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INDIANAPOLIS – Area senior wrestlers Warsaw’s Brandon Estepp (182 lbs.) and Wawasee’s Jace Alexander (138 lbs.) earned fourth-place honors at the IHSAA State Wrestling Championship tournament held Friday and Saturday in Banker’s Life Field House.

Estepp’s first trip to state began Friday with an 8-1 decision over New Haven’s Jacob Salyer followed by a Saturday morning quarterfinal win, a 7-5 decision, over Riley Woodall of Southmont before losing his semifinal match to eventual state runner-up Drake Buchanan (Center Grove) by fall at 2:39.

The Tiger grappler finished his season 23-10 after a 14-3 major decision at the hands of Perry Meridian’s Aiden Warren (41-4 season record), stepping up to the podium at 4th place.

Alexander’s fourth trip to state also began with two wins: a 7-4 decision over Floyd Central’s Gavin Alstott Friday, followed by Saturday morning’s 16-14 decision over Oak Hill’s Brody Arthur.

Alexander lost by fall in 0:28 in his semifinal fray to eventual state runner-up Delaney Ruhlman (Bloomington South). He lost to Blake Boarman of Evansville Mater Dei due to injury. The Warrior finished his senior campaign at 28-4.

Wawasee’s Branden Dilley (126 pounds) lost his Friday night opening round match via technical fall to Bluffton’s Landen Bertsch. Dilley finished the season at 16-13.

Sophomore Bazle Owens of Tippecanoe Valley lost his opening round match in the 195- pound weight class by fall at the hands of Lutheran’s Hayden Filipovich at the 5:43 mark. Filipovich went on to capture the state title with a 44-0 record.

There were no surprises at the top for team championship scoring, with Evansville Mater Dei finishing first with 112 points followed closely by Chesterton’s 107 points. The remaining teams among the top five finishers included Perry Meridian (3rd), Crown Point (4th), and Indianapolis Cathedral (5th).