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PREP WRESTLING: A look ahead to Saturday's sectionals

austin hough, goshen news, ind.
·4 min read

Jan. 28—Here is a look at the three wrestling sectionals involving Goshen News schools that take place Saturday across the area. The top four placers in each weight class advance to next week's regional round.

SECTIONAL 6 AT PLYMOUTH

Start time: 8 a.m.

Teams competing (TGN ones in BOLD): Bremen, Culver Academies, Culver Community, LaVille, Plymouth, Tippecanoe Valley, Triton, Warsaw, Wawasee

Regional location next week: Penn High School

Top seeds in each weight class: 106 pounds — Kaleb Salazar, Wawasee (18-4); 113 pounds — Noah Wolf, Wawasee (10-18); 120 pounds — Galvin Shambaugh, Tippecanoe Valley (23-10); 126 pounds — Dylan Tom, Wawasee (24-2); 132 pounds — Logan Stuckman, Wawasee (24-8); 138 pounds — Hunter Miller, Wawasee (25-3); 145 pounds — Bailey Moser, Bremen (24-6); 152 pounds — Andrew Ross, Warsaw (26-5); 160 pounds — Brady Pittman, Plymouth (17-3); 170 pounds — David Cox, Triton (21-5); 182 pounds — Brandon Hammer, Tippecanoe Valley (26-2); 195 pounds — Bazle Owens, Tippecanoe Valley (29-3); 220 pounds — Jonathan Neese, LaVille (22-2); 285 pounds — Anthony Popi, Plymouth (24-7).

Analysis: Wawasee enters the sectional as the favorite, having won it four-straight years now. The smaller weight classes are where the Warriors are strongest this year, as they have five of the six top seeds from the 106-138 range. If everyone performs to their expectations this weekend, then Wawasee will be leaving with its 25th team sectional title in program history.

SECTIONAL 9 AT ELKHART (WEST CAMPUS)

Start time: 9 a.m.

Teams competing (TGN ones in BOLD): Concord, Elkhart, Fairfield, Goshen, Jimtown, Northridge, NorthWood

Regional location next week: Goshen High School

Top seeds in each weight class: 106 pounds — Alex Moyer, Jimtown (24-8); 113 pounds — Cole Hinkel, Goshen (26-2); 120 pounds — Aaron DeLaLuz, Jimtown (26-5); 126 pounds — Mikey Kallimani, Jimtown (27-4); 132 pounds — Jasper Graber, Northridge (16-4); 138 pounds — Noah Eberhart, Jimtown (26-6); 145 pounds — Conner Watts, Jimtown (28-3); 152 pounds — Cael Arroyo, Northridge (11-2); 160 pounds — Kaden Lone, NorthWood (27-3); 170 pounds — Landon Buchanan, Jimtown (30-2); 182 pounds — Trey Tobias, NorthWood (21-7); 195 pounds — Armen Koltookian, Concord (31-6); 220 pounds — Isaac Benjamin, NorthWood (25-1); 285 pounds — Brayden Jellison, Elkhart (26-5).

Analysis: This sectional feels truly wide open, as all of the teams have individuals that will contend for sectional titles. Jimtown has the most wrestlers as top seeds with six, while NorthWood has three and Northridge two. NorthWood carries some momentum into the meet after have four wrestlers win individual Northern Lakes Conference titles two weeks ago, which was an invitational-type setup like the sectional is. Northridge has won this sectional four-straight years, but the Raiders don't have as much depth as they've had in years. With such a balanced field, expect no one team to dominate throughout the day.

SECTIONAL 10 AT WEST NOBLE

Start time: 9 a.m.

Teams competing (TGN ones in BOLD): Angola, Central Noble, DeKalb, East Noble, Fremont, Lakeland, Prairie Heights, West Noble, Westview

Regional location next week: Goshen High School

Top seeds in each weight class: 106 pounds —Kamron Straw, Angola (37-2); 113 pounds — Braylon Meyer, DeKalb (22-7); 120 pounds — Blake Byerley, East Noble (14-3); 126 pounds — Aidan Sprague, East Noble (29-0); 132 pounds — Brock Hagewood, Prairie Heights (28-4); 138 pounds — Gabe Miller, Lakeland (28-3); 145 pounds — Ben Miller, Lakeland (37-2); 152 pounds — Kaleb Lounsbury, Prairie Heights (20-9); 160 pounds — Elijah Knepper, DeKalb (14-8); 170 pounds — Ethan Skinner, Central Noble (18-3); 182 pounds — Nolan Parks, West Noble (26-6); 195 pounds — Jacob Behm, Fremont (34-1); 220 pounds — Hunter Allen, Prairie Heights (20-3); 285 pounds — Brandon Villafuerte, Angola (43-0).

Analysis: Prairie Heights enters as the favorite after they won the Northeast Corner Conference championship tournament last weekend. They've also won this sectional six of the last seven years, giving them the pedigree to emerge victorious once again this year. If Lakeland senior Ben Miller wins the 145-pound title, it'll put him one win away from the all-time program record for most wins in a season.

Austin Hough can be reached at austin.hough@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2360. Follow him on Twitter at @AustinHoughTGN.