Page 28 - 2016-17 Wrestling State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals

New Palestine’s Chad Red Becomes Four-Time State Champ, Warren Central
Runs Away with Team Title
Chad Red joined an elite club and Warren Central fourth with 71 and Merrillville was fifth at 59. Defending
claimed the team title during the 78th Annual IHSAA state champion Penn placed seventh with 49 points.
Wrestling State Finals at Banker Life Fieldhouse in
Indianapolis. Merrillville and Lowell each had two winners on the
evening. Merrillville’s Jacob Covaciu (42-0) and Shawn
In perhaps the most anticipated matchup in state finals Streck (45-0) each repeated as champions. Covaciu
history, Red claimed a 6-5 decision from Evansville claimed the 160 pound title to go along with his 145
Mater Dei’s Nick Lee at 132 pounds, a battle of two of crown a year ago while Streck repeated as 285 pound
the country’s best wrestlers. Lee took a 4-1 lead after champion.
the first period before Red turned the tables in the
second taking a 6-4 advantage heading into the final Lowell’s Colton Cummings (46-0) won the 106 pound
frame. From there, Red burned the clock to become title a year ago and moved up to win the 113 belt this
the ninth four-time state champion in state history season while teammate Drew Hughes (47-0) earned
and complete a perfect 183-0 career record (44-0 this his second consecutive winning at 170 pounds after
season). He became the third Indiana wrestler to go taking 160 in 2015.
undefeated for his entire career joining Indianapolis
Cathedral’s Lance Ellis and Griffith’s Alex Tsirtsis. The Danville senior Brock Hudkins ended a perfect cam-
New Palestine senior also joined Tsirtsis as the only paign at 47-0 for his second state title in a row winning
undefeated wrestlers to win each of their titles in a dif- it all at 126 pounds. Indianapolis Cathedral’s Blake
ferent weight class. Lee was the defending 132 pound Rypel also claimed his second crown dropping down
champion and suffered his first loss of the season to to win at 182 after winning 195 last season.
finish 16-1.
For Warren Central, it was the school’s second state A crowd of 33,593 witnessed the weekend’s action,
setting a new three-session attendance record.
title in the sport and first since 1980. Warriors coach
Jim Tonte won his fourth state title with his previous Final Team Standings:
three coming while coaching Perry Meridian. 1. Warren Central 105.5
2. Brownsburg

The Warriors put four in the championship matches but 3. Indianapolis Cathedral 83
77
junior Trent Pruitt was the only to claim a title taking a 4. Portage 71
7-3 decision from Portage’s Steven Lawrence to finish 5. Merrillville 59
45-2 at 152 pounds. 6. Evansville Mater Dei 56.5
Warren Central finished with 105.5 points to outdis- 7. Penn 49
T8. Avon
48
tance runner-up Brownsburg’s 83 points. Indianapolis T8. Lawrence North 48
Cathedral placed third with 77 points, Portage ended 10. Lowell 47.5

28 IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport!