Evansville Mater Dei survived a semifinals upset bid by Hobart and went on to successfully defend its state championship Feb. 27, 1999 with a 35-21 victory over Bellmont in the Fourth Annual IHSAA Team Wrestling State Finals at Center Grove High School in Greenwood.

Senior Nick Miller's pin of Ryan Whitman at 1:16 in their 160-pound championship round match gave Evansville Mater Dei a lead at 23-18 that it would not relinquish. The Wildcats clinched the title by winning the 189-pound match.

It was the fourth straight title for Evansville Mater Dei (25-0) in the dual-meet team tournament format and its fifth straight overall. The Wildcats have collected six IHSAA wresting titles, with all coming since 1986 and under the guidance of coach Mike Goebel.

Ranked No. 1all year by the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association poll, Evansville Mater Dei came back from a 30-12 deficit after the 152-pound match to pull out a 33-30 victory over Hobart in the semifinals. The Wildcats won the last five matches, including the 152, 215 and 275 weights by fall. In the first round, Evansville Mater Dei eliminated first-time state finalist Elwood 56-13.

Bellmont (22-2) won the last four weights to defeat Franklin 28-24 in the first round. It was the third time in four years the Braves had downed Franklin in the opening session. Bellmont went on to oust LaPorte 35-27 in the semifinals, forfeiting the last four matches to rest its upper weight participants after clinching the victory with a fall at 160.

In addition to Miller, Evansville Mater Dei had four other three-match winners: senior Chad Martin (130), sophomore Neil Reddington (140), senior Tony Unfried (171) and senior David Hisch (215/275). For Bellmont, sophomore Nick Koons (119), junior Jon Fennig (125) and senior Ben Faurote (135) posted three victories each.

Junior Alexander Ramos of Hobart, who won the 119-pound state title at the individual state finals last week, completed a 45-0 season with two more victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

103 -- Aaron Clark (F) pinned Matt Cochran (B), 1:03.

112 -- Jon Fruchte (B) dec. John Hillenburg (F), 9-7 (OT).

119 -- Nick Koons (B) dec. Josh Groom (F), 22-9.

125 -- Jon Fenning (B) dec. Dave Hess (F), technical fall, 18-3, 5:46.

130 -- Ryan Feasel (B) dec. Ryan Beard (F), 12-3.

135 -- Ben Faurote (B) dec. Jeff Spicer (F), 6-2.

140 -- Luke Binegar (B) dec. Greg Ratoiff (F), 5-4.

145 -- Randy Baker (B) dec. Chris Dowty (F), 8-4.

152 -- Matt Wheatley (F) dec. Joe etzel (B), 4-3.

160 -- Ryan Whitman (B) dec. Bryce Hasseman (F), 6-3.

171 -- Cory Roderick (F) dec. Andy Friedt (B), 8-4.

189 -- Travis Fuller (F) pinned Dustin Hormann (B), 3:58.

215 -- Seth Tumey (F) dec. Dylan McKean (B), 2-1 (OT)

275 -- Willie Wethington (F) dec. Carl Egula (B), 3-1.

103 -- Edu Chern (LJ) pinned Ian Barclay (L), 1:58.

112 -- Ben Ahlgrim (LJ) dec. Matt King (L), 7-6.

119 -- Brian Hibbert (LJ) dec. Travis Bass (L), 2-0.

125 -- Jon Waggoner (LJ) dec. Zachary Peterson (L), 4-2 (OT).

130 -- Barry Black (LJ) dec. Brandon Rose (L), 9-6.

135 -- Mike Bartley (L) pinned Pat Leon (LJ), 1:35.

140 -- Zach Sliwa (L) dec. Andrew Brown (LJ), 12-3.

145 -- Aaron Johnson (L) dec. Kevin Stafford (LJ), 1-0

152 -- Scott Alfano (L) dec. Doug Newhart (LJ), 9-7 (OT).

160 -- Jacob Ivankovig (L) pinned Eric Brothers (L), 4:15.

171 -- Matt Miller (L) pinned Gary Widget (LJ), :24.

189 -- Dirk Peterson (L) pinned Brian Freeman (LJ), :45.

215 -- Julio Santo (L) pinned Jrred Sowders (LJ), 1:41.

275 -- Franklin Williams (LJ) dec. Jon-Paul LaFrance (L), 5-4.

103 -- Bob Ausbrooks (EMD) dec. Jeff Walker (E), 7-3.

112 -- Brent Walker (E) dec. Matt Adler (EMD), 14-4.

119 -- Eli Todich (EMD) dec. Craig Strandridge (E), 6-4 (OT).

125 -- Dustin Groover (E) dec. Mike Conklin (EMD), 4-3.

130 -- Chad Martin (EMD) dec. Raymond Rybecki (E), technical fall, 16-1, 2:24.

135 -- Chad Raben (EMD) dec. Jamie Bethune (E), 9-7.

140 -- Neil Reddington (EMD) pinned Sam Mchearson (E), 3:43.

145 -- Dan Jankowski (EMD) pinned Jade Cornwell (E), 1:09.

152 -- Eric Dewig (EMD) pinned David McCorkle (E), 3:00.

160 -- Nick Miller (EMD) pinned Kevin Powell (E), 3:36.

