NECC Wrestling Meet

[kenf]

This NECC wrestling tournament is about as muddled as I have seen it in my nine and a half years in the area.

Prairie Heights and Churubusco are not what they have been from top to bottom. West Noble went through the regular season dual meets undefeated, and probably has a couple of guys that can make a deep run in the state tournament. But is their young squad full of potential ready to answer the challenge and demands of Saturday?

Watch out for Fairfield, Angola and Central Noble to clutter things at the top. The Falcons and the Hornets would be my darkhorses to win the meet.

Fairfield has two solid guys in Rhys Canaday at 140 and Ricky Hershberger at 215. Angola has four to six guys who could win their weight classes. Forfeiting a couple weight classes will likely keep the Hornets from winning it, but they have a real shot. CN has a competitive few, and a couple of kids have potential to go deep in the state tournament series.

Oh, for the sake of clarification, this meet is at Fairfield. I have schedules that had this meet at other schools.

I welcome your thoughts and expectations as the wrestling postseason gets started.

[joshpatterson]

Ken-

I think you hit the nail firmly on the head with this one. The Chargers shaped up as the best dual meet team in the conference, as evidenced by their undefeated mark. They have one more tester tonight at home against Huntington North, but could feasibly end up 17-6 on the year.
Now, does that dual meet record translate into a good tournament team? Perhaps.

With Ty Alles (30-3 at 112) and Marsh (31-1 at 130), two championships are there for the taking, although if Angola's David Zimmer gets down to 130 for the postseason, which has been rumored, that could be a heck of a final.

Prairie Heights and Churubusco both have their standouts. Travis Smoker, wrestling one-handed, still is formidable at 119. Quinn Kurtz at 160, Dylan Forbes at 215 and Brad Whetzel at 285 all placed at the Al Smith Classic over Christmas break as well, so big points should come from all four of those spots.

I'm not the most knowledgeable about Churubusco outside of Kimmel at 119, and I know Rhys Canaday and Ricky Hershberger are studs for Fairfield at 140 and 215, respectively, but those two schools will certainly provide challenges for the title.

Westview also needs consideration as a dark horse. The Warriors fill their lineup, which is more than can be said for several teams in the conference, and will earn points that way. Jay Dee Schmucker is a beast at 189 for Westview, and there are a few other wrestlers that have impressed as well.

Speaking of dark horses, what about Central Noble? Man, if coach Chuck Fleshman could get double his roster size, I'd think the Cougars would be the prohibitive favorite. Caleb Frey at 145 has all the tools to make a return trip to Indianapolis, and should hopefully make it to Saturday. The yin to Whetzel's yang, Andrew Pyle, got a measure of revenge at the Westview Super Duals last Saturday, and the Whetzel-Pyle battle could easily play out three, possibly four more times before the season is over. They're both that good.

So yes, the "muddled" description of the NECC Tournament certainly fits.

[Clark Kent]

While I follow the Chargers, I think everyone should watch out for Fairfield.
West Noble's great dual meet record, especially going unbeaten in the NECC, may not stand up under the conference meet format.
In the head-to-head dual with Fairfield, West Noble received four byes from the Falcons. Now I don't know if they will be forfeiting that many on Saturday at Westview, but it could make a difference.

Watch for the Chargers to have 3 firsts, 2 seconds and 3 thirds and 3 fourths.

[kenf]

Clark, I agree with ya.

West Noble made some strides, but Coach Morgan's kids have not had a target on them like this before. A conference meet is a different animal. So many factors will kick in.

The crowds are a little bigger (The Panther Nation will be there in force. They know how to lift their guys up.). How do you maintain your focus when your teammate gets upset on another mat? Eating right over a 10-hour day, perhaps, and making sure your energy and strength does not slip.

If Fairfield has J.V. guys they are comfy with in those open weight classes, they will throw those guys in there and try not to give points away. The coaches will really emphasize that they avoid being pinned and avoid the technical falls.

[SportsFan]

Churubusco has Corey Richards at 125, Daniel Thompson at 112, Lance McPharlan at 130, and Jordan Hamilton at 135 that will make runs at NECC titles.

[kenf]

SportsFan, aren't you forgetting about Jason Kimmel at 119? Or am I missing something?

By the way, if Garrett was in the NECC, the Railroaders would be a clear favorite at Fairfield Saturday. But that is not how it is. So we move on.

[joshpatterson]

If I had to guess, SportsFan was probably telling more about the talented depth on the 'Busco roster. Kimmel's one of the most established wrestlers in the NECC.

[joshpatterson]

Coming out of the NECC meet...congratulations to the Chargers. No individual champions, yet they pull out the team title. Much credit goes to Coach Morgan (AND his staff) for getting his guys to work as hard as they have to attain what they have.
That said, who's the favorite at Westview? I'd have to say East Noble. The Knights and Chargers have already gone head to head in tournament format (Huntington), and EN won the thing while West Noble was fifth. Certainly DeKalb's right in the mix, and they should contend too.
Count Heights in there also. They're young, as we all know, but they still will have a say in what happens. If Westview can learn the lessons from the NECC tourney, the Warriors could be a dark horse.
Anyone want to offer their picks for individual champions?