Center Grove’s Wyatt Krejsa looks up to see how much time is left in the period as he goes for a pin of Brownsburg’s Tommy Gibbs during the 150-pound regional championship match.
Rob Baker | For the Daily Journal
MOORESVILLE
Charlie LaRocca has spent the last 50 weeks wrestling while carrying around a heightened reputation.
Being a defending state champion tends to do that.
However, the Center Grove senior, the 120-pound champion at the Mooresville Regional on Saturday, remains about his own thoughts, strategy and aspirations as he readies himself for the upcoming Evansville Semistate.
“Last year, I came into the tournament, and no one really expected me to get (to state), let alone win the thing,” said LaRocca, the reigning 113-pound champ who is 29-5 this season at 120. “I was hungry last year. I’m still hungry this year. It’s because of the room we have, and because of the coaches we have.
“There’s a reason I won a state title. I don’t really care how people are going to wrestle me. I’m going to wrestle my match.”
Second-ranked Brownsburg won the team championship at regional with 238½ points, with No. 3 Center Grove next at 186½.
The Trojans send a wrestler to Saturday’s semistate in 11 weight classes, five of them taking the mat as regional champions. LaRocca’s walk to the top of the awards podium was eventually duplicated by teammates Reese Courtney (144 pounds), Wyatt Krejsa (150), Noah Clouser (175) and Nate Johnson (285).
Courtney, ranked No. 1 in the state in his division, trailed second-ranked Parker Reynolds of Brownsburg 1-0 through two periods. The senior rallied the final two minutes for a 3-1 victory.
“I’m confident in being able to score a couple takedowns, even if I’m down, and outpacing the dude,” said Courtney, who split his two matches against Reynolds during the 2022-23 season. “It’s definitely harder to wrestle someone you’re familiar with.”
Another 1 vs. 2 showdown occurred at 190 where the Bulldogs’ top-ranked junior, Gunner Henry, squeaked past CG senior Kaden McConnell, 3-2.
Clouser, the state’s fourth-ranked 175-pounder, missed six matches during the regular season due to injury but has returned with a vengeance and is now 24-3 this season.
“I got my knee cranked at the Al Smith tournament (in late December), but I’ve been working through it like I did last year. I’m back and I’m feeling better than ever,” Clouser said. “Our room works a lot on peaking our wrestling at the right time. Everybody out here wants to wrestle their best when it matters the most. (Evansville) is a brutal semistate, but everybody there knows each other. We all like how brutal it is. It’s not a bad thing. We like bragging about how much better our semistate is than the others.”
Runner-ups for Center Grove were Eddie Goss at 132 pounds, Silas Stits at 157 and McConnell at 190. Sophomores Dom Brown (126) and William Vander Luitgaren (138) both placed third, while 106-pounder Joseph Hamilton was fourth.
Greenwood qualified two wrestlers for semistate, as junior Jordan Jewell placed third at 144 pounds and freshman Keagan Murray was fourth at 126.
Overall, a total of 24 Johnson County wrestlers are in a position to prepare for the Evansville Semistate, as Franklin qualified nine individuals and Indian Creek two from Saturday’s regional at Jeffersonville.
Second only to Columbus East in the final team standings (168½ to 140), the Grizzly Cubs were led by first-place performers Lance Jones, a 190-pound senior, and freshman Kellen Fellure (215). Second-place Franklin finishes went to Cameron Sommers (150), Cory Fuller (165) and Brody Stephens (285); Aiden Woods (106), Kegan Jochim (132) and Owen Trimpe (144) all placed third and 126-pounder Ryan Million was fourth.
Indian Creek’s Oliver Hallett continued his outstanding sophomore campaign by winning the 165-pound weight class, improving to 34-1 in the process. Freshman teammate Elijah Guyer stamped his ticket with a second-place effort at 157.
