Prep wrestling takes center stage

Shaffer four wins from state title

South Putnam has never had a state champion wrestler, but senior Kyle Shaffer hopes to change that fact this weekend at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Shaffer is one of 16 competitors remaining in the 195-pound weight class in the Indiana High School Athletic Association state tournament, and will kick off action tonight by putting his 46-0 record on the line against junior David Delph (39-4) of Frankton.

The first round tonight begins at 6 p.m., and will feature eight matches in each of the 14 weight divisions. The winner of each match advances to Saturday’s quarterfinals, which begin at 9:30 a.m., while tonight’s losers are eliminated.

The semifinals will take place immediately after the quarterfinals on Saturday, with the consolation round starting at 5 p.m. and the finals at 7:30 p.m.

Shaffer dominated the Evansville Semistate last weekend, winning his first two matches by pin and his final two by major decisions of 11 points each.

He was ranked sixth in the final state rankings by indianamat.com, and defeated fifth-ranked Kurtis Wilderman of Evansville Mater Dei in the semifinals at the semistate.

Seven of the top nine ranked wrestlers are still alive in the tourney including top-ranked Tristen Tronte of Warren Central (committed to wrestle for Marian University). Shaffer could potentially meet ninth-ranked Caleb Hankensen (39-2) of Bellmont in his second match if both wrestlers win their opener, and would face Tonte in the semifinals if both wrestlers win their first two matches.

The bottom half of the bracket contains the second- through fifth-ranked wrestlers. No. 2-ranked Ben Stewart (33-1 record, committed to Boston College) meets Wilderman in the first round tonight, while No. 3 Andrew Davison (38-0, committed to Michigan) is in the bottom bracket along with No. 4 David Eli (40-1) of Elkhart Memorial. Southridge’s Jack Michel (49-3), who Shaffer defeated in the semistate finals, is also in the bottom bracket.

Shaffer is the third state qualifier from South Putnam, joining Chad Showalter and Rudy Harris. He is the only two-time qualifier, having placed sixth in the state in the 182-pound weight class two years ago. Injury prevented him from competing last year.

He is unsure of his college plans.

South Putnam coach Josh Hendrickson admits not knowing much about Shaffer’s opponent tonight, or many of the wrestlers coming from the other three semistates, but knows the lack of information works both ways.

“Kyle is a very talented and hard-working kid,” Hendrickson said. “He is a once-in-a-generation kind of guy for Putnam County.”

State finals wrestling pairings

Today, 6 p.m.

(State ranking in parentheses)

(1) Tristen Tonte (36-1), Sr., Warren Central vs. Bradley Philpot (35-4), Sr., Floyd Central

Draven Rasler (28-6), Jr., West Noble vs. Nick Schoonveld (31-6), Jr., Kankakee Valley

(6) Kyle Shaffer (46-0), Sr., South Putnam vs. David Delph (39-4), Jr., Frankton

Tyler Moser (39-2), Sr., Bremen vs. (9) Caleb Hankensen (39-2), Sr., Bellmont

(4) David Eli (40-1), Sr., Elkhart Memorial vs. Anthony Maceo (21-11), Jr., Portage

(2) Ben Stewart (33-1), Sr., Indianapolis Cathedral vs. (5) Kurtis Wilderman (28-2), Sr., Evansville Mater Dei

(3) Andrew Davison (38-0), Sr., Chesterton vs. Gavin Herrera (35-8), Sr., Kokomo

Liam Jagow (41-3), Sr., Westfield vs. Jack Michel (49-3), Sr., Southridge

Pingleton earns Hall of Fame spot

Former Greencastle wrestling standout Charlie Pingleton, who excelled collegiately at two different schools, is among five athletes who will be inducted on Sunday into the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame by the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association.

The ceremony will take place on Sunday at 502 East Event Centre in Carmel.

Pingleton graduated from Greencastle in 2004, compiling a 167-9 record and finishing as the IHSAA state runner-up in both 2003 and 2004 under Coach Russ Hesler.

Upon graduation, Pingleton attended and excelled in wrestling for the University of Indianapolis before transferring to Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky. While at Lindsey, Pingleton earned NAIA All-American honors and won a national championship in March of 2012. Pingleton became the first NAIA National Champion in Lindsey Wilson wrestling program history, capturing the national title at the 157-pound weight class during the 2011-12 season for the Kentucky school.

At Indianapolis, Pingleton was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American at 149 pounds.

He has coached wrestling at Greencastle for the past few years, but had to step down this year after a second surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.

Other wrestlers going into the Hall of Fame are Tony Abbott of Muncie South, Paul Batchel of Concord, Greg Matheis of Jasper and J.T. Young of Bloomington South.

Coaches being inducted are Todd Fakes of Monrovia, Kevin Jones of Winchester, Louis Kuzdas of LaPorte, Marvin Syren of Gary Wirt and Jamie Welliever of Southmont.

The Don Patton “Coach of the Year” and assistant coach of the year awards were voted on earlier this month and will be announced at the ceremony.

Earning admission as contributors are Mark Griffith of New Castle and official Scott Wallis.

The IHSWCA media award is being presented to Mike Golic of ESPN, while the Tom Cameron Administrative Award will be presented to Robert Faulkens of the IHSAA.

The Historians Special Family Award will be presented to the Leavell Family of Decatur Central.