlers (13/16):
#1 Logan Miller-Brownsburg
#2 Sam Goin-Crown Point
#3 Suhas Chundi-Carmel
#4 Isaac Ruble-Bellmont
#5 Bryce Lowery-Roncalli
#7 Hayden Brady-Garrett
#8 Joshua Johnson-Cardinal Ritter
#9 Evan Dickey-Cathedral
#10 Anthony Martin-Western
#12 Jeffrey Bailey-River Forest
#13 Cash Turner-Eastwood
#16 Kyler West-Evansville Reitz Memorial
#17 Coy Hammack-Tell City
Friday Night Matches:
#5 Bryce Lowery(36-0)-Roncalli vs Keegan Mallott(30-5)-East Noble
#13 Cash Turner(36-4)-Eastwood vs Johnny Cortez(32-10)-Lake Central
#4 Isaac Ruble(37-1)-Bellmont vs #9 Evan Dickey(33-7)-Cathedral
#12 Jeffrey Bailey(38-2)-River Forest vs #16 Kyler West(39-6)-Evansville Reitz Memorial
#1 Logan Miller(39-2)-Brownsburg vs Trevor Triana(18-9)-Hobart
#8 Joshua Johnson(19-5)-Cardinal Ritter vs #7 Hayden Brady(35-5)-Garrett
#2 Sam Goin(34-1)-Crown Point vs #17 Coy Hammack(24-5)-Tell City
#10 Anthony Martin(39-3)-Western vs #3 Suhas Chundi(36-3)-Carmel
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Logan Miller-Brownsburg
2. Bryce Lowery-Roncalli
3. Suhas Chundi-Carmel
4. Isaac Ruble-Bellmont
5. Sam Goin-Crown Point
6. Jeffrey Bailey-River Forest
7. Joshua Johnson-Cardinal Ritter
8. Johnny Cortez-Lake Central
113
Perry Meridian’s Alex Cottey had a slip up at regionals but looked absolutely lights out this past weekend. Cottey wrestles like that this weekend, its already over. Cottey has come up short the past two years but knows what it takes to make the finals. On his half of the bracket is Sullivan freshman Lane Gilbert, who picked up big fall in the semi-state finals while trailing to Evansville Mater Dei’s Cole Ross. Gilbert comes in with 1 loss, against Ross which he avenged, and should be on a collision course with Cottey in the semis. I look for the junior to be too much for him. Cottey has been in the finals back to back year for a reason. I may be jumping a bit ahead though as Gilbert has a tough match Friday night against Brac Hooper, Carmel, and while Gilbert is a favorite to win here you cant count out Hooper here who has a win over another possible finalist in Crown Point’s Logan Frazier. That brings me to the to the bottom side of the bracket, where I see some more interesting matches. We have a top 5 match-up Friday night between Avon’s Cheaney Schoeff and Frankfort’s Elijah Anthony. Schoeff has 4 losses, 2 coming to Ross and the other to Gilbert this past weekend, so he does not have any bad loses on his resume. Anthony has 3 losses, and while losing to Hooper twice is not a bad loss, he is ranked below Anthony. Schoeff is my pick to win this match. Another match to watch on Friday is between Evansville Mater Dei’s Cole Ross and Westfield’s Dylan Driver. I do see Ross as a heavy favorite here, Driver is tough and big for the weight and will not stop coming for 6 minutes, and Ross has yet to make it to Saturday in his career. Crown Point freshman Logan Frazier is in the mix to make the finals here and I see the winner the match between Ross and him doing so. I am picking Ross in this match. Ross will wrestle Schoeff after he beats the Waters/Sturgill winner. Schoeff falls to Ross, setting up his rematch with Cottey. Cottey wins again finally getting his state title.
