Two Locals Advance To State
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
FORT WAYNE - Of the five area wrestlers competing in the New Haven Semistate, two advance to the state level.
Both Manchester and Whitko high school wrestling teams sent representatives to the Memorial Coliseum Feb. 15.
The top four semistate finishers advance to state.
Manchester High School senior Josh Staton (189) won twice to secure a fourth-place berth and advance to Indianapolis, defeating Kip Schipper of Carroll in the first round and Jared Hargis (3-1) of Peru in the second.
Staton was scooped out of the championship round in a loss to Dan Laughlin of Goshen, bringing his record to 39-3. Trevor Moe of Garrett High School took top honors in the 189 pound class.
Neil Westendorf, (152) a Manchester junior and Peru Regional champion, received the bye in first-round action. He defeated Prairie Heights senior Jess Delancey, 6-3, in the second round.
In the second session Westendorf met Brad Milius, a senior from Yorktown, losing to him for the consolation round. Millius went on to become the 189-pound semistate champ. Westendorf's record is now 36-4.
Also competing for Manchester were senior Dustin Burke in the 130-pound class and junior Isaac Mobley in the 160-pound division.
Burke, who finishes the season 30-5, was defeated by Elkhart Memorial sophomore Brett Bingman in a 10-8 loss.
Mobley (28-13) was pinned the first time out by senior Justin Price of Angola.
Whitko High School's John Daring lost to Yorktown's Erik Johnson in the first round of the 125-pound competition.
The Manchester duo faces two undefeated champions in Indianapolis Friday. Staton is paired with Bloomington North High School junior Heath Van Deventer (43-0), winner of the Evansville semistate, and Westendorf will meet Merrillville Semistate Champion Austin Torres (41-0), a Lake Central High School senior. [[In-content Ad]]
FORT WAYNE - Of the five area wrestlers competing in the New Haven Semistate, two advance to the state level.
Both Manchester and Whitko high school wrestling teams sent representatives to the Memorial Coliseum Feb. 15.
The top four semistate finishers advance to state.
Manchester High School senior Josh Staton (189) won twice to secure a fourth-place berth and advance to Indianapolis, defeating Kip Schipper of Carroll in the first round and Jared Hargis (3-1) of Peru in the second.
Staton was scooped out of the championship round in a loss to Dan Laughlin of Goshen, bringing his record to 39-3. Trevor Moe of Garrett High School took top honors in the 189 pound class.
Neil Westendorf, (152) a Manchester junior and Peru Regional champion, received the bye in first-round action. He defeated Prairie Heights senior Jess Delancey, 6-3, in the second round.
In the second session Westendorf met Brad Milius, a senior from Yorktown, losing to him for the consolation round. Millius went on to become the 189-pound semistate champ. Westendorf's record is now 36-4.
Also competing for Manchester were senior Dustin Burke in the 130-pound class and junior Isaac Mobley in the 160-pound division.
Burke, who finishes the season 30-5, was defeated by Elkhart Memorial sophomore Brett Bingman in a 10-8 loss.
Mobley (28-13) was pinned the first time out by senior Justin Price of Angola.
Whitko High School's John Daring lost to Yorktown's Erik Johnson in the first round of the 125-pound competition.
The Manchester duo faces two undefeated champions in Indianapolis Friday. Staton is paired with Bloomington North High School junior Heath Van Deventer (43-0), winner of the Evansville semistate, and Westendorf will meet Merrillville Semistate Champion Austin Torres (41-0), a Lake Central High School senior. [[In-content Ad]]