Last season’s feeling of wrestling déjà vu peaked at the IHSAA Wrestling State Finals when Burk VanHorn found himself staring across the mat at Gleason Mappes.
Paired in the semifinals of the 160-pound class inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, it was the fifth time in two months they had faced off.
VanHorn, then a Franklin junior who went on to be state runner-up, won all five matches; Mappes, a Center Grove sophomore, benefited from these experiences and ultimately took home a fourth-place medal at 160.
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Whether the rivalry continues into this winter remains to be seen.
Both VanHorn and Mappes are mulling over the option to move up to 170 pounds or remain where they enjoyed so much success a year ago.
“I’m not real sure yet what I’m doing. It’s whatever is best for the team,” said VanHorn, who finished last season with a 41-5 record after losing a 3-0 decision to Merrillville senior Jacob Covaciu in the state championship match.
“In the offseason I worked on things like footwork, lifting weights, keeping my mind right and watching film of my matches with coach (Bob) Hasseman. I’m not running from anybody in the state, and I’m sure no one is running from me.”
VanHorn defeated Mappes at the Mooresville postseason sectional and regional. He then eked out a 3-2 decision in a semifinal match against Mappes at the Evansville Mater Dei Semistate.
A week later at state, VanHorn won by a score of 9-3 beneath the bright lights of Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Center Grove coach Cale Hoover would be surprised if both don’t make it back.
“Wherever they end up wrestling, they’ll both be right in the mix,” Hoover said. “I would be surprised if anything deviates (with Mappes).
“He’s about the same size as his older brothers at this point. Shelby and Sean (Mappes) both wrestled 160 as juniors and 170 as seniors. We’ve still got (junior semistate qualifier) Jonah Hays, who is pretty good at 170 but will probably go to 182 next year.”
A two-time state finals qualifier, Shelby Mappes brought home a third-place medal at 171 pounds in 2009. Sean Mappes capped his career in a Trojans singlet by winning all 46 matches on his way to state supremacy in 2012.
Mappes advanced as far as the Evansville Semistate at 152 pounds as a freshman. Gaining additional muscle mass during the offseason allowed him the opportunity to bump up a class last season.
Now comfortable at 160, Mappes said he’s leaning toward staying there instead of competing against heavier opponents for a second consecutive year.
“I don’t really care who I wrestle. If (VanHorn) happens to be the person on the other side of the line, that’s who I’m going to wrestle,” Mappes said. “Between my freshman and sophomore years I got a lot more muscle, so I was forced to move up from 152.
“I think I’ll be a more solid 160 than 170.”
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Center Grove and Franklin’s wrestling teams face plenty of stern tests before the new year arrives:
Center Grove
Dec. 3;at Bloomington North tournament;9 a.m.
Dec. 7;at Pike;6 p.m.
Dec. 10;at Zionsville tournament;8:30 a.m.
Dec. 14;Carmel;6 p.m.
Dec. 17;Johnson County Tournament at Indian Creek;9 a.m.
Dec. 29-30;at Mishawaka tournament;9:30 a.m.
Franklin
Dec. 1;at Columbus North;7 p.m.
Dec. 3;at New Castle Super Six;9 a.m.
Dec. 6;Mooresville;6:30 p.m.
Dec. 8;at Columbus East;6:30 p.m.
Dec. 10;at Calumet Invitational;9 a.m.
Dec. 17;Johnson County Tournament at Indian Creek;9 a.m.
Dec. 28-29;at Mater Dei Classic;11 a.m.
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