The Decatur Daily Democrat

INDYCAR’S CONOR DALY OPEN TO LASTMINUTE DAYTONA 500 RIDE

- By JENNA FrYEr DANE FUELLING A weight-by-weight look at Saturday’s regional brackets: See rEGIoNAL/7

Unlike many other sports under the IHSAA umbrella, winning a sectional title is not a prerequisi­te to hoist a regional trophy in wrestling. Neverthele­ss, Delta and Jay County, last week’s two sectional champions, are the two favorites to win the team title this weekend at Jay County High School. Adams Central, Bellmont and Yorktown will also be factors in the team scoring with a shot of taking anywhere from 5-8 guys to the next stage of the tournament, the semi-state at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Key storylines include the quest by Duke Myers and Jay County’s Tony Wood to become three-time regional champions, along with Bellmont’s attempt to win a fourth consecutiv­e team title at the regional level.

Delta, a program that is without a regional title since 1996, has a great shot at finally finishing ahead of Jay County for once this season. The two teams met in a dual in

December and the Patriots finished ahead of the Eagles at 2A Team State. The two teams will meet twice in the mustwin first round: at 138, where Tony Wood will be heavily favored, and again at 182, where Bryce Wenk of Jay County will be favored.

106: The one exciting everyone is a Hunter Douglas (Norwell) vs. Ayden Bollinger (Delta) final. Bollinger will face Bellmont’s Ethan Curtis for the second straight year in the first round, while Douglas faces 27-5 Daigan Barbosa of Cowan in the opener.

113: Daniel Moore shook this weight class up by knocking off defending regional champ Levi Johns in last week’s final. That kicks Johns down on the same side of the bracket with Kaid Jackson of Delta, but those two figure to square off again in this week’s final. Can Johns get his revenge and set up a run for another state medal? Bellmont and Cowan will start a mini dual meet when Tate Krueckeber­g puts his

 ?? Photo by Kris Everett ?? Keagan Martin is 40-1 so far this year and the favorite to win his first regional title this year at 220 pounds for the Bellmont Braves. The weight class is highly competitiv­e this season in the Fort Wayne Semi-State.
Photo by Kris Everett Keagan Martin is 40-1 so far this year and the favorite to win his first regional title this year at 220 pounds for the Bellmont Braves. The weight class is highly competitiv­e this season in the Fort Wayne Semi-State.
 ?? Photo by Dane Fuelling ?? The South Adams Starfires squeezed past Whitko Tuesday, but they will need to be even better to get past Luers tonight.
Photo by Dane Fuelling The South Adams Starfires squeezed past Whitko Tuesday, but they will need to be even better to get past Luers tonight.

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