Center Grove’s Kaden McConnell celebrates after his ultimate tiebreaker win on Friday.
Sam Findley | For the Daily Journal
INDIANAPOLIS
Now the real work begins.
The 10 Johnson County wrestlers who won first-round matches on Friday find themselves preparing to triple their workload today inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Third-ranked Center Grove, which qualified a school-record 12 individuals, saw that number pared to eight but remains in position to improve upon last season’s fourth-place finish in the final team standings.
It would have been difficult to find a wrestler from any team who could match the enthusiasm of senior 126-pounder and first-time finalist Hyatt Yeager, a surefire medalist after holding on for a 3-2 win over Keegan Schlabach of Lakeland, who took the mat ranked fourth.
Yeager, like many of his Center Grove teammates, was making his state finals debut.
“Just amazing,” said Yeager, who is 33-8. “I’m just so grateful for the opportunity, and the teammates I got to come here with. I couldn’t have been with a better group. (Medaling) has always been a big goal of mine since I was 4 or 5 years old.
“I just need to continue to be aggressive, continue to be confident and take every match one at a time.”
At 113 pounds, both Trojans junior Charlie LaRocca and Indian Creek senior Jackson Heaston advanced with victories.
LaRocca (39-2), who got things started with a first-round pin of Westfield freshman Porter Temples, didn’t alter his strategy based on the inexperience of his opponent.
“I’ve got to treat every opponent the same, and this is my first time here, too. I’m experiencing the same thing,” LaRocca said. “Just go out there and take care of business. It’s a normal match to me.
“Obviously, I want bigger things in this tournament.”
Heaston improved to 34-4 in his final prep season by defeating Tommy Frazier of Zionsville, 6-3.
“My strategy was get out on points,” Heaston said, referring to his quick start. “If you get far enough out on points, there’s no way they’re coming back. I got those takedowns at the beginning, and it put me up by four.”
Trojans sophomore 120-pounder Eddie Goss (38-5) moves on after defeating Mt. Vernon’s Elijah Broady, 1-0.
Whiteland senior Joey Buttler, the 126-pound state runner-up a year ago, continued his pursuit of a title by pinning Brody Hagewood of Prairie Heights at 2 minutes, 32 seconds.
Two more Center Grove wrestlers closed out the afternoon session with wins — juniors Reese Courtney and Wyatt Krejsa at 138 and 145, respectively. Courtney (34-8) won, 10-7, over Merrillville’s Lucas Clement; Krejsa (18-0) scored a 4-0 victory against Pendleton Heights junior Jackson Todd.
Center Grove’s success continued during the evening session, beginning with senior Andre Merritt dominating his match at 160 for a 14-3 triumph over Zionsville junior Chase Wagner.
“I did what I had to do. Staying focused. Locked in,” said Merritt (37-5) after defeating Wagner for the third time this season. “I just stuck to the basics, and do what I normally do.”
Sophomore Julian Weems kept the momentum going at 182, scoring the winning points with 35 seconds left in the third period for a 4-3 win over Monroe Central senior Hunter Page, who was ranked fourth to Weems’ 13th.
“I knew going into that match he was just going to (be exhausted),” said Weems (27-8). “During the match, I was like, ‘I’m going to keep this close, and come out at the end.’ I didn’t get to make it here last year because of my shoulder, but all year I just said I had to go get it.”
The match Center Grove junior Kaden McConnell wrestled at 195 against Mishawaka senior Christian Chavez was an exercise in both perserverance and sheer exhaustion. It went all the way to an ultimate tiebreaker with McConnell moving on.
“It’s the most intense match I’ve ever wrestled,” said McConnell (38-3). “It’s the first time I’ve been to state. Triple overtime. Against an undefeated senior. He beat me in overtime up there, so I knew this would be a long match, too.”
Four Trojans wrestled their last match of the season. Silas Stits lost in overtime, 13-9, to Jackson Todd of Fort Wayne Carroll at 152 pounds to complete a 33-10 season. At 170, junior Noah Clouser came up short against Delta’s Braxton Russell, 3-1, to finish 31-6.
Junior Nate Johnson lost a 5-3 battle against McCutcheon’s Cole Chicoine at 220 for a final mark this season of 27-4. At 285, Center Grove junior Tyler Schott was defeated by Highland’s Aramis McNutt, 3-2, for a final ledger of 31-12.
