Of the six area wrestlers who advanced to the IHSAA State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, only East Central’s Blake Wolf and Rider Searcy won during Friday night’s first round to advance to Saturday. Searcy went on to finish as state runner-up at 145 pounds. Wolf also made the podium with a fourth place finish in the 126-pound class.
Fellow Trojans Charlie Euson, David Nash and Ryan Bovard along with Lawrenceburg’s Corbin Walston all made it to the big dance as well but fell in Friday’s first round.
Searcy (47-3) opened Friday with a pin in 3:15 over Anfernee Oliver of Ben Davis. In Saturday’s quarterfinals, the EC junior won by decision, 11-10, over Cowan’s Toby Abbott. The semifinal match was over quickly as Searcy pinned Chesterton’s Aiden Torres in 1:24. Then in the title match, Searcy lost by pin in 2:31 to Center Grove’s Hayden Watson (43-1).
Wolf (48-2) win his first round match by 6-3 decision over Beau Brabender of Mishawaka. The Trojan junior then got by Castle’s Ka’Mair’Y Nelson 7-6 in the quarters. Wolf lost his semifinal match 12-1 to the eventual state champ Logan Frazier of Crown Point (34-1). Then in the third place match, Wolf fell by pin in 2:22 to Matteo Vargo of Penn.
Crown Point won the team state title with 178 points over second place Brownsburg with 105. East Central picked up 33 points through Searcy and Wolf to finish 11th.
We thank the IHSAA and Track Wrestling for the state finals information.