Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The wrestlers share the same name, Josh.
Each of their schools sit off Ind. 13.
Their last match at Saturday's semistate was against each other in the 145-pound weight class. Josh Roa, a 16-year-old junior at Wawasee, beat Josh Staton, a 15-year-old sophomore at Manchester, 23-9.
Now both compete at the state meet tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Josh Roa
The sound of loud music pumps through the air as you climb the stairs to Wawasee's wrestling room. Roa wrestles several matches against selected teammates then ends his practice session by jogging laps.
Each year Roa has progressed further in the tournament. He placed fourth at the sectional his freshman year then lost in the regional first round last year. He placed third at semistate this year to move on to the state meet, where he will face 50-4 East Central junior Nick Strub.
That Roa advanced this far isn't surprising, as he owns a 30-4 record.
"He was one of our few I would have expected to get this far," Wawasee coach Kevin Taylor said. "He was consistent all year long. Two losses came at one of the top tournaments in the state, the Mishawaka Invitational."
Roa likes to be on his feet during matches, because then he can use his best move, a duck under.
"I control the elbow, get his wrist and then get him down," Roa said.
As loud as the music blared through the room earlier, Roa is as quiet during an interview.
"He's a quiet leader, a real quiet kid, but nobody outworks him up here," Taylor said. "The kids feed off that."
While Roa has few words to say, others willingly pipe up for him. Fellow wrestlers aren't the only ones impressed by Roa. So are the managers.
"Can I say something for the paper?" one of the girls asks. "Josh is a really cool person and a really good wrestler."
At times basketball teams practice five on six or seven to better prepare them for game night. This isn't basketball, but Wawasee uses a similar technique. Taylor has three or four wrestlers he rotates in and out to face Roa during practice matches.
"They switch off so they're fresh," Roa said, "and I have to work as hard as I can work."
The work has paid off with a trip to the state meet, which begins at 6 p.m. today.
"Last year I went down to state and watched," Roa said. "This year I wanted to make it to state to wrestle there."
Josh Staton
The biggest sign in the hallway is reserved for Josh Staton, and it reads "Good Luck Josh" in multicolored, oversized lettering.
Staton, a sophomore, began organized wrestling in the eighth grade. While some begin organized wrestling at younger ages and never make it to state, Staton has done it three years into his career. He faces 35-1 Mt. Vernon (Fortville) senior Mike McCarthy.
The achievement acquires more attention at Manchester - Staton's the first Squire wrestler to get to the state level since Barry Benton went in 1984.
Of the wrestlers on his roster, Manchester coach Pat Powers acknowledged Staton, who is 16-9, wouldn't have been the first name he would have come up with in predicting who would advance this far.
Even Staton at times can't believe his accomplishment.
"I wasn't even supposed to get out of sectional," he said. "I'm surprised how far I've come."
Staton's father, Bernie, wrestled at and graduated from Manchester High School. Staton said this was one of two reasons he started wrestling in the eighth grade.
"My dad wrestled when he was in high school," Staton said, "and I wasn't a great basketball player."
What he has turned into is a talented wrestler, and he and Powers say he's done it without an outstanding move.
"I don't have one best move," Staton said, "but I like to be on my feet a lot."
Said Powers: "He doesn't have any specialty moves. I've had guys who are quicker, who've had better balance and better skills. I've never had anyone do what he does, which is wrestle flawlessly almost every time.
"The success he's having is because he's a pretty solid wrestler who doesn't make many mistakes. And he's able to translate what he learns in practice to the match as well as anyone I've ever coached. He's not afraid."
At 16-9, Staton's record isn't as flashy as others in his weight class, like Lake Central's Michael Escobedo (39-0) or his first-round opponent. Staton has fewer decisions as he was suspended for the first week of the season after a scuffle with a fellow student in phys ed class.
"He's a kid who's made a lot of changes," Powers said. "He's gotten some emotional maturity halfway through the season."
Now Staton, a three-year wrestler with a 16-9 record, winds up his season at the state meet during a season that saw him advance to the regional and semistate for the first time.
"The thing we teach each wrestler is you have to wrestle above your seed," Powers said. "He's always done that. To make it to state, you have to be a good wrestler, have good skills, have a God-given talent and be injury-free. Good draws along the way help, too.
"To beat Josh, the other guy is going to have to be a better wrestler. I don't perceive Josh making mistakes. The guy will have to outwrestle him."
INDIVIDUAL WRESTLING STATE FINALS
6 p.m. Friday at Conseco Fieldhouse
9:30 a.m. Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse
Listed is the weight class involving local wrestlers along with schools, grades and records
145 pounds - Mike McCarthy (Mt. Vernon/12/35-1) vs. JOSH STATON (Manchester/10/16-9); Chad Raben (Evansville Mater Dei/12/31-5) vs. Alex Dolly (Mishawaka/10/37-5); Bryan Beard (Highland/12/37-6) vs. Brandon Taylor (Castle/12/37-2); Jarrod Lewis (Norwell/11/35-0) vs. Omar Casillas (Lawrence North/12/29-13); Jimmy Huser (Roncalli/12/36-0) vs. Chris Kimbrell (Lowell/12/42-6); Nick Strub (East Central/11/50-4) vs. Josh Roa (Wawasee/11/30-4); Adam Myers (Adams Central/10/24-12) vs. Jason McClain (Warren Central/12/16-2); Michael Escobedo (Lake Central/11/39-0) vs. Chris Cooper (Whiteland/11/46-3)
How Wawasee's Josh Roa (30-4) has fared
Semistate
Third - defeated Manchester's Josh Staton 23-9 in the final consolation round
Regional
First -Êdefeated Bishop Dwenger's matt Delaney 12-4
Sectional
First - defeated East Noble's Tom Merriman 25-10 (tech fall) in the championship match
How Manchester's Josh Staton (16-9) has fared
Semistate
Fourth - lost to Wawasee's Josh Roa 23-3 in the final consolation round
Regional
Second - pinned by Norwell's Jarrod Lewis in 2:51 in the championship match
Sectional
Second - lost to Peru's Ben Jamison in the championship match (score not available)
