News

Four state champions, including three from last year, along with 21 undefeated wrestlers lead the parade of wrestlers into the 75th Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals this weekend at Bankers Life 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.

For the first time since 1995, the overall team state champion will be decided on points scored at this tournament where Perry Meridian enters as the two-time defending state champion under the previous team tournament.

Stevan Micic of Hanover Central, Isaiah Bradley of Muncie Southside and Mitch Sliga of Fishers each return after winning their first state title last year. Neal Molloy of Danville also returns two years removed from his 2011 championship.

Micic won the 106 title last season and is undefeated at 44-0 at 113 this year. Bradley is back seeking a repeat as the 152 pound champ with a 33-0 record. Sliga, unbeaten at 45-0, will attempt to win consecutive crowns at 195. And Molloy, who won the 130 pound crown in 2011, has moved up to 145 (39-0), after finishing fifth at 132 last year.

Seven others who have wrestled under the spotlight during the last two years but looking to take that final step include Yorktown’s Schuyler Phillips (45-2) at 120, Crown Point’s Josh Fuqua (30-1) at 126, Cody LeCount (36-0) of Perry Meridian at 132, Indianapolis Cathedral’s Vinny Corsaro (43-3) at 152, Greenfield-Central’s Josh Farrell (44-0) at 152, Franklin Community’s Luke Kriech (40-3) at 160, and Perry Meridian’s Jake Masengale (37-2) at 182.

Team scoring will follow Rule 9-2 of the 2012-13 NFHS Wrestling Rule Book and begin with Saturday morning’s quarterfinal round.

Points will be scored in the following manner for each match: Fall, Default, Forfeit, Disqualification: 2 points; Technical Fall: 1.5 points; Major Decision: 1 point.

In addition, two (2) points will be awarded per match for a championship bracket victory while one (1) point is earned for advancement in the consolation bracket.

Finally, points will be awarded to the top eight place-winners: 1st place: 16 points; 2nd place: 12 points; 3rd place: 9 points; 4th place: 7 points; 5th place: 5 points; 6th place: 3 points; 7th place: 2 points; 8th place: 1 point.

Fans are welcome to follow the progress of the meet via TrackWrestling.com throughout both days. Saturday night’s championship matches will each be streamed live at IHSAAtv.org beginning at 7:30 pm ET.

One hundred eleven (111) schools will be represented at this weekend’s state finals with Perry Meridian and Bloomington South leading the way with eight participants each. Merrillville and Yorktown follow with seven each. Yorktown led the state with five semi-state champions last weekend.

The 75th Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals
Site: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis.
Admission: $8 per session or $20 both days.
Match-by-Match Results: TrackWrestling.com
Webcast: Saturday night’s state championship matches will be streamed live at IHSAAtv.org beginning at 7:30 pm ET / 6:30 pm CT. Mark Jaynes, former Evansville Mater Dei coach Mike Goebel and Jeremiah Johnson will host the program.

State Finals Brackets

Friday, Feb. 15, 2013
First Round | 6 pm ET.

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013
Quarterfinals | 9:30 am ET with semifinals to follow.
Consolations | 5 pm ET.
Finals | 7:30 pm ET.

State Champions in the Field (4)
113: Stevan Micic, 11, Hanover Central (44-0) | 2012 champ at 106.
145: Neal Molloy, 12, Danville (39-0) | 2011 champ at 130.
152: Isaiah Bradley, 12, Muncie Southside (33-0) | 2012 champ at 152.
195: Mitch Sliga, 12, Fishers (45-0) | 2012 champ at 195.

State Runners-Up in the Field (7)
120: Schuyler Phillips, 12, Yorktown (45-2) | 2012 runner-up at 113.
126: Josh Fuqua, 11, Crown Point (30-1) | 2011 runner-up at 103.
132: Cody LeCount, 11, Perry Meridian (36-0) | 2012 runner-up at 126.
152: Vinny Corsaro, 11, Indianapolis Cathedral (43-3) | 2012 runner-up at 145.
152: Josh Farrell, 12, Greenfield-Central (44-0) | 2012 runner-up at 138.
160: Luke Kriech, 12, Franklin Community (40-3) | 2012 runner-up at 152.
182: Jake Masengale, 12, Perry Meridian (37-2) | 2012 runner-up at 170.

Undefeated Wrestlers in the Field: 21 (Three at 106).

Media Information

Media Hosts: IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille and Assistant Commissioner Chris Kaufman along with assistants Toni Polizzi and Kayley Howell will be on hand to assist in your coverage of the state finals.

