Fully enGaged

MUNCIE — Wrestling can be a finicky sport.

Athletes need to be locked in because just one slip up can result in being put on your back for a pin.

No one was more engaged than Madison Gage.

The junior took the 15th-ranked wrestler in the state of Indiana not just three rounds, not just the sudden death overtime, not just the two extra overtime tiebreakers but all the way to the ultimate tiebreaker.

Gage couldn’t have wrestled better for 8 minutes, 27 seconds. But with just three seconds left, one slight slip up cost her the title.

Despite falling to No. 15 Sophia Gropp of Wes-Del 1-0 in the 155-pound title match, Gage wrestled the most intense contest for the Jay County High School girls wrestling team as it finished fourth at the IHSAA Sectional 10 tournament hosted by Muncie Central.

Despite taking the loss, Gage (23-9) moves on to the IHSAA Regional 3 hosted by Muncie Central on Jan. 10 by placing fourth or higher. Also qualifying were Katie Rowles, Amara Crawford, Maleah Parsons, Gracie Rowles, Alison Tipton and Kenady Lyons.

Gage’s runner-up finish also was an improvement from last year when she struggled against Gropp (25-4), who is a two-time state qualifier and finished seventh in 2024.

“It was really tough, but I just kept a good mindset all the way through,” Gage said. “I think today was a step forward, because last year I went against her, and I lost within the first period and I ended up placing third.

“This year, I ended up going against her in the finals and went three periods even (quadruple) overtime and only lost by a point and I ended up getting second. So I think today was a pretty good day.”

After a scoreless first period, Gage chose to start the second period on top, and multiple times started to turn Gropp’s shoulders, but couldn’t hold it long enough to score any near fall points. When Gropp started on top in the third period, Gage had a chance to escape 15 seconds in but the Warrior regained control.

After a clean sudden death period, all eyes in the gym were glued to the girls battling for the title.

In the first tiebreaker, Gage failed to turn Gropp. In the second, Gropp chose to start on bottom and tried for a quick escape, but Gage got her arms around Gropp’s torso to push her back to the mat.

The duo had to take things to the ultimate tiebreaker, in which Gropp again chose to be bottom. Gage was able to keep control, but just three seconds away from a rideout victory, the official called Gage for a locked hands violation to put Gropp up 1-0.

“I think, because I had a needle through, which is when you have your arm between their legs and you have your other arm, with the arm that’s in between their legs,” Gage said. “I think he thought that hands over hands, locked hands. I didn’t, but it’s OK.”

After the violation, Gage only had three seconds to try and pin Gropp, but was unsuccessful.

Gage’s runner-up finish helped the Patriots to 153 points in the tournament, placing them fourth. New Palestine had just five more points for third place, while Hamilton Southeastern won with 170 — which also earned them a berth to the team state tournament — and Carmel was second with 164.

“Almost what we expected,” said JCHS coach Troy Jacks. “I thought we had eight that could go through. We ended up getting seven. Sometimes that’s just the way it goes when you wrestle them out, but we’re a young team. …

“When you take a step back and look at where you are, my goal for the season was to win sectional. We weren’t that many points out even though we finished down the line. But a lot of underclassmen, which means a lot of future points. The girls are excited to go wrestle at the regional, so I feel like we did great.”

Photo Gallery

Jay County girls wrestling sectional at Muncie Central (1/2/2025)

While Gage didn’t win her weight class, No. 7 Katie Rowles (100 lbs) and No. 16 Crawford did.

Katie Rowles (25-3) rolled through Tess Self (9-11) of Carmel in 1:30 and walked Hamilton Southeastern’s Charlotte Dragoo (23-12) onto her back in 1:38.

Crawford (24-4) faced New Palestine's Miranda LaRoche (13-10) in the 190-pound title match and also ran a walker for a pin in 1:35. (The JCHS sophomore had a more difficult battle in the semifinal, in which she beat No. 10 Josie Belloti (15-4) of Carmel by throwing a headlock back for a fall in 5:02.)

No. 7 Parsons (27-7) also competed for a sectional crown, but dropped the 135-pound title match to No. 5 June Wagner-Gilbert (29-3) of NPHS after being picked up and thrown to the mat leading to a quick pin in 27 seconds.

The Patriots also had four more girls advance to the regional through the consolation side of the bracket, including Gracie Rowles in the 125 weight class. The JCHS freshman hadn’t competed since Nov. 22, when she broke her collarbone at the Mooresville Team Duals.

Gracie Rowles (8-6) had to wrestle an opening match against Muncie Central’s Abygail Berkshire (2-18). She was a little timid to open but started attacking after the first minute. She won the match in the second round with a reversal into a pin at 2:28.

“I was scared I was gonna break it again,” Gracie Rowles said. “It’s reassuring I was able to win matches and I just need to learn from the ones I lost.”

Gracie Rowles’ lone point in the quarterfinal loss to Masha Newson (9-11) of Carmel came on a locking hands violation.

She beat Monroe Central’s Kinlee Taylor (12-14) in 27 seconds but her make-or-break match started off disastrous. She was down 7-0 to Savannah Scott (18-16) of HSEHS midway through the second period before a full Nelson violation gave her a point.

She made a breakthrough with 16 seconds left, rolling Scott with a reversal right into a half Nelson for the pin.

“She just lifted up pressure and I just slid in and pulled out a move,” she said.

Rowles ended up dropping her third-place match against New Palestine’s Kalissa Jacobs (19-11) to earn the No. 4 seed at the sectional.

Tipton (12-12) and Lyons (7-11) finished fourth at 115 and 235, respectively.

Chloe Torres (5-12) and Reagan Mannah (4-6) also finished in fifth for the Patriots in the 105 and 145 brackets.