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EIGHT FORMER STATE CHAMPS RETURN TO WRESTLING STATE FINALS
Eight former state champions, including one attempting to join the list of three-time winners, lead the way in the 72nd Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals this weekend at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Two hundred twenty-four wrestlers in all, 16 in each of the 14 weight classes, will begin first round competition on Friday at 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT. First-round winners will return to wrestle on Saturday with quarterfinal action beginning at 9:30 am ET / 8:30 am CT and semifinal matches to follow after all weight classes have concluded. Consolation bouts begin at 5 pm ET and championship matches under the spotlight are scheduled for 7:30 pm ET.

Portage senior Sean McMurray (38-0) will be gunning for his third state championship this weekend while competing in the 160 pound class. He won the 152 class last season and 135 in 2008.

Five other defending state champions have made their way back as well.

Union County sophomore Cody Phillips (41-0) will try to win his second straight at 103; Crown Point senior Anthony Hawkins (33-3) has moved up to 119 after winning the 112 bracket last season; Crown Point sophomore Jason Tsirtsis (38-0) won the 125 pound class last year and is competing at 130 this weekend; Hobart senior Frankie Porras (38-1) is entered at 140 after taking the 130 crown in 2009 and; Union County senior Michael Duckworth (46-0) will be aiming for his second straight state crown at 171.

Indian Creek junior Ethan Raley (34-1), the 2008 champ at 103, is entered at 125. On the opposite side of the 125 bracket is another 2008 champ, Brandon Wright (29-2), a senior in his first year at Warren Central, who won the 112 class that year while at Indianapolis Cathedral. Wright finished second last year at 119 and was the 103 runner-up in 2007.

In all, 26 participants have made it to the state finals without absorbing a loss this year.

One hundred and twenty-two schools will be represented at the state finals this weekend with Mishawaka’s 10 wrestlers leading the way in the 14 classes. Yorktown follows with eight and Castle with six. Castle had the most first-place winners with four last weekend in Evansville while Yorktown managed three in Fort Wayne. Each of those teams will participate in the Team Wrestling State Finals on Feb. 27 at Center Grove High School in Greenwood.

72nd IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals
Dates & Times
Friday, Feb. 19, 6 pm ET.
Saturday, Feb. 20 (Quarterfinals at 9:30 am ET with semifinals to follow; Consolations at 5 pm ET; Finals at 7:30 pm ET).
Admission: $8 per session or $20 both days.
Site: Conseco Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis | Website
Webcast: www.ihsaasports.org will provide live video of all Saturday bouts beginning at 9:30 am ET.
Brackets

State Finals Notables

State Champions in the Field (8)
103 – Cody Phillips, 10, Union County (41-0) (2009 state champ at 103).
119 – Anthony Hawkins, 12, Crown Point (33-3) (2009 state champ at 112).
125 – Ethan Raley, 11, Indian Creek (34-1) (2008 state champ at 103).
125 – Brandon Wright, 12, Warren Central (29-2) (2008 state champ at 112).
130 – Jason Tsirtsis, 10, Crown Point (38-0) (2009 state champ at 125).
140 – Francisco Porras, 12, Hobart (38-1) (2009 state champ at 130).
160 – Sean McMurray, 12, Portage (38-0) (2009 state champ at 152; 2008 state champ at 135).
171 – Michael Duckworth, 12, Union County (46-0) (2009 state champ at 171).

Undefeated Wrestlers in the Field (26)
103 – Cody Phillips (41-0), 10, Union County; Paul Petrov (45-0), 10, Hanover Central.
112 – None.
119 – Tony Lovejoy (42-0), 12, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers; Daniel Bradley (37-0), 12, Knox.
125 – Derek Bevans (51-0), 12, Yorktown.
130 – Jason Tsirtsis (38-0), 10, Crown Point; Connor Mullins (55-0), 10, New Castle; Devon Jackson (50-0), 10, Yorktown.
135 – Brock Norton (35-0), 12, Carroll (Fort Wayne); Mason Berryman (33-0), 12, Anderson Highland.
140 – None.
145 – Pat Robinson (29-0), 12, Hamilton Southeastern; Eric Roach (37-0), 11, Crown Point; Doug Welch (45-0), 11, Castle.
152 – Chad Welch (45-0), 11, Castle; Sam Bennett (38-0), 12, Anderson Highland.
160 – Trey Reese (36-0), 11, Indian Creek; Zac McCray (41-0), 12, Garrett; Sean McMurray (38-0), 12, Portage.
171 – Jackson Bratcher (35-0), 11, Eastbrook; Michael Duckworth (46-0), 12, Union County.
189 – Braden Atwood (45-0), 12, Delphi.
215 – Nathan Cleveland (38-0), 12, Lowell; Dylan Green (48-0), 12, Kokomo; Evan Wooding (37-0), 12, Mooresville.
285 – James Travis (41-0), 12, Merrillville; Ross Janney (48-0), 12, Yorktown.

