Kenney, Theurer to fight for state berths (02/13/2009)

In 1997, two members of the Jay County High School wrestling team advanced to the state tournament.

Two more Patriots accomplished the feat in 1999.

But in the years since, only two Patriots have made the trip - Casey Kenney last season and Kurt Hess in 2005.

Saturday, Kenney and Ben Theurer will each have a chance to earn a trip to Conseco Fieldhouse when they compete in the Woodlan semi-state at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.

"I think we're going to get two down to Indianapolis next weekend," said JCHS coach James Myers, who was half of the 1997 duo. "That's the expectation.

"Casey is probably in the driver's seat right now to win another semi-state.

"Ben is in good position, even though our second- and third-round will be difficult matches. He could get to the finals and actually win it. He's wrestling as good as anybody in that weight class."

Seven South Adams wrestlers - Todd Batt (103), John Striker (125), regional champion Josh Ehr (130), T. J. Burnfield (140), Chase Sprunger (145), Jackson Werst (215) and Jim West (HWT) - will also compete in the semi-state tournament. South Adams has never sent that many wrestlers to the semi-state level, and only Yorktown (10), Peru (nine) and Bellmont have more athletes competing at the Coliseum this weekend.

The top four athletes in each weight class will advance to the state finals.

Perhaps the biggest key to Myers' confidence in his pair of seniors comes from their experience.

Kenney's pedigree is obvious.

He was state-ranked throughout his junior season, when he turned in a perfect regular season and went unbeaten to sectional, regional and semi-state titles. His perfect season stayed in tact all the way until the 103-pound state championship match, which he lost to undefeated Ethan Raley of Indian Creek.

He has only two losses this season, both coming against No. 2 Camden Eppert of Anderson Highland.

After cruising to the sectional title, Kenney came through in a big way at the regional meet.

In the championship match he wrestled to a 1-1 tie with Derek Bevans in regulation and then scored a takedown in overtime to hand the seventh-ranked Yorktown junior his first loss of the year.

"He just doesn't concede anything," said Myers. "Saturday Bevans almost took us down a couple of times, especially the last 10 or 15 seconds of that third period.

"He just doesn't give up points. He's a scrambler. He's a fighter. He hates losing. He's probably mentally one of the toughest kids we've had."

Kenney, who is now 86-3 over the course of the last two seasons, will open Saturday's action against Tommy Poynter (19-10). A win against Poynter would send him up against either Whitko's Dylan LeTourneau (33-5) or Taylor's Zach Davis (37-4) with a trip to the state finals on the line.

Bevans is the only other state-ranked competitor in the field.

"He's wrestling kids that he's beaten," said Myers of Kenney, who is ranked eighth in a loaded 119-pound weight class. "Probably him and Derek (Bevans), looking at the rankings and previous state experience, are the top two in the weight class (at the semi-state). It bodes well for us to get to the finals and probably see Derek again."

And while most JCHS wrestling fans will remember Kenney's state trip last season, it's important to note that Theurer was quite close to joining him.

Theurer won his opening-round match at 135 pounds at the semi-state tournament last season, setting up a showdown with Chad Barrett of Eastern. After falling behind early, Theurer rallied for a 3-2 lead late in the first period. Late scores by Barrett, who was 43-3, in the first and second periods, helped him hold on for an 8-5 win.

This season Theurer has been nearly unbeatable at 140 pounds as most of his losses came in higher weight classes early in the season. He won the sectional championship and JCHS and advanced to the regional championship match last week.

He had a 4-0 lead on Josh Martin (34-0) of Randolph Southern before suffering a one-point defeat after a wild final 50 seconds.

Myers said he'd look for Theurer, who opens against Brock Bateman (25-7) of Lakeland, to wrestle with the lead Saturday.

"We want to score first," said Myers. "We want to be on top, because I think we can just dominate kids there. His bottom wrestling is good. His top wrestling is great."

If Theurer wins his opening match, he would meet either Leo's Justin Beck (28-3) or Wabash's Zach Niccum (25-18) for a trip to the state finals. Theurer's bracket also includes the undefeated Martin, No. 8 Barrett (43-1), No. 5 Ryan Stahl (35-2) of Elkhart Memorial and No. 13 Bryce Schendel (36-3) of Garrett.

Myers, who was seventh in the state in 1997, hopes Kenney and Theurer can be the first Patriot pair to make the state finals since James Brewser and Joe VanSkyock nine years ago.

"The great programs send three or four kids," said Myers. "So to have two down there would be awesome. It says a lot about the kids and their work and their time. It pays off to do everything they've done in the off-season and during the season."

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