2025 East Chicago Semi-State Preivew

106

Ranked Wrestler

#12 Cruz Orueta-Lake Central

#13 Sam Westfall-Crown Point

#17 Nicholas Freeze-Mishawaka

Weight Preview

I have all three ranked guys making it out this weekend. Lake Central’s Cruz Orueta has been rolling his freshman year and is my pick to take the title this weekend. In his path is another tough freshman, Mishawaka’s Nicholas Freeze, who should meet Cruz in the semis. On the top side of the bracket, we have Crown Point’s Sam Westfall looking to make a trip downtown in his first year of varsity action. He will have Munster’s Francisco Rodriquez in the ticket round, who is tough, but Rodiguez has not faced the rigor that Westfall has. The last guy I have getting out is coming in as a four from the regional, Lowell’s Tyler Quarles. Quarles did not have a great showing a week ago, but with his draw, I think he is the best of that bunch if he shows up.

2024 Champ:

Mason Jones-Lake Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Cruz Orueta-Lake Central

2. Sam Westfall-Crown Point

3. Nicholas Freeze-Mishawaka

4. Tyler Quarles-Lowell

113

Ranked Wrestler

#3 Noel Verduzco-Lowell

#13 Colin Strayer-Crown Point

Weight Preview

Lowell’s Noel Verduzco has looked untouchable the entire year and will not be touched here. Look for him to bonus his way through the tournament as he wins his first semi-state title. Following Verduzco is another freshman, Crown Point’s Colin Strayer. Strayer dominates the guys he is supposed to beat, and I see that happening on his way to the finals. Portage freshman Zavier Acuna and Munster Nash Burke are the last two guys making it through at this weight. While Acuna does not really have anyone in his path, Burke does have West Central’s Cameron Nuest. Burke and Nuest met last year at the semi-state, where Burke won 11-3, but a lot can change in a year.

2024 Champ:

Gavin Lewis-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Noel Verduzco-Lowell

2. Colin Strayer-Crown Point

3. Zavier Acuna-Portage

4. Nash Burke-Munster

120

Ranked Wrestler

#3 Gavin Lewis-Crown Point

#11 Lincoln Underwood-Portage

Weight Preview

This weight was won by a Crown Point wrestler a year ago and will be won again this year. Gavin Lewis is on the shortlist of guys who could make the finals this year. He will likely see a familiar opponent in Portage’s Lincoln Underwood. The two have met three times this year, with Lewis winning all three meetings convincingly. Benton Central’s Joseph Mendoza has come out of nowhere to put himself in a position to qualify this weekend. I have him seeing a familiar opponent, returning state qualifier Beck Doughty of Rensselaer Central, making a return trip downtown. Mendoza has pinned Doughty three times this season.

2024 Champ:

Gavin Jendreas-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Gavin Lewis-Crown Point

2. Lincoln Underwood-Portage

3. Joseph Mendoza-Benton Central

4. Beck Doughty-Rensselaer Central

126

Ranked Wrestler

#1 Gavin Jendreas-Crown Point

#4 Matthew Maldonado-Merrillville

#9 Angelo Vargo-Penn

#12 Max Quiroz-Chesterton

#17 Seth Aubin-Hobart

#19 Coen Kraemer-Plymouth

#20 Cameron Woods-Portage

Weight Preview

While this is a deeper weight than the previous three, I see the four regional champions all pushing their ticket this weekend. Crown Point’s Gavin Jendreas looks to be the best wrestler in the state at this weight, and he will show it this weekend as he cruises to another semi-state title. His semi-final opponent should be Seeger’s Kayden Stonebraker. Stonebraker will not have an easy road to get there as he will see the winner of Plymouth’s Coen Kramer and returning state qualifier Cameron Woods of Portage in the ticket round. On the opposite side of them, I have Penn’s Angelo Vargo making his first trip downtown after an injury that ended his season a year ago. The best biggest ticket round match at this weight will be between Merrillville’s Matthew Maldonado and Chesterton’s Max Quiroz. The town met at their conference tournament earlier this year, with Maldonado winning in sudden victory. I see this match being equally as close.

