By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
ELWOOD – The Hamilton Heights wrestling team roared to a repeat championship last Saturday at the Elwood sectional.
The Huskies dominated the team standings, scoring 255 points, finishing 66 points ahead of second place. The runner-up was Noblesville, who clinched second place in dramatic fashion with a fall in the Millers’ last match of the day. Noblesville scored 189 points, with Pendleton Heights third at 185 points.
Heights had the team championship in hand by the time the competition reached the final round. The Huskies had 10 wrestlers get to the championship match in their respective weight class, with six of them becoming champions.
Jaylyn Pugh was the Huskies’ first winner, getting a second-period pin for the 126-pound championship. He led a parade of Heights champions, as Isaac Kuhn (at 132) and Alex Furst (at 138) both got first-period falls for first place in their divisions.
The Huskies started another championship streak at 160 pounds, as Michael Cain toughed out a 5-4 decision over Frankton’s Crew Farrell for the win. After that came two more Heights pins: Jimmy Lacey won at 170 with a 55-second fall, then Evan Tilton kept his record unbeaten for the year with a second-period pin at 182 pounds. Tilton is 35-0 for the season.
Evan Tilton was one of Hamilton Heights’ six champions at the Elwood sectional. Tilton is unbeaten for the season at 35-0. (Frank Brown)
“Everything went well,” said Heights coach Gary Myers. “Lost a couple matches I didn’t want to lose. It is what it is. We’re happy to compete. We worked hard.”
Four Huskies wrestlers finished as runners-up: Cooper Doucett at 113, Carson Fettig at 14, Josh Brown at 220 and Mason Moran at 285. Kendall Moe placed third at 106.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the Pendleton Heights regional on Saturday, so that means Heights will have 11 at the regional.
Noblesville had a fine tournament, with two champions and another two placing second. Carter Richardson was the 152-pound winner, in a hard-fought 7-4 decision over Pendleton Heights’ Jay Covington. Austin Hastings claimed the other Millers win, beating Brown in a 10-4 decision at 220 pounds.
Noblesville’s Austin Hastings (right) won at 220 pounds, one of two champions for the runner-up Millers team. Pictured at left is Hamilton Heights’ Josh Brown. (Frank Brown)
“Very proud of Carter and Austin,” said Noblesville coach Michael Weimer.
Aden Widget (at 170) and Oscar Solis-Rodrigues (at 182) both finished second for Noblesville. The Millers had three third-place wrestlers as well: Luke Chastain at 126, Christian Livingston at 145, and Jackson Apple at 285. Apple clinched second place for Noblesville by winning the third-place match in a fall.
“We had a lot of bonus-point wins,” said Weimer. “And when you think about it, it came down to our 285-pounder. Came down to the last match, we’re tied for second place. He pins a 285-pounder and that secures second place.”
The Millers had three additional wrestlers place fourth, all getting a ticket to the regional. Lawson McRae at 113, Josh Kauzlick at 120 and Caleb Leeman at 138.
Guerin Catholic had one individual champion. Junior Peter Nguyen continued his outstanding season by beating Ezra Fye in a 16-4 major decision for the 120-pound championship. Nguyen is 35-1 for the season.
Guerin Catholic’s Peter Nguyen won the 126-pound weight classes, improving to 35-1 for the season. (Frank Brown)
Three other Golden Eagles wrestlers qualified for the regional. Alex Sims placed third at 195, and Jack Hubbard (at 145) and Isaac Richardson (at 152) both finished fourth.
AT ELWOOD
Team scores: Hamilton Heights 255, Noblesville 189, Pendleton Heights 185, Frankton 126.5, Alexandria 119, Anderson 85, Guerin Catholic 78, Tipton 77, Elwood 58, Lapel 50.
Individual placings
106 pounds: 3. Kendall Moe (HH), 5. Bryan Young (N).
113 pounds: 2. Cooper Doucett (HH), 4. Lawson McRae (N).
120 pounds: 1. Peter Nguyen (GC), 4. Josh Kauzlick (N), 5. Justin Tilton (HH).
126 pounds: 1. Jaylyn Pugh (HH), 3. Luke Chastain (N).
132 pounds: 1. Isaac Kuhn (HH), 6. Nolan Schue (GC).
138 pounds: 1. Alex Furst (HH), 4. Caleb Leeman (N).
145 pounds: 2. Carson Fettig (HH), 3. Christian Livingston (N), 4. Jack Hubbard (GC).
152 pounds: 1. Carter Richardson (N), 4. Isaac Richardson (GC).
160 pounds: 1. Michael Cain (HH), 5. Xavier Nicholls (N).
170 pounds: 1. Jimmy Lacey (HH), 2. Aden Widget (N), 6. Jonathan Sims (GC).
182 pounds: 1. Evan Tilton (HH), 2. Oscar Solis-Rodrigues (N).
195 pounds: 3. Alex Sims (GC).
220 pounds: 1. Austin Hastings (N), 2. Josh Brown (HH).
285 pounds: 2. Mason Moran (HH), 3. Jackson Apple (N).
Over at Frankfort, Carmel won its eighth consecutive sectional championship last Saturday.
The Greyhounds finished with 238 points, ahead of runner-up Hamilton Southeastern’s 213 points. Both schools placed all 14 of their wrestlers in the top six, and both had 11 wrestlers advance to the North Montgomery regional, which takes place this Saturday, Feb. 4.
Carmel had four individual champions, starting with Jackson Elliott at 113 pounds. The senior won in an 8-2 decision over Westfield sophomore Porter Temples.
