Kevin, Darrell Carr Win Semistate Titles
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
FORT WAYNE - The Wawasee wrestlers are beginning to make people stand up and notice what kind of team they have this year - both together and apart.
The Warriors will get the chance to show as individuals what they can do with three wrestlers going to next Saturday's state meet, two of whom won their weight classes at the Fort Wayne Semistate Saturday.
Brothers Kevin (125) and Darrell (135) Carr, along with Shaun Belin (152), will be making the trip to Market Square Arena to strut their stuff. The Carrs won their weight classes, while Belin was third.
Wawasee sent eight wrestlers to the semistate, including four regional champions.
"We want to get all of them through," Wawasee coach Scott DeHart said. "But so many things figure in. I am pleased with the way all eight wrestled. And we have a lot of them coming back."
Where normally only a few wrestlers are practicing for state meet competition, the entire Warrior squad will be in the wrestling room preparing for their state team competition March 1 against Carmel.
"Sometimes the wrestling room can look a little sparse this time of the year," DeHart said of past years. "I think the kids have been pushing each other all year. It is a good thing for everybody."
Darrell Carr, a senior, just dominated Joe Shady of Delta in the championship match at 135 pounds.
Seemingly scoring points at will against Shady, Carr built up a lead of 22-7 before being awarded the win on a technical fall.
Carr's biggest test came in the semifinals against Andy Bertsch of Adams Central. Bertsch came into the match with a 30-0 record, but Carr slipped past Bertsch 6-4.
"Darrell is capable of being very fluid and smooth," DeHart said. "This is the time you want to be wrestling at our best, and Darrell is wrestling at his best. He just needs to keep his focus for next weekend. If he does wrestle at his best at the state meet he definitely could be on the winning stand."
Kevin Carr, just a sophomore, beat Tim Sloffer of Carroll 10-3 in the championship match at 125 pounds. Carr beat Ryan McCuddy of Jimtown in the semifinals after McCuddy had a gaudy 38-1 record coming into the match.
"Kevin was not intimidated at all about being here (at the semistate)," DeHart said.
Wawasee's third individual heading to the state meet is Shaun Belin at 152 pounds. Belin beat Kurt Boots of Prairie Heights to claim third place.
After winning his second round match, Belin ran into a buzzsaw in Elwood's Bryan Waters.
Waters used about three moves in pinning Belin (37-2) in :34. Waters win onto win the championship and is 41-0.
"Belin showed what he is made of bouncing back to take third place," DeHart said. "And he knows you can still win a state championship with a third place finish in the semistate."
Kevin and Darrell Carr will both be making return trips to the state meet. Kevin, 79-10 in his career, finished fifth in the state last year at 112 pounds. Darrell, 145-15 in his career, was seventh in the state at 125 pounds. It be the first trip for Belin, 63-21 in his career.
Sophomore Chet Wortinger (103) lost his first round match to Leo's Cody Whitehouse; junior Travis Coy (112) beat Elwood's Dustin Groover before losing to Southwood's Casey Stouffer; sophomore Jacen Hendricks (119) beat Yorktown's Alonso Miller before losing to Aime Mora of Jimtown; junior Ryan Johnson (130) lost to Peru's Jason Brown; and junior Jason Carr (145) lost to Muncie Central's Derek Byard in the second round after a first-round bye.
Warsaw's Adam Harter
Showing what a matter of seconds can mean in a wrestling match, Harter went from leading Bellmont's Andy Miesse 3-1 to down 8-3 when Miesse got a quick takedown, nearfall and then another takedown. Miesse won the first round match, 8-5.
"After that (down 8-3), he were scrambling to get back into," Warsaw coach Tony Boley said.
Miesse went on two the championship match before losing to Southwood's Casey Stouffer.
"We were disappointed," Boley said. "Because Harter was capable of beating him (Miesse)."
The biggest thing for Boley was giving Harter, and the other seven Tiger wrestlers there to watch, a chance to see what semistate wrestling is all about.
"The mental part is the biggest part of it," Boley said. "Now we have to get into the weight room and do the things that get you to the state meet."
Manchester's Greg Groombridge (171) lost to Chris Mace of Muncie South, while Whitko's Scott Barker beat Adam Haynes of Oak Hill before losing to Nick Yoder of NorthWood.
"It was a tough loss for Scott, he was one step away from going to the state championships," Whitko coach Brian Balsmeyer said. He had a great year and a great career for that matter. He has a lot to be proud of." [[In-content Ad]]
FORT WAYNE - The Wawasee wrestlers are beginning to make people stand up and notice what kind of team they have this year - both together and apart.
