By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – There is a bit of a youth movement in the Fishers wrestling team this season.
The Tigers put four freshmen in the starting lineup for their season-opening dual meet with Noblesville Wednesday at the Tiger Den. Things went pretty well for those youngsters, as three of them won their matches during Fishers’ 57-18 victory over the Millers.
The weight range for the Tigers’ varsity freshmen is literally all over the place. For example, 285-pound freshman James Keller won his match by fall in just 55 seconds. Next up was the 106-pound match, where freshman Will Hruskoci took his bout with a second-period pin. A third freshman, 160-pounder Xavier Smith, won his match in a 6-2 decision.
“I was really looking forward to seeing what they can really do in a dual-meet situation,” said Fishers coach Frank Ingalls. “They look good in the practice room, but you just never know until you get out and really wrestle in a meet, what they’re really capable of. I think they did a really good job tonight.”
The Tigers do have experienced wrestlers, of course. In fact, five of the returners on the Fishers squad advanced out of the sectional last season. Leading the way is senior Griffin Ingalls, a state qualifier at 126 pounds last year who is ranked 13th in the IndianaMat.com pre-season poll at 132 pounds. Ingalls wrestled at 126 on Wednesday, and won his match by fall in 45 seconds.
Also back is sophomore Chayce Yant, who reached the semi-state round as a 106-pound freshman the previous season. Yant is up to 120 this year, and won his first match in a 45-second fall. (A third semi-state qualifier, senior Quenton Riley, was not in the lineup on Wednesday.)
Junior Teyon Leonard, a 2022 freshman/sophomore state runner-up last year who also made it to the regional, is another top returner for Fishers. Leonard got a decision victory, a 5-2 win at 145 pounds. Another returning regional qualifier is junior Aiden Lamb; he also had a tough match, falling in the third period at 132 pounds to Noblesville’s Luke Chastain.
Noblesville’s Luke Chastain won the 132-pound match, one of three pins for the Millers. (Richie Hall)
The first 10 matches were all decided by pins. The Tigers’ Chris Quarles got the fall in the first-period of the 182-pound match. The Millers’ Carlos Argueta tied the meet up with a first-period pin at 195 pounds, but Fishers reeled off three pins in a row after that: Jacob Carroll had the quickest fall, taking the 220-pound match in 18 seconds, followed by Keller’s and Hruskoci’s pins.
“I was a little worried when we got a pin, but then they came right back and got a pin,” said Frank Ingalls. “But then it seemed like we got a few in a row after that.”
Other Tigers wins came from Anthony Riley at 138 in a first-period fall, then Stephen Breck took the 152-pound match with a third-period pin. The evening’s final two matches were decisions: Smith at 160, then Zach Pence got a 1-0 win at 170.
“They showed that they still got a lot to learn, our younger guys, that’s for sure,” said Frank Ingalls. “But they showed they had a lot of fight. And they worked really hard and they’ve been working hard in the practice room. I think they’re buying into it.”
In addition to Argueta and Chastain, Lawson McRae got a victory for Noblesville, as he made a third-period pin at 113 pounds. The Millers have several returning wrestlers who had post-season success last season: Carter Richardson was a semi-state qualifier, while AJ Kramer, Josh Kauzlick and CJ Livingston all made it to the regional.
“We got a lot of work to do,” said Noblesville coach Michael Weimer. He also noted there were some freshmen on his team who were stepping up.
“You need to keep working to earn it, because there’s young guys behind you,” said Weimer.
The Millers are back in action Saturday at the Hamilton Heights Super 6 meet. Fishers’ next competition is Tuesday, with a dual meet at Franklin Central.
FISHERS 57, NOBLESVILLE 18
Meet started at 182 pounds
182: Chris Quarles (F) def. Oscar Solis (N) by fall, 1:20
195: Carlos Argueta (N) def. Tucker Arnold (F) by fall, 1:15
220: Jacob Carroll (F) def. Jacob Ellis (N) by fall, 0:18
285: James Keller (F) def. Jackson Apple (N) by fall, 0:55
106: Will Hruskoci (F) def. Corbin Miller (N) by fall, 2:44
113: Lawson McRae (N) def. Garrett Thompson (N) by fall, 4:23
120: Chayce Yant (F) def. Josh Kauzlick (N) by fall, 0:44
126: Griffin Ingalls (F) def. AJ Kramer (N) by fall, 0:45
132: Luke Chastain (N) def. Aiden Lamb (F) by fall, 4:34
138: Anthony Riley (F) def. Paxton Cook (N) by fall, 1:53
145: Teyon Leonard (F) def. Caleb Leeman (N) by decision, 5-2
152: Stephen Breck (F) def. CJ Livingston (N) by fall, 5:43
160: Xavier Smith (F) def. Carter Richardson (N) by decision, 6-2
170: Zach Pence (F) def. Aiden Widget (N) by decision, 1-0