By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – The Noblesville wrestling team conducted its Senior Night meet Thursday at The Mill, and it was everything a Senior Night should be.
The Millers won the meet handily, beating Frankton 57-21. Noblesville had several seniors in the lineup, and they all performed well.
“I’m very proud of our seniors who went out there and competed and wrestled their hearts out,” said Millers coach Michael Weimer. The coach said every single senior who stepped on the mat, “they left everything out there,” and he was very proud of that.
“As a senior, when it’s your last time, just go have fun,” said Weimer. “Just get out there and just go have fun. All of them did. I’m very proud.”
Noblesville began the meet by receiving three forfeits in the lower weight classes, going to AJ Kramer at 106 pounds, Nick Claussen at 113 and Tori Kitko at 120. After that, the Millers won seven of the 11 contested matches, including six of them by fall.
Noblesville’s Keaton Sepiol won his match at 132 in a 6-0 decision, then the Millers picked up three consecutive pins, all of them called in the first period. Presley Loucke started the run with a fall at 138 pounds, followed by Gage Gulley at 145 and Carter Richardson at 152.
Seth Stone (at 182) also won with a first-period pin, followed by Austin Hastings getting a second-period fall at 195. The final match of the night was the most dramatic one, as 285-pounder Jacob Etchison made a sudden move in the third period to end his bout with a pin.
While the Senior Night win was big by itself, Weimer also noted that the Millers will compete in the same sectional as Frankton, “so this is in an important dual in terms of our sectional seeds, looking to that, because it’s going to be a tight, close sectional race between all the teams that are in it. And Frankton’s one of those teams that’s in the race, just like we are.”
During the varsity meet, both teams had wrestlers from their elementary and youth programs competing alongside the high school kids, another thing that Weimer was happy about.
“It was the first time we got to have it and get it in on Hamilton County TV,” said Weimer. “That’s the first time that’s ever happened where we got to do all these things and get it all on TV.”
Noblesville’s next meet is Saturday, when the Millers travel to the south side of Indianapolis to compete in the Roncalli Duals.
NOBLESVILLE 57, FRANKTON 21
Meet started at 106 pounds
106: AJ Kramer won by forfeit
113: Nick Claussen won by forfeit
120: Tori Kitko won by forfeit
126: Aiden Howell lost to Alexander by fall, 1:11
132: Keaton Sepiol def. Ward by decision, 6-0
138: Presley Loucke def. Thomas by fall, 1:34
145: Gage Gulley def. Knauer by fall, 0:55
152: Carter Richardson def. Bunnell by fall, 1:09
160: Nolan Fitzgerald lost to Alexander by fall, 2:51
170: Caleb Dean lost to Farrell 7-2
182: Seth Stone def. Gibbons by fall, 1:54
195: Austin Hastings def. Martins by fall, 3:17
220: Javen Minete lost to Smith by fall, 1:33
285: Jacob Etchison def. Brannam by fall, 4:27
Hamilton Southeastern dropped a back-and-forth dual meet with Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponent and No. 11 ranked Zionsville Wednesday night, 36-32.
The Eagles won the first match by fall at 160 pounds, but the Royals rebounded with a 5-2 decision victory from Ryan Cast, the No. 5-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds. Zionsville won two close decision at 182 and 195 to jump ahead 12-3.
Southeastern jumped ahead 15-12 by getting pins in the two heavyweight matches. Charlie Irish won at 220 and Dom Burgett was victorious at 285 pounds. The Eagles tied it up by winning the 106-pound bout by decision, then another decision win at 113 and a pin at 120 pushed Zionsville up 24-15.
The Royals came back right away, winning the next three bouts. Senior Blake Alvarado got a third-period fall at 126, then Riley Fredericksen won the 132-pound match with a technical fall.
Zach Lang then won the 138-pound bout by a fall, and Southeastern led 32-24. But the Eagles won the final two matches by pin to clinch the matches.
The Royals will compete at Plainfield this weekend, then host Noblesville on Tuesday in their Senior Night meet.