The first wrestling meet of the year in Hamilton County was a good one on two levels: It was an exciting dual and it resulted in a win for a local team.
Fishers hosted Franklin Central Tuesday at the Tiger Den. With this being only the Flashes’ second year in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference, the rivalry between the two schools is still in the budding stage. But the rivalry is there, and the Tigers got a close victory in Tuesday’s chapter, beating FC 35-32.
Fishers was trailing 26-23 with three matches to go, but put the match out of reach quickly with two first-period pins. Miro Bruvold, a 160-pound sophomore, got control of his opponent with 17 seconds left in the first period, and put the Tigers on top. Fellow sophomore Curtis Kearschner was next at 170 pounds, and he took care of business in 1:25, giving Fishers an insurmountable 35-26 lead with one match left.
“It was exciting,” said Tigers coach Frank Ingalls, who began his second year with the team on Tuesday. “We had two sophomores get those pins late in the match. We’re a young team and I think our young guys are doing great and I’m really looking forward to our young guys helping us get a lot of wins this year.”
There were several young wrestlers on the mat, with four sophomores and three freshmen. Those youngsters got a taste of the high school level very early.
“A lot of our young guys, this is the first high school match,” said Ingalls. “We had a lot of freshmen out there and I think they’re a little star-struck and feeling the strength of a high school wrestler as opposed to a junior high wrestler. A lot of them didn’t even have time to think while they were out there. They were just reacting. They’ll get better as time goes, once they get used to it.”
Fishers does have some experience out on the mat. Leading the way is senior J.D. Farrell, a state qualifier last year at 182 pounds. Farrell wrestled the 195-pound match to begin his senior season, and got it done quickly, with a first-period pin.
Two more semi-state qualifiers are back as well. Junior Tyler Lindamood won with a 10-1 major decision at 138 pounds, while senior Pat Pritchett received a forfeit at 120 pounds. The Tigers also returned two regional qualifiers, juniors Dylan Parodi and Josh Thompson. Parodi was a 15-4 major decision winner.
Fishers’ next competition is on Saturday, when it travels to Arsenal Tech to compete in the John Hurrle Memorial Invitational.
FISHERS 35, FRANKLIN CENTRAL 32
Meet started at 195 pounds
195: J.D. Farrell def. Keesee by fall, 1:40
220: Wyatt Holley lost to Rodriguez by decision, 10-7
285: Max Kohn lost to Alexander by fall, 4:43
106: Anthony Riley lost to Harper by major decision, 16-2
113: Griffin Ingalls def. Ball by decision, 8-4
120: PJ Prtichett won by forfeit
126: Dylan Parodi def. Dewell by major decision, 15-4
132: Connor Nichols lost to Brandon by decision, 10-3
138: Josh Thompson lost to Sparks by major decision, 13-3
145: Tyler Lindamood def. Shelton by major decision, 10-1
152: Ben Jones lost to Massey by fall, 3:35
160: Miro Bruvold def. Godby by fall, 1:43
170: Curtis Kearschner def. Shake by fall, 1:25
182: James Carrell lost to Mosconi by fall, 0:47
Fishers sophomore Miro Bruvold prepares to finish a pin of his opponent during the Tigers’ dual meet with Franklin Central Tuesday at the Tiger Den. Fishers won the meet 35-32. (Richie Hall)