Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Two Warsaw wrestlers earned championships at the Goshen Regional Saturday: Kyle Boley, a freshman and senior Kris Hueber.
Individual wrestlers who finished in the top three places qualify for the New Haven Semi-state at Fort Wayne next Saturday. Other area qualifiers included Warsaw's Richard Wolfe and Tyler Kottkamp of Tippecanoe Valley.
Several others reached the consolation round, but after losing there had to settle for fourth place and will wait in the wings as alternates in case any of the qualifiers would be unable to compete at Fort Wayne. Area fourth-place finishers were Errik Lemler (125 pounds) of Triton, and from Warsaw, John Milton (140) and David Ferguson (275).
With 10 out of 14 champions, the Northern Lakes Conference was a powerful presence at the Goshen Regional. Half of the qualifiers for the semistate were NLC wrestlers.
The event showcased gifted talent and a high level of competition as all of the championship matches except one were decided by decision. The Elkhart Central heavyweight, Preston Morris, racked up three falls, including a 37-second pin in the finals to earn his regional title. However, nine of the finals matches were very close, with two being settled in overtime and seven others decided by two points or fewer.
Kyle Boley (130), a freshman, won his first match by default over Ben Leu of Prairie Heights. In the semifinal Boley pinned Shane Magyar of Elkhart Central and then met Fremont's Jeremy Brown for the championship.
Boley was down 11-8 in the final period when he managed an escape.
The two wrestlers were on their feet when with only seven seconds remaining, and Boley tossed Brown to the mat for a two-point take down and went on to score an additional two points for a nearfall, taking the win, 13-11, for first place.
Area champions
Hueber (215) first overpowered Jimtown's Ryan Gerschoffer in a 9-0 major decision. Shawn Miller of Fairfield was the victim of a fall at 3:13 in Hueber's semifinal match. In the finals, Hueber met Plymouth's Mark Palbykin for the fourth time this season.
Hueber won the first two meetings, in the regular season dual (10-4) and the NLC tournament (5-0).
However in the sectional championship, Hueber lost to Palbykin in a tight battle by a score of 11-7.
At the Goshen regional Hueber attacked vigorously, taking control by scoring three takedowns as well a reversal to dominate the match 8-1 for the championship.
Other qualifiers
Richard Wolfe (171) of Warsaw qualified for the semi-state by taking third place. Wolfe defeated Fairfield's Joe Craig 7-3 in the opening round but lost 4-2 to Jon Mickem of Lakeland in the semifinal.
In the consolation round, Wolfe controlled Goshen's Nick Miller through the first period and quickly scored a fall in the second period at 2:24 for his third place finish and a berth in the semi-state.
Tyler Kottkamp (189) of Tippecanoe Valley heads to Fort Wayne after taking third place at Goshen. He defeated David Clark of Jimtown in round one with a 7-4 decision. Kottkamp was sent to the consolation round after losing 3-0 to Adam Smith of Bremen. An 8-0 major decision over Matthew Miller of Fremont earned the third place finish for Kottkamp
Fourth-place finishers
Triton's Lemler (125) had to settle for fourth place after a loss in the semifinal to the eventual champion, NorthWood's Dillon Whitacre, followed by a consolation loss to Fremont's Keith Barnes.
Warsaw had two fourth-place finishers. John Milton (140) won his first-round match 5-3 over Nick Cherrone of Bremen. In the semifinal, Milton faced Fremont's undefeated Alan Fanning. Milton held his own through three periods but came out on the short end of a 3-2 decision.
Then in the consolation the Tiger junior bowed to Angola's Michael McCue in a 12-2 major decision.
David Ferguson (275) won his first match by fall but then lost regional runner-up, Ryan Eaton of Northridge. In the consolation Evan Flora of Plymouth handed Ferguson fourth place by winning 10-4.
Round One Losses.
Other area wrestlers had disappointing opening round losses,knocking them out of the running for the state finals. Kevin Day (103) of Valley lost to eventual champion Grant Woodka of Elkhart Memorial.
Triton's Tim Zick (103) also lost to an eventual champion, Goshen's Kevin Russell. Nick McKinley of Warsaw (152) was overcome in round one by first place finisher Chad Davis of Northwood.
Also wrestling in the regional but losing in round one were Robert Raymer (103), Anthony Boley (119), Tanner Connealy (125), Adam Bott (135), and Nate Milton (160), all of Warsaw and Lance Bailey (119) of Tippecanoe Valley as well as three Triton wrestlers, Tate Chapman (145) Chad Bradley (152), and Tom Bryan (160).
The next event for qualifying wrestlers is the Fort Wayne Semi-state at the Coliseum on Saturday, February 10.
Goshen Regional Championship Results
103 Sean Drury (Elkhart Mem) def. Josh Magyar (Jimtown), 7-1
112 Kevin Russell (Goshen) def. Shane Perkey (Jimtown), 5-4 ot
119 Tom Skinner (Goshen) def. Troy Swindeman (Jimtown), 2-1
125 Dillon Whitacre (Northwood) def. Aaron McCuddy (Jimtown), 3-2 ot
130 Kyle Boley (Warsaw) def. Jeremy Brown (Fremont), 13-11
135 Tim Kidder (Northridge) def. Eric Bryan (Fremont), 3-2
140 Grant Woodka (Elkhart Mem) def. Alan Fanning (Fremont), 7-2
145 Brandon Booth (Angola) def. Brad Clark (Jimtown), 8-6
152 Chad Davis (NorthWood) def. Trent Beachy (Goshen), 14-12
160 Clint Pontius (Jimtown) def. Quinn Hunter (Goshen), 2-1
171 Noah Hoopingarner (Northridge) def. Jon Mickem (Lakeland), 6-5
189 James Shorter (Elkhart Cent) def. Adam Smith (Bremen), 7-3
215 Kris Hueber (Warsaw) def. Mark Palbykin (Plymouth), 8-1
275 Preston Morris (Elkhart Cent.) pinned Ryan Eaton (Northridge), :37
Consolation Results (Third place qualifies for Fort Wayne Semi-state)
103 Joshua Presley (Angola) def. Adam Jenkins (Northwood), 13-3 maj.
112 Chris Miller (Elkhart Mem.) def Brandon Shanks (Plymouth), 5-1
119 David Blea (Northridge) pinned Jason Lowery (Fremont), 5:11
125 Keith Barnes (Fremont) def. Errik Lemler (Triton), 8-0 maj.
130 Shane Magyar (Jimtown) pinned Jeremy Weaver (Northridge), 3:44
135 Chris Hutchinson (Plymouth) def. Brandon Garner (Northwood), 4-2
140 Michael McCue (Angola) def. John Milton (Warsaw), 12-2 maj.
145 Josh Metzler (Northwood) def. Tom Ianarelli (Elkhart Mem.), 5-4
152 Eric Pendley (Elkhart Cent.) def. Brett Miller (Jimtown), 4-2
160 Steve Harrell (Northridge) def. Justin Price (Angola), 6-3
171 Richard Wolfe (Warsaw) pinned Nick Miller (Goshen), 2:24
189 Tyler Kottkamp (Valley) def. Matthew Miller (Goshen), 8-0
maj.
215 Shawn Miller (Fairfield) def. David Mishler (NorthWood), 11-4
275 Evan Flora (Plymouth) def. David Ferguson (Warsaw), 10-0 maj.
