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Sean McMurray etched his name into state wrestling history Saturday night as the Portage senior won his third consecutive championship during the 72nd annual festivities at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

McMurray (42-0) became the 24th individual to finish as a three-time state champion following a 9-0 victory over Indianapolis Cathedral’s Tyler Willis in the 160 pound final. McMurray was the 135 pound winner as a sophomore and won the 152 title last season when he finished 49-0.

In addition to McMurray, four others – Union County’s Cody Phillips, Warren Central’s Brandon Wright, Crown Point’s Jason Tsirtsis and Hobart’s Francisco Porras – each won their second state championship.

Phillips won his second consecutive at 103 pounds besting Hanover Central sophomore Paul Petrov, 8-3. Phillips, just a sophomore, remained unbeaten for his career posting a 45-0 mark this year following a 49-0 freshman campaign. It was Petrov’s first setback this year in 49 matches.

In a battle of former state champs, Warren Central senior Brandon Wright (33-2) emerged the winner taking a 9-1 decision from Indian Creek’s Ethan Raley (37-2) in the 125 pound final. It was the second state championship for Wright who also won the 112 pound crown as a sophomore while a student at Indianapolis Cathedral. He also finished as the state runner-up during his freshman and junior years at Cathedral. He’s in his first year enrolled at Warren Central. He became the second individual in state finals history to win state titles at two different schools.

Tsirtsis remained undefeated for his sophomore year (42-0) handing Yorktown sophomore Devon Jackson his first defeat (53-1) in a 4-0 overtime victory at 130 pounds. Tsirtsis won last year’s 125 pound title.

After winning the 130 pound state championship a year ago, Porras completed his senior season 42-1 taking a 5-1 decision from Leo senior Justin Beck (36-3) at 140 pounds. It was the third consecutive final match appearance for Porras. He finished as the 125 runner-up in 2008.

Five others also finished undefeated seasons – Carroll (Fort Wayne) senior Brock Norton (39-0) at 135; Crown Point junior Eric Roach (41-0) at 145; Anderson Highland senior Sam Bennett (42-0) at 152; Lowell senior Nathan Cleveland (42-0) at 215 and; Yorktown senior Ross Janney (52-0) at 285.

Princeton’s Drake Stein (44-2) pulled a surprise in upending defending champ Michael Duckworth (49-1), 4-1 in the 171 pound championship match.

Crown Point and Warren Central each had two state champions on the evening. Tsirtsis and Roach for the Bulldogs and Wright and senior Michael Johnson-Jones (44-1) at 189 for the Warriors.

The weekend’s three session event drew 25,811 fans.

The 72nd Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals
Feb. 19-20, 2010
Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
State Championship Match Results
103 – Cody Phillips, 10, Union County (45-0) def. Paul Petrov, 10, Hanover Central (48-1), dec. 8-3.
112 – Kyle Ayersman, 10, Lake Central (40-1) def. Paul Beck, 12, Mishawaka (47-2), dec. 2-0 OT.
119 – Brandon Nelsen, 12, Lawrence North (44-1) def. Daniel Bradley, 12, Knox (40-1), dec. 6-2.
125 – Brandon Wright, 12, Warren Central (33-2) def. Ethan Raley, 11, Indian Creek (37-2), dec. 9-1.
130 – Jason Tsirtsis, 10, Crown Point (42-0) def. Devon Jackson, 10, Yorktown (53-1), dec. 4-0 OT.
135 – Brock Norton, 12, Carroll (Fort Wayne) (39-0) def. Mason Berryman, 12, Anderson Highland (36-1), decision 3-1.
140 – Francisco Porras, 12, Hobart (42-1) def. Justin Beck, 12, Leo (36-3), dec. 5-1.
145 – Eric Roach, 11, Crown Point (41-0) def. Doug Welch, 11, Castle (48-1), dec. 5-3.
152 – Sam Bennett, 12, Anderson Highland (42-0) def. Zachary Corpe, 12, Elkhart Memorial (36-3), dec. 6-2.
160 – Sean McMurray, 12, Portage (42-0) def. Tyler Willis, 10, Indianapolis Cathedral (43-2), dec. 9-0.
171 – Drake Stein, 11, Princeton (44-2) def. Michael Duckworth, 12, Union County (49-1), dec. 4-1.
189 – Michael Johnson-Jones, 12, Warren Central (44-1) def. Braden Atwood, 12, Delphi (48-1), dec. 4-2 OT.
215 – Nathan Cleveland, 12, Lowell (42-0) def. Christian Lentz, 12, Mishawaka (46-3), dec. 2-1 OT.
285 – Ross Janney, 12, Yorktown (52-0) def. James Travis, 12, Merrillville (44-1), dec. 3-2.

140 Pound Champ Francisco Porras Wins Mental Attitude Award
Following the state tournament, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Francisco Porras of Hobart High School as the recipient of the Ward E. Brown Mental Attitude Award.

Porras capped his senior year with his second championship winning the 140 pound state title and finished with a career record of 146-12.  Porras took home the title at 130 pounds at last year’s state finals, and was the runner-up at 125 as a sophomore.  The talented athlete also played cornerback for Hobart’s football team throughout his four years.

Academically, Porras carries a 3.98 GPA and is ranked 19th in his class. Porras will wrestle at Purdue University in the fall, where he intends to major in Computer Science.

Porras is the son of Francisco Jr. and Amparo Porras of Hobart.

The award is named in honor of the IHSAA’s fourth commissioner (1976-1983) in 1985. 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, corporate sponsor of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Hobart High School in the name of Porras.