2024 Champ:

LT Hawkins-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Gavin Jendreas-Crown Point

2. Matthew Maldonado-Merrillville

3. Angelo Vargo-Penn

4. Kayden Stonebraker-Seeger

132

Ranked Wrestler

#8 Layne Horn-Rochester

#10 Landen Westenfeld-Griffith

#11 Warren Brown-Merrillville

#12 Landon Hawkins-Crown Point

#13 Dalton Robson-Lowell

Weight Preview

Rochester’s Layne Horn comes into semi-state for the third year in a row with a spotless record, but he has finished 3rd the past two seasons. I look for that streak to end this weekend as he picks up his first semi-state title. His finals opponent should be Crown Point’s LT Hawkins, the only wrestler here with a state medal. Both wrestler's styles tend to have them wrestling in close matches, meaning it could go either way. At the top of the we will get an Al Smith rematch in the ticket round between Lowell’s Dalton Robson and Merrillville’s Warren Brown. Robson won that match 7-2, but Brown avenged an earlier loss a week ago and will look to do the same here. At the bottom of the bracket, we have two guys with 40 or more wins and only a single loss. Griffith’s Landen Westenfeld and North White’s Sol Siburcrist will likely hit for a chance to wrestle next week. Westenfeld took what I consider an outlier loss last weekend and should see  correct the ship this weekend as he punches his ticket.

2024 Champ:

Hayden DeMarco-Chesterton

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Layne Horn-Rochester

2. Landon Hawkins-Crown Point

3. Landen Westenfeld-Griffith

4. Dalton Robson-Lowell

138

Ranked Wrestler

#1 Evan Stanley-Lowell

#10 Josh England-Laporte

#11 Sonny Sessa-Crown Point

Weight Preview

Lowell’s Evan Stanley will enjoy another weekend of finishing matches under the time limit, as I do not see anyone in the bracket being able to stay on the mat with him this weekend. There may be only one wrestler in the state who can go with Stanley, and they are not here this weekend. Fighting for second, two guys bring state experience to the tournament this weekend. LaPorte’s Josh England was a state qualifier last year, while Crown Point’s Sonny Sessa was on the podium. England and Sessa have met three times this year, with England winning the last two meetings.  At the bottom of the bracket, Portage’s Cooper Wilkins and Mishawaka’s Will Mason will see each other in the ticket round. Wilkins and Mason met earlier this season, with Wilkins winning 7-2.

2024 Champ:

Clinton Shepherd-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Evan Stanley-Lowell

2. Josh England-Laporte

3. Sonny Sessa-Crown Point

4. Cooper Wilkins-Portage

144

Ranked Wrestler

#1 Jeffrey Huyvaert-New Prairie

#10 Luke Reid-Valparaiso

#15 Avery Stanley-Rensselaer Central

#20 Logan Haney-Crown Point

Weight Preview

New Prairie’s Jeffrey Huyvaert is another wrestler who will cruise to a semi-state title. Like Stanley, Huyvaert has dominated everyone he has wrestled this year, bringing in a spotless record. Valparaiso’s Luke Reid has made two trips downtown and will make his third after this weekend. I have Reid meeting Huyvaert for the fourth time this year in the finals this weekend. Before he gets there, though, he will see another undefeated wrestler in North White’s Lincoln Frazee. Frazee has looked good this postseason, picking up two wins over Rensselaer Central’s Avery Stanley, who is the fourth guy making it out this weekend.  A potential bracket buster at this weight is Crown Point’s Logan Haney. I am high on Haney, and if he is healthy, I would not be surprised to see him make another trip downtown.

2024 Champ:

Zar Walker-Mishawaka

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Jeffrey Huyvaert-New Prairie

