LINDEN — Southmont seniors Marlin Williams and Wyatt Woodall each won titles Saturday at the North Montgomery IHSAA wrestling regional.
Williams beat Rossville’s Jacob Moss by fall in the opening round, before winning 11-2 over Lebanon’s Zach Tranum in the semi-finals. The Southmont senior then pushed his record to 32-1 on the season by pinning Zionsville’s Hank Phenicie to win the 144 pound weight class.
At 215, Woodall earned three wins by fall to claim the title — defeating Frankfort’s Daniel Martinez-Mendoz, Zionsville’s Kian Maclauchlan and North Vermillion’s Aiden Hinchee. The Southmont senior remains unbeaten with a record of 27-0, and earned his second-straight regional title.
“Our seniors leading the way again,” Southmont coach Jamie Welliever said. “Marlin keeps grinding things out and Wyatt does what Wyatt does.”
Williams and Woodall will now wrestle at the New Castle semi-state on Saturday. It’s Woodall’s fourth time qualifying, although he was injured and couldn’t wrestle as a sophomore in 2022, and Williams’ second-straight trip. Joining them will be senior teammates Maddox Cade and Tyler Davis.
Cade advances for the third time in his career, after placing second at 138. The senior beat Carmel’s Elijah Penquite 11-2 in the first round, and Westfield’s Jake Saez 8-5 in the semi-finals. Cade, who is now 30-3 on the year, fell 9-3 to Fishers senior Teyon Leonard.
Davis advances to the semi-state for the first time in his career after beating Carmel’s Adel Navarrete 3-2 in the opening round. Davis then fell to regional champion Noah Weaver from Rossville. Davis, a junior, placed third after Hamilton Southeastern’s De Shawn Ternoir performed an illegal move that left Davis injured and unable to complete the match.
“Tyler Davis has been so coachable and maybe improved more than anybody on the team this year. I’m proud of what Tyler did,” Welliever said.
Brier Riggle (120), Camden Laney (126), Jeffery Pine (132), Hunter Alesi (157) and Ayden Dkickerson (285) all saw their seasons come to a close with a first round loss.
Crawfordsville will send three wrestlers to the semi-state, after Taiga Koyanogi placed fourth at 106. The junior beat Hamilton Southeastern’s Will Lakes 8-5 in the opening round. Landon Vaught defeated Hamilton Southeastern’s Matt Billet 12-5 in the opening round, before falling to Teyon Leonard in the semi-finals. Vaught then beat Westfield’s Jake Saez 14-5 for third place at 138. Junior Braeden Hites placed fourth at 165 after pinning Hamilton Southeastern’s Antonio Ford in the opening round.
“It started off a little rough, we thought we would have more wins in the first round,” Crawfordsville coach Aaron Keller said. “But it was a pretty good day overall. We are excited that we got Taiga, Landon and Braeden moving on to semi-state. I thought all the guys wrestled hard and it was a great experience for the younger guys to be able to compete in the regional.”
Camron Teeple (113), Armando Munoz (120), Blayze Robbins (126), Jaziel Gil Herrera (150), Ashton Wilson (175), Keegan Cokel (215), and Isaiah McNorton (285) all saw their seasons come to an end with a first round loss.
“I hated to see Ashton Wilson end his season, he will be missed,” Keller said.
North Montgomery’s Nolan Yarger finished third at 132 and will be the lone Charger to compete in the semi-state. The junior beat Lebanon’s Seth Wilson 10-7 in the opening round, before losing by fall to eventual champion Caleb Mattingly from Carmel in the semi-finals.
“We are super excited about it,” North Montgomery coach Lincoln Kyle said. “I know last year, I think he was pretty bummed after the regional. He’s excited this year, it’s another week of wrestling.”
Charger junior Jayden Thompson lost in the first round at 157.
Fountain Central saw all five wrestlers fall in the first round.
The eight county wrestlers will now look for the ultimate goal of punching their ticket to the IHSAA State Finals at the New Castle semi-state on Saturday. Wrestling begins at 9 a.m.
