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While Mishawaka took home the team crown with 12 placers, there were many great match-ups of ranked and even unranked wrestlers in the finals. Here is a picture recap of the finals.
Jarred Brooks of Warsaw used some slick takedowns and great riding to beat Zac Stevens of Merrillville.
Jarred Brooks of Warsaw rode tough, but it was his four takedowns that propelled him to victory
After a third place performance last year, Brooks was very elated to take home the championship this year.
Kyle Ayersman of Lake Central Rode Paul Beck of Mishawaka the entire second period
In the third period, Beck returned the favor despite many escape attempts by Ayersman
Ayersman reached his feet numerous times, but Beck held on for the 2-1 victory
Beck returned Ayersman to the mat each time he stood up.
Brandon Nelson of Lawrence North defends a takedown attempt by Alex Gregory of Penn in the 119lbs finals
Nelsen’s escape in the second period was the difference in the 1-0 match
Gregory forced some funky positions in the third period, but Nelsen ended up on top in each one
Anthony Napules of Merrillville rode tough not surrendering a point to Chesterton’s Zach Thornton
Nick Schrader of Mishawaka escapes the grasp of Calumet’s Mike Clark
Schrader utilized a well timed toss for five points to gain the lead late in the third period
Clark then could not escape to tie the match
Matt Guerra of Mishawaka and Jeremy Hill of Jimtown await the coin toss in the second period of the 135lbs finals
Jeremy Hill of Jimtown hit a sweet peterson for four points to bust the match wide open
As always, the referees are overworked at the Al Smith
Hill tried to escape late to tie the match and send it to OT
Hill bypassed the escape and earned a reversal with very little time left to win by one point.
Matt Milton of Center Grove tries to escape from defending champion Frankie Porras of Hobart in the 140lbs finals
Another attempt to escape a state champ’s grasp
Alex Surma of Munster and Dalton Sparks of Peru wrestled in many funky positions on the mat in the 145lbs finals
Surma fought off a cradle by Sparks
Sparks had a tough time getting away from the lanky Surma
East Noble’s Jimmy LaRowe took it to Mishawaka’s Ryan Stahl with an early headlock attempt
…but Stahl rolled through and dealt LaRowe his second loss of the year.
Anthony Quiroz of Chesterton and Zack Corpe of Elkhart Memorial battled it out at 160lbs
Corpe scored a couple takedowns on last year’s state runner-up
Quiroz fought off numerous cradle attempts from Corpe
Princeton’s Drake Stein dominated Andy Wiseman of Penn in the finals, earning a fall in the third period
Travis Thatcher of Bellmont his a blast double for a takedown and nearfall to win the 189lbs title over Nate Fowler of Calumet
Mishawaka’s Christian Lentz had numerous deep takedown attempts against Nate Cleveland of Lowell in the 215lbs finals
Cleveland successfully defends a takedown attempt by Lentz
Another deep attempt that Cleveland fought off
Cleveland rode tough, but a light weight roll through got Lentz a reversal in the third period
Both Lentz and Cleveland are excellent athletes for big guys.
Last but not least James Travis of Merrillville won his second Al Smith title over Travis Thomas of Mishawaka
