Page 7 - 2009-10 Individual Wrestling State Finals Program

135 Pounds 171 Pounds
Among the 11 ranked wrestlers set to clash this weekend, Last year, top-ranked Michael Duckworth finished 48-1 to
four enter as former state qualifiers. Of those four, three win the 171-pound state title. Partnered with teammate
were state place-winners last year. Coincidently, those four Cody Phillips’ 103-pound state title, the duo provided Union
(No. 1 Brannigan Barlow (40-1) of Bloomington South, No. County with its first two individual wrestling state champion-
2 Mason Berryman of Anderson Highland, No. 3 Andrew ships. Duckworth enters this year’s state finals a perfect
Hiestand (44-3) of Yorktown and No. 4 Brock Norton of Fort 46-0 and is joined by 11 ranked wrestlers, including the
Wayne Carroll) were also pegged as the state’s top-four at state’s top-five.
135 pounds.
• Union County’s Michael Duckworth has committed to
• Norton, a third-place finisher at 130 pounds in ’09, en- Ohio University. Second-ranked Drake Stein of Princeton
ters the weekend a perfect 35-0. Berryman, who placed (40-2) and third-ranked Jeff Weiss (45-2) of Heritage
fourth at 125 pounds in ’09, is a flawless 33-0. Hills both placed at 152 pounds last year.
189 Pounds
140 Pounds This bracket is packed with first-time state qualifiers – 13
Ten of the 16 wrestlers in this bracket are first-time state
qualifiers. Five wrestlers are making their second consecu- to be exact. Of the remaining contenders, two are former
state-place winners. Fifth-ranked Travis Thatcher (40-1) of
tive trip to Conseco Fieldhouse. Top-ranked Francisco Por- Bellmont is a returning 189-pound qualifier, while fourth-
ras of Hobart, however, holds the most weight. A four-time
qualifier and two-time place winner (second at 125 pounds, ranked Michael Johnson-Jones (40-1) of Warren Central
is competing for the 189-pound title for a third time after
’08), Porras won the 130-pound state title last year. placing seventh last year.
• Hobart senior Francisco Porras (38-1) will continue his • Second-ranked Braden Atwood (45-0) of Delphi has
wrestling career at Purdue University next season. committed to Purdue University. He placed fifth at 171
145 Pounds pounds in ’09 and fourth at 160 pounds in ’08.
Ranked one-two in the state, No. 1 Eric Roach (37-0) of 215 Pounds
Crown Point and No. 2 Doug Welch (45-0) of Castle enter
the weekend with perfect records. Roach was runner-up As one of three undefeated wrestlers in this bracket, top-
ranked Nathan Cleveland (38-0) of Lowell seeks to become
at 130 pounds in ’08 and placed fourth at 135 pounds last the fourth consecutive unbeaten 215-pound state champion
year. Welch was fifth at 135 in ’09. Third-ranked John Sims
(30-7) of Evansville Mater Dei was fourth at 140 last year this weekend. Yet, the competition will be fierce as second-
ranked Christian Lentz (43-2) of Mishawaka looks to return
and sixth at 125 pounds in ’08. to the spotlight after a runner-up finish at 215 last February.
• Sixth-ranked Patrick Robinson (29-0) of Hamilton South- • Third ranked Dylan Green of Kokomo stands unbeaten
eastern and fourth-ranked Alex Surma (43-3) of Munster on the season at 48-0. No. 10 Evan Wooding of Moores-
have committed to Purdue University.
ville is also undefeated at 37-0.
152 Pounds 285 Pounds
The state’s top-two 152 pounders bring perfect records
into this weekend’s state finals and could highlight a fierce Six state qualifiers from last year’s bracket return to
welcome the 10 first-time heavyweight contenders at this
potential semifinal matchup. Ranked No. 1 Sam Bennett of weekend’s state finals at Conseco Fieldhouse. Top-ranked
Anderson Highland (38-0) placed third at 145 pounds after
a runner-up finish the year prior. Castle’s Chad Welch (45- James Travis (41-0) of Merrillville returns as the lone state-
place winner, finishing fifth overall last February. Third-
0) is a three-time state qualifier. Fourth-ranked Ryan Stahl ranked Ross Janney (48-0) of Yorktown is the bracket’s only
(43-3) of Mishawaka was runner-up at 140 last year.
other unbeaten wrestler. He is a two-time state qualifier.
• Anderson Highland’s Sam Bennett has committed to • Fourth-ranked Jim West (40-3) of South Adams, Dylan
Northern Illinois University. Mishawaka’s Ryan Stahl has
committed to Purdue University. McBride of Crawfordsville (45-1), seventh-ranked Daniel
Meyer (36-7) of Bellmont and second-ranked Travis
160 Pounds Thomas (40-3) of Mishawaka all are making their second
Top-ranked Sean McMurray (38-0) of Portage is seeking his straight state appearances.
third straight state title after capturing the 152-pound crown
last year and 135-pound title in ’08. A four-time state-place
winner, McMurray would become the tournament’s 24th
three-time individual state champion and 14th individual
champion in Portage’s history. Third-ranked Anthony Quiroz
(31-5) of Chesterton was runner-up at 152 pounds last
winter.
• McMurray has committed to Michigan State University.
Ninth-ranked Cameron Vlahos (51-2) of Harrison (West
Lafayette) has committed to Purdue University.
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