Media Credentials: Deadline is Thursday, Feb. 14, at 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT. Please note that the 2012-13 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 at jwille@ihsaa.org. E-mail requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: gmail.com, yahoo.com, aol.com, etc.) will not be accepted. Approved requests will be left to claim by the individual at media will-call at Bankers Life 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 Bankers Life Fieldhouse adjacent to Delaware Street. The door is marked for Employees and Media 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 Bankers Life 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: Bankers Life 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 tournament history will be available in the Media Work Room.

Results: Will be updated continuously throughout both days of the tournament via TrackWrestling.com. A link will be placed on the wrestling state finals page at IHSAA.org. Copies of the updated brackets will also be available in the media work room throughout the two days.

 

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Mark Hollingsworth of Flora Named Top Wrestling Official
Mark A. Hollingsworth of Flora is the recipient of the 2012 Interscholastic Athletic Official Award for excellence in the sport of wrestling.

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.

An active member of North Central Indiana Athletic Officials Association, Mark has officiated wrestling for 30 years. During his career, Mark has officiated 25 sectional, 22 regional, 19 semi-state, six individual and three team state final tournaments.

Mark was selected for this honor by a committee representing the official’s 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.

Mark is a 1971 graduate of Western High School and a 1977 graduate from Indiana University, where he obtained bachelor’s and master’s degree in science (health, psychology). He is married to wife Kathy J. Noel.  Mark has three children: Elizabeth (30), Christina (28), and Luke (25).

 

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Boys Basketball Tournament Pairings Show This Sunday
First round sectional matchups in the 103rd Annual IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament presented by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance will be announced Sunday (Feb. 17), beginning at 5 pm ET / 4 pm CT.

The state tournament pairings show may be seen on any of the television or radio affiliates of the IHSAA Champions Network or viewed via webstream at IHSAAtv.org.

Six affiliates of the IHSAA Champions Television Network will air the 90-minute show throughout the state originating from the Indianapolis studios of WTTV-4, the network’s flagship. Legendary announcer Jerry Baker along with Steve Witty, Executive Director of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, will host the program. Jeremiah Johnson of Indianapolis’ Fox 59 will conduct coach and player interviews.

Four coaches will be part of the broadcast – Dave Mahurin, Rockville; Brad Dickey, Tipton; Stacy Meyer, Greensburg and; Bill Zych, Pike.

Listeners also may tune into any of the affiliates of the IHSAA Champions Radio Network. Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Lovell will be the voice announcing the pairings for that program.

At approximately 6:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm CT, complete brackets will be available on the IHSAA website.

State Tournament Information

 

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Boys Swimming & Diving Sectional Begin Thursday
The 76th Annual IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving Tournament Series gets underway Thursday, Feb. 14, with sectional preliminary heats at 20 sites around the state. Diving prelims and semifinals start Saturday morning, Feb. 16, 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. 19, 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. 17, as they become available. Diving regional results will be posted on Wednesday, Feb. 20.

This year’s state tournament begins with 232 teams and 2,967 participants.

Sectionals
Dates
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 (Swimming Preliminaries).
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013 (Diving, Consolations & Finals in Swimming events).
Admission: $6 per session; $9 both sessions.

Advancement
Swimming
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. The state standard may not be achieved by a swimmer who is competing as the first leg of a relay.
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
1.   First through fourth place sectional winners will qualify for the diving regional.
2.   First through eighth place regional winners will qualify for the state finals.

State Tournament Information

Notables

Defending Sectional Champions
Avon, Bedford North Lawrence, Bellmont, Bloomington South, Carmel, Castle, Center Grove, Chesterton, Crawfordsville, Greenfield-Central, Hamilton Southeastern, Homestead, Jeffersonville, Lawrence North, Munster, North Central (Indianapolis), Northridge, Penn, Warsaw, Zionsville.

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Three or more years)
27: Center Grove, Munster.
20: Hamilton Southeastern.
18: Homestead.
14: Chesterton.
10: Northridge.
8: North Central (Indianapolis).
6: Castle.
5: Bedford North Lawrence, Carmel, Warsaw.
3: Bloomington South, Penn.

Most All-Time Consecutive Sectional Championships
27: Center Grove, Munster (1986-2012).

Top 10 All-Time Sectional Championships
42: Munster.
34: Columbus North (Columbus).
27: Center Grove, South Bend Riley.
25: Carmel, Kokomo.
23: Valparaiso.
20: Anderson, Castle, Hamilton Southeastern, North Central (Indianapolis).

 

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Girls Basketball Regionals This Saturday
Regional games will be played this Saturday, Feb. 16, at 16 sites in the four classes with two semifinal games early in the day followed by a championship game that evening. The champions will move on to the semi-state round for a single game on Saturday, Feb. 23, with the winners earning a spot in the March 2 state finals at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.