Media Information

Public Entrance: The public may enter from Pennsylvania Street or Delaware Street into a common lobby on the north side of Conseco Fieldhouse. Ticket office windows are located there.

Media Hosts: IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille, Communications Director Chris Kaufman along with assistant David Rusk will be on hand to assist in your coverage of the state finals.

Media Credentials: Deadline is Thursday, Feb. 18 at 4 pm ET. Please note that the 2009-10 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential will NOT allow admission to this event as a specific credential is required – no exceptions. Legitimate working news media should apply for credentials by e-mailing (with name of individual applying) IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille (jwille@ihsaa.org). E-mail requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: yahoo.com, aol.com, etc.) will not be accepted. Approved requests will be left to claim by the individual at media will-call at Conseco Fieldhouse beginning at 3 pm ET on Friday. Identification is necessary to pick up credentials.

Media Entrance: The media entrance is in the southeast corner of Conseco Fieldhouse adjacent to Delaware Street. The door is marked for Media and Employees and is located at the opposite end of the building from the public entrance. Please allow a few extra minutes to pass through security. Media credentials left at will-call are to be claimed at this entrance.

Media Work Room: As in previous years, the media workroom at Conseco Fieldhouse will be open both days and be available to working media members throughout Friday evening and all day on Saturday. The work area contains wireless internet access and complimentary phones that will accept credit card and 800 calls. Soft drinks and snacks will be available.

Mat Access: Conseco Fieldhouse will have the hockey boards set up around the perimeter of the wrestling mat area. During the championship round only on Saturday night will credentialed photographers be allowed inside the hockey boards to shoot action mat-side. Other than that, only participants, coaches and fieldhouse workers will have access to the mat area.

Programs: Copies of the official program containing brackets for each weight class and some tournament history will be available in the Media Work Room.

Results: Will be updated continuously throughout both days of the tournament on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org. Copies of the updated brackets will also be available in the media work room throughout the two days.

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VALPO’S CHARLES BARNETT NAMED TOP WRESTLING OFFICIAL
Charles Barnett of Valparaiso is the recipient of the 2010 Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport of wrestling.  Barnett will be honored in a special ceremony at this weekend’s state final tournament. 

Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the school year

Barnett has been a wrestling official for 21 years.  During his career, he has worked every level of the state tournament, including 20 sectionals, 16 regionals, nine semi-states and six state finals. 

Barnett was selected for this honor by a committee representing the officials associations.  In Indiana there are 26 associations made up of men and women who give up much of their personal time to assist in providing wholesome, worthwhile, and healthy activities for the student-athletes in our state.  Statewide, there are more than 8,000 officials licensed by the IHSAA in 11 sports. 

A member of the Calumet Athletic Officials Association and Saint Joseph’s Valley Officials Association, Barnett has served as the wrestling program chairman since 2000.  In addition to several positions he has held within the officials associations, Barnett has also served as an IHSAA clinician.

Barnett graduated from Indiana State University, where he earned a master’s degree in Education.  He has worked for the State of Indiana in the Department of Child Services for 19 years.  He and his wife Shelley have been married for five years and have one daughter, Tyler Jo.

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BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS SHOW SUNDAY
First round games for the upcoming boys basketball state tournament will be drawn and announced this Sunday, Feb. 21, at 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT on the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament Pairings Show. The show will originate from Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

The pairings show will be webcast at www.ihsaasports.org and may also be heard on any of the affiliates of the IHSAA / Methodist Sports Medicine Championship Radio Network.

Upon conclusion of the 90-minute broadcast, the complete draw will be posted on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org.

