Single class sports tend to pit the large schools against the small come tourney time.
That’s what happened on Saturday at the IHSAA Sectional at Crawfordsville when Southmont pushed wrestling power Zionsville to the limits.
The Eagles won the title with 305 points, producing eight champions. Southmont was second with 251 and four champions. A total of 12 out of 14 Mountie wrestlers advanced to the IHSAA Regional with a top-four finish. Making most of an opportunity against a tough pool of wrestlers.
“We did about as good as we could do,” Southmont coach Jamie Welliever said. “Each guy really I thought did as good as they could do. I couldn’t be more proud of our effort from a school the size of ours to do that is fantastic.”
Freshman Maddox Cade won the title at 113, defeating Zionsville’s Daniel Stanfield 6-2 in the finals. Riley Woodall came from behind to top Zionsville’s Vincent McDonald by fall in the finals at 182, while freshman Wyatt Woodall stayed unbeaten with a win by fall over Zionsville’s Gregory Mariacher at 195. Zayden Dunn won by a 7-5 decision over Zionsville’s Ben Jones to claim the heavyweight title.
Southmont was 4-3 head-to-head against Zionsville in the finals.
Both Evan Francis at 160, and Collin Martin at 220 beat opponents in the semifinals they had previously lost to in order to advance to the finals. Each placed second along with Noah Benge (120), Marlin Williams (126), and Dillan Lauy (138). Francis avenged a loss to Western Boone’s Brant Pitcher, winning 9-7 in overtime in the semifinals. Martin pinned Fountain Central’s Matthew Alexander in the semifinals, an opponent he had lost to by fall in the regular season.
“Some of them to just get to that championship match,” Welliever said. “Francis had to beat a guy he had lost to. Martin had two great wins to get to the championship match. Even those second places were outstanding and some third places.”
Brier Riggle finished third for the Mounties at 106, Gerald Hutson was fourth at 126, and Isaiah McMasters third at 170 to join their teammates at next week’s regional.
North Montgomery was led by Cailin Campbell (120) and Todd Laffoon’s (195) third-place finishes. Campbell beat Zionsville’s Seth Davis 8-5 in the third-place match, while Laffoon won by fall over South Vermillion’s Jacob Ramsay. James McClerkin was fifth at 145.
COVID-19 protocols struck the Chargers’ program less than two weeks before the sectional, leaving North’s wrestlers battling with little mat time in recent weeks.
“Unfortunately we’ve had three days of practice the last two weeks due to COVID,” North Montgomery coach Bryce McCoy said. “Not to make excuses, but it’s hard to stay in wrestling shape when you’re not wreslting. I think we battled well, just a lot of times ran out of gas. I’m proud of the way we came out. We did what we could.”
Crawfordsville, who has battled with an array of issues throughout the season, had just two wrestlers compete on Saturday. Keeg Alsman advanced to the regional by placing fourth at 113.
“Really been hit hard by all sorts of things,” first-year coach Dave Cutchin said. “It’s been a COVID 2020-21 season. I’m proud of the two who were able to stick it out and be able to compete. Regardless of the result, I thought they both did a great job with their effort.
Waylon Frazee led Fountain Central to a sixth-place finish. Frazee won the 120 pound title with a win over Southmont’s Benge 7-1 in the finals. Willie Frazee placed third at 152, and Jordan Melvin fourth at 160. Matthew Alexander was third at 220.