2019 Champ:
Jacob Moran-Portage
Ranked Wrestlers (10/16):
#1 Alex Cottey-Perry Meridian
#2 Cole Ross-Evansville Mater Dei
#3 Elijah Anthony-Frankfort
#4 Lane Gilbert-Sullivan
#5 Cheaney Schoeff-Avon
#6 Logan Frazier-Crown Point
#8 Brac Hooper-Carmel
#10 Aidan Sprague-East Noble
#12 Trey Sturgill-Peru
#19 Dylan Driver-Westfield
Friday Night Matches:
#1 Alex Cottey(38-1)-Perry Meridian vs Braiden Haines(26-16)-Brownsburg
Colton Weimer(33-7)-Garrett vs Nam Doan(22-7)-Lake Central
#4 Lane Gilbert(35-1)-Sullivan vs #8 Brac Hooper(26-5)-Carmel
Stefan Vitello(35-10)-Valparaiso vs #10 Aidan Sprague(33-2)-East Noble
#12 Trey Sturgill(40-3)-Peru vs Doug Waters(38-9)-Chesterton
#5 Cheaney Schoeff(34-4)-Avon vs #3 Elijah Anthony(38-3)-Frankfort
#6 Logan Frazier(35-2)-Crown Point vs Ethan Reiley(37-5)-Jay County
#19 Dylan Driver(31-10)-Westfield vs #2 Cole Ross(37-2)-Evansville Mater Dei
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Alex Cottey-Perry Meridian
2. Cole Ross-Evansville Mater Dei
3. Lane Gilbert-Sullivan
4. Cheaney Schoeff-Avon
5.Logan Frazier-Crown Point
6. Aidan Sprague-East Noble
7. Trey Sturgill-Peru
8. Nam Doan-Lake Central
120
Cathedral’s Zeke Seltzer comes in as another returning runner-up looking to get his first title. Seltzer is a heavy favorite to win this weight and has not really been pushed at all this year. Crown Point’s Riley Bettich finished 5th last year and may be the second-best kid in the weight but will have Seltzer waiting for him in the semi-finals. That is assuming he makes it there as returning 3rd placer Alec Freeman, Evansville Mater Dei, will be waiting for him on Saturday morning. I do not see a lot of upsets Friday night, but it is bound to happen. If I had to pick a match to watch for an upset, it would be between Merrillville’s Malik Hall and Churubusco’s Dominic Heath. From the outside looking in, Hall just does not look like the same kid who took 6th a year ago. Wheeler’s Giovanni Diaz lost a match earlier in the year to Bettich but has beaten him 3-straight times since then. Diaz is my pick to make it to the finals from the bottom half of the bracket. Diaz will have to get past Westfield’s Carson Eldred, who gave Seltzer a match last weekend, in the semi-finals. I still see Diaz making the finals and Eldred dropping into the 3rd place match for the second time in his career. The two freshman, Kankakee Valley’s Cole Solomey and Bloomington South’s Delaney Ruhlman, both make the podium in their first trip downtown. Seltzer wins his first state title.
2019 Champ:
Brayden Littell-Center Grove
Ranked Wrestlers (12/16):
#1 Zeke Seltzer-Cathedral
#2 Riley Bettich-Crown Point
#3 Giovanni Diaz-Wheeler
#4 Carson Eldred-Westfield
#5 Alec Freeman-Evansville Mater Dei
#6 Malik Hall-Merrillville
#9 Christian White-New Palestine
#10 Jon Robinson-Delta
#11 Cole Solomey-Kankakee Valley
#13 Delaney Ruhlman-Bloomington South
#14 Anthony Hughes-Lawrence North
#19 Sam Scott-Heritage Hills
Friday Night Matches:
#1 Zeke Seltzer(39-0)-Cathedral vs Ayden Amento(33-10)-Evansville Central
#11 Cole Solomey(37-4)-Kankakee Valley vs Jett Boots(36-4)-Angola
#5 Alec Freeman(38-2)-Evansville Mater Dei vs #14 Anthony Hughes(33-8)-Lawrence North
#10 Jon Robinson(30-3)-Delta vs #2 Riley Bettich(24-4)-Crown Point
#3 Giovanni Diaz(39-1)-Wheeler vs Ethan Higgins(32-3)-Wabash
#9 Christian White(34-4)-New Palestine vs #13 Delaney Ruhlman(36-3)-Bloomington South
Dominic Heath(34-1)-Churubusco vs #6 Malik Hall(25-5)-Merrillville
#19 Sam Scott(44-3)-Heritage Hills vs #4 Carson Eldred-Westfield
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Zeke Seltzer-Cathedral
2. Giovanni Diaz-Wheeler
3. Riley Bettich-Crown Point
4. Carson Eldred-Westfield
5. Alec Freeman-Evansville Mater Dei
6. Malik Hall-Merrillville
7. Cole Solomey-Kankakee Valley
8. Delaney Ruhlman-Bloomington South
126
Avon’s Ray Rioux has slowly climbed up the podium the last 3 years and after finishing 2nd last year, it makes sense this would be his year to win it. He has beaten Roncalli’s Brayden Lowey already this year, who is my pick to stand across from him in the finals and has wins a lot of wrestlers in the field this weekend. This weight has a lot of Friday night matches that can go either way. Anderson’s Willie Dennison would have been counted out at the beginning of the year against Chesterton’s Aidan Torres but after him wrestled at the semi-state this past weekend he can go with him. Bluffton’s Landon Bertsch took his first loss this weekend resulting in him having Monrovia’s Ben Dalton on Friday. I do not see a scenario where Bertsch prevents Dalton from getting back on the podium. The lone undefeated wrestler in this weight is Manchester’s Dylan Stroud, and I do not think he gets on the podium this year. Evansville Mater Dei’s Ashton Hayhurst is battle tested and should take the match here pulling off the 4 over 1. Warren Central’s David Pierson and Wawasee’s Jace Alexander both placed a year ago but must battle to see who gets on the podium this year. Alexander and Pierson wrestle a similar style but Pierson is a little better at it, which is why he wins here. The way this bracket came out gives us some compelling matches each round, outside of Rioux and Torres. Lowery will do battle with Dalton, who just picked up a win over a wrestler who has beaten Lowery. Crown Point’s Stephen Roberson beat Brownsburg Kysen Montgomery earlier in the year, but Montgomery has seemed to turn it on for the tournament. Rioux and Brayden meet again in the finals and Rioux ends his high school career with a state title. You know a weight is deep when Dalton is predicted to finish 7th.
