2025 New Castle Semi-State Preview

106

Ranked Wrestlers

#3 Connor Maddox-Westfield

#4 Tate St. Laurent-Cathedral

#5 Caleb Morrow-Lutheran

#9 Heather Crull-Northeastern

#18 Colin Clark-Perry Meridian

#19 Lukas Scott-Southmont

Weight Preview

The four regional champs from a week ago will be the four wrestlers that make it downtown. Westfield’s Connor Maddox has shown he is on a different level than the rest of the field here, having beaten the second-best wrestler, Cathedral’s Tate St. Laurent, 10-1 at the Al Smith. St. Laurent has proven to be the clear two here. There are two other returning state qualifiers at this weight who should be making a return trip. Northeastern’s Heather Crull has been to state two time before this year, while Lutheran’s Caleb Morrow made his first trip a year ago. The two should wrestle for third. Crull did beat Morrow a year ago at the semi-state, but I think a bigger stronger Morrow takes it this time.

2024 Champ:

Peyton Schoettle-Roncalli

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Connor Maddox-Westfield

2. Tate St. Laurent-Cathedral

3. Caleb Morrow-Lutheran

4. Heather Crull-Northwestern

113

Ranked Wrestlers

#1 Peyton Schoettle-Roncalli

#5 Nathan Reyes-Cathedral

#7 Keegan Dressler-Southport

#9 Lincoln Parsons-Greenfield-Central

#18 Brayden Head-Westfield

Weight Preview

Returning state champion, Roncalli’s Peyton Schoettle will roll through the weekend on his way to a second semi-state title. He has dominated the best guys in this field and will not be challenge this weekend. Outside of Schoettle, we have two big ticket round matches to look forward to. The first being between Greenfield-Central’s Lincoln Parsons and Carmel’s Carlo Federici. While Parsons may dominate this match, I am high on Federici. The biggest ticket round match at this weight though will be at the top of the bracket between Cathedral’s Nathan Reyes and Southport’s Keegan Dresslar. Reyes is a returning state qualifier and is probably the favorite here on paper, but I just like Dresslar so that’s who which way I am going to lean. Winner of this match makes the finals.

2024 Champ:

Blake Getz-Roncalli

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Peyton Schoettle-Roncalli

2. Keegan Dressler-Southport

3. Lincoln Parsons-Greenfield-Central

4. Brayden Head-Westfield

120

Ranked Wrestlers

#6 Blake Getz-Roncalli

#12 Porter Temples-Westfield

#13 John Bissmeyer-Cathedral

#14 Sully Frazier-Zionsville

Weight Preview

120 is another weight where we have a returning semi-state champ. Roncalli’s returning state placer Blake Getz is a heavy favorite to win this weight. I do not see anyone in this field beating the Rebel. The rest of this weight is full of good matchups though. The first is the ticket round match between Alexandria Monroe’s Ezra Fye and Westfield’s Porter Temples. Temples was a state qualifier two seasons ago and has wrestled a much better schedule than Fye. On paper Temples should be the favorite here but the last two times they’ve met, both in the offseason, Fye has beaten Temples. At the bottom of the bracket, two returning state qualifiers will meet for a chance to make it back downtown. Cathedral’s John Bissmeyer and Zionsville’s Sully Frazier should see each other in the match to go, and while they have not met this year, they do have a common opponent in Temples. Bissmeyer losing 6-5 to him, while Frazier was 1-1 against Temples, losing first by fall before beating him 5-0 last weekend. My surprise pick at this weight is Fisher’s Owen Ingalls. Ingalls got a favorable draw and needs to make the most it, but as good as I feel Ingalls is, he is very inconsistent, and his results are all over the place.

2024 Champ:

Chayce Yant-Fishers

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Blake Getz-Roncalli

2. Sully Frazier-Zionsville

3. Ezra Fye-Alexandria Monroe

4. Owen Ingalls-Fishers

126

Ranked Wrestlers

#7 Chayce Yant-Fishers

#8 Bradyn Volz-Eastern Hancock

#10 Elijah Brody-Mount Vernon (Fortville)

