For 20 area wrestlers, the dream of qualifying for the state finals will be within reach on Saturday when they compete in the Evansville Reitz Semistate.
With 12 of those wrestlers, Columbus East hopes to contend for its first semistate team championship. The Olympians finished second behind Brownsburg last year before placing third at state.
"We’re definitely there to win it," East coach Chris Cooper said. "Brownsburg, we know they’re good."
Brownsburg, which qualified all 14 of its wrestlers to semistate, is this year’s state dual-meet champion, but East beat the Bull Dogs in a dual meet to close the regular season. Avon and Evansville Mater Dei also figure to compete for the semistate title.
East’s Cayden Rooks (138 pounds), Jake Schoenegge (152), Nick South (170) and Jacob Bolte (220) will be looking to make return trips to the state finals. Noah Lykins (106), Kenton Wilson (113), Nate John (120), Jeremy Clark (126), Joey Gordon (132), Kade Law (145), Sam Morrill (160) and Noah White (182) are seeking their first state finals appearance.
"It’s nice taking a big group," Cooper said. "We have a handful of guys that are new going down there. But they have confidence. Our guys that have been there, it’s just another trip there. Each of the last two or three years, we’ve wrestled incredibly well down there."
Columbus North will have two wrestlers competing in Morgan Smith (113) and Bradley Gutierrez (285). Smith won a regional title Saturday at Jeffersonville.
"I feel real good about Morgan’s chances," North coach Matt Joyce said. "He’s wrestled tough all year, and he’s continued that through sectional and regional. Being the No. 1 out of that regional really helps with draws, which is always a good thing."
Jennings County will be represented by Sam Bennett (170), Cameron Woodard (182) and Logan Askew (195). Brown County will have Branden Leslie (113), David Tucker (126) and Bryce Denton (132).
Competition will begin at 10 a.m. EST (9 a.m. CST) at the Ford Center in Evansville. The top four in each weight class qualify for next weekend’s state finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"One thing I do like about (the Ford Center) is, it prepares us well for state," Cooper said. "It’s a lot like Bankers Life, the setup and everything. The arena-type place, it’s not like a high school gym. Having that really helps kind of set the stage for next week, so when get up there next week at Bankers Life, it’s almost like we’ve already done it before."
North football players sign
Two Columbus North seniors participated in a signing ceremony Wednesday at the school.
Quarterback Trenton Kelly announced late last week that he would play football at Morehead State (Kentucky). He was joined by offensive lineman Nicholas Smith, who is headed to University of Rochester (New York) to play football.
North sets baseball callout
Columbus North baseball coach Ben McDaniel is holding a callout meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the school’s LGI Room.
The meeting is mandatory for all players interested in playing baseball this spring and at least one of each players’ parents.