The Warriors will get the chance to show as individuals what they can do with three wrestlers going to next Saturday's state meet, two of whom won their weight classes at the Fort Wayne Semistate Saturday.
Brothers Kevin (125) and Darrell (135) Carr, along with Shaun Belin (152), will be making the trip to Market Square Arena to strut their stuff. The Carrs won their weight classes, while Belin was third.
Wawasee sent eight wrestlers to the semistate, including four regional champions.
"We want to get all of them through," Wawasee coach Scott DeHart said. "But so many things figure in. I am pleased with the way all eight wrestled. And we have a lot of them coming back."
Where normally only a few wrestlers are practicing for state meet competition, the entire Warrior squad will be in the wrestling room preparing for their state team competition March 1 against Carmel.
"Sometimes the wrestling room can look a little sparse this time of the year," DeHart said of past years. "I think the kids have been pushing each other all year. It is a good thing for everybody."
Darrell Carr, a senior, just dominated Joe Shady of Delta in the championship match at 135 pounds.
Seemingly scoring points at will against Shady, Carr built up a lead of 22-7 before being awarded the win on a technical fall.
Carr's biggest test came in the semifinals against Andy Bertsch of Adams Central. Bertsch came into the match with a 30-0 record, but Carr slipped past Bertsch 6-4.
"Darrell is capable of being very fluid and smooth," DeHart said. "This is the time you want to be wrestling at our best, and Darrell is wrestling at his best. He just needs to keep his focus for next weekend. If he does wrestle at his best at the state meet he definitely could be on the winning stand."
Kevin Carr, just a sophomore, beat Tim Sloffer of Carroll 10-3 in the championship match at 125 pounds. Carr beat Ryan McCuddy of Jimtown in the semifinals after McCuddy had a gaudy 38-1 record coming into the match.
"Kevin was not intimidated at all about being here (at the semistate)," DeHart said.
Wawasee's third individual heading to the state meet is Shaun Belin at 152 pounds. Belin beat Kurt Boots of Prairie Heights to claim third place.
After winning his second round match, Belin ran into a buzzsaw in Elwood's Bryan Waters.
Waters used about three moves in pinning Belin (37-2) in :34. Waters win onto win the championship and is 41-0.
"Belin showed what he is made of bouncing back to take third place," DeHart said. "And he knows you can still win a state championship with a third place finish in the semistate."
Kevin and Darrell Carr will both be making return trips to the state meet. Kevin, 79-10 in his career, finished fifth in the state last year at 112 pounds. Darrell, 145-15 in his career, was seventh in the state at 125 pounds. It be the first trip for Belin, 63-21 in his career.
Sophomore Chet Wortinger (103) lost his first round match to Leo's Cody Whitehouse; junior Travis Coy (112) beat Elwood's Dustin Groover before losing to Southwood's Casey Stouffer; sophomore Jacen Hendricks (119) beat Yorktown's Alonso Miller before losing to Aime Mora of Jimtown; junior Ryan Johnson (130) lost to Peru's Jason Brown; and junior Jason Carr (145) lost to Muncie Central's Derek Byard in the second round after a first-round bye.
Warsaw's Adam Harter
Showing what a matter of seconds can mean in a wrestling match, Harter went from leading Bellmont's Andy Miesse 3-1 to down 8-3 when Miesse got a quick takedown, nearfall and then another takedown. Miesse won the first round match, 8-5.
"After that (down 8-3), he were scrambling to get back into," Warsaw coach Tony Boley said.
Miesse went on two the championship match before losing to Southwood's Casey Stouffer.
"We were disappointed," Boley said. "Because Harter was capable of beating him (Miesse)."
The biggest thing for Boley was giving Harter, and the other seven Tiger wrestlers there to watch, a chance to see what semistate wrestling is all about.
"The mental part is the biggest part of it," Boley said. "Now we have to get into the weight room and do the things that get you to the state meet."
Manchester's Greg Groombridge (171) lost to Chris Mace of Muncie South, while Whitko's Scott Barker beat Adam Haynes of Oak Hill before losing to Nick Yoder of NorthWood.
"It was a tough loss for Scott, he was one step away from going to the state championships," Whitko coach Brian Balsmeyer said. He had a great year and a great career for that matter. He has a lot to be proud of." [[In-content Ad]]