#14 Gavyn Kemp-Roncalli

#15 Connor Bayliss-Cathedral

#16 Matthew Baylor-Milan

Weight Preview

Five wrestlers at this weight come in with state experience. Eli Broady, Mount Vernon (Fortville), is my pick to take home the title here. He will have to get past Milan’s Matthew Baylor in the ticket round, who was a state medalist two years ago. The winner there will likely see Fisher’s Chayce Yant, who won a semi-state title at 120 a year ago, before placing 6that the state tournament. Broady and Yant met this offseason, where Broady won 7-2. At the bottom of the bracket, you have Franklin Central’s Richard Rogers who has been somewhat up and down this year, but he has a great draw and should make a return trip downtown. The match I am probably looking forward to the most here is between Roncalli’s Gavyn Kemp and returning state placer Bradyn Volz of Eastern Hancock. While I am not sure that Kemp is ready to win this kind of match against this caliber of wrestler, he is a gamer and can surprise some people this weekend.

2024 Champ:

Gunner Butt-New Palestine

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Eli Broady-Mount Vernon (Fortville)

2. Bradyn Volz-Eastern Hancock

3. Chayce Yant-Fishers

4. Richard Rogers-Franklin Central

132

Ranked Wrestlers

#2 Tylin Thrine-New Castle

#3 Donald Bowie-Warren Central

#17 Cullen Crowley-Cathedral

#19 Jack Richardson-Roncalli

Weight Preview

Tylin Thrine has won semi-state every year he has wrestled, and I have him winning it again this weekend. It will not be an easy task for him through with the emergence of Warren Central sophomore Donald Bowie. Bowie was good last year but I did not see this big of a jump happening for the Warrior this season. If Bowie won this weight, I would not be that shocked. I do not see anyone preventing these two from meeting in the finals as I have Westfield’s Carter Niccum and Cathedral’ s Cullen Crowley as the ither two wrestlers making it out. Both Niccum and Crowley have mixed results this year but have draws that favor them. Roncalli’s Jack Richardson is probably the third best guy here, but he has Thrine in the ticket round. Even though it would be a shock if Richardson won, he does have a good cradle which can be a game changer here.

2024 Champ:

Tylin Thrine-New Castle

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Tylin Thrine-New Castle

2. Donald Bowie-Warren Central

3. Cullen Crowley-Cathedral

4. Carter Niccum-Westfield

138

Ranked Wrestlers

#4 Gunnar Butt-New Palestine

#9 Jack Davis-Bishop Chatard

#19 Terry Easley-Warren Central

#20 Alic Washburn-Westfield

Weight Preview

New Palestine’s Gunnar Butt has made the finals at New Castle each of the last two years. He is the on-paper favorite to take home his second semi-state title. Butt should see Bishop Chatard’s Jack Davis in the finals here in a rematch from earlier this season. Butt won that match 4-0. I like Warren Central’s Terry Easley to make it to the semis at this weight. He has not had any bad loses this season and has wrestled some the best guys in the state. Easley does have a tough ticket round match, where he will see Westfield’s Alic Washburn, but I have him winning that match and advancing. My last guy out here is Greenfield-Central’s Cade Zuber. Even though he comes in as a four, I think his record is a bit deceiving and he has wrestled, and beaten, some good guys this year.

2024 Champ:

Kyrel Leavell-Warren Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Gunnar Butt-New Palestine

2. Jack Davis-Bishop Chatard

3. Terry Easley-Warren Central

4. Cade Zuber-Greenfield-Central

144

Ranked Wrestlers

#2 Bryce Doss-New Palestine

#5 Moses Stevenson-Franklin Central

#8 Sam Bustamante-Bishop Chatard

#16 Chris Casler-Hamilton Southeastern

#17 Landon Vaught-Crawfordsville

Weight Preview

All five ranked guy s at this weight are in two sections of the bracket, meaning only two will make it through. New Palestine’s Bryce Doss should have little problems getting by Crawfordsville’s Landon Vaught on his way to his second semi-state title. The section of the bracket that is just brutal, has Hamilton Southeastern’s Chris Casler and Bishop Chatard’s Sam Bustamante wrestling in the first round, with the winner likely seeing Franklin Central’s returning state qualifier Moses Stevenson in the ticket. While Bustamante is undefeated at 144, and has some good wins this year, I just do not see him beating Stevenson here. The top and bottom sections of the bracket are wide open. Fountain Central’s Dakoda Willoughby’s resume makes me take him to make it out and get to Butt in the semis on the top half. On the bottom, I like Roncalli’s Alex Plahitko to punch his ticket against a tough Jake Saez of Westfield.

