Indiana High School Athletic Association

     9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

____________________________________________________________________________

MEDIA ADVISORY                                                              February 18, 2003

Contact: Jerry Baker, Sports Information Director                                                          

E-Mail: jbaker@ihsaa.org

 

IHSAA WRESTLING INDIVIDUAL STATE FINALS THIS WEEKEND

Twenty-four wrestlers sporting unbeaten records will lead the field into the 65th Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday and Saturday, February 21-22.  Leading the way is a quartet of wrestlers with perfect records in 50 or more matches.  That group is headed up by Alex Tsirtsis (135-lb) at 58-0.  Angel Escobedo of Griffith (125-lb) and Andrae Hernandez of Griffith (130-lb) are both sporting records of 57-0.  Matt Jaggers of New Castle (125-lb) checks in at 53-0.

 

Champions returning this year include Angel Escobedo of Griffith in the 125-lb bracket.  He was a winner at 112-lb in 2002.  His teammate, Alex Tsirtsis, took home the top honor at 130-lb one year ago and has moved up to 135-lb.  Alex was also the title holder in 2001 at 119-lb.  Evansville Mater Dei’s Blake Maurer, the 145-lb champ last season, is back at 171-lb for this year’s action.  He is looking to make it three in a row following his win at 130-lb in 2001.  And, Jake O’Brien from Franklin Central also goes for the tri-fecta as he returns to defend his 215-lb crown.

 

Craig Weinzapfel of Evansville Mater Dei captured the 112-lb title in 2001 and returns this time at 145-lb.

 

For a look at the complete state finals pairings, log on to 2003 Individual Wrestling Pairings.  A year-by-year list of previous winners is also available at Individual Wrestling Champions.

 

UNDEFEATED STATE FINALISTS:

Weight

Name

School

Yr

Record

Opponent

School

Yr

Record

112

Nick May

Peru

12

46-0

Zach Helms

Twin Lakes

12

36-6

119

Garlan Early

F.W. North

12

32-0

Scott Kelly

Carmel

10

35-9

119

Sean Schmaltz

Franklin

12

43-0

Steve Chico

Hammond Noll

12

45-8

125

Angel Escobedo

Griffith

10

57-0

Tony Pope

Bloomington South

11

38-7

125

Matt Jaggers

New Castle

12

53-0

Ryan Lineberry

F.W. Snider

12

43-6

130

Matt Coughlin

Ev. Mater Dei

10

38-0

Kyle Meinika

Columbia City

11

36-3

130

Andrae Hernandez

Griffith

11

57-0

Doug Thornton

Lawrence Central

11

39-9

135

Alex Tsirtsis

Griffith

11

58-0

Adam Hogue

Franklin

12

37-7

140

Ryan Pribble

Turkey Run

12

44-0

Michael Burnison

Valparaiso

12

34-9

140

Darren Elkins

Portage

11

44-0

Thomas Johnson

Lawrence North

10

34-12

140

Justin May

DeKalb

12

36-0

Brandon Davis

Martinsville

12

34-5

145

Craig Weinzapfel

Ev. Mater Dei

12

37-0

Brian Jennings

New Palestine

11

37-9

145

Ben Milius

Yorktown

12

41-0

Ryan Bonek

Penn

12

35-12

152

Austin Torres

Lake Central

12

41-0

Neil Westendorf

Manchester

11

36-5

152

Brad Milius

Yorktown

12

40-0

Matt Read

Plymouth

12

26-8

160

Jim Schultz

Mishawaka

12

39-0

Alexander Blythe

Evansville Reitz

11

42-11

171

Alex Dollly

Mishawaka

12

43-0

Ian Strass

Huntington North

12

34-4

189

Chase Thompson

Frankfort

12

36-0

David Schlueter

Harrison (W.L.)

