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Fax: 317-575-4244 Website:
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____________________________________________________________________
February 18, 2006
MISHAWAKA WRESTLERS CLAIM THREE STATE TITLES
Mishawaka
wrestlers had a banner day as three individuals laid claim to state titles
during the 68th Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals at Conseco Fieldhouse in
Indianapolis.
Josh
Harper, Ian Hinton and Pat Day became the first Cavemen state champs since Brad
Harper won the 152 crown in 1998 and the trifecta also
was the most by the school in the same year. Darrick
Snyder is the Mishawaka coach.
Harper
offered a glimpse of things to come by completing a perfect freshman season at
47-0. He took a 6-3 decision from Edgewood’s Chris Lindauer
in the 103 match. A year after finishing as the runner-up at 171, Hinton returned
to complete a 42-0 junior season following a 2-0 overtime thriller over Franklin’s
Phillip Glasser. Day won the 215 class on his 12-10
decision over Cody Johnson, also of Franklin.
Day was
responsible for eclipsing one of the oldest state finals records on Saturday
afternoon as he pinned his semifinal opponent in just 11 seconds. The previous
record of 15 seconds had been shared by Wilford
Childers of Lowell in 1929 and Charles McDaniel of Bloomington in 1932.
With a 28-0
dual record, all three will compete with the rest of their teammates in next
Saturday’s Team State Finals.
Bloomington
South and Merrillville both had two state winners as well. Bloomington South,
with its state-best 65 champions, had back-to-back winners in Kurt Kinser at 152 and Paul Young at 160.
Young (49-0)
was the only one of the five returning champions to make it back to the title
round and captured a 9-4 decision over Bryan Deutsch of Columbia City. Deutsch
was the 152 runner-up in 2005. Kinser, the runner-up
at 145 a year ago, got it done this time around, eking out a 1-0 decision from
Perry Meridian’s Kevin Clem.
The 119
pound class had three returning state champions, including last year’s winner
in Evansville Central’s Anthony Williams, but none advanced beyond the semis. Instead,
Merrillville’s Javier Salas took home the crown pinning Norwell’s Blake Harner at 3:18. The senior finished 40-1 on the year eliminating
Williams in the semifinals in an overtime decision. Ethan Harris of Beech
Grove, the 2005 champ at 112, was upset in the quarterfinals losing for the
first time in 77 matches. Hobart’s Eric Galka, last
year’s winner at 103 lost in Friday’s first round.
Merrillville’s
other win came from 275-pounder Dexter Larimore who dominated Aaron Lindenschmidt of Evansville Harrison, 12-1. The third-time
was the charm for the 41-0 senior who had been the heavyweight runner-up each
of the last two seasons. It was Lindenschmidt’s only
loss of the year.
State Championship Match Results
103 – Josh Harper (47-0), Mishawaka (9)
def. Chris Lindauer (19-2), Edgewood (11) dec. 6-3.
112 – Danny Coyne (36-1), Beech Grove
(12) def. Taylor March (41-6), East Noble
(9), dec. 3-1.
119 – Javier Salas (40-1), Merrillville
(12) def. Blake Harner (40-2), Norwell (12), fall, 3:18.
125 – Eric McGill (46-1), Munster (11) def. Adam Walters (38-5), Portage (12), dec. 3-2.
130 – Alexander Warren (37-0), Mooresville (12) def. Dustin Bruce (37-4), Bloomington North (11), dec. 8-5.
135 – Matt Irwin (45-0), Bellmont (12) def. Brennan Cosgrove (46-2), Hobart (10) dec,
12-5.
140 – Andrew Howe (51-0), Hanover
Central (10) def. Cory Fornal (46-2), Rochester (12), dec.
6-2.
145 – Chad Biddle (41-2), Portage
(12) def. Cooper Samuels (45-1), Floyd
Central (10), fall, 2:22.
152 – Kurt Kinser (47-0), Bloomington South (12) def. Kevin Clem (50-6), Perry Meridian (12), dec, 1-0.
160 – Paul
Young (49-0), Bloomington South (12)
def. Bryan Deutsch (42-2), Columbia City
(12) dec, 9-4.
171 – Ian Hinton (42-0), Mishawaka
(11) def. Phillip Glasser (39-5), Franklin (12), dec.
2-0 OT.
189 – Taylor Vieck (38-0), Vincennes Lincoln (12) def. Travis Dale (43-1), McCutcheon (11), dec
3-2.
215 – Pat Day (46-2), Mishawaka (12) def. Cody Johnson (44-3), Franklin (12) dec 12-10.
275 – Dexter Larimore (41-0), Merrillville
(12) def. Aaron Lindenschmidt (48-1), Evansville Harrison (12), dec. 12-1.
JEFFREY PAPIERNIK NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Members of
the IHSAA Executive Committee selected Jeffrey Papiernik
of Fort Wayne Snider High School as the winner of the 2005-06 Ward E. Brown Mental Attitude Award for wrestling.
A four-time IHSAA individual
state-qualifier, Papiernik is the first wrestler and 11th student-athlete overall from
his school to earn that distinction.
Papiernik turned in his best individual state finals
performance by placing fourth in the 135 pound weight class this weekend. After earning Team MVP honors in 2004 he was
selected as the captain of the Panthers this season. He compiled a record of 43-4 and ends his
career with an overall record of 154-19.
In
addition to being a leader on the mats, he has had major achievements in the
classroom. He ranks first in his class
of 455 students with a 4.69 GPA (4.0 Scale).
He is a member of the National Honor Society, Indiana Math League and
National Society of High School Scholars.
Jeffrey was also selected to attend the “2006 Molecular Medicine in
Action Conference” at IU Medical Center.
In addition to these accomplishments, he was a 2006 Wendy’s High School Heisman Nominee and selected as an Indiana University
Science, Technology and Research Scholar.
“Jeff
refuses to take short cuts! He has
displayed quiet leadership by example and has excelled academically, socially,
and athletically,” said Fort Wayne Snider Head Wrestling Coach Michael Ester. “He alone creates the energy and opportunity
in order to better himself as a student, an athlete, and a citizen; while
taking the time to share his blessings with those around him.”
His
volunteer work includes peer tutoring, middle school assistant wrestling coach,
science fair judge, concessions worker for high school athletic events,
landscaping and various church events.
Jeffrey
is the son of Andrew and Janet Papiernik of Fort
Wayne and plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis and major in
Molecular Biology.
The award was named in
honor of the IHSAA’s fourth commissioner (1976-1983)
in 1985. During his term as commissioner, the wrestling state finals
experienced tremendous growth moving from Southport High School to Market
Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis. Recipients of the award must be
nominated by their principal and coach and must excel in mental attitude,
scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in the sport.
Indiana Farm Bureau
Insurance, the IHSAA corporate sponsor, presented a $1,000.00 scholarship to
Fort Wayne Snider High School in the name of Papiernik.
VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit our
friends at Visual Sports Network, the IHSAA’s official photographer for all state championship
events and one of the leading action photographers in the
CHAMPIONSHIP MERCHANDISE STILL AVAILABLE
For
t-shirts and other merchandise commemorating this year’s tournament or for any
of our events, visit our friends at Morris, Inc.
STATE FINALS PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
Couldn’t be
there for the state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official
souvenir program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in
person at the IHSAA Office (