Searching for 15th straight state appearance

The Patriots are on a streak.

Every year since 2011, they have sent at least one wrestler to the state finals.

For the last eight, it has been two or more.

In order to continue that run this weekend, they will need some first-timers to come through.

Five Jay County High School wrestlers — Griffyn Byrum, A.J. Heskett, A.J. Myers, Jason Landers and Corbin Lothridge — will compete in Saturday’s semi-state tournament hosted by South Side at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.

The top four wrestlers in each weight class — those who win in the second round — will advance to the IHSAA Boys Wrestling State Finals on Feb. 21 and 22 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

"It's important for us, just showing that we've been able to have guys at that level,” said JCHS coach Eric Myers. ”My first year as the head coach was after Eric Hemmelgarn's senior year (2014). We weren't sure who was gonna step up and be the guy that qualifies. Andy Kohler ended up being that guy, and that was a lot of fun.

In 2021, three freshmen — Tony Wood, Cody Rowles and Cameron Clark — all qualified to continue the streak. They essentially made getting at least one state qualifier a foregone conclusion over their next three seasons.

"Sometimes you take that for granted a little bit,” Myers said. “But then you've got a group of guys that are coming up right behind them that know that that's the expectation and that's the norm ... I think that helps out whenever they get to semi-state."

Byrum, a senior, is the only state-ranked wrestler of the Patriots’ group this year, sitting at No. 16 at 113 pounds. Boasting a 35-4 record, he will open his day against Manny Mora (32-8) of Oak Hill. 

Potential ticket-round opponents — if wrestlers win, they punch their ticket to state — are Charlie Fleshman (39-2) of Central Noble and Collum Delaney (27-12) of Bishop Dwenger.

"That's somebody that he's beat a couple of times but they've been pretty tightly contested matches,” said Myers, referencing Fleshman. “I like his draw, but really all draws are pretty difficult at this level.”

“He needs to be aggressive on his feet. He has really solid takedowns and sometimes he is just a little reluctant to pull the trigger, but he’s really good whenever he attacks.”

Byrum avoids facing another state-ranked wrestler until at least the semifinals, where he could see No. 14 Ian McVicker (40-2) of Mississinewa. Sixth-ranked Rex Moore (43-1) of Manchester and 12th-ranked Kaid Jackson (30-6) of Delta are on the opposite side of the bracket. (Byrum lost to Jackson in the regional championship match Saturday.)

Myers, a senior and first-time semi-state qualifier, would also not have to face a ranked wrestler until the semifinals. At 19-6, his day at 190 pounds will open against East Noble’s Dylan Krehl (28-9). He could see either Job Richman (39-7) of Eastside or Fabien Zamudio-Gibson (34-10) of Eastbrook with a state berth on the line.

"He got one of the more fortunate draws that he could get also,” said Eric Myers. “The East Noble kid is pretty tough, a pretty athletic kid. ... That'll be a tough first-round match, but both winnable matches for A.J."

Heskett (35-5), who is also making his first semi-state appearance in his final season, will start against Erik Hunt (29-10) of Western in the 144-pound bracket. Likely standing in his way for a state berth would be Prairie Heights senior Brody Hagewood (39-3), who is ranked ninth in the state. (Hagewood beat Ethan Reiley of Jay County 5-3 in the 2023 semi-state ticket round.)

"His first-round match is one that we think that he can get," said Myers. "Jason Landers wrestled him earlier in the year ... 

“Then he drew one of the better kids in the bracket that he would see in the quarterfinals in the Hagewood kid. That's a pretty tough test for him, but we've seen at the semi-state anything can happen."

Landers (27-13), a 132-pound sophomore, will wrestle Eastside’s Noah Dove (38-8) on Saturday morning. If he wins, he’d likely see DeKalb’s 12th-ranked Drew Waldon (9-0) — Jay County’s Tony Wood beat him 12-5 in last year’s semi-state semifinal — in the ticket round.

Freshman Corbin Lothridge (28-11) drew by far the most difficult opening-round match of all the Patriots as he will take on undefeated and top-ranked fan favorite Julianna Ocampo (44-0) of New Haven at 106 pounds. She is a three-time state qualifier and finished sixth in the state last season. It will mark the second season in a row that a JCHS wrestler lines up against Ocampo in the semi-state after Byrum lost to her 5-2 in the ticket round a year ago.

This season marks the first time since 2017 that the Patriots have not had a returning state qualifier. Gavin Hare, a current JCHS assistant coach, and Mason Winner came through that year. In order to extend the Patriots’ state-qualifying streak to 15 years, someone new will need to break through again.

Only Byrum has experience at the semi-state level.

“It’s gonna feel different,” said Myers. “One, a much larger arena. Two, there’s ice underneath you.”

The floor sits atop the ice on which the Fort Wayne Komets play hockey.

“Whenever you get out there, once you step into that circle, you’re trying to put your blinders on from there.”