With a sudden explosion by its light-to-middle weights, the Carmel wrestling team blasted its way to the team championship at Saturday’s Shamrock Duals at Westfield.
The Greyhounds trailed 25-12 in the championship bout to Zionsville, but made four consecutive pins to take the lead, and eventually the trophy by the score of 36-34.
The Eagles started out the championship with four straight wins, including a forfeit and two falls, to take a 22-0 lead. Carmel worked its way back into the match with three consecutive victories; Samuel Johnson won at 220 pounds with a 9-4 decision, then Jack Milligan took the 285-pound match in an 8-2 decision. Tamir Halevi got the Greyhounds’ first pin of the dual at 106 pounds, and Carmel was within 22-12.
Zionsville won at 113 with a decision, but after that the Greyhounds took over. Caleb Mattingly (120), Isaac Ward (126), Michael Major (132) and Luke Farlin (138) all scored falls, and when the dust settled, the ‘Hounds led 36-25 with two matches left. The Eagles had to get pins in the last two bouts to win, and did get a victory at 145 pounds, but it was by decision, thus clinching the meet for Carmel.
The comeback win concluded a 5-0 day for the Greyhounds. Carmel won its pool by beating Noblesville 64-6, Southport 53-12 and Norwell 39-23, then advanced to the championship with a 38-29 win over Hamilton Southeastern.
Mattingly finished the day a perfect 5-0, while Halevi, Ward and Major all went 4-0 for the tournament. Two more Greyhounds finished 4-1: Johnson and Nathan Powell.
Westfield placed third at the meet, beating Southeastern 44-23 in the third-place match. Two Shamrocks finished the event unbeaten: Thaddeus O’Neil at 132 and Austin McClure at 182. Chase Camire (106), Braxton Vest (120), Ike O’Neill (138/145) and Mike Platonov (285) all were 4-1 for the day. Jonathan Maynard was 3-0 at 126 pounds.
Meanwhile, the Royals had four wrestlers finish with perfect 5-0 marks: Ryan Cast at 170, Max Broom at 195, Charlie Irish at 220 and Dominic Burgett at 285. David Ixba (at 113) and Zack Wagner (at 182) both finished 4-1.
Fishers placed eighth at the event, with three wrestlers going 4-1 for the day: Aiden Lamb at 113, Griffin Ingalls at 126 and James Carroll at 170.
Noblesville finished 11th as a team. Jacob Etchison was undefeated for the day, going 5-0 at 285 pounds. Millers with 4-1 records were Gage Gulley at 145, Carter Richardson at 152, Seth Stone at 182/195 and Austin Hastings at 195/220.
POOL RESULTS
Carmel def. Noblesville 64-6
Westfield def. Fishers 50-22
Hamilton Southeastern def. Yorktown 52-21
Carmel def. Southport 53-12
Norwell def. Noblesville 42-30
Westfield def. Whiteland 48-16
Fishers def. Mount Vernon Posey 39-36
Hamilton Southeastern def. Lawrence North 54-22
Carmel def. Norwell 39-23
Noblesville def. Southport 45-31
Westfield def. Mount Vernon Posey 66-18
Fishers def. Whiteland 34-33
Hamilton Southeastern def. Fort Wayne Carroll 58-21
BRACKET RESULTS
Carmel def. Hamilton Southeastern 38-29
Zionsville def. Westfield 40-39
Mount Vernon def. Fishers 42-31
Lawrence North def. Noblesville 40-38
PLACEMENT RESULTS
First place: Carmel def. Zionsville 36-34
Third place: Westfield def. Hamilton Southeastern 44-23
Seventh place: Fort Wayne Carroll def. Fishers 45-25
11th place: Noblesville def. Mount Vernon Posey 51-23