Regional Champs: The Chesterton wrestling team beat Crown Point 32-31 Wednesday night in the Regional Team Championship match at Portage. Pictured are, front row (l to r), Alex Sanchez, Andy St. Germain, Ben Virden and Ben Williams. Second row are George Choucalas, Chris Coppollo, Zack Thornton, Garrett Evans, Michael Tucker, Ryan Sanchez, Matt Jackson and Kenny Whitten. Third row are Terry Holmes, Kirk Johnson and Jimmy Rash. Back row are Asst. Coach Brian Swallow, Asst. Coach Kent Butler, Brian Kowalski, Myles Evans, Adam Boatright, Chris Hoenke, Branden Garvey, Jim Butz, Ethan Harbrecht, Asst. Coach Keith Davison, Nick Welkie, Jon Rogers, Head Coach Chris Joll and Asst. Coach Zack Williams.

(Tribune photo by TR Harlan)

REGIONAL CHAMPS! REGIONAL CHAMPS!

No. 12 Chesterton stuns No. 5 Crown Point 32-31 in Regional Finals

By TR HARLAN

Sometimes you see a feel good story and you miss it. Judging by the crowd Wednesday night at Portage, the Chesterton wrestling community knows exactly what they are seeing.

The No. 12 Trojans upset No. 5 Crown Point 32-31 to pick up the Team Regional Championship. They will face Merrillville in the Semistate round next Wednesday at Valparaiso.

“I really thought it would be quite an accomplishment to beat Crown Point,” Chesterton coach Chris Joll said. “Not for these guys, they knew they were going to go out and do it.”

The Trojans had the benefit of starting at 125 and seniors Alex Sanchez and Andy St. Germain delivered.

“When you start me at 125 and let me put those four guys in a row out there and put the screws to you,” Joll said. “I’ll take that every night. I didn’t complain about that at all.”

Sanchez battled his way to a 3-1 decision over Ryan Gill with a third period takedown and St. Germain made short work of Nick Mohammed getting a pin at the 1:47 mark.

“It was real nice to start at a good weight and get off to a good start,” St. Germain said. “Everyone wrestled real well tonight. Everyone got the wins they needed too, but the guys that stayed tough like Myles (Evans) staying off his back and things like that were really key for us.”

Michael Tucker and Ethan Harbrecht picked up decisions for the Trojans for a quick 15-0 lead.

“Part of it is what Coach (Brian) Swallow and I have done, but a big part of this is these kids,” Joll said. “These guys didn’t know any better. They came in and worked their butts off and that’s why they are here tonight.”

Crown Point got on the board with two pins at 145 and 152, before Matt Jackson picked up a major decision 9-0 at 160.

“Matt Jackson had a match that was 0-0 going into the third period and we get a major decision,” Joll said. “That’s a huge match. But every single match tonight was the match of the night. Everybody that got us a couple of extra points was key. Everybody who didn’t give them a couple extra points was key.”

Crown Point would tie the match at 19 with a decision at 171 and a major decision at 189 before Ryan Sanchez walked on the mat at 215.

“Ryan Sanchez sucking it up and getting that win in overtime was huge,” Joll said.

Sanchez led 6-5 with nine seconds left, but gave up a stalling point for backing up and was forced into overtime by Nick Cottrell. A takedown in overtime gave him the 8-6 win.

“I was a little upset about giving up the point at the end,” Sanchez said. “(On the overtime takedown) I snapped down, tried to shuck him and get behind. It was a scramble, but I came out on top and just tried to stay in good position.

“It’s my second overtime match of the year and I’m glad I came out on top this time.”

Adam Boatright dominated Crown Point’s Matt Childress with a fall in 27 seconds for a 28-19 lead.

“I just wanted to get it over with,” Boatright said. “I pinned him the last two times I wrestled him. If he was going to lock up with me, I was going to send him for a ride.”

The Bulldogs pulled to 28-25 with a pin at 103, but Ben Williams’ 13-3 major decision clinched the title and sent the Trojan faithful into a frenzy.