2024 Champ:

Christian Arberry-Warren Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Bryce Doss-New Palestine

2. Moses Stevenson-Franklin Central

3. Alex Plahitko-Roncalli

4. Dakoda Willoughby-Fountain Central

150

Ranked Wrestlers

#2 Silas Foster-Purdue Polytechnic

#14 Hank Phenicie-Zionsville

#15 Tyler Lavin-Cathedral

#18 Jessie Franklin-North Central

Weight Preview

Purdue Polytechnic’s Silas Foster chose to drop down for the postseason and that might make the difference on if he is wrestling for a title next weekend. As far as this weekend goes, he is completely removed from the rest of the field. He is the easy pick to take home a title this weekend. Foster’s likely semi-finals opponent will be Zionsville Hank Phenicie. On the top of the bracket, we have two good ticket-round matches to look forward to. The first being between East Central’s Nyden Euson and Warren Central’s Aaron Durham. Durham has been right there with a lot of good guys but just has not found a way to get over the hump yet. Euson has a list of good results over the past year. The best ticket round match at this weight will be between North Central’s Jessie Franklin and Cathedral’s Tyler Lavin. I see this match as a tossup, but I like what I have seen from Franklin this year, so he’s my pick here to punch his ticket.

2024 Champ:

Braden Getz-Roncalli

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Silas Foster-Purdue Polytechnic

2. Jessie Franklin-North Central

3. Nyden Euson-East Central

4. Hank Phenicie-Zionsville

157

Ranked Wrestlers

#4 Christian Arberry-Warren Central

#7 Jacob Weaver-Rossville

#19 Kaleb Wilburn-Milan

Weight Preview

Warren Central’s Christian Arberry won a title at New Castle a year ago and is the slight favorite to win another one this weekend. The second-best guy at the weight is Rossville’s Jacob Weaver, and unfortunately, him and Arberry are on the same side of the bracket so this will be a semi instead of a final. Weaver has a crazy list of wins from the past year, but he is not as consistent as Arberry is, so I am going to give the slight nod to Arberry here. On the bottom half, Milan’s Kaleb Wilburn came up short a year ago, but I have him getting over the hump this weekend. The last guy out will be Western Boone’s Kameron Mikesell. He will see Bishop Chatard’s Daniel Adams in the match to go, and while I do think Adams is tough, he has lost to Mikesell the last few times they have met.

2024 Champ:

Anthony Cashman-Warren Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Christian Arberry-Warren Central

2. Kameron Mikesell-Western Boone

3. Jacob Weaver-Rossville

4. Kaleb Wilburn-Milan

165

Ranked Wrestlers

#4 Michael Major-Carmel

#5 Michael Cain-Hamilton Heights

#13 Mason Thompson-Greenfield Central

#15 James Dozier-Roncalli

Weight Preview

Carmel’s Michael Major has been on a tear this year after an injury ended his season a year ago. He should roll and should not get pushed until the finals this weekend. There he should see a returning state qualifier in Hamilton Height’s Michael Cain, who comes in with one loss on the year, having lost a wrestler that is not in the field. I do not see him having much trouble getting to the finals either. New Palestine’s Gabe Flick has a deceptive record, but he does have good wins on the year and has toed the line with some of the best in the state. The ticket round match that I am having a tough time picking is between Rossville’s Jacob Cole and Roncalli’s James Dozier. Dozier is a returning state qualifier, but he has had some mixed results this year. Both have lost to Greenfield-Central’s Mason Thompson this year, but Dozier was able to avenge that loss last weekend. Speaking of Thompson, he is probably the third or fourth best guy here but draws into Major.

2024 Champ:

Waylon Cressell-Warren Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Michael Major-Carmel

2. Michael Cain-Hamilton Heights

3. James Dozier-Roncalli

4. Gabe Flick-New Palestine

175

Ranked Wrestlers

#1 Waylon Cressell-Warren Central

#2 Xavier Smith-Fishers

#11 Jaylen Hill-North Central

#19 MJ Morton-Roncalli

#20 Kade Rickard-Bishop Chatard

Weight Preview

Warren Central’s Waylon Cressell will bonus his way through this weight class as he continues his run at another state title. I am not giving anyone a chance against the Warrior this weekend of the next. There is a clear number two at this weight, which is Fisher’s Xavier Smith. Smith should bonus everyone he sees leading into his finals rematch against Cressell. Roncalli’s MJ Morton looks like a new guy this year after not making it out of the regional a year ago. Morton does have some lulls at times but when he is on, he is one of the best wrestlers in the state. His match against Tipton’s Willaim Wofford should be a good one, but I am going to give the Rebel the nod due to the levels of competition faced this season. My last guy out here is East Central’s Brody Wingate. I feel Wingate has been the most consistent of that bottom bunch.

2024 Champ:

Brenton Russell-Warren Central

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Waylon Cressell-Warren Central

2. Xavier Smith-Fishers

3. MJ Morton-Roncalli

4. Brody Wingate-East Central

190

Ranked Wrestlers

#3 Michael White-Lawrence North

#5 Kyle Harden-Cathedral

#11 Seer Godwise-Perry Meridian

#13 Christopher Quarles-Fishers

#14 Nathan Shafer-New Castle

Weight Preview

Lawrence North’s Michael White is the favorite win here after an impressive sophomore year that saw him finish 6th at the state tournament. White should meet a familiar foe in Cathedral’s Kyle Harden. The two wrestled twice last year with White winning both matchups, but it should be noted that Harden missed a bunch of time last season due to injury and was not in the best shape when the postseason arrived due to it. On the bottom of the bracket, retuning state qualifier Nathan Shafer, New Castle, will look to make a return trip downtown, but he will have to get by Alexandria Monroe’s Camden Shelton. Shelton and Shafer met earlier this season with Shafer winning 7-6 in sudden victory. Above them we will have a ticket-round matchup against Fisher’s Chris Quarles and Perry Meridian’s Seer Godwise. Godwise is fun to watch wrestle as he goes from start to finish and lets the chips fall where they lay. I have the Falcon punching his ticket this weekend and making the finals setting up yet another match against White in the finals.

2024 Champ:

Noah Weaver-Rossville

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Michael White-Lawrence North

2. Seer Godwise-Perry Meridian

3. Kyle Harden-Cathedral

4. Nathan Shafer-New Castle

215

Ranked Wrestlers

#1 Noah Weaver-Rossville

#4 Colin Whetsel-New Palestine

#20 Julian Burgett-Fishers

Weight Preview

Rossville’s Noah Weaver won a state title and was good then, but he has become elite in the last year. I do not see him having a match go 6 minutes this weekend. A wrestler not many knew about but has a shot to make the finals here is Perry Meridian’s Andy Warren. Warren took out returning state placer Colin Whetsel, New Palestine, last weekend to take home the regional title. I see the Falcon making the most of his final season making a run at the finals this weekend. Another wrestler who should make a trip downtown is Whetsel, who will be looking to build on his 6th place finish from a year ago. The final guy out at this weight is Zionsville’s Kian MacLauchlan. He ended up with probably the best draw of anyone at this weight and is a tough out for most. If he found his way to the finals, I would not be shocked.

2024 Champ:

Jackson Weingart-Cathedral

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Noah Weaver-Rossville

2. Andy Warren-Perry Merdian

3. Colin Whetsel-New Palestine

4. Kian MacLauchlan-Zionsville

285

Ranked Wrestlers

#12 Job Mavrick-Westfield

#18 Zach Blevens-Greenfield-Central

#20 William Glesing-New Palestine

Weight Preview

With no heavy favorite at this weight, and it being heavyweight, this weight could go crazy early. There are only three ranked guys at this weight, with the first being my pick to win it, Westfield’s Job Mavrick. Mavrick has been right there with some of the top guys in the state, and I see him taking home his first semi-state title this weekend. In the semi-finals, he should see New Palestine’s William Glesing. Glesing is good, but he gets pinned a bit. Noblesville’s Jackson Apple has a good draw and should make a run here, but he does a tough wrestler in the ticket round in Warren Central’s Jacari Markey, who has come on this postseason. The toughest section of this bracket is at the bottom. Greenfield-Central’s Zach Blevins should have two tough matches: Fisher’s Camden Funk in the first round and Batesville’s Max Amberger in the ticket round, but he has already pinned both guys this year. Amberger is the only guy at this weight with state experience.

2024 Champ:

Austin Hastings-Noblesville

HOOSIERMAT TOP 4:

1. Job Mavrick-Westfield

2. Jackson Apple-Noblesville

3. Zach Blevens-Greenfield-Central

4. William Glesing-New Palestine