Bittles, Pingleton advance to semistate

Monday, February 5, 2007

MOORESVILLE -- And then there were two.

Greencastle's Robert Bittles and Chris Pingleton maintained undefeated records Saturday at the Mooresville Regional as both advanced to the Evansville Semistate after winning their respective weight classes.

At 160 pounds, Pingleton improved to 41-0 on the season after defeating Shelby Mappes of Center Grove, 13-4.

"This feels good," Pingleton said of his second regional title.

Pingleton, who said he was slightly sick Saturday, looked much like his older brother Charlie Saturday, taking down Mappes and then letting him up. He was only scored on when he allowed Mappes to get escape points.

"I kind of got that from (Charlie)," Chris said.

Pingleton knocked off Frankfort's Stuart Reissen in the first round before taking out Mooresville's Abe Wathen in the second round. All of Pingleton's wins Saturday came via major decision.

Bittles improved to 33-0 Saturday after defeating Indian Creek's Justin Cave in the finals at 171 pounds, 5-3.

The title was Bittles' first at the regional level.

"I knew it was going to be tough, because he's really strong," Bittles said of Cave. "I feel I could have done better on my shots, but I feel pretty good."

Bittles knocked off Tyler Kirk of Center Grove in the first round before beating Whiteland's Justin Midyette in the second round. Bittles won all three of his matches via decision.

The top three wrestlers in each weight class advance to semistate action.

The victories for both Bittles and Pingleton allow them to receive first-round byes at the semistate.

"I thought we'd have two champions," Greencastle coach Russ Hesler said. "And I don't think they've wrestled their best matches yet.

"I think they've bot got a shot (at winning state). We haven't dodged anybody."

A handful of other Putnam County wrestlers competed at the regional Saturday, but none advanced to the semistate.

North Putnam's Emmett Boruff came closest, as he finished fourth in the heavyweight division, falling to Whiteland's Jordan Sharp in the consolation finals, 13-4.

Boruff finished the season with a record of 19-2 and entered the regional undefeated before falling to Indian Creek's Evan Lattimore in the second round Saturday.

"I guess he just ran out of gas," North Putnam coach Kenny Kerns said of Boruff. "But it's been a great year for him and a great career for him. It just didn't go our way."

North Putnam's Jacob Stigall also lost in the first round at 189 pounds.

Cloverdale had four wrestlers in action Saturday, but none made it out of the first round.

"They all wrestled well," CHS coach Brian Siddons said. "I wasn't displeased with any of them.

"We knew we'd be wrestling some tough kids. But they wreslted had and worked really hard this week."

Brittney Hughes lost in the first round of competition at 103 pounds while Benjamin Sanders fell in the first round at 135. Also competing for Cloverdale Saturday included Ben Cheatham (215 pounds) and Scott Mayhew (171 pounds).

The Clovers would have had five grapplers at regional competition, but heavyweight Dylan Stone managed to get Super Bowl tickets and was not available Saturday.

South Putnam also had two wrestlers, but both Jon Parker (145 pounds) and Josh Sanders (171 pounds) lost in first-round action.

"This is a rough regional," South Putnam coach Scott Miller said. "It's hard to get by the first round.

"But I thought our guys competed well. We just ran into a couple of guys that had a little more."

South Putnam's Seth Green (125 pounds) also qualified for regional competition but was unable to compete because of illness.

Cloverdale

At Mooresville

Mooresville Wrestling Regional

Championship Matches

103 -- Milton (CG) dec. Boyer (P), 9-0

112 -- Bealmear (TW) pinned Angermeier (MHS), 1:27

119 -- Fields (W) dec. Keers (A), 7-1

125 -- Minor (D) dec. WanHorn (F), 10-4

130 -- Harvey (CG) dec. Haines (A), 4-3

135 -- Crump (CG) dec. Krulik (Mar.), 4-3

140 -- Turner (P) dec. Denton (Cas.), 4-2

145 -- Carlucci (P) dec. Zubia (CG), 5-2

152 -- Runyan (Mar.) dec. Meehan (B), 13-4

160 -- Pingleton (GHS) dec. Mappes (CG), 13-4

171 -- Bittles (GHS) dec. Cave (IC), 5-3

189 -- Overman (B) dec. Scott (A), 8-4

215 -- Thomas (W) dec. McDaniel (A), 5-3

HWT -- Beliles (Mar.) pinned Lattimore (IC), 2:09

Other Putnam County

103 -- Milton (CG) pinned Hughes (CHS), 1:36 (first round)

135 -- Crump (CG) pinned Sanders (CHS), 3:07 (first round)

145 -- Perry (M) pinned Parker (SPHS), 5:46

145 -- Zubia (CG) pinned Buchanan (GHS), 2:19 (first round)

171 -- Cave (IC) dec. Sanders (SPHS), 13-3 (first round)

171 -- McCammack (M) dec. Mayhew (CHS), 12-2 (first round)

189 -- Fox (Fr) dec. Stigall (NPHS), 5-4 (first round)

215 -- Thomas (W) dec. Cheatham (CHS), 14-3 (first round)

HWT -- Sharp (W) dec. Boruff (NPHS), 13-4 (consolation finals)

Next Matches -- Pingleton and Bittles will both compete in the Evansville Semistate Saturday.

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