Today began the first session of the IHSAA wrestling state finals for Warren Central. This event took place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis. This venue provides an environment unlike any other for wrestlers and spectators.
The Warriors started the day in the 132-pound weight class with defending State Champion Kyrel Leavell. Leavell came into the tournament as a one seed and faced Hayden Fritz, a junior from West Central High School. Leavell started the match with a takedown immediately and kept him on bottom for the remainder of the period. Starting on bottom in the second period, he quickly escaped and got another takedown. Fritz responded with a reversal, but Leavell escaped and got another takedown to finish the second period. He started on top for the third period, which led to an escape by Fritz. This continued on with another takedown by Leavell, as well as another escape by Fritz. Finally, Leavell was able to get one last takedown by falling on Fritz and quickly getting the pin. Leavell will face off against 9th ranked Odin Fortune from Evansville Reitz.
Next, Christian Arberry faced off against Logan Uhlman in the 138 pound weight class in a highly anticipated face-off. Arberry started the match getting taken down towards the end of the first period. Down 2-0, Arberry started on top for the second period, but Uhlman escaped at the very end. Going into the third period, Arberry was down 3-0, but that wasn't stopping him from coming back. Arberry got a takedown a quarter through the 3rd period, and Uhlman escaped soon after, making it a 4-2 match with Uhlman still in the lead. This same sequence happened again, but this time Arberry let him escape on purpose to set himself up for the win, still trailing 5-4. This method proved successful when with 42 seconds left in the third period, Arberry got one more takedown and held Uhlman on bottom for the remaining time, winning the match 6-5. Arberry was very emotional after the match. Tomorrow, he will face 2nd ranked Cheaney Schoeff in a match that will prove to be even more challenging than today's.
Third, Brenton Russell wrestled against Braden Moore of Charlestown High School in a match that Russell was sure to win in the 160 pound weight class. Midway through the first period, Russell got a takedown, followed by a nearfall to take a 5-0 lead. In the second period, he started on top and let Moore escape before taking him down once again, leading to a pin with one minute and ten seconds left in the second period. Russell will wrestle against Conner Watts from Jimtown.
Fourth, AJ Cashman wrestled against Carlos Perez-Xochipa from Harrison High School in the 170 pound weight class. In the first period, there was little to no action. In the second period, Perez-Xochipa started on bottom and escaped within ten seconds. Cashman came back from that at the end of the second period with a takedown and a nearfall to take a 4-1 lead. Cashman started on bottom in the third period, and he quickly escaped as well. Cashman was taken down about halfway through the third period but escaped and held onto his 6-3 lead all the way into victory. Tomorrow, Cashman will face 7th ranked Duke Meyers in a matchup that will be very entertaining to watch.
Lastly, Mikey Durham wrestled against Vincent Freeman from Penn High School. The first period was uneventful, only having a stalling warning issued to both wrestlers. Durham started on bottom in the second period and escaped within 20 seconds to take a 1-0 lead that he would carry into the third period. Freeman started on bottom in the third period and quickly escaped. Durham came back with another takedown, which eventually led to an escape for Freeman again. The score was 3-2 with Durham leading until there were 6 seconds left when Durham got called for stalling once again, giving Freeman the equalizing point. This took the match into overtime, where Durham lost the sudden death contest by getting taken down with 25 seconds left. Durham finished the season with a record of 33-6 and his first state qualification.
Tomorrow, wrestling will resume at 9:00 a.m. where the four remaining Warriors will fight for their spot on the top of the podium.