171 -- Tony Unfried (EMD) pinned Wade Kane (E), 1:46.

189 -- Ryan Kind (EMD) pinned Dustin Arbuckle (E), 2:50.

215 -- David Hisch (EMD) pinned Rolland Patton (E), 1:30.

275 -- Andy Gibson (E) pinned Brian Eickhoff (EMD), 1:41.

103 -- Manuel Rodriquez (H) dec. Michael Arbuckle (IC), 13-0.

112 -- Cameron Sakon (IC) dec. Ryan Storey (H), 9-4.

119 -- Alexander Ramos (H) pinned Tony Galbo (IC), 5:27.

125 -- Wesley Goodpaster (H) dec. Kyle Vanes (IC), 5-4.

130 -- Josh Felty (H) dec. Jacob Burns (IC), 5-2.

135 -- Jeff Schmaltz (IC) dec. Rick Rayner (H), 4-2.

140 -- David Jensen (IC) dec. Josh Felty (H), 5-2.

145 -- Frank DeBusk (H) pinned Jeff Llewellyn (IC), 2:34.

152 -- Nick Pash(H) dec. Joe Hurst (IC), 8-7.

160 -- John Cantu (H) pinned Dominic Pitrelli (IC), 1:20.

171 -- Nicholas Bendze (H) dec. Justin Pompey (IC), 7-4.

189 -- Charles Stanback (IC) dec. Dustin Weber (H), 7-4.

215 -- Ryan O'Haver (IC) pinned John Walsh (H), 1:33.

275 -- Matt Hasbrook (IC) pinned Trent Overturf (H), 1:45.

103 -- Matt Cochran (B) dec. Ian Barclay (L), 12-6.

112 -- Matt King (L) dec, Jon Fruchte (B), 8-3.

119 -- Nick Koons (B) dec. Travis Bass (L), 10-3.

125 -- Jon Fennig (B) pinned Zack Peterson (L), 2:57.

130 -- Ryan Feasel (B) dec. Brandon Rose (L), technical fall, 20-5, 5:58.

135 -- Ben Faurote (B) dec. Mike Bartley (L), 8-3.

140 -- Luke Binegar (F) dec. Zach Sliwa (L), 8-4.

145 -- Tom Friedt (B) dec. Josh White (L), 10-3.

152 -- Randy Baker (B) dec. Aaron Johnson (L), 11-4.

160 -- Ryan Whitman (B) pinned Jacob Ivankovig (L), 1:09.

171 -- Matt Miller (L) won by forfeit.

189 -- Dirk Peterson (L) won by forfeit.

215 -- Julio Santos (L) won by forfeit.

275 -- Teman Buchanan (L) won by forfeit.

103 -- Manuel Rodriguez (H) dec. Bob Ausbrooks (EMD), 2-1.

112 -- Ryan Storey (H) dec. Matt Adler (EMD), 8-3.

119 -- Alexander Ramos (H) dec. Eli Todich (EMD), 22-5, disqualification, 5:58.

125 -- Wes Goodpaster (H) pinned Mike Conkling (EMD), 2:19.

130 -- Chad Martin (EMD) dec. Josh Felty (H), 9-7.

135 -- Chad Raben (EMD), Rick Rayner (H), 2-1.

140 -- Neil Reddington (EMD) pinned John Felty (H), 3:21.

145 -- Frank DeBusk (H) pinned Dan Jankowski (EMD), 1:10.

152 -- Joe Hurst (H) pinned Eric Dewig (EMD), 4:49.

160 -- Nick Miller (EMD) dec. John Cantu (H), 8-3.

171 -- Tony Unfried (EMD) dec. Nicholas Benzce (H), 6-5.

189 -- Ryan King (EMD) dec. Dustin Weber (H), 9-5.

215 -- Kevin Alvey (EMD) pinned John Walsh (H), 1:21.

275 -- David Hisch (EMD) pinned Trent Overturf (H), 3:21.

103 -- Bob Ausbrooks (EMD) dec. Matt Cochran (B), 10-0.

112 -- Jon Fruhte (B) pinned Matt Adler (EMD), 1:25.

119 -- Nick Koons (B) dec. Eli Todich (EMD), technical fall, 26-11, 5:32.

125 -- Jon Fennig (B) dec. Mike Conkling (EMD), 6-2.

130 -- Chad Martin (EMD) dec. Ryan Feasel (B), 8-6.

135 -- Ben Faurote (B) dec. Chad Raben (EMD), 15-5.

140 -- Neil Reddington (EMD) dec. Luke Binegar (B), 7-5.

145 -- Dan Jankowski (EMD) dec. Randy Baker (B), 11-3.

152 -- Eric Dewig (EMD) dec. Joe Wetzel (B), 5-0.

160 -- Nick Miller (EMD) pinned Ryan Whitman (B), 1:16.

171 -- Tony Unfried (EMD) pinned Andy Friedt (B), 1:32.

189 -- Ryan King (EMD) dec. Dustin Hormann (B), 10-4.

215 -- Dylan McKean (B) dec. Kevin Alvey (EMD), 8-5.

275 -- David Hisch (EMD) dec. Carl Egula (B), 7-2.