February 9, 2018 at 5:43 p.m.
The Myers Matmen
Jay’s Myers leads eight into semi-state on Saturday
The Myers Matmen
Copyright 2018, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
Eric Myers has guided the Patriots to a special season.
They were sectional champions for the first time in almost two decades.
They had 11 qualify for regional, which was the most since 2014.
Jay County High School’s wrestling team has eight headed to the semi-state tournament Saturday at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, and Myers is excited to take such a big group.
“It’s pretty awesome,” he said. Wrestling begins at 8:30 a.m. “It’s going to keep us pretty busy on Saturday.”
Those eight, The Myers Matmen, are led by sophomore Mason Winner and senior Gaven Hare. Winner is a returning state medalist and Hare qualified for state as a junior. They were crucial pieces to the first sectional trophy since 1991.
“We’re trying to keep taking steps forward,” Myers added. “Hopefully we can take another step forward and take more than two to state next week.”
The top four in each weight class advance to the state finals in Indianapolis.
But to punch a ticket to state, wrestlers must win both of their first two matches Saturday to guarantee one of those top four spots.
Jay County junior Chandler Chapman (170 pounds) and Winner (160), as well as Wyatt Miller (106) of South Adams — the Starfires have four at semi-state — have the easiest routes. As regional champions, they are paired against those who placed fourth in their respective regional tournaments.
Winner, who was seventh in the state at 145 pounds last year, is ranked 10th and is 40-2 on the season after winning his first career regional title last week. He meets Homestead sophomore Joe Parrish (31-10) in the opening round. Either Western freshman Jerry Padgett (23-12) or Angola senior John Lanam (27-14) await him in the “ticket round.”
“Even though I won regional this year I still have a pretty good kid first round,” said Winner, who was the program’s first freshman state medalist. “He’s pretty solid. He’s one of the tougher kids in my quarter bracket.”
While Winner has made it clear he wants to be the school’s first four-time state medalist, he said there is a little bit of a burden on him to repeat his performance from last year.
“There’s pressure there because everyone expects it,” he said. “You just have to block that out and just go wrestle. As long as you go wrestle your match you should be fine.”
Chapman (32-8) opens Saturday’s tournament against Elkhart Memorial freshman Clayton Lundy (25-12), with Snider senior Brandon Kocks (33-8) or Manchester junior Delton Moore (29-5) awaiting him in the quarterfinal.
“We just need to make sure he has the intensity of a finals match all the way through this,” Myers said of Chapman, who was also a sectional champion. “You can’t come into that first round like it’s the first round of sectional because you’re basically wrestling a kid that is the same level as most of your finals matches and you’re wrestling those guys all the way through.”
Miller, who is seventh in the state at 106 pounds and 34-0, meets Marion sophomore Daylen Johnson (34-7) in the first round. Fremont sophomore Jake Hull (41-8) and Leo freshman Jacob Veach (33-13) are potential ticket-round opponents.
At 220 pounds, JCHS senior and regional runner-up Gaven Hare (34-7) squares off against Northridge senior Jordan Contreras (31-10). Ninth-ranked Wayne senior Dayln Hart (18-0) and Northwestern freshman Kyle Cardwell (25-18) are potential ticket-round opponents.
“Gaven, not being a regional champion, has a tougher draw going into it but he’s focused,” Myers said. “He knows what he has to do. We’ll have a good game plan going in there.”
Should Hare advance to the semifinal, he could meet South Adams senior Isaiah Baumgartner (15-5), who has bounced back from tearing his ACL last year to reach semi-state once again. Baumgartner meets Prairie Heights senior Troy Deetz (27-22) in the opening round.
Zakk Atkins, a Jay County sophomore and regional runner-up, meets Wabash sophomore Braden Brooks (33-4) in the first round.
“I felt like he has really stepped up this week and really practiced hard,” Myers said. Atkins would meet Garrett senior Andrew Wertman (29-16) or Jimtown junior and top-ranked Hunter Watts (36-1) in the ticket round.
Jordan Schricker (24-17), a 138-pound JCHS junior, meets Homestead freshman Mason Barkes (28-6) to open the tournament. Western’s Dylan Goudy (26-8) and Prairie Heights’ Ryan Rasler (42-8), both juniors, are potential ticket-round opponents.
“He’s got a draw where he’s got a shot,” Myers said of Schricker, who cut weight to be able to wrestle at 138 this season. “He’s got a kid he lost 4-1 to earlier in the year in the first round and that was the first time he had made 138.
“He’s wrestling as well as I’ve ever seen him wrestle right now.”
At 182 pounds, Jay County senior Mitchel Frasher (26-13) meets Prairie Heights senior Coye Blodgett (43-6) in the opening round. If Frasher wins he’ll square off against either second-ranked Wabash senior Noah Cressel (37-0) or Leo junior Justin Poeppel (30-11).
“I feel like his confidence has started to grow as he has progressed here because I know he has at least wanted to make it to semi-state,” Myers said.
Jay County sophomore 195-pounder George Lykins (23-8), who spent most of his freshman season at the JV level, begins his semi-state tournament against Elkhart Central senior Alex Lucius (32-8). Lykins lost to Lucius earlier this year. The winner Saturday has a matchup with either seventh-ranked New Haven senior Jaxson Savieo (39-1) or Western senior Luke Lushin (37-8).
“To go from a JV guy even early in the year to wrestling at semi-state is an adjustment for him,” Myers said. “I think he’s ready for it … He’s worked hard this week.”
Thomas Hemmelgarn, a 152-pound junior and one of three returning semi-state qualifiers from last season, is 31-11 and meets Carroll senior and No. 12 Joel Arney (30-3) in the first round. Western sophomore Donavan Shepherd (31-8) or Prairie Heights sophomore Isaiah Levitz (40-10) await the Hemmelgarn-Arney winner in the ticket round.
“Thomas knows what it’s like,” Myers said. “He’s got a (regional) champion right off the bat so he’s got to step it up right away.”
South Adams senior 285-pounder Tayler Cuellar, who was second at regional, has an opening-round match against Snider junior William Swartz (31-6). Elkhart Central senior Nick Conner (34-6) and Western junior Lane Eubank (33-9) are potential opponents in the ticket round.
At 113 pounds, South Adams sophomore and returning semi-state qualifier Michael Rupp (26-8) meets Wabash freshman Ethan Higgins (29-3) in the first round, with Elkhart Central sophomore Eric Garcia (19-11) or Carroll senior Joe Just (31-11) looming in the ticket round.
While sights are set on the quarterfinal matchup, Myers said it has been his focus this week on not allowing his matmen to overlook their first round matchups.
“There is definitely that worry but we try to squash that right away,” he said. “I let those guys know that first round those guys want to knock people off too just like we talk about.
“We try to tell them that everybody there is 0-0 and they want a shot to punch that ticket to state.”
All Rights Reserved
Eric Myers has guided the Patriots to a special season.
They were sectional champions for the first time in almost two decades.
They had 11 qualify for regional, which was the most since 2014.
Jay County High School’s wrestling team has eight headed to the semi-state tournament Saturday at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, and Myers is excited to take such a big group.
“It’s pretty awesome,” he said. Wrestling begins at 8:30 a.m. “It’s going to keep us pretty busy on Saturday.”
Those eight, The Myers Matmen, are led by sophomore Mason Winner and senior Gaven Hare. Winner is a returning state medalist and Hare qualified for state as a junior. They were crucial pieces to the first sectional trophy since 1991.
“We’re trying to keep taking steps forward,” Myers added. “Hopefully we can take another step forward and take more than two to state next week.”
The top four in each weight class advance to the state finals in Indianapolis.
But to punch a ticket to state, wrestlers must win both of their first two matches Saturday to guarantee one of those top four spots.
Jay County junior Chandler Chapman (170 pounds) and Winner (160), as well as Wyatt Miller (106) of South Adams — the Starfires have four at semi-state — have the easiest routes. As regional champions, they are paired against those who placed fourth in their respective regional tournaments.
Winner, who was seventh in the state at 145 pounds last year, is ranked 10th and is 40-2 on the season after winning his first career regional title last week. He meets Homestead sophomore Joe Parrish (31-10) in the opening round. Either Western freshman Jerry Padgett (23-12) or Angola senior John Lanam (27-14) await him in the “ticket round.”
“Even though I won regional this year I still have a pretty good kid first round,” said Winner, who was the program’s first freshman state medalist. “He’s pretty solid. He’s one of the tougher kids in my quarter bracket.”
While Winner has made it clear he wants to be the school’s first four-time state medalist, he said there is a little bit of a burden on him to repeat his performance from last year.
“There’s pressure there because everyone expects it,” he said. “You just have to block that out and just go wrestle. As long as you go wrestle your match you should be fine.”
Chapman (32-8) opens Saturday’s tournament against Elkhart Memorial freshman Clayton Lundy (25-12), with Snider senior Brandon Kocks (33-8) or Manchester junior Delton Moore (29-5) awaiting him in the quarterfinal.
“We just need to make sure he has the intensity of a finals match all the way through this,” Myers said of Chapman, who was also a sectional champion. “You can’t come into that first round like it’s the first round of sectional because you’re basically wrestling a kid that is the same level as most of your finals matches and you’re wrestling those guys all the way through.”
Miller, who is seventh in the state at 106 pounds and 34-0, meets Marion sophomore Daylen Johnson (34-7) in the first round. Fremont sophomore Jake Hull (41-8) and Leo freshman Jacob Veach (33-13) are potential ticket-round opponents.
At 220 pounds, JCHS senior and regional runner-up Gaven Hare (34-7) squares off against Northridge senior Jordan Contreras (31-10). Ninth-ranked Wayne senior Dayln Hart (18-0) and Northwestern freshman Kyle Cardwell (25-18) are potential ticket-round opponents.
“Gaven, not being a regional champion, has a tougher draw going into it but he’s focused,” Myers said. “He knows what he has to do. We’ll have a good game plan going in there.”
Should Hare advance to the semifinal, he could meet South Adams senior Isaiah Baumgartner (15-5), who has bounced back from tearing his ACL last year to reach semi-state once again. Baumgartner meets Prairie Heights senior Troy Deetz (27-22) in the opening round.
Zakk Atkins, a Jay County sophomore and regional runner-up, meets Wabash sophomore Braden Brooks (33-4) in the first round.
“I felt like he has really stepped up this week and really practiced hard,” Myers said. Atkins would meet Garrett senior Andrew Wertman (29-16) or Jimtown junior and top-ranked Hunter Watts (36-1) in the ticket round.
Jordan Schricker (24-17), a 138-pound JCHS junior, meets Homestead freshman Mason Barkes (28-6) to open the tournament. Western’s Dylan Goudy (26-8) and Prairie Heights’ Ryan Rasler (42-8), both juniors, are potential ticket-round opponents.
“He’s got a draw where he’s got a shot,” Myers said of Schricker, who cut weight to be able to wrestle at 138 this season. “He’s got a kid he lost 4-1 to earlier in the year in the first round and that was the first time he had made 138.
“He’s wrestling as well as I’ve ever seen him wrestle right now.”
At 182 pounds, Jay County senior Mitchel Frasher (26-13) meets Prairie Heights senior Coye Blodgett (43-6) in the opening round. If Frasher wins he’ll square off against either second-ranked Wabash senior Noah Cressel (37-0) or Leo junior Justin Poeppel (30-11).
“I feel like his confidence has started to grow as he has progressed here because I know he has at least wanted to make it to semi-state,” Myers said.
Jay County sophomore 195-pounder George Lykins (23-8), who spent most of his freshman season at the JV level, begins his semi-state tournament against Elkhart Central senior Alex Lucius (32-8). Lykins lost to Lucius earlier this year. The winner Saturday has a matchup with either seventh-ranked New Haven senior Jaxson Savieo (39-1) or Western senior Luke Lushin (37-8).
“To go from a JV guy even early in the year to wrestling at semi-state is an adjustment for him,” Myers said. “I think he’s ready for it … He’s worked hard this week.”
Thomas Hemmelgarn, a 152-pound junior and one of three returning semi-state qualifiers from last season, is 31-11 and meets Carroll senior and No. 12 Joel Arney (30-3) in the first round. Western sophomore Donavan Shepherd (31-8) or Prairie Heights sophomore Isaiah Levitz (40-10) await the Hemmelgarn-Arney winner in the ticket round.
“Thomas knows what it’s like,” Myers said. “He’s got a (regional) champion right off the bat so he’s got to step it up right away.”
South Adams senior 285-pounder Tayler Cuellar, who was second at regional, has an opening-round match against Snider junior William Swartz (31-6). Elkhart Central senior Nick Conner (34-6) and Western junior Lane Eubank (33-9) are potential opponents in the ticket round.
At 113 pounds, South Adams sophomore and returning semi-state qualifier Michael Rupp (26-8) meets Wabash freshman Ethan Higgins (29-3) in the first round, with Elkhart Central sophomore Eric Garcia (19-11) or Carroll senior Joe Just (31-11) looming in the ticket round.
While sights are set on the quarterfinal matchup, Myers said it has been his focus this week on not allowing his matmen to overlook their first round matchups.
“There is definitely that worry but we try to squash that right away,” he said. “I let those guys know that first round those guys want to knock people off too just like we talk about.
“We try to tell them that everybody there is 0-0 and they want a shot to punch that ticket to state.”
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