For the Daily Reporter
NEW PALESTINE — When Chad Masters became the head wrestling coach at Mt. Vernon High School six years ago, he barely had enough wrestlers to fill a lineup. Now the Marauders are champions in a conference featuring some of the state’s best.
In a thrilling Hoosier Heritage Conference tournament Friday at New Palestine, Mt. Vernon earned its first conference title by edging Pendleton Heights 238-233. Greenfield-Central rounded out the top three with 158.5 points and the host Dragons placed sixth at 135.5.
Chris Wilkerson (138 pounds), Drake Kendrex (170) and PJ Sterrett (182) earned conference titles for the Marauders.
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Greenfield-Central and New Palestine both notched two conference champs apiece. Gavin Rose (132) and Cooper Noehre (152) earned wins for the Cougars while Christian White (113) and Noah Wright (145) took home top honors for the Dragons.
The end result was especially gratifying for Masters, who has seen the steady rise of his program through the hard work of his wrestlers and staff. The term “conference champs” was music to his ears.
“It sounds incredible,” Masters said. “I’m usually pretty good at talking but I’m kind of speechless to be honest with you. I knew it was going to be close. I was scared to look (at the scores). We came a long way in a short time. To be 22-2 and conference champions is an incredible feeling.”
According to Masters, it was a third-place finish by heavyweight Jake Skotnicki that epitomized the heart the team has shown all year.
“He sprained his ankle,” Masters said. “He really wanted to wrestle the Pendleton Heights kid (Justin Stephens) but he got beat. His head was down. I think his recruiter might have been here — he’s going to (University of Indianapolis) to play football. He had a lot going on. For him to gut out a (third place) win was huge.”
Masters also credited Kendrex for coming through despite dealing with an illness.
It was Wilkerson, a junior, who started Mt. Vernon’s run of titles in a critical, well-fought 4-1 decision against Pendleton Heights’ Jacob Fiew. Despite being battered and bloodied from his work on the mat, Wilkerson was all smiles at the end of the night.
“From my freshman year when no one really knew who we were to now we’re on the map and people realize what the Marauder style is,” Wilkerson said. “It feels really good. We are a completely different team and a completely different mentality. We love it. I knew I had to come out aggressive and score the first points and show my dominance. I felt like as long as I got to the third with some kind of lead, I would be all right.”
Sterrett at 182 showed his dominance as well with a first-period takedown and near fall. Leading 7-3 early, he cruised to a 10-4 win in another big match against a Pendleton Heights opponent.
It was a different story for Greenfield-Central’s Noehre in a loaded 152 weight class. The state’s No. 3 ranked wrestler needed a stunning, come-from-behind effort to get past No. 11 Eric Heistand of Yorktown in the semifinals. In a frantic, last-second finish, the junior earned a takedown to tie the score and sealed the win with a near fall.
“I had to keep pushing,” Noehre said. “I know my hard work is going to pay off. I could feel (Heistand) getting tired and I just kept pushing the pace and got through it.”
Noehre scored a quick takedown in the championship match over previously undefeated and No. 13 ranked Tytus Ragle of New Castle. The Greenfield-Central junior rolled from that point in a 12-4 victory. Ragle fell to 38-1 on the season.
Greenfield-Central coach Josh Holden was pleased when he saw two other ranked wrestlers in Noehre’s draw, as he knows it’s good preparation for sectionals.
“At the time, he was ranked second in the state and seeded third in our own conference,” Holden said. “It’s kind of strange but that’s the way it happened. My thought was you get to wrestle really good, ranked opponents. The big thing for us is we love good competition. You can’t say enough about Coop. He got in a hole which he hasn’t really been in this year. I think his training showed. He had a lot in the tank in the third period.”
Greenfield-Central’s Rose spent a little less time on the mat as he followed a first-round forfeit with back-to-back wins by fall to take home the crown.
“I can’t say enough about Gavin as a kid,” Holden said. “He has a huge heart. He helps everyone on our team. He may be the best coach we have. I’m hoping he’ll coach with us next year if he decides not to wrestle. He’s one heck of a wrestler but he’s a lot better human being.”
New Palestine coach Alex Johns was pleased with his champions as well, although he was hoping for more from a team standpoint.