The boys tournament begins with sectionals the week of Monday, March 1. Regionals are Saturday, March 13, semi-states are Saturday, March 20, and the state finals on Saturday, March 27, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament Pairings Show
Date: Sunday, Feb. 21.
Time: 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT.
Site: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis.
Hosts: Bob Lovell, Charlie Hall.
Television: HomeTown Sports Channel 81, Comcast and Brighthouse Cable (only available in certain areas of the state).
Webcast: www.ihsaasports.org
Radio: IHSAA/Methodist Sports Medicine Championship Radio Network | Affiliates
Sectional Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A
Regional, Semi-State, State Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

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GIRLS BASKETBALL REGIONALS THIS WEEKEND
All four defending state championship teams and seven of last year’s eight state finalists escaped this year’s sectional tournaments and moved into the regional round of the 35th Annual IHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament.

Despite the weather conditions and ensuing postponements over the last several days all regional games at this time are scheduled to be played this Saturday, Feb. 20, at 16 sites in the four classes with two semifinal games early in the day followed by a championship game that evening. The survivors will move on to the semi-state round for a single game on Saturday, Feb. 27, with the winners earning a spot in the March 6 state finals at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.

Defending state champs Ben Davis (4A), Fort Wayne Elmhurst (3A), Heritage Christian (2A) and Fort Wayne Canterbury (A) each won their respective sectional on Saturday.

Please note that the location of each semi-state game will be announced this Sunday afternoon at IHSAA.org.

Girls Basketball Regionals
Date: Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010.
Admission: $6 per session; $9 both sessions.
Sectional Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A
Regional, Semi-State, State Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

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BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING SECTIONALS THURSDAY
The 73rd Annual IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving Tournament Series gets underway Thursday, Feb. 18, with sectional preliminary heats at 20 sites around the state. Diving prelims and semifinals start Saturday morning, Feb. 20, at each site with consolations and finals in each event scheduled for later in the day. All first place swimming event winners in each sectional will advance to the state meet along with any participant who equals or betters the state time standard in that event’s consolation or championship heat. The next fastest times in each event also will qualify in order to bring the field to 32 entrants.

The top four divers at each sectional will advance to one of four diving regionals slated for Tuesday, Feb. 23, with the top eight advancing to the state meet.

Heat sheets for the state finals and results from each sectional site will be posted to the IHSAA website on Sunday, Feb. 21, as they become available. Diving regional results will be posted on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Sectionals
Dates
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010 (Swimming Preliminaries).
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010 (Diving, Consolations & Finals in Swimming events).
Admission: $5 per session; $8 both sessions.
Advancement
Swimming Events
1. First place sectional winners in each event qualify for the state meet plus
2. Any contestant who equals or betters the state time standard in their respective event in the consolation finals or championship finals of the sectional qualifies for the state plus
3. The next fastest number of contestants in the state that would bring the total number of state meet entrants to thirty-two (32) in each event. In the event that a tie exists for the 32nd position, the state qualifier shall be determined by the fastest preliminary time of both swimmers. If preliminary times are identical, both swimmers shall advance.
Diving
First through fourth place participants will qualify for the diving regional.

State Tournament Information

Notables

Defending Sectional Champions
Bedford North Lawrence, Carmel, Castle, Center Grove, Chesterton, East Central, Floyd Central, Franklin Central, Greencastle, Hamilton Southeastern, Homestead, Muncie Central, Munster, North Central (Indianapolis), Northridge, Richmond, South Bend Riley, Warsaw, West Lafayette, Zionsville.

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Three or more years)
24: Center Grove, Munster.
17: Hamilton Southeastern.
15: Homestead.
11: Chesterton.
7: Northridge.
6: East Central.
5: Franklin Central, North Central (Indianapolis).
4: Richmond.
3: Castle, Greencastle, Zionsville.

Most All-Time Consecutive Sectional Championships
24: Center Grove, Munster (1986-2009).

Top 10 All-Time Sectional Championships
39: Munster.
34: Columbus North.
27: South Bend Riley.
25: Kokomo.
24: Center Grove.
23: Valparaiso.
22: Carmel.
20: Anderson.
18: Lake Central.
17: Castle, Hamilton Southeastern, North Central (Indianapolis), West Lafayette.

