Page 6 - 2010-11 Individual Wrestling State Finals Program

Tournament

Preview
By RICHARD TORRES
VYPE High School Sports
Magazine, Central Indiana

Among the 224 high school wrestlers partaking in this 119 Pounds
weekend’s 73rd Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State A state champion at 112 pounds last year, Lake Central’s
Finals, five of last year’s champions return. Six former state Kyle Ayersman is making his third trip to Conseco Fieldhouse
champions will compete and 31 wrestlers will attempt to carry in search of another big finish. The junior carries an unblem-
their perfect records into championship Saturday. ished 48-0 record, the state’s top ranking and hasn’t placed
lower than third at state. Once again, he will face a plenty of
Two wrestlers have their sights set on history. Cody Phillips of competition with 13 ranked wrestlers, including eight former
Union County and Jason Tsirtsis of Crown Point will seek to state qualifiers.
join the three-timer club, winning their third consecutive state • Ayersman is trying to become the second wrestler in
titles this weekend. school history to win back-to-back state titles. Lake
Central’s Michael Escobedo was the last to achieve the
Who will be the 14 best of 2010-11? We’ll find out under the feat (145 pounds, 2000-01; 152 pounds, 2001-02).
spotlight.
125 Pounds
103 Pounds The numbers say it all. Eight of the state’s top-10 ranked
There are only two unbeaten wrestlers in this bracket, and wrestlers hold spots in this bracket. Three are former
fittingly, they are ranked one-two. Bloomington South’s Jacob state-place winners and 10 are former state qualifiers. The
Boomsma is a perfect 44-0, ranked second and making his most decorated of the contenders is Roncalli’s Justin Kieffer,
third trip to the state finals. Lawrence North’s Nathan Boston a three-time place winner and the state’s second-ranked
is a flawless 42-0 as a freshman and the top-ranked wrestler wrestler at 125 pounds. Perry Meridian’s Jared McKinley is a
at 103-pounds entering Friday night. three-time state qualifier and has only one loss this season –
• Among the 16 contenders, 12 are ranked and three have to Kieffer by decision.
prior state experience: Boomsma, third-ranked Brock • Third-ranked Layten Binion (41-1) of Mishawaka is
Bevans (45-3) of Yorktown, and seventh-ranked Danny a two-time state qualifier. His only loss this year is to
Hamm (52-4) of Prairie Heights (8th at 103 in 2009-10). McKinley by decision 7-0.
112 Pounds 130 Pounds
Loaded is one way to describe this bracket. Unpredictable is Three wrestlers enter state with perfect records and six have
another. Before last weekend’s semi-state tournaments, two- previous state experience on their side. Of the flawless trio,
time state champion Cody Phillips (39-1) of Union County Cathedral’s Brian Harvey has the deepest resume, finishing
was the odds on favorite to win it all. But after the top-ranked 6th at 103 and 112 pounds in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Harvey
wrestler lost by decision to second-ranked Mason Todd (28- holds the state’s top ranking at 130 pounds.
0) of Pendleton Heights at New Castle, all bets are off. Nine • Second-ranked Travis Barroquillo (52-0) of Prairie
of the state’s top 10 wrestlers occupy seeds and the top five Heights is making his third trip to state. Last year, the
all have two or fewer losses. Indiana Tech recruit finished 7th at 125 pounds.
• Other than Phillips, six wrestlers enter with prior state • Third-ranked Neal Malloy (46-0) of Danville is a two-time
finals experience: No. 7 Alonzo Shepherd (48-1) of state qualifier. Ninth-ranked Michael Brown (41-6) of
Jeffersonville, No. 3 Paul Petrov (45-1) of Hanover Castle, eighth-ranked Jonathon Hoehn (40-5) of Mount
Central, Todd of Pendleton Heights, No. 12 Abraham Vernon, and fourth-ranked Taylor Wisler (40-4) of
Que (43-0) of Elkhart Central, No. 4 Jared Brooks (27-1) Mishawaka are also two-time state qualifiers.
of Warsaw, and Luke Schroeder (48-2) of Southwestern
(Hanover).
6 IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport!