Batt finishes as state runner-up

INDIANAPOLIS — In 40 years, South Adams had just two wrestlers place in the top four at the state finals.
Todd Batt and Sawyer Miller matched that in a single day.
Batt became the first Starfire to ever wrestle under the lights in a state championship match. He finished as the 132-pound runner-up at the IHSAA Wrestling State Finals Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, dropping the title match 9-2 to top-ranked Jared McKinley of Perry Meridian.
“It’s breathtaking,” said Batt, a senior, of being under the lights for the state championship match. “It’s sweet. It’s one of the best things you could ever experience. And I’m glad I was down here on the mat while it was happening.
“It’s something else. It’s something I will never forget.”
Miller, a freshman, joined Batt for the best day in South Adams wrestling history, finishing fourth at 106 pounds.
Prior to Saturday, the top Starfire efforts in the state finals had come from Josh Mann (fourth – 2008) and Dan Schwartz (fourth – 2000). Only three others had earned state medals.
“It was an unbelievable day to have two guys medal and medal that highly,” said SAHS coach Eric Myers. “They’re two guys who have put in their time, not only in the South Adams wrestling room, but in camps and clinics. They’re just always out there working hard. And it’s a testament to them really.
“It’s great. It  makes me feel good. It makes our program look good. But it’s these guys out there working their tails off to get to where they’re at.”
The ninth-ranked Batt (45-3), who defeated Mater Dei’s Branson Schroeder by pin in Friday’s opening round, was in complete control in the quarterfinals as well as he topped seventh-ranked Levi Moss (38-9) of Ben Davis 8-2.
In the semifinals, late scores were the key.
After hanging upside down over Alexandria junior Luke Blanton’s shoulders before coming to a stalemate, Batt bounced right back. He came up with a quick takedown at the 25-second mark of the opening period and just missed getting a near fall at the buzzer.
Batt went scoreless after choosing the bottom position to start the second period, and gave up a reversal as the third-ranked Blanton tied the score midway through the third. But he came back and scored an escape with just six seconds left in the match, pumping his fist in the air and running to hug Myers.
“Starting out at sectionals I was an underdog,” said Batt. “At regionals everyone thought it was a fluke, me beating (Adams Central’s sixth-ranked Derek) Roe 1-0. … And semi-state they even had people saying I was going to get third, fourth, maybe not even make it out. And then I came here and made it to the finals. I proved a lot of people wrong and made it farther than anybody thought I would.”
Batt’s state title assignment proved too much as he went up against Perry Meridian’s No. 1 Jared McKinley (48-1), a four-time state qualifier who won the 125-pound state title last season and finished fourth at 112 pounds in 2010.
McKinley came up with his first takedown midway through the first period, and got an escape and two takedowns in the second as he built a 7-1 lead. Batt scored escapes in the second and third periods for his only two points of the match.
Miller’s highlight matches came in the opening two rounds of the state finals.
In the quarterfinals against fourth-ranked Jacob Brown of Castle he got a takedown at the 1:26 mark of the opening period and never trailed. Brown pulled even thanks to a stalling call and an escape in the second period, but Miller racked up four points in the third to pull away for a 6-2 victory.
He also topped Mike Garza (35-8) of Merrillville in Friday’s opening round.
“He was just kind of cool and collected out there,” said Myers of Miller, who entered the tournament ranked eighth. “I thought he had about a minute in his Friday-night match where he was a little reserved, and then after that it was just like he’s  been doing it for years. I’m really proud of that kid.”
Miller (41-5) had a tough draw in the semifinals as he lined up against undefeated defending champion Nathan Boston of Lawrence North.  He traded escapes with Boston (44-1), who went on to drop the state championship match 6-4 to No. 2 Stevan Micic (47-0) of Hanover Central, in the first minute but then game up nine straight points in a 13-3 loss.
He dropped the third-place match 5-2 to Allen County Athletic Conference rival No. 7 Hayden Lee (42-3) of Garrett.
Although he lost his final two matches, the fourth place finish was definitely a point of pride.
“It feels great,” Miller said. “I’m just glad I could wrestle as good as I did and place the way I did.”
Batt finished his career as South Adams’ all-time wins leader with 152, having surpassed 2010 graduate Josh Ehr during the regional tournament. His 45 wins this year are the most by a Starfire in a single season.
He is the only three-time state qualifier in South Adams history.
“One thing I’ve been extremely proud of Todd with is he listens,” said Myers. “He honestly went one match at a time. … He was completely focused …
“To go from a pretty good middle school and youth wrestler to a guy that’s wrestling in the state championship match by his senior year is really a testament to how much work he’s done.”[[In-content Ad]]