For Johnson County wrestlers, the long, winding road to Bankers Life Fieldhouse begins this weekend.
On Saturday, grapplers from 10 schools — including Center Grove, Franklin, Greenwood, Indian Creek and Whiteland — will hit the mat at the Mooresville Sectional with hopes of keeping their seasons alive for another week.
Winning an individual sectional title will be a goal for everyone, but the main objective will be to reach the semifinal round. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will earn a spot in next week’s regional, which also will be held at Mooresville.
Here’s a look at some of the area wrestlers best positioned to chase championships this Saturday and beyond:
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<strong>106 pounds</strong>
Owen Sego, Indian Creek: The freshman is ranked ninth in the state and first in the sectional. He owns a 10-2 major decision over his chief sectional competition, Greenwood junior Keeghan Overton.
Keeghan Overton, Greenwood: The junior claimed the Johnson County title at 106 pounds (though Sego wrestled up and took first at 113).
<strong>113 pounds</strong>
Alex Petro, Center Grove: Ranked seventh among wrestlers who will funnel into the Evansville Semistate, Petro is the top-ranked competitor heading into Mooresville.
<strong>126 pounds</strong>
Alex Mosconi, Indian Creek: A state qualifier last year at 113 pounds, the sophomore won the Johnson County championship at 126 and is ranked seventh in the state.
<strong>138 pounds</strong>
Brad Trietsch, Indian Creek: Another county champion for the Braves, the junior comes in ranked first in the sectional and third among possible regional qualifiers.
<strong>145 pounds</strong>
Logan Coyle, Center Grove: Though he won the county title at 152 pounds and would be a sectional favorite at that weight, the senior is now ranked eighth in the state at 145.
Trevor Reese, Franklin: The Johnson County champion at 145, the senior figures to challenge Coyle for the sectional title on Saturday.
<strong>160 pounds</strong>
Gleason Mappes, Center Grove: After finishing fourth in the state at 160 as a junior last year, Mappes is the favorite to claim the sectional crown Saturday. He won the county title in December.
<strong>170 pounds</strong>
Burk VanHorn, Franklin: The state runner-up at 160 a year ago, the senior enters the postseason ranked first in the state at 170. He claimed the Johnson County title in December.
Jonah Hays, Center Grove: The junior might be a sectional favorite were it not for VanHorn. Hays, ranked third among Evansville Semistate hopefuls, is still expected to advance past the weekend.
<strong>182 pounds</strong>
Jake Moore, Franklin: A county champion at 195 pounds, the senior is expected to fare just as well at 182, where he is ranked 14th in the state and first in the sectional field.
<strong>195 pounds</strong>
Ryan Hammond, Whiteland: Despite getting off to a late start this season, the junior — a state qualifier two years ago at 182 — is ranked eighth in the state.
Grant Goforth, Indian Creek: Right behind Hammond in the state rankings at No. 9, the junior hopes to add a sectional crown to the county title he won at 220 pounds.
<strong>220 pounds</strong>
Manny Cheam, Franklin: Ranked 11th in the state, Cheam figures to challenge Martinsville’s Clayton Scroggs for top billing at 220 come Saturday.
<strong>285 pounds</strong>
Jacob Lamping, Franklin: The county’s heavyweight champion, Lamping is ranked 16th in the state and taking aim at Plainfield’s Bryce Biddle, the state’s No. 5 at 285.
Garrett Curtis, Whiteland: The junior is ranked sixth in the Evansville Semistate and in the top three of the sectional field.
Cory Heinrichs, Center Grove: Eighth in the semistate rankings, the junior will try to secure a top-four spot and move on to a potentially loaded regional.
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<strong>Mooresville Sectional</strong>
When: Saturday, 9 a.m.
Where: Mooresville High School
Admission: $6
Teams participating: Center Grove, Franklin, Greenwood, Indian Creek, Whiteland, Decatur Central, Martinsville, Monrovia, Mooresville, Plainfield
Advancement: The top four individuals in each weight class advance to next week’s Mooresville Regional.
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