Center Grove junior Eddie Goss attempts to free himself from the hold of Brownsburg’s Jake Hockaday at the Mooresville Regional.
Daily Journal file photo
Eddie Goss sees not one, but three enticing possibilities when gazing into life’s crystal ball.
The Center Grove junior, who this morning makes his third state finals appearance in as many weight classes, desires to attend college, join the military or take the steps necessary to eventually become employed as a firefighter.
If there’s a downside, it’s that as many as two of these could lose out.
In terms of Goss’ mat history since entering high school, he’s proven proficient at putting out fires, so to speak, as indicated by his career record of 105-26.
The Trojans’ starting 120-pounder as a sophomore, Goss is 33-5 and ranked fourth in the state at 132 this season.
“Eddie jumped up two weights this season, and competition-wise, he’s had a pretty steady season,” Center Grove coach Maurice Swain said. “He’s competed pretty well and is an athlete, I feel, who performs better in the big-time matches.
“He just enjoys wrestling against really good competition. When he’s in those situations, he’s ready.”
As a freshman, Goss placed eighth in the state at 113 pounds, then followed with last season’s third-place standing at 120 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“My freshman year, I literally had nothing to lose. I was weighing 100 pounds, wrestling 113, and everyone was bigger than me. Older than me,” Goss said. “My mentality is that I love it when people don’t believe I can do something.”
A 6-2 loss to LaPorte senior Ashton Jackson in last season’s state semifinals prevented Goss from taking on Jake Hockaday of Brownsburg beneath the spotlight reserved for the state championship match.
He aspires for the two to meet in Saturday night’s 132 final at the Ford Center in Evansville, but understands there is plenty of work to do first. Goss and Hockaday are on opposite ends of the bracketing, so it’s entirely possible.
Three of Goss’ losses this season are to the top-ranked Hockaday, a junior who won state titles at 106 and 120 pounds as a freshman and sophomore, respectively.
The way Goss sees it, he owes his friend.
“It’s been a lot. Seven or eight times, I think,” said Goss about how many times he’s wrestled Hockaday since the two entered high school. “I’ve never beaten him, but I’ve been within two points.
“A lot of people think Brownsburg and Center Grove hate each other, but we’re pretty good friends.”
Hockaday defeated Goss, 11-4, in the semistate title match last weekend, also at the Ford Center. A week earlier, Hockaday captured his regional championship at Mooresville by scoring a 9-3 decision over Goss in the finale.
Goss’ passion for wrestling dates back to when he was a small child. Credit the assist to Contenders Wrestling Academy in Brownsburg, which was founded in 2006 by Ryan Parrish.
“I was probably 4 years old,” Goss said, laughing. “So my dad’s best friend, his brother wrestled at state and placed second when he was in high school. His other brother placed top five. They were like, ‘Hey, does Eddie want to wrestle?’
“I just fell in love with it, and I’ve been doing it the past 13 years now. My dad (Greg) would drive me every day to go wrestle there, and I’ve worked harder there than I have anywhere else in my life. (Parrish) just taught me that character is the biggest thing.”
The hundreds of hours inside the Center Grove wrestling room over the past three seasons have played their own role in Goss’ development and confidence. Given the collective dedication of the Trojans’ senior nucleus of wrestlers, it would have been difficult for them not to.
“Our room at Center Grove, I guarantee no one else in the state gets the competition that we do. It’s crazy. It’s just, left and right, good wrestlers,” Goss said. “I know my hard work, and my team’s hard work.
“I know we’ve worked harder than anyone in the state. There’s no doubt about it.”
IF YOU GO
IHSAA State Finals
When: Today, 3 p.m. (first-round weight classes 152-285) and 6:30 p.m. EST (first-round weight classes (106-144); Saturday, 10 a.m. (quarterfinals with semifinals to follow), 5:30 p.m. (consolation matches) and 8:30 p.m. EST (championship matches).
Where: Ford Center, Evansville
Admission: $15 per session; $30 all sessions. Reserved seating only (no general admission).