“I was happy with those guys,” Johns said. “It was a tough night for us overall. We had some starters out. It was good to see some of the younger guys step up in that role. They gained some valuable experience. That’s the main thing we’ll take away from tonight”
Both New Palestine champs came out aggressively. White nearly earned a pin in the second period. He settled for a near fall and took a commanding 12-4 lead into the third. Wright, a senior, wrestled in similar fashion, shooting out of the gates with a takedown and near fall in the opening period while taking a 5-0 lead.
“I was really happy I got a takedown in the first period,” Wright said. “Once I got the takedown, I knew that he was dead. He was tired. I put him on his back and almost pinned him. I knew the match was going my way.”
Wright and all the county wrestlers now set their sights on sectionals Saturday. New Palestine, Greenfield-Central and Eastern Hancock will head to Warren Central while the Marauders compete at Arsenal Tech.
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Team Scores: Mt. Vernon 238, Pendleton Heights 233, Greenfield-Central 158.5, Delta 157, Yorktown 139.5, New Palestine 135.5, Shelbyville 107, New Castle 31.
County Wrestlers in Championship Round
106 Pounds
Third place: Kellen Kerr (MV) def. Jed Tillson (S) by fall (2:19)
Fifth place: John Dowden (NP) def. Dakota Herald (GC), 7-6
113 Pounds
First place: Christian White (NP) def. Blaine Lee (D), MD 15-4
Third place: Andrew Johnson (MV) def. Dillon Berry (S), 5-2
Fifth place: Dylan Whistler (PH) def. Autumn Thaxton (GC) by fall (:55)
120 Pounds
First place: John Robinson (D) def. Carson Johnson (MV), 7-4
Fifth place: Devin Berry (S) def. Logan Cindrey (GC), 5-2
126 Pounds
First place: Brayden Curtis (Y) def. Chase Wilkerson (MV), 3-2
Fifth place: Dylan Dorman (GC) def. Micah Lee (S), 11-5
132 Pounds
First place: Gavin Rose (GC) def. Chayce Collier (S) by fall (2:31)
Third place: Dillon Tuttle (D) def. Ian Faubion (NP) by fall (:13)
Fifth place: Jacob Ehrgott (PH) def. Casey Cornelius (MV), 2-1
138 Pounds
First place: Chris Wilkerson (MV) def. Jacob Fiew (PH), 4-1
Third place: Alara Boyd (Y) def. Chase Gardner (GC), 8-2
Fifth place: Jake Schliessman (D) def. Christian Spencer (NP) by fall (2:59)
145 Pounds
First place: Noah Wright (NP) def. Caleb Gibson (PH), 8-4
Third place: Dalton Love (D) def. Aidan Alford (MV), 7-4
Fifth place: Kenny Thompson (GC) def. Elijah Sims (S), 3-0
152 Pounds
First place: Cooper Noehre (GC) def. Tytus Ragle (NC), MD 12-4
Third place: Eric Heistand (Y) def. Maxwell Hayes (MV) by fall (2:00)
160 Pounds
First place: Jarod Miller (PH) def. Brandon McKinney (GC) by fall (1:24)
Third place: Parker Bishop (MV) def. Michael Lunciano (S), 5-0
Fifth place: Darin Johnson (NP won by forfeit.
170 Pounds
First place: Drake Kendrex (MV) def. Richard Clevenger (NP), 9-3
182 Pounds
First place: P.J. Sterrett (MV) def. Clayton Todd (PH), 10-4
Third place: Scott Stanley (GC) def. Jayce Turner (D) by fall (2:05)
195 Pounds
First place: Tremor Bynum (PH) def. Charlie Moore (MV), 7-2
Third place: Tyson Enis (Y) def. Bradon Nelson (GC), tech fall (24-8)
Fifth place: Porter May (NP) won by forfeit
220 Pounds
First place: Cade Campbell (PH) def. Parker Smitley (MV) by fall (1:22)
Third place: Juan Camacho (NP) def. Gus Wilson (Y) by fall (4:09)
Fifth place: Chris Guzman (GC) def. Tyler Greer (S) by fall (:29)
285 Pounds
Third place: Jake Skotnicki (MV) def. Evan Hill (D), 5-4
Fifth place: Jacob Brittson (NP) def. Dallas Karnes (S) by fall (:29)
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