2019 Champ:
Jesse Mendez-Crown Point
Ranked Wrestlers (15/16):
#1 Ray Rioux-Avon
#3 Brayden Lowery-Roncalli
#4 Ben Dalton-Monrovia
#5 Stephen Roberson-Crown Point
#6 David Pierson-Warren Central
#7 Kysen Montgomery-Brownsburg
#8 Aidan Torres-Chesterton
#9 Ashton Hayhurst-Evansville Mater Dei
#10 Jace Alexander-Wawasee
#12 Landon Bertsch-Bluffton
#14 Beau Humphrey-Fort Wayne Snider
#15 Payne Blackburn-Delta
#16 Dylan Stroud-Manchester
#18 Brendon Mark-Mishawaka
#19 Camren Toole-Lebanon
Friday Night Matches:
#16 Dylan Stroud(39-0)-Manchester vs #9 Ashton Hayhurst(24-7)-Evansville Mater Dei
#10 Jace Alexander(38-2)-Wawasee vs #6 David Pierson(37-3)-Warren Central
#1 Ray Rioux(38-1)-Avon vs #14 Beau Humphrey(27-4)-Fort Wayne Snider
Willie Dennison(36-2)-Anderson vs #8 Aidan Torres(41-5)-Chesterton
#3 Brayden Lowery(36-2)-Roncalli vs #18 Brendon Mark(35-9)-Mishawaka
#4 Ben Dalton(34-2)-Monrovia vs #12 Landon Bertsch(42-1)-Bluffton
#5 Stephen Roberson(35-2)-Crown Point vs #19 Camren Toole(38-3)-Lebanon
#15 Payne Blackburn(31-3)-Delta #7 Kysen Montgomery(34-8)-Brownsburg
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Ray Rioux-Avon
2. Brayden Lowery-Roncalli
3. Stephen Roberson-Crown Point
4. David Pierson-Warren Central
5. Kysen Montgomery-Brownsburg
6. Aidan Torres-Chesterton
7. Ben Dalton-Monrovia
8. Ashton Hayhurst-Evansville Mater Dei
132
This weight is not bad, but you can see the Mendez effect taking place. Crown Point’s Jesse Mendez comes in looking for his second state title in as many years. The top side of the bracket has a good Friday night match between two juniors. Southport’s Luke Goodwin is tough to wrestle with his style and I see him giving Plainfield’s Connor Holt fits on Friday. The same can be said about Pendleton Height’s Jared Brown. I think Hayden Watson, Center Grove, has him outgunned, he is dangerous and should not be overlooked. The thing that I think keeps him from winning matches against top guys is that he “lives by sword and dies by the sword”. Brown goes to his back way too much to win this kind of match. Western senior Hunter Cottingham has made it to state every year but has not been able to break through and get on the podium. Unfortunately, I see a repeat of the past 3 years happening Friday as Penn’s Vince Sparrow picks up the win and a medal in his senior year. The biggest match of the tournament, assuming both wrestlers make it, is in the semi-finals between Perry Meridian’s Matthew Koontz and Watson. Watson has a better record, having only los tot Mendez, but Koontz is much more battle tested and I always lean towards the wrestler that wrestles better guys during the year. Regardless of who wins this match Mendez beats them in the finals and continues his journey to 4 state titles.
