Wrestlers on to regional

GHS' Joe January earns his win to move into the finals at the Avonn Sectional Saturday. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Avon High School invited 10 teams to its gymnasium Saturday morning for a day of sectional wrestling, and seven wrestlers from Putnam County will be moving onto regional with the advancers from Mooresville.

The top four finishers in the sectional will move on to regional at Mooresville on Saturday. The first-place finishers will match up with fourth-place finishers while the third and second-place finishers will wrestle.

Finishing second was Greencastle's Trae Carrington at 138 pounds and South Putnam's Will Cruse at 195. Greencastle had two place third. Cuay Thomas placed at 106 class as did Ethan Tuggle at 120.

Finishing fourth was GHS' Braden Lady at 220, GHS' Joe January in the 285 class, South Putnam's Jacob Lorimer in the 132 class and North Putnam's Shawn McLaughlin in the 106 class.

GHS' team finished fifth, South Putnam took seventh while North Putnam and Cloverdale took ninth and 10th respectively.

Cloverdale had a few wrestlers at Avon, including Kyler Galloway and Payton Skadra who each placed sixth in the 160 and 170 classes respectively but unfortunately for Clover fans no one adanced.

"I thought our wrestlers although their mental attitude could improved a little bit but they wrestled well in general," said CHS coach Matt Hall. "There are things looking back (we would improve) because you know hindsight is 20/20. We could only do so much. I do feel like the majority of the kids went our there and gave 100 percent. That's good. Still a few of the kids we had didn't and this is the time to show."

Despite the disappointing finish CHS will be looking forward to its future wrestling seasons, hoping its athletes build on this season's work.

"In future years we are looking really solid," Hall said. "We have quite a few prospects that wrestled (Saturday) and did very well. In the coming years we are looking very solid. We have three guys (returning) that wrestled varsity all year. They did extremely well and have progressed well throughout the season. We are definitely looking forward to next season."

North Putnam has been happy with its season and is more happy with its advancers going deeper into the post-season.

"We had a fourth placer with our 106 Shawn McLaughlin and an alternate Ethan Whinings at 145," Cougar coach Bucky Kramer said. "Overall not a bad day for the kids but we've got a lot of room for improvement. We've had a good season. We are really young. We have a freshman and sophomore team right now."

As for the Eagles, coaches are glad their two talented seniors, Cruse and Lorimer, are getting into the groove at the right time of the season and hope to see the Eagles advance even farther.

"I thought everyone came out and performed well," SPHS coach Josh Hendrickson said. "Nobody gave up. Our two seniors were able to both advance and that's exciting. I think both guys have a chance to get out of regional as well so that should be fun. They just did what they always do. They were fundamentally sound and they wrestled to their strengths."

Greencastle is looking for an even better season this year as most of its top wrestlers are young and will be looking to improve over the offseason.

"It's just like we've been talking all year," GHS coach Shane Thomas said. "Just keep working hard. Since we are young this is just a learning experience. All those guys who are moving to regionals are coming back next year. So it's just a learning experience."

Not only is Shane Thomas looking forward to his advancers coming back but GHS had several injured wrestlers that will return to action next year and should provide a boost to an already talented young Tiger Cub team.