Three county wrestlers advance

Monday, February 6, 2006

MOORESVILLE -- Chris Pingleton has only one thing on his mind this week, getting prepared for the wrestling semi-state in Evansville.

Pingleton, who is a junior at Greencastle High School, extend his record to 42-0 Saturday, after winning the 145-pound division regional championship. He defeated Michael Grant of Indianapolis with a 9-1 decision.

Pingleton said that it feels good to win, but he's not done yet.

'I've got two more to go then, I will be happy,' he said.

Pingelton said that there has only been a one thing driving him this year, his record.

'I've just been thinking about keeping my record the way it is and making it to state,' Pingleton said.

Pingleton's teammate, Robert Bittles, will be joining him this weekend in Evansville. Bittles got pinned by Michael Reese of Franklin within the first minute of the third round. Only the top three places in each weight class advance to the semistate, which allows Bittles to advance as a runner up.

Pingleton and Bittles were the only two to make out it of the regional, while the Tiger Cubs third wrestler, Chase Dunigan, that advanced to the regional went down in the first round.

Even though he only has two wrestlers advancing, GHS Coach Russ Hesler was still optimistic.

'You have to be there to have a chance to win and were going to be there,' he said about the semistate. 'I've seen these guys do some impressive things before, plus we have another week of practice.

'But the good news is that both of these kids are juniors so they'll be back.'

Greencastle is not the only school sending someone to the semistate. Alex Gardiner from Cloverdale will be wrestling in the 189-pound division in Evansville. Gardiner finished as the runner up in his weight class, losing to Jake Russell of Plainfield for the second time in the post season. Russell beat out Gardiner with a decision in the Avon Sectional and did it this time with a 16-1 techfall.

Gardiner is the only wrestler from the Cloverdale team who advanced to the semistate, but CHS Coach Brian Siddons still thought his team did well.

'We're pleased. We knew we would have a rough first round going up against champions from the sectionals,' He said. 'With the kid from Plainfield, he is a little more physical and quicker, and he knew what Alex was going to do.'

With Gardiner and Russell both going to the same semistate, there is a possibility of them facing each other again in Evansville, but Siddons said that they are not going to change their strategy this late in the season.

North and South Putnam seasons' came to an end on Saturday.

The Eagles season ended after the first round, when all three of their wrestlers were defeated. The Cougars season did not come to an end until the final round, when A.J. Brewer and Emmett Boruff lost their matches. Despite losing, NPHS Coach Kenny Kerns was pleased with the team's season.

'It's been a fantastic season,' Kerns said. 'It didn't end the way we wanted to, but that's how it goes."

At Mooresville

(Mooresville Regional Finals Round)

103 -- Angermeier (Mor) dec. Wittman (Pla) 14-0

112 -- Fields (Whi) dec. Fish (Fra) 9-2

119 -- Gallagher (Fra) dec. Schifeling (Cen) 9-3

125 -- Patrick (Pla) dec. Denton (Cas) 5-3

130 -- Warren (Mor) T-fall Harvey (Cen) 18-3

135 -- Myers (Avo) dec. Dorsey (Fra) 14-3

140 -- Carlucci (Pla) dec. Warren (Mor) 4-1

145 -- Pingleton (Grc) dec. Grant (Ind) 9-1

152 -- Johnson (Avo) dec. Meehan (Bro) 6-4 OT

160 -- Reese (Fra) pin. Bittles (Grc) 5-3

171 -- Glasser (Fra) dec. Johnson (Avo) 3-1

189 -- Russell (Pla) T-fall Gardiner (Clo) 16-1

215 -- Deman (Whi) dec. Johnson (Fra) 3-1 OT

275 -- Thomas (Whi) Pin. Beliles (Mar) 5:21

Next Match -- Everyone who advanced will wrestle again on Saturday at Roberts Stadium in Evansville.

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