11

37-6

189

Heath VanDeventer

Bloom. North

11

43-0

Josh Staton

Manchester

12

39-4

189

Trevor Moe

Garrett

12

36-0

Orrin Kleinhenz

Columbus North

10

34-11

215

Jake O’Brien

Franklin Cntl

12

40-0

Robert Duke

Kokomo

12

26-7

215

Cortlan Bookeer

W. Lafayette

12

42-0

Zach Tatlock

Seymour

12

37-5

275

Kyle Daily

Columbus N.

12

26-0

Brandon Somerville

Crawfordsville

11

20-6

275

Johnathan Sandberg

North White

12

43-0

Ted Pappert

New Haven

12

38-6

 

2003 IHSAA INDIVIDUAL WRESTLING STATE FINALS

Schedule:        Friday              Weigh-In         4:30—5:30 p.m.

                        Friday              Session 1         6:00 p.m.

                        Saturday          Weigh-In         8:30—9:00 a.m.

                        Saturday          Session II        9:30 a.m.

                        Saturday          Session III      5:00 p.m.

                        Saturday          Finals              7:30 p.m.

 

Pairings:          2003 Individual Wrestling State Finals Pairings

 

Admission:      Session Ticket $7.00,  Season Ticket $15.00

 

Location:         Conseco Fieldhouse, 125 South Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis. 

                        For directions, log on to Conseco Fieldhouse.

 

FIELD SET FOR TEAM WRESTLING STATE FINALS

The final-eight teams have been determined for the 8th Annual IHSAA Team Wrestling Tournament to be conducted Saturday, March 1, 2002 at Center Grove High School in Greenwood.

 

Evansville Mater Dei, ranked number-one in the final poll, is again the strong favorite as the Wildcats go in search of yet another crown.  Since the IHSAA began conducting separate team and individual tournaments in 1995-96, Mater Dei has finished up in the winners’ circle each year under head coach Mike Goebel.

 

Mater Dei, a 76-6 winner over Jasper in the semi-state, will meet Perry Meridian in Match #4, with that victor advancing to meet the winner of the Bellmont-Bloomington South confrontation.

 

2003 IHSAA TEAM WRESTLING STATE FINALS

Date:               Saturday, March 1, 2003

Time:              10:00 a.m. EST

Location:         Center Grove High School, 2717 S. Morgantown Road, Greenwood

Admission:      $7.00

 

QUARTERFINALS

10:00 a.m. EST

 

Match 1

Lawrence North (#6) vs. Fort Wayne Snider (#17)

Match 2

Mishawaka (#9) vs. Griffith (#3)

Match 3

Bellmont (#2) vs. Bloomington South (#11)

Match 4

Perry Meridian (#8) vs. Evansville Mater Dei (#1)

 

SEMIFINALS

30 minutes following the conclusion of the quarterfinals at approximately 12:00 p.m. EST

Match 5

Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2.

Match 6

Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP

30 minutes following the conclusion of the semifinals at approximately 2:30 p.m. EST

Match 7

Winner of Match 5 vs. Winner of Match 6

 

WRESTLING MEDIA CREDENTIALS

The 2002-03 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential will serve as admission to the individual and team state finals competition at Conseco Fieldhouse and Center Grove High School.  If you have not applied for such credential, please fax your request, on company letterhead, to Jerry Baker, Sports Information Director, (317) 575-4244.

 

Credentials for the Individual Finals will be held at Media Will Call on the Delaware Street side of Conseco Fieldhouse.  The Will Call entrance will open one hour prior to the days’ action and close at 7:00 p.m.  All media should enter through this gate.

 

ONCE AGAIN, CARMEL CAPTURES GIRLS SWIMMING TITLE

Carmel made it 17 in a row in the 29th Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals, Friday and Saturday, February 14-15, 2003 at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.  The Greyhounds, coached by Ken Stopkotte for its last three titles, finished with 277 points followed by North Central with 259, the fourth year in a row the Panthers finished in the two spot. Munster