The next Greyhounds winner was sophomore Michael Major, who claimed the 138-pound championship with a first-period fall over Royals’ sophomore Chris Casler. Major is unbeaten for the season at 18-0.
Senior Trevor Gallagher won at 152 in a tight decision over Southeastern junior Zach Lang, 4-2. Next up was senior Nathan Powell, and he triumphed in an 8-4 decision over Fishers freshman Xavier Smith.
The Greyhounds had four more runners-up: Caleb Mattingly at 126, Nayl Sbay at 145, Seth Richardson at 195 and Jack Milligan at 285. Three more Carmel wrestlers placed third: Lito Ledzema at 120, Jackson Schmidt at 170 and Vladislav Balaban at 220. All of the above-mentioned wrestlers are headed to the regional.
The Royals had one individual champion: Senior Dom Burgett at 285 pounds. Burgett beat Milligan in a 5-1 decision.
Southeastern had six wrestlers place second: Aidan Smalley at 106, Nick Anderson at 120, Casler at 138, Lang at 152, Zack Wagner at 170 and Jackson Goodyear at 220. The Royals also advanced three third-place wrestlers: Tyler Jackson at 113, Adam Gerstner at 145 and Nick Jakubs at 160, while Kyler Sapp placed fourth at 132 to also punch a ticket to North Montgomery.
Fishers scored 191 points to place third, but also had four individual champions. The Tigers dominated the lighter weights, starting with freshman Will Hruskoci beating Smalley by a 2-1 decision at 106 pounds.
Shortly thereafter, Fishers won three divisions in a row. Sophomore Chayce Yant got a 12-2 major decision win at 120 over Anderson, Griffin Ingalls toughed out a 1-0 decision at 126 over Mattingly, and senior Quenton Riley beat Westfield sophomore Jake Saez at 132 in an 11-3 major decision.
Overall, the Tigers had 10 qualifiers for the regional. Smith was the 160-pound runner-up, then Christopher Quarles placed third at 182. Fishers then had four fourth-place wrestlers: Anthony Riley at 138, Teyon Leonard at 145, Zachary Pence at 170 and Tyler Maynard at 220.
Westfield placed fourth as a team by scoring 175.5 points. The Shamrocks had two individual champions and seven overall regional qualifiers.
Ike O’Neill won the 145-pound class, edging out Sbay in a 3-2 decision. Jonathan Tanner was the 195-pound champion with a second-period fall over Richardson.
Westfield had three runners-up: Temples at 113, Saez at 132 and Elijah Frei at 182. Jason Rooney placed third at 152 and Chase Camire was fourth at 126.
Sheridan had three wrestlers qualify for the regional, and two of them were champions. Jacob Jones won at 182 pounds, beating Frei with a first-period pin. Peyton Cross won over Goodyear at 220 pounds, also with a first-period fall. Jace Warren finished fourth at 195 pounds.
Sheridan had three wrestlers advance out of the Frankfort sectional last Saturday: Peyton Cross
(the 220-pound champion), Jace Warren (fourth at 195) and Jacob Jones (the 182-pound champion). (Photo provided)
AT FRANKFORT
Team scores: Carmel 238, Hamilton Southeastern 213, Fishers 191, Westfield 175.5, Lebanon 115.5, Sheridan 80, Rossville 73, Clinton Central 54.5, Frankfort 41, Clinton Prairie 27.
Individual placings
106 pounds: 1. Will Hruskoci (F), 2. Aidan Smalley (HSE), 5. Elliott Leonard (C), 6. Keegan Carson (W).
113 pounds: 1. Jackson Elliott (C), 2. Porter Temples (W), 3. Tyler Jackson (HSE), 6. Garrett Thompson (F).
120 pounds: 1. Chayce Yant (F), 2. Nick Anderson (HSE), 3. Lito Ledzema (C), 5. Carter Niccum (W).
126 pounds: 1. Griffin Ingalls (F), 2. Caleb Mattingly (C), 4. Chase Camire (W), 5. Ethan Berens (HSE), 6. Pablo Mendez (S).
132 pounds: 1. Quenton Riley (F), 2. Jake Saez (W), 4. Kyler Sapp (HSE), 6. Isaac Ward (C).
138 pounds: 1. Michael Major (C), 2. Chris Casler (HSE), 4. Anthony Riley (F), 6. Eli Smith (S).
145 pounds: 1. Ike O’Neill (W), 2. Nayl Sbay (C), 3. Adam Gerstner (HSE), 4. Teyon Leonard (F).
152 pounds: 1. Trevor Gallagher (C), 2. Zach Lang (HSE), 3. Jason Rooney (W), 5. Stephen Breck (F).
160 pounds: 1. Nathan Powell (C), 2. Xavier Smith (F), 3. Nick Jakubs (HSE), 6. Ryker Ream (S).
170 pounds: 2. Zack Wagner (HSE), 3. Jackson Schmidt (C), 4. Zachary Pence (F), 5. Hunter Jones (W).
182 pounds: 1. Jacob Jones (S), 2. Elijah Frei (W), 3. Christopher Quarles (F), 5. Said Soufiyane (HSE), 6. Alex Ryan (C).
195 pounds: 1. Jonathan Tanner (W), 2. Seth Richardson (C), 4. Jace Warren (S), 5. Evan Lawhead (HSE).
220 pounds: 1. Peyton Cross (S), 2. Jackson Goodyear (HSE), 3. Vladislav Balaban (C), 4. Tyler Maynard (F), 6. Alex Aramboles (W).
285 pounds: 1. Dom Burgett (HSE), 2. Jack Milligan (C), 6. Aiden Padgett (W).