2019 Champ:
Asa Garcia-Avon
Ranked Wrestlers (15/16):
#1 Jesse Mendez-Crown Point
#2 Matthew Koontz-Perry Meridian
#3 Kane Egli-Evansville Mater Dei
#5 Hayden Watson-Center Grove
#8 Hunter Cottingham-Western
#9 Ian Heath-Leo
#10 Jared Brown-Pendleton Heights
#11 Connor Holt-Plainfield
#12 Conner Alcala-Decatur Central
#14 Sam Slivka-Roncalli
#15 Luke Goodwin-Southport
#16 Reakus Shelton-Fort Wayne Snider
#17 Vince Sparrow-Penn
#20 Bradley Conrad-Portage
Friday Night Matches:
#9 Ian Heath(40-1)-Leo vs Isaiah Ponce(30-12)-Lake Central
#14 Sam Slivka(36-7)-Roncalli vs #3 Kane Egli(35-5)-Evansville Mater Dei
#1 Jesse Mendez(36-1)-Crown Point vs Brody Arthur(38-5)-Oak Hill
#11 Connor Holt(21-5)-Plainfield vs #15 Luke Goodwin(38-5)-Southport
#2 Matthew Koontz(24-3)-Perry Meridian vs #12 Conner Alcala(34-8)-Decatur Central
#20 Bradley Conrad(33-7)-Portage vs #16 Reakus Shelton(33-7)-Fort Wayne Snider
#5 Hayden Watson(42-1)-Center Grove vs #10 Jared Brown(28-4)-Pendleton Heights
#8 Hunter Cottingham(42-2)-Western vs #17 Vince Sparrow(34-7)-Penn
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Jesse Mendez-Crown Point
2. Matthew Koontz-Perry Meridian
3. Hayden Watson-Center Grove
4. Kane Egli-Evansville Mater Dei
5. Ian Heath-Leo
6. Vince Sparrow-Penn
7. Luke Goodwin-Southport
8. Reakus Shelton-Fort Wayne Snider
138
This is the one of the toughest weights to pick. There are five guys that are all about the same level. Due to this there are not too many Friday night matches here without a heavy favorite. A good one on Friday will be between New Haven’s Elijah Chacon and Plainfield’s Landon Boe. Both wrestlers have beat several ranked guys, but Chacon has beaten some better guys. Regardless, in a match this close it will come down to who shows up. Another one to watch is another possible 4 over 1. Greenfield-Central’s Dylan Dorman had a brutal semi-state and ended up finishing 4th. Even as a four he should be favorited over East Chicago’s champ Ethan Kaiser, Chesterton. Saturday morning is where things get crazy. Cathedral’s Logan Bailey has Brownsburg’s Drake Campbell in the quarterfinals. The two have not met yet this year but do have some common opponents. I see Bailey taking this one in the battle of seniors as he continues his run to a title. On the bottom side of the bracket, my pick to make the finals has the toughest path to do so. Zionsville’s Logan Wagner beat Bailey to win the semi-state last weekend but was given a much tougher draw. Wagner has Floyd Central’s JJ Conway in the quarterfinals and if he beats him, he has returning runner-up Blake Boarman, Evansville Mater Dei, in the semis. Wagner is resilient and has that “dog” in him, which propels hi to the finals in this weight. In the rubber match between the Logans, Bailey avenges his loss from last weekend and joins his brother and dad as a state champion.