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

Girls Basketball Regionals
Date: Saturday, February 16, 2013.
Admission: $7 per session; $10 both sessions.
Home Team: The second team listed in each game is the designated home team.

Class 4A Bracket | Class 3A Bracket | Class 2A Bracket | Class A Bracket

Notables

Looking for First Regional Title (18 of 64)
4A: Logansport.
3A: Hamilton Heights, Indian Creek, Rensselaer Central.
2A: Whiting, Wabash.
A: Randolph Southern, Shakamak, Tindley, Trinity Lutheran, West Central.

Looking to Break Regional Championship Drought (Five or More Years)
36: Norwell (1977).
33: Greencastle, Knightstown, Paoli (1980).
31: Sullivan (1982).
29: Speedway (1984).
25: Franklin Central (1988).
22: Brownsburg (1991).
21: Bedford North Lawrence (1992).
15: Lake Central, Morgan Township (1998).
14: Eastern (Greentown), Westfield (1999).
12: Connersville, Jasper, Lebanon, New Washington (2001).
10: Boone Grove, North Vermillion (2003).
9: Warsaw (2004).
8: Corydon Central, NorthWood (2005).
7: Castle, Lafayette Central Catholic, Westview (2006).
6: Evansville Bosse, Oregon-Davis (2007).
5: Fort Wayne South Side, Plymouth (2008).

Defending Regional Champions Still Alive (12 of 16)
4A: Columbus North, Penn.
3A: Fort Wayne Concordia, Mt. Vernon (Fortville).
2A: Evansville Mater Dei, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Seeger, Triton Central.
A: Fort Wayne Canterbury, Northeast Dubois, Southwestern (Shelbyville).

Active Regional Championship Streaks (Three or more years)
5: Fort Wayne Canterbury.
3: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Fort Wayne Concordia.

Most Consecutive Regional Championships
6 by Pike Central (1990-95); 6 by NorthWood (1994-99).

Top 10 All-Time Regional Championship Leaders
13: Ben Davis.
12: Kokomo.
11: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Valparaiso.
10: NorthWood, Rushville, Scottsburg.
9: Anderson, Bedford North Lawrence, Benton Central, Mooresville.

2012 State Finals Teams Still Alive (7 of 8)
4A: Columbus East.
3A: Fort Wayne Concordia, Mt. Vernon (Fortville).
2A: Evansville Mater Dei, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
A: Fort Wayne Canterbury, Northeast Dubois.

First-Time Sectional Champions
4A: None.
3A: None.
2A: None.
A: Shakamak, Trinity Lutheran.

 

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News & Notes from Around the State
Athletic directors and coaches, because this “News & Notes” section has become less frequent in recent years, if you have an interesting note - perhaps a conference or school record, coaching milestone or something else - please feel free to e-mail IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org and we’ll be happy to send it out on the IHSAA’s twitter account or just tweet it to us at @IHSAA1. Thank you!

Two members of the Concord boys basketball program recently achieved career milestones.  Senior Franko House scored his 1,000th career point in a game at Elkhart Central on January 15.  He becomes the seventh member of the school's 1,000-point club.  Head Coach Steve Austin recorded his 400th career victory in a 71-55 win over Northridge on February 7.  Austin, now in his fifth season guiding the Minutemen, has a career record of 400-242 which includes stints at South Bend St. Joseph, Richmond, Northridge, and Edwardsburg, Michigan.

Taron Miller from South Bend Clay High School joined the 1,000-point club on February 7 vs. Elkhart Central. Taron is the seventh player at Clay to pass the 1,000 point mark.  Clay's all-time leader scorer is Jaraan Cornell with 1,700 points.

Andrew Poore, a 2007 Indianapolis Bishop Chatard graduate, who ran for and graduated from IU last spring, broke the 4:00 minute mile barrier at a meet at IU on Jan. 25. Andrew is the second Chatard alum to break 4:00 minutes in the mile joining James Murphy (1981 grad).  De’Sean Turner of Warren Central (’07) was also in this race with Andrew & he broke the 4:00 minute barrier as well. They belong to a select group of nine Indiana high school graduates to accomplish this, including Center Grove’s Austin Mudd who was mentioned here last week.

 

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About the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA)
Founded in 1903, the purpose of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA) is to encourage, regulate and give direction to wholesome amateur interschool athletic competition between its 410 member schools. The Association provides state championship tournament series in 20 sports, 10 for girls and 10 for boys. Approximately 160,000 student athletes participate in IHSAA sports on an annual basis.