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STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
ATTENTION BASKETBALL COACHES / STATISTICIANS
Please be sure to report your final statistics of the season at DigitalSports.com upon your team’s elimination from the state tournaments so that your players will continue to appear in the weekly state leaders listings through the end of the state finals. The last compilation will follow the Tuesday after each sport’s state finals.

Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders | Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders

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NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE STATE

Have an interesting note? A conference or school record, coaching milestone or something else of interest? Please e-mail IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org for consideration.

After 28 consecutive team regional victories, Bellmont’s wrestling team lost to Yorktown, 30-24 in the opening round of the Adams Central regional on Feb. 3. In also snapped the Braves’ streak of 12 consecutive years of competing in the team state finals. This will be the first year since 1997, Bellmont has not had its team among the final eight.

Ben Davis’ girls basketball team is quickly approaching the state record for consecutive wins with 54 straight victories dating back to the start of last season. The Giants won all 30 games in winning last year’s Class 4A championship and have won all 24 games this season heading into Saturday’s regional at Southport. Ben Davis currently sits fourth on the list with behind Fort Wayne Northrop’s 57 consecutive victories (1985-87). Bedford North Lawrence (1990-92) and Martinsville (1996-98) sit tied for second with 55 straight.

Bloomington South’s boys basketball team has won 43 consecutive games dating back to the start of last season and sit third in the list of all-time consecutive victories. Lawrence North’s 50 straight wins from 2005 to 2006 stands as the record with Indianapolis Crispus Attucks’ 45 straight from 1955 to 1956. The Panthers have three regular season games remaining.

Alex (Alexandra) Bousquet set the all-time scoring record at Mishawaka Marian for basketball. She currently has scored 1,084 points and broke Ashley Hummer record 1,077. The boy’s record was set by B.J. Kloska at 1,020 points.

The 2008-09 Center Grove girls soccer team was recently recognized for their efforts in the classroom at the 2010 National Soccer Coaches Association Convention in Philadelphia. The team was awarded an "NSCAA Team Academic Award" for achieving an average GPA of 3.55 during the 2008-09 school year.  This is the sixth consecutive year that the Trojans’ girls soccer team has received this award.

Kirk Comer, Winchester’s girls basketball coach, guided the Golden Falcons to a perfect 20-0 regular season, his second consecutive perfect season. The unusual feat would be that it occurred at two different schools. Last year, Comer coached Jay County to a perfect 18-0 regular season mark. Winchester will face the winner at Shenandoah in Saturday’s regional at Lawrence Central.

At Goshen, three different coaches were recently honored for having the most coaching victories in their sport at the school. Dan Graber, girls soccer coach, has 79 coaching wins in eight years. Mike Wynn, boys cross country coach, has 110 wins in 16 years. Viratham Mounsithiraj, boys soccer coach, has 75 coaching wins in six years. All three coaches passed a member of the Weaver family. Brothers Gary Weaver, boys soccer, and Carl Weaver, boys cross country, and Carl’s wife Chris, girls soccer, previously had the most coaching victories in their respective sports at the school.

Warsaw junior Nic Moore scored his 1,000 career point on January 29 against NorthWood. He is the 13th player from Warsaw to score 1,000 points and currently sits in ninth on the Warsaw career scoring list.

Noblesville Meghan Potee pulled off a rare feat on Saturday winning her second individual state championship of this school year. Over the weekend at the Indiana University Natatorium, the senior claimed the one meter diving crown with an 11-dive total of 467.50. In October, she also won the girls golf state championship by five strokes at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin. She was the second consecutive diver from Noblesville to win the competition following junior teammate Katie Bittner last year.

Interesting story from Tuesday’s Elkhart Truth about John Preheim, father of Concord athletic director Dave Preheim, who has seen every IHSAA member school play in boys basketball. http://www.etruth.com/Know/Sports/Story.aspx?ID=505735

Fort Wayne Bishop Luers senior Deshaun Thomas continues to close in on the all-time state scoring leaders in boys basketball. With two remaining regular season games and the state tournament to go, Thomas (32.9 ppg) has 2,878 points, 256 points behind all-time leader Damon Bailey (3,134). Marion Pierce of Lewisville is second with 3,019 points. The 11-8 Knights are the two-time defending Class 2A state champions. Earlier this week, Thomas was named a McDonald’s All-American and will compete for the East Team in the March 31 McDonald’s All-American high school game in Columbus, Ohio.