Duo sets sights on history

Painted on the wall in the wrestling room at Jay County High School is a podium.

On the podium, with places first through eight represented, are the names of each of the Patriots’ 19 state medalists.

Among them, the school’s only state champions, Geoff Glogas and David Ferguson.

Also painted on the wall are the likes of Casey Kenney, Eric Hemmelgarn and Andy Kohler.

Friday night, Gaven Hare and Mason Winner hope to add their names to that wall.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a season,” said Hare, a Patriot junior who, along with freshman Winner, will compete in the IHSAA Wrestling State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The opening round is Friday, with the quarterfinals, consolation and finals Saturday.

“There’s been ups, there’s been downs,” said Hare, a 220-pounder with a 37-7 record. “I made it here but I’m not finished yet.”

Winner, who won the 145-pound semi-state championship Saturday, is the first JCHS wrestler to qualify for state as a freshman. He’s watched the state finals the last couple of years from the stands, but now he gets to compete in them.

“Being down at the state finals gives you an idea of what goes on,” said Winner, who is 32-2. “Yeah there is big upsets and stuff. You have to look past it and focus.”

However, the idea of an upset is what JCHS wrestling coach has been preaching to Hare, who was fourth at semi-state and meets Eli Pokorney (35-3) of Chesterton. Pokorney, who is ranked fifth in the state, was the East Chicago semi-state champion.

“Gaven has a great attitude towards it,” Myers said, noting last season the state’s second-ranked wrester at 182 pounds was upset in the first round, and 2014 JCHS graduate Eric Hemmelgarn was fourth at semi-state and finished third in the state during his sophomore season.

“It can be done and that is the way he has to think going into it,” Myers said.

Hare, who stands roughly 5 feet, 7 inches tall and barely tips 210 on the scale — let alone 220 — has been undersized in most of his matches this season.

Friday night will be no different, as Pokorney, a sophomore, beefed up from 170 last year. He’s also 6 feet, 4 inches in height.

“You just have to have the heart to win,” Hare said. “If you come out there knowing you can do it, you can.”

Hare’s bracket features all of the top-10 wrestlers in the state, including defending champion Mason Parris (49-0) of Lawrenceburg. Avon’s Gunnar Larson, Clayton Scroggs of Martinsville and Daleville’s Corbin Maddox — he beat Hare at regional — are returning state medalists. Potential quarterfinal opponents for Hare, who is No. 13, are seventh-ranked Jacob McClaine (41-1) of Lebanon or No. 12 Monrovia’s Garrison Lee (35-5).

Winner is seventh in the state and defeated No. 3 Riley Rasler of Prairie Heights as well as state qualifier and fifth-ranked Joel Arney of Carroll on his way to his semi-state title. The JCHS freshman meets No. 10 Mario Traficanti (23-5) of Crown Point in his opening-round match. Winner expects to approach the match the same way he has all season; be aggressive early and wear Traficanti down.

“It’s probably going to be tough,” he said. “He worked just as hard this season as I did. I just have to go out, do what I do best — just wrestle.

“The points will come and the pins will come.”

Winner’s potential opponents Saturday morning are Columbus East’s Corban Pollitt (34-11) and Indianapolis Cathedral freshman Elliot Rodgers (25-13).

While the focus for both Hare and Winner is on Friday night, Myers is optimistic about Winner’s chances should he advance to Saturday’s action.

“If he can go out there and wrestle like he has been wrestling and get out of that one, he could really advance pretty far in his bracket,” he said. “One step at a time with him.”

Winner and Hare took slightly different paths to reach Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Winner has only lost twice this season — in the Franklin Invitational in Dayton, Ohio, and in the regional final. He finished first at the East Central Indiana Classic, Spartan Classic in Connersville, New Haven Invitational, ACAC tournament, sectional and semi-state.

Hare was also champion at ECIC, the New Haven invite, ACAC and sectional, and finished as the runner-up at regional. At semi-state, Hare won his first two matches to become a state qualifier but lost his next two to finish fourth.

Hare and Winner give Jay County two state qualifiers in the same season since 2013, during which Kyle Garringer and Eric Hemmelgarn both returned to Portland with state medals.

This year’s duo are one match away from doing the same.

“It is great to be able to coach multiple guys down there,” Myers said. “(The coaching staff gets) a little fidgety and antsy when we sit around too much, so it’s nice to keep us a little more busy having two guys to coach.”