2. Luke Reid-Valparaiso

3. Lincoln Frazee-North White

4. Avery Stanley-Rensselaer Central

150

Ranked Wrestler

#3 Michael Ortega-Portage

#7 Marlone Kirksy-Merrillville

#12 Jayden Lewis-New Prairie

#16 Teigan Newell-Crown Point

#19 Zach Kenney-Griffith

Weight Preview

Portage senior Michael Ortega looks like a title contender since dropping down to 150 and I look for him to continue his run at this weight with a title this weekend. Ortega saw a lot of the top guys up at 157 and has been able to beat some of the top ones at 150 after dropping down. It’s a toss-up on who he will have in the finals, as New Prairie’s Jayden Lewis and Merrillville’s Marlone Kirksy will meet in the ticket round, with the winner making the finals, in my opinion. Lewis started his career with back-to-back trips to state before falling short a year ago, while Kirksy made his first trip a season ago. I see the deciding factor in this match being the size difference, as Lewis started the year up at 165 before dropping down, and Kirksy moved up after wrestling 144 for parts of the year. Crown Point’s Tiegen Newell was a state placer at 106 last year and is now up seven weight classes from a year ago. Regardless, I have the Bulldog making his second straight trip downtown. The fourth guy out at this weight is Griffith’s Zach Kenney, who has the best draw of anyone at the weight.

2024 Champ:

Wesley Harper-Penn

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Michael Ortega-Portage

2. Jayden Lewis-New Prairie

3. Teigan Newell-Crown Point

4. Zach Kenney-Griffith

157

Ranked Wrestler

#1 Brant Beck-Rochester

#2 Matthew Staples-New Prairie

#6 Griffin Van Tichelt-Crown Point

Weight Preview

We may get an early preview of next week's state title match this weekend. Rochester’s Brant Beck comes in as the top-ranked wrestler in the state and brings an unblemished record into the semi-state for the second year in a row. New Prairie’s Matthew Staples comes in as the second-ranked guy in this weight, with a crazy hit list this season. While I do have Beck ranked ahead of Staples, rankings are based on resumes, and with Beck remaining undefeated and Staples being a freshman, I could not justify jumping him over the senior. That said, I have been high on Staples since he was in middle school, and I will not waver here. Outside of the two front runners is Crown Point’s Griffin Van Tichelt, who has made trips downtown the last two years. I see the Bulldog getting 3rd here for the second year in a row. My fourth guy out also took 4th at the regional a week ago. Chesterton’s Charlie Shaffer is my surprise pick for his first trip downtown. He will see the winner of Penn’s Aiden Whitten and Merrillville’s Anthony Bustamante. Both Whitten and Shaffer have a win over Bustamante this season.

2024 Champ:

Adrian Pellot-Merrillville

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Matthew Staples-New Prairie

2. Brant Beck-Rochester

3. Griffin Van Tichelt-Crown Point

4. Charlie Shaffer-Chesterton

165

Ranked Wrestler

#1 Adrian Pellot-Merrillville

#12 Leonardo Santiago-Penn

Weight Preview

Merrillville’s Adrian Pellot is the clear-cut favorite to win this weight as he comes in as the state's top-ranked wrestler. Pellot will capture his second semi-state title this weekend. Outside of Pellot, Penn's Leonardo Santiago is the only other ranked wrestler in this weight. He has a favorable draw and should have little issue making his first trip downtown. Hanover Central’s Israel Sinnott should meet Santiago in the semi-finals. Sinnott will have a tough Zachary White and Faith Christian in the match to go, but Sinnott has been battle-tested more this year, which will be the difference. This sets up a rematch between Sinnott and Santiago, a match Sinnott won 7-0. The fourth guy out here is Warsaw’s Danny Moon. Moon will have to get past Tri-County’s Kevin Martinez on his way to a state berth, but I think this will be another situation where who you have wrestled this year shows.

2024 Champ:

Anthony Rinehart-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Adrian Pellot-Merrillville

2. Israel Sinnott-Hanover Central

3. Leonardo Santiago-Penn

4. Danny Moon-Warsaw

175

Ranked Wrestler

#6 Vinny Freeman-Penn

#8 Emilio Tirado-Lake Central

#14 Hayden Whitenack-New Prairie

#15 Lucas Anderson-Chesterton

#17 Wyatt Davis-Rochester

Weight Preview

Penn’s Vinny Freeman has spent the past two seasons up a weight but dropped down late in the year to make a run. Freeman has made two trips downtown, finishing 6th in 2023. While there is another guy at this weight with state experience, Freeman is just too good to lose this weekend. The other at this weight is Lake Central’s Emilio Tirado. Tirado was a state qualifier a year ago but will have to get past a tough Wyatt Davis, Rochester, to make a return trip. Davis has been battling some injuries this year, but if he is close to 100 percent this weekend, he could surprise people and make the finals. New Prairie’s Hayden Whitenack should have little trouble finishing his career downtown, as I do not see him having many issues until his semi-final match with Tirado. My last guy is Hammond Central’s Elijah Carter, but I say that with little confidence. Any of the four in that section of the bracket could make it through.

2024 Champ:

Aidan Costello-Hobart

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Vinny Freeman-Penn

2. Emilio Tirado-Lake Central

3. Hayden Whitenack-New Prairie

4. Elijah Carter-Hammond Central

190

Ranked Wrestler

#4 Ceasar Salas-Crown Point

#6 Devin Kendrex-New Prairie

Weight Preview

We will see round three between Crown Point freshman Ceasar Salas and New Prairie senior Devin Kendrex. Salas has won both matches, winning the last one convincingly 15-3. While I do not think the freshman is ready to win a state title just yet, he looks like someone who could be under the lights next week. Benton Central’s Ronald Jenkins is the third best guy at the weight, but he will meet Kendrex in the ticket round. Valparaiso’s Ben Fedorchak will see someone who he has beaten before in the ticket round and should punch his ticket this weekend. There are two wrestler’s that I think have a shot to make it out, and that’s Penn’s Alessio Retzloff and Frontier’s Weston Maddox. I tend to lean towards the guy who has wrestled the better competition, so I will be taking Retzloff in this match.

2024 Champ:

Kenneth Bisping-Lowell

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Ceasar Salas-Crown Point

2. Devin Kendrex-New Prairie

3. Ben Fedorchak-Valparaiso

4. Alessio Retzloff-Penn

215

Ranked Wrestler

#5 Jayden Bartoszek-Hanover Central

#7 Aidan Abad-Lowell

#12 Everett Mcclelland-Portage

#13 Trey Dunning-Mishawaka

#14 Mitchell Krolikowski-Wheeler

#18 Austin Reading-Crown Point

#19 Malachi Evans-Penn

Weight Preview

Hanover Central’s Jayden Bartoszek has been to state the past two season and is the favorite to take home a title this weekend. There is a lot of parity at this weight, and it will honestly boil down to match ups and who shows up this weekend. Lowell’s Aidan Abad is the next best guy at this weight, and he should set up a rematch Bartoszek, where he lost 2-1 in tie breakers. In the third section of the bracket of the bracket there three ranked guys. Crown Point’s Austin Reading and Mishawaka’s Trey Dunning have drawn into each other first round for the second year in a row. Dunning beat Reading last season but Reading has beaten him since then. The winner of that draws Portage’s Everett Mcclelland. I do not see either beating. Mcclelland has beaten Reading twice already this season. The last guy out is Wheeler’s Mitchell Krolikowski, who comes in as a four. Krolikowski was in the toughest sectional and regional at this weight causing him to finish 4th last weekend. He will have a tough Penn’s Malachi Evans. Evans has been tested throughout the year and has a resume that makes you want to pick him in this match.

2024 Champ:

Will Clark-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Jayden Bartoszek-Hanover Central

2. Aidan Abad-Lowell

3. Everett Mcclelland-Portage

4. Mitchell Krolikowski-Wheeler

285

Ranked Wrestler

#1 Lucas Szymborski-Crown Point

#5 Kameron Hazelett-Lowell

#9 Triston Meschede-Portage

#10 Kameron Kauffman-Warsaw

#13 Declan Gard-Rochester

#19 Luke Juris-Hobart

Weight Preview

The two best heavyweights in the state are here this weekend. Lowell’s Kameron Hazelett and Crown Point’s Lucas Szymborski have met three times this year. Hazelett has won the past two matches, so it is hard to pick against him here. These two should roll towards the finals with little resistance from the field. The other two guys that make it out here should not have much issue either. Rochester’s Decland Gard is wresting up at heavyweight after being a semi-state qualifier at 175 last year. The last guy out here is Hobart’s Luke Juris. Juris was a ticket-round guy last year, drawing into the toughest guy in the weight, but he would drop the ball big time to not make it out.

2024 Champ:

Paul Clark-Crown Point

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Kameron Hazelett-Lowell

2. Lucas Szymborski-Crown Point

3. Declan Gard-Rochester

4. Luke Juris-Hobart