Two Rockies heading to state wrestling finals
The IHSAA semi-state wrestling match at East Chicago Saturday was as competitive as expected, but two Plymouth wrestlers qualified for the state meet based on their performances.
Rockies Wesley Smith (145) finished third overall and Anthony Popi (285) fourth to punch their ticket to the state meet that begins Friday, Feb. 17 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The top four in each weight class at the four semi-states around Indiana qualify.
Smith (45-2), ranked No. 5 in the state in his weight class, defeated Anthony Hinton of Hammond Central, 13-0, in his opening match. The junior then defeated No. 13 Caleb Solomey of Kankakee Valley (40-3) by the score of 8-3 to move into the semifinals and officially qualify for state. Smith lost to No. 2 Anthony Bahl of Crown Point by the score of 9-2, and took the third place match by forfeit. Bahl lost in the championship match to No. 1 Aidan Torres of Chesterton to finish second overall.
Popi (42-4), ranked No. 4 in the state, defeated Christian Johnson of New Prairie, 3-1. He then defeated Jamari Jefferson of Gary West Side, 4-0, to qualify for the state meet. The junior lost to No. 2 Paul Clark of Crown Point (32-3) for the second time this season, both times by fall, then lost to No. 13 Jordan Cree of Rensselaer Central (48-2) by fall in the third/fourth place match. Clark finished first overall.
Just missing state qualification were Glenn’s Bentley Whitmer (34-6) at 113, Plymouth’s Cadyn Smith (36-8) at 160, Triton’s Elijah Cox (32-6) at 170, and Laville’s Jonathan Neese (31-2) at 220. Each won their first match, but lost the second.
IHSAA Semi-state wrestling At East Chicago
Results for local wrestlers: 113:
Glenn’s Brody King (34-6) lost to Adrian Origel (North Newton, 30-6) 8-0
CMA’S Cole Meiser (27-11) lost to #20 Seth Aubin (Hobart, 36-6) 13-0, who finished in second place. 126:
Glenn’s Bentley Whitmer (34-6) def. Braden Ashe (Penn, 20-11) 11-6; lost to Alejandro Ramirez (River Forest, 38-5) 10-3. Ramirez finished third overall. Plymouth’s Coen Kraemer (16-19) lost to #16 Guillermo Rivera (Lake Central, 34-7) by fall. Rivera finished second overall.
132:
Bremen’s Reece Greene (28-4) lost to Robert Frazier (Calumet, 37-8) 18-6
138:
Plymouth’s Seth Wright (25-12) lost to Jordan Lear (West Lafayette, 35-4)
145:
#5 Plymouth’s Wesley Smith (452) def. Anthony Hinton (Hammond Central, 15-7) 13-0; def. #13 Caleb Solomey (Kankakee Valley, 40-3) 8-3; lost to #2 Anthony Bahl (Crown Point, 18-6) 9-2; def. Jayden Lewis (New Prairie 40-7) by forfeit for third place. Bahl finished second overall.
160:
Plymouth’s Cadyn Smith (368) def. Porter Mitrione (West Lafayette, 23-12) 11-0; lost to #1 Sam Goin (Crown Point, 35-2) 20-2. Goin finished in first place. 170:
Triton’s Elijah Cox (32-6) def. Alexander Borrero (Munster, 31-7) by fall; lost to #2 Cody Goodwin (Crown Point, 21-4) by fall. Goodwin finished first overall. Glenn’s Mason Kobelt (39-8) lost to Eli Quasebarth (North White, 39-4) 15-9
195:
Laville’s Paul Dewitt (32-6) lost to #21 James Veal (Merrillville, 31-8) by fall
220:
#13 Laville’s Jonathan Neese (31-2) def. Selvin Portillo (North White, 17-4) 8-2; lost to Jayden Bartoszek (Hanover Central, 39-7) 10-4. Bartoszek finished fourth overall.
285:
#4 Plymouth’s Anthony Popi (424) def. Christian Johnson (New Prairie, 31-11) 3-1; def. Jamari Jefferson (Gary West Side, 21-5) 4-0; lost to #2 Paul Clark (Crown Point, 32-3) by fall; lost to #13 Jordan Cree (Rensselaer Central, 48-2) by fall. Clark finished first overall and Cree third. Popi was fourth.
Bremen’s Zachary Schmucker (188) lost to Mitchell Krolikowski (Wheeler, 24-9) by fall CMA’S Henry Martello (26-10) lost to #2 Paul Clark (Crown Point, 32-3). Clark finished first overall.