Center Grove’s Eddie Goss, right, tries to avoid a takedown against Brownsburg’s Preston Haines during the 113-pound championship match at Saturday’s regional.
Rob Baker | For the Daily Journal
MOORESVILLE
Saturday’s wrestling regional at Mooresville High School resembled more of a dual meet between Center Grove and Brownsburg.
That’s because the two Indianapolis-area powerhouses had wrestlers meet in six of the individual championship matches. Brownsburg won that battle, taking five of the six, and ultimately won the war in the team battle.
The Bulldogs claimed eight individual champions in addition to their seventh straight team title, scoring 232 points to Center Grove’s 205.5.
The Trojans still crowned two champs — senior Hayden Watson at 145 pounds and junior Royce Deckard, who nipped nemesis Nolan Skaggs of Franklin 2-1 to win the 220-pound title.
Whiteland also had some glory with two champions in juniors Joey Buttler, who made amends for his sectional loss by taking first at 126, and Sam Allen, who came back from a 6-0 deficit to pin Pike’s Jakobe Leavell and win the title at 195.
Center Grove did have the most semistate qualifiers with 14, one more than the Bulldogs.
Watson, winner of the 132-pound championship but second last year at 145, regained his title with two pins, one in just 47 seconds, and taking the top spot on an injury default when Brownsburg’s Blaze Garcia could not take to the mat.
That was the only championship matchup where the Trojans bested the Bulldogs.
Center Grove’s Eddie Goss (113 pounds), Reese Courtney (120), Andre Merritt (152) and Noah Clouser (170) all were decisioned by Bulldog wrestlers; Courtney’s loss, however, was controversial.
With the score tied 2-2 with only 10 seconds remaining in the match, it appeared Courtney, the reigning sectional champion at 113, had a takedown on Logan Miller near the boundary line.
Unfortunately for Courtney and Center Grove, the referee did not signal two points and the pair had to wrestle into sudden victory. Miller then caught Courtney and put him on his back for a near fall and a 7-2 win.
“I thought it was a takedown, but the referee didn’t call it,” Center Grove coach Maurice Swain said. “The referee makes the calls, and we coach the matches. We’ll have to be ready for next week.”
But perhaps the biggest surprise for the Trojans was undefeated and No. 1-ranked Drake Buchanan losing to eighth-ranked Brownsburg freshman Gunner Henry, 12-7, a loss that stunned the Trojans.
Buttler, who was third last week in the sectional for the Warriors, used his superior stamina and a take down to topple Brownsburg’s Braden Haines.
“You can’t go out there and take anyone for granted,” Buttler said in assessing his loss last week, “This time I wrestled a bit more conservative at first and then used my defense, and (Haines) looked like he gassed himself in a couple matches. I could tell he was (tired) in the third period of my match.”
Allen took advantage of an error by Leavell to erase his deficit and gain a first-period pin.
“I was feeling for faults and capitalized on it,” Allen said. “He didn’t expect me to roll out of it again and he thought he was going to stick me. I work too hard and didn’t want second place.”
Whiteland might have had a third champion, but 138-pound sectional champ Keegan Grandinetti suffered a concussion and could not compete in the regional.
That was the only downer in an otherwise good day for Whiteland, who took third place in the team standings.
“We came in optimistic, and we battled,” Whiteland coach Anthony Meister said. “I think we have a good chance next week. We are looking forward to (semistate).
In addition to both Buttler and Allen advancing, the Warriors will also send Eli Brooks (132 pounds), Vince Tinoco (170), Jakarrey Oliver (220) and Cooper Williams (285) to Evansville.
In addition to champs Watson and Deckard, and runners-up Goss, Courtney, Merritt, Clouser and Buchanan, the Trojans will also send Charlie LaRocca (106 pounds), Michael Tharpe (126), Wyatt Krejsa (132), Silas Stits (138), Julian Weems (160), Bryce Crump (195) and Nate Johnson (285).
Franklin, which finished fifth as a team, will send four to Evansville next week: Skaggs, Jacob Johnson (285), Caleb Wyss (126) and Jude Barger (152).
Indian Creek, which finished 10th at the Bloomington South Regional, will be represented at the Ford Center next weekend by Jackson Heaston, who earned an individual championship at 113 pounds.
Roncalli won the team title at Perry Meridian behind six individual champs: Braden Getz (113 pounds), Drew Willis (132), Bryce Lowery (138), Kody Glithero (152), Luke Hansen (182) and Justin Lewis (220).
