From ihsaa.org

Seven former state champions, including three attempting to win their third title, lead the way Feb. 15-16 in the 70th Annual IHSAA Individual Wrestling State Finals at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
Two hundred twenty-four wrestlers – 16 in each of the 14 weight classes – will begin first-round competition Friday at 6 p.m. ET. First-round winners will return to wrestle on Saturday, with quarterfinal action beginning at 9:30 a.m. and semifinal matches to follow after all weight classes have concluded. Consolation bouts will begin at 5 p.m., and championship matches under the spotlight are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
The undefeated duo of Hanover Central senior Andrew Howe and Mishawaka junior Josh Harper is in search of a third consecutive state title, while Hobart senior Eric Galka hopes to land his third crown in four seasons.
 
Howe brings a 42-0 mark into the 160-pound class this weekend and owns a 188-1 record for his prep career. He finished 48-0 last year when he won four consecutive matches by technical fall to take the 152 title. He finished 51-0 in winning at 140 as a sophomore. And Howe was 47-1 as a freshman at 130, his only loss coming 5-1 in the 2005 state championship match to Lawrence North three-time champ Reece Humphrey.
 
Harper, meanwhile, hopes to continue the success he’s enjoyed after his first two visits to the state meet. He hasn’t suffered a loss to this point in his prep career, holding a 41-0 mark at 125 this season after finishing 39-0 a year ago at 112 and 47-0 in 2006 at 103.
 
Galka owns a 40-2 mark this season at 135. He finished 47-0 in winning the 103 division as a freshman and was 48-0 in winning at 130 last season. Galka was eliminated in the first round at 119 in 2006 by Bloomington South’s Reece Freeman, who would go on to win the state title at 125 in 2007.
 
Each of these three wrestlers would become his school’s first three-time state champion if he can successfully navigate the bracket this weekend.
 
There are four grapplers gunning for a second state crown: Anderson Highland’s Camden Eppert (37-2), the 103 champ last season, at 112; Cooper Samuels (43-0) of Floyd Central, last year’s winner at 160, at 171; South Bend Riley’s George Malone (39-0), back to defend his 2007 title at 215; and Perry Meridian’s Chico Adams (47-0), the defending heavyweight champ.
 
In all, 25 participants have made it to the state finals without absorbing a loss this year.
 
One hundred fourteen schools will be represented at the state finals this weekend, with Crown Point, Evansville Mater Dei, and Mishawaka leading the way with seven participants each. Indianapolis Cathedral and Perry Meridian qualified six each, while Hobart and Merrillville both have five.

Evansville Reitz and Cathedral each had three champions at last Saturday’s individual semistate round.
 
Also of note …
 
State champions in the field (7)
112 – 37-2 Camden Eppert, 11, Anderson Highland (2007 state champion at 103)
125 – 41-0 Josh Harper, 11, Mishawaka (2007 state champ at 112, 2006 state champ at 103)
135 – 40-2 Eric Galka, 12, Hobart (2007 state champ at 130, 2005 state champ at 103)
160 – 42-0 Andrew Howe, 12, Hanover Central (2007 state champ at 152, 2006 state champ at 140, 2005 runner-up at 130)
171 – 43-0 Cooper Samuels, 12, Floyd Central (2007 state champ at 160, 2006 runner-up at 145)
215 – 39-0 George Malone, 12, South Bend Riley (2007 state champ at 215)
285 – 47-0 Chico Adams, 12, Perry Meridian (2007 state champ at 285
 
State runners-up in the field (5)
112 – 38-2 Brandon Wright, 10, Indianapolis Cathedral (2007 runner-up at 103)
119 – 41-3 Christopher Quiroga, 11, Lawrence North (2007 runner-up at 112)
125 – 38-2 Taylor March, 11, East Noble (2007 runner-up at 119, 2006 runner-up at 112)
130 – 43-2 Tom Churchard, 12, Valparaiso (2007 runner-up at 125)
145 – 39-0 Brennan Cosgrove, 12, Hobart (2007 runner-up at 140)
 
Undefeated wrestlers in the field (25)
103 – 29-0 Ethan Raley, 9, Indian Creek; 38-0 Anthony Hawkins, 10, Crown Point; 44-0 Casey Kenney, 11, Jay County
112 – 35-0 Justin Brooks, 11, Warsaw; 49-0 Alex Johns, 11, Evansville Reitz
119 – 47-0 Donovan Alderman, 12, Delphi
125 – 41-0 Josh Harper, 11, Mishawaka; 47-0 Nathan Jones, 12, Evansville Reitz
130 – 45-0 Conner Zuber, 12, Evansville Memorial; 42-0 Josh Mann, 12, South Adams
135 – None
140 – None
145 – 39-0 Brennan Cosgrove, 12, Hobart; 43-0 Ivan Rodriguez, 12, New Albany
152 – 39-0 Kyle Long, 12, South Bend Washington; 42-0 Kyle Ulrey, 12, New Palestine
160 – 42-0 Andrew Howe, 12, Hanover Central
171 – 43-0 Cooper Samuels, 12, Floyd Central; 38-0 Jake Blackwell, 12, Roncalli; 45-0 Branden James, 12, Culver Academies
189 – 33-0 Nick Hodges, 11, Southmont; 43-0 Cory McGrady, 12, Columbus East; 45-0 Ryan Konrath, 12, Jimtown
215 – 37-0 Chandler Coffey, 12, Brown County; 29-0 Justin Woods, 12, Leo; 39-0 George Malone, 12, South Bend Riley
285 – 47-0 Chico Adams, 12, Perry Meridian

Hall of Fame to add Read, Tonte, Adams, Smith, Freije, Bradley, Gunsett, Myers
Plymouth coach Bob Read, who will receive this year's Billy Thom Award for his contributions to high school wrestling, heads the 2008 class for the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame, which will be inducted Feb. 17 in Greenwood.

Four other coaches will be inducted: Jim Tonte (Perry Meridian), Roy Adams (Milan), Russ Smith (DeKalb), and Bob Freije (Decatur Central, Plainfield, Brownsburg). That foursome will be joined by former wrestlers Steven Bradley (Beech Grove), Paul Gunsett (Bellmont), and Bert Myers (Bloomington South).

Lowell resident Todd to be honored with award for excellence
A licensed official for 42 years, Lowell resident John P. Todd is this year’s recipient of the Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport of wrestling.
 
Todd will be honored in a special ceremony during this weekend’s state finals at Conseco Fieldhouse. Including this season, Todd has 42 sectionals, 28 regionals, 10 semistates, and two state finals to his credit.
 
Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of the 11 sports during the school year.
 
Todd was nominated for this award by his peers from the Indiana Officials Association. The IOA is one of 26 associations located throughout Indiana comprised of men and women who give up much of their personal time to assist in providing meaningful and healthy activities for the student-athletes of our state. The honor comes as a result of Todd’s selection by a committee representing those 26 associations.

Statewide, there are almost 7,500 officials licensed by the IHSAA in 11 sports.
 
Todd, a graduate of Crawfordsville High School, has been a licensed Indiana wrestling official for 51 years and served as an IHSAA clinician for one year. Todd was a member of the wrestling team at the University of Indianapolis (then Indiana Central College), from which he graduated in 1958. He later received his master’s degree from Purdue University.
 
Todd was a teacher, coach, and administrator at Lowell High School and Hanover Central High School before he moved to Lake Central High School, where he was dean of students and assistant principal until his retirement in 1992.
 
John and his wife, Carol, have two children and two grandchildren.

Click here for class-by-class brackets for the state finals.

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