Center Grove’s Drake Buchanan gets ready to put Northwood’s Trey Tobias on his back for the pin in their 182-pound match during Friday’s opening round of the state finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Rob Baker | For the Daily Journal
INDIANAPOLIS
Success at the state wrestling finals can only be assessed by those taking part.
For some, merely getting the opportunity to compete inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse is a win. Others aren’t happy unless they earn a place on the awards podium (top eight) — or better yet, bring home a state championship.
The annual weeding-out process began Friday with seven of the 11 participants from Johnson County winning first-round matches to qualify for this morning’s quarterfinals.
Friday’s first session featured the heavier weight classes, from which two of the four local competitors advanced.
Center Grove senior and 2021 state runner-up Drake Buchanan (40-1) needed 55 seconds to pin NorthWood senior Trey Tobias, setting up today’s match against Hobart senior Jacob Simpson (40-4).
“It was just being aggressive right out of the gate, and I think he probably had a lot of pressure on him facing the No. 1 seed,” Buchanan said.
Franklin senior Jacob Johnson (39-3) advanced, scoring a 5-3 decision over Merrillville senior Theodore Sparks, and now prepares for Elkhart junior Brayden Jellison.
“It was a tough match,” said Johnson, a three-time state finalist after making it past the first round for the first time. “There was a point where I was going too hard, too fast, and I lost a lot of energy doing that.
“I was proud of the way I started the match, and the way I ended the match. Right now, we’re kind of taking it one match at a time.”
Center Grove junior Royce Deckard lost his match to New Prairie junior Christian Carroll at 220 pounds to complete the season with a record of 34-9. Shortly thereafter, teammate Nate Johnson lost to undefeated Hunter Whitenack of New Prairie in the 285-pound class, finishing his sophomore campaign with a 29-8 record.
The evening session began with two county wrestlers competing in three of the lightest five weight classes — 113, 126 and 132 pounds.
Indian Creek 113-pounder Jackson Heaston upped his season record to 41-2 by defeating Rochester freshman Wyatt Davis, 12-5, while Center Grove freshman Eddie Goss (32-12) demonstrated a flair for the dramatic in winning over previously unbeaten Western sophomore Tanner Tishner, 3-1.
Goss’s victory over the state’s fifth-ranked wrestler at 113 might have stunned some observers.
Just not Goss.
“This week, the preparation. I knew he was beatable, and know I can beat anybody in the state,” Goss said. “My coaches believed in me, and that’s pretty much the mentality I had. I was ready because my teammates and coaches are very motivational.”
Heaston’s quarterfinal is against second-ranked Evan Dickey of Cathedral (38-1).
“It feels great. Today, I was just working on my technique,” said Heaston, who said there was no intimidation in what was his finals debut. “You look out there and you say, ‘I can wrestle these kids.’ It gets you pumped up and makes you want to wrestle.”
At 126 pounds, Whiteland junior Joey Buttler is now 37-1 after scoring a 10-0 decision against Gavin Cook of Adams Central.
“I was just focused on coming here and not forcing anything,” Buttler said. “This is really where it all matters, so you don’t want to risk giving up anything big. I took what he gave me.”
Center Grove senior Michael Tharpe (29-13) closed out his prep wrestling career with one of his most memorable matches, losing in three overtimes to unbeaten Aidan Sprague of East Noble, 8-6, at 126.
The 132-pound weight class also featured a pair of locals with Center Grove sophomore Wyatt Krejsa (37-5) advancing with a 12-8 win against New Castle’s Brevan Thrine and Whiteland junior Eli Brooks losing by fall to top-ranked Zeke Seltzer of Cathedral.
Last year’s 145-pound runner-up Hayden Watson (40-1) remains in contention after pinning Carmel’s Nayl Sbay.