2019 Champ:
Cayden Rooks-Columbus Rooks
Ranked Wrestlers (15/16):
#1 Blake Boarman-Evansville Mater Dei
#2 Logan Bailey-Cathedral
#3 Brendan Mattingly-Carmel
#4 Logan Wagner-Zionsville
#5 Drake Campbell-Brownsburg
#6 JJ Conway-Floyd Central
#8 Eli Hickman-Rensselaer Central
#9 Tyson Nisley-LaPorte
#10 Kyle Lawson-Bellmont
#12 Dylan Dorman-Greenfield-Central
#13 Hayden Shepherd-Western
#16 Elijah Chacon-New Haven
#17 Landon Boe-Plainfield
#18 Ethan Kaiser-Chesterton
#19 Nick Tattini-Crown Point
Friday Night Matches:
#5 Drake Campbell(37-1)-Brownsburg vs Lane Burns(28-8)-Eastside
#9 Tyson Nisley(43-5)-LaPorte vs #2 Logan Bailey(36-2)-Cathedral
#16 Elijah Chacon(38-5)-New Haven vs #17 Landon Boe(32-7)-Plainfield
#3 Brendan Mattingly(31-5)-Carmel vs #8 Eli Hickman(42-2)-Rensselaer Central
#18 Ethan Kaiser(34-5)-Chesterton vs #12 Dylan Dorman(37-6)-Greenfield-Central
#1 Blake Boarman(35-3)-Evansville Mater Dei vs #13 Hayden Shepherd(39-5)-Western
#4 Logan Wagner(30-2)-Zionsville vs #19 Nick Tattini(28-10)-Crown Point
#10 Kyle Lawson(36-3)-Bellmont vs #6 JJ Conway(41-2)-Floyd Central
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Logan Bailey-Cathedral
2. Logan Wagner-Zionsville
3. Blake Boarman-Evansville Mater Dei
4. Brendan Mattingly-Carmel
5. Drake Campbell-Brownsburg
6. JJ Conway-Floyd Central
7. Dylan Dorman-Greenfield-Central
8. Elijah Chacon-New Haven
145
The two best kids in this weight come in on opposite sides of the brackets and bring in undefeated records. Roncalli’s Alec Viduya was a state champion in 2017 and is looking to end his career back on top of the podium. A runner-up a year ago, Viduya has looked great all year and is the favorite to win this weight. One the other side of the bracket is another undefeated wrestler, Chesterton’s Brock Ellis. Ellis finished 4th at 152 last year and is down art 145 this year to try and win his first state title. Outside of these two we have a very interesting match Friday night at the bottom of the bracket. Warren Central JaJuan Anderson and Evansville Mater Dei’s Brody Baumann meet up on Friday night and I see the winner of this match making it to the semis. In that same quarter-bracket, we have a potential 4 over a 1 with AJ Poindexter, Harrison (WL), and Alex Currie, Adams Central, wrestling on Friday. Poindexter did not have a great performance this past weekend, while Currie looked great. Common opponents are what makes me see the upset here. Currie has lost several times to William Fiechter, Southern Wells, this season and while he has since beaten him, he has seemed to struggle against him this year. Poindexter beat Fiechter in his lone match against him this year. Fiechter was 13 seconds from placing a year ago, but I do not see him getting that same chance this year as he will wrestle Crown Point’s Orlando Cruz Friday night. Center Grove’s Riley Rust has some up and down results from this year so its hard to judge where he is at. Rust beat a wrestler who pinned him earlier in the year to punch his ticket this past weekend. He will wrestle a tough Reece Luhmann, Hamilton Southeastern, in the ticket round who, outside of his opening match, looked great at the semi-state. Where everyone else falls in this weight is hard to determine due to how close everyone is outside of those two guys named earlier. Ellis and Viduya should meet in the finals, with Viduya claiming his second state title.
2019 Champ:
Matt Lee-Evansville Mater Dei
Ranked Wrestlers (11/16):
#1 Alec Viduya-Roncalli
#2 Brock Ellis-Chesterton
#4 AJ Poindexter-Harrison (WL)
#5 William Fiechter-Southern Wells
#6 JaJuan Anderson-Warren Central
#8 Orlando Cruz-Crown Point
#9 Jacob Maldonado-Merrillville
#10 Jaden Reynolds-Avon
#11 Brody Baumann-Evansville Mater Dei
#13 Jake Shafer-Carmel
#17 Reece Luhmann-Hamilton Southeastern
Friday Night Matches:
#10 Jaden Reynolds(36-4)-Avon vs #13 Jake Shafer(30-9)-Carmel
#5 William Fiechter(41-2)-Southern Wells vs #8 Orlando Cruz(31-6)-Crown Point
#1 Alec Viduya(41-0)-Roncalli vs Ethan Nash(30-11)-Franklin Community
#9 Jacob Maldonado(9-1)-Merrillville vs Evan Ulrick(31-11)-Carroll (Fort Wayne)
#2 Brock Ellis(42-0)-Chesterton vs AJ Dull(31-8)-South Adams
Riley Rust(27-7) vs #17 Reece Luhmann(38-6)-Hamilton Southeastern
Alex Currie(38-5) vs #4 AJ Poindexter(40-2)-Harrison (WL)
#11 Brody Baumann(34-4)-Evansville Mater Dei vs #6 JaJuan Anderson(33-4)-Warren Central
HOOSIERMAT TOP 8:
1. Alec Viduya-Roncalli
2. Brock Ellis-Chesterton
3. JaJuan Anderson-Warren Central
4. Jaden Reynolds-Avon
5. Orlando Cruz-Crown Point
6. Reece Luhmann-Hamilton Southeastern
7. Jacob Maldonado-Merrillville
8. AJ Poindexter-Harrison (WL)