“Those guys are the ones that won this,” Joll said. “All I did was go into the room and blow the whistle. It’s (coaches) Brian Swallow, Kent Butler and Zack Williams that contributed to this thing. All I did was tell them what to do.

“The kids listened to them and this is the reward.”

“This is hard word and dedication,” St. Germain said. “It shows that you can come to this program and win. It’s just amazing. This wasn’t even something that was in our minds before and now we’re here.

“I’ve won individual titles before, but this is better. To come together as a team and do something like this is awesome. It’s the best feeling ever.”

Chesterton 32, Crown Point 31

103 – Anthony Hawkins (CP) pin George Choucalas, :41. 112 – Ben Williams (C) major dec. Josh Manes, 13-3. 119 – Anthony Fennell (CP) pin Zack Thornton, 3:30. 125 – Alex Sanchez (C) dec. Ryan Gill, 3-1. 130 – Andy St. Germain (C) pin Nick Mohammed, 1:47. 135 – Michael Tucker (C) dec. Joe Kolavo, 8-5. 140 – Ethan Harbrecht (C) dec. Jeremy Pogozelski, 9-2. 145 – Tony Conway (CP) pin Garrett Evans, 1:15. 152 – Mark Myers (CP) pin Terry Holmes, 4:47. 160 – Matt Jackson (C) major dec. Jeremy Kooi, 9-0. 171 – Andrew Szymborski (CP) dec. Chris Hoenke, 4-1. 189 – Marcus Shrewsbury (CP) major dec. Myles Evans, 11-2. 215 – Ryan Sanchez (C) dec. Nick Cottrell, 8-6 (ot). Hwt – Adam Boatright (C) pin Matt Childress, :27.

Trojans whip Lowell in Regional semifinals

By TR HARLAN

The journey continued for the Chesterton Trojans with a 51-23 Regional semifinal victory over Lowell Wednesday night at Portage.

“This is how we’ve been wrestling,” Chesterton coach Chris Joll said. “I was more nervous than they were, but I think we’re there. We haven’t backed down at all. I think our conditioning is there.

“As a coach, I’m happy with the fact we stuck our noses in there the whole time and got another win.”

The Trojans started the meet red-hot with three straight wins by fall from Zack Thornton, Alex Sanchez and Andy St. Germain.

“Zack having a tough time and getting a pin to get us started was great,” Joll said. “Alex and Andy going out there and getting us a pin, that’s a great job by those guys.”

Starting the meet in the strength of their lineup also was a key.

“It was a great starting point for us,” St. Germain said. “We went out and got three wins right away and that was real nice to get the momentum going our way.”

Lowell finally got on the board with a pair of close decisions that were sandwiched around a Chesterton forfeit victory for Branden Garvey.

“I lied to them before the match,” Joll said. “I told them I had 98 career wins and we needed two more to get to 100. I actually had 99.”

A pin and a tech fall from Lowell seemed to put the momentum on the Red Devils’ side, but Chris Hoenke picked up a fall victory at 171. Myles Evans followed that with a decision at 189.

“Myles Evans just did what he’s been doing lately,” Joll said. “He’s never hit a Peterson Roll that I can remember and he does it to win that match. I’m very proud of the way Myles wrestled.”

Ryan Sanchez, Adam Boatright and Ben Williams all got pins to set the final score.

“It was nice getting this win,” St. Germain said. “We wrestled well. We came in and accomplished what we wanted too.”

Chesterton 51, Lowell 23

103 – Cameryn Brady (L) pin George Choucalas, 1:12. 112 – Ben Williams (C) pin Jacob Lamb, 1:45. 119 – Zack Thornton (C) pin Tyler Dulin, 4:34. 125 – Alex Sanchez (C) pin Nick Lenzo, :44. 130 – Andy St. Germain (C) pin Matt Puskar, 3:27. 135 – Kurt Manix (L) dec. Michael Tucker, 5-4. 140 – Branden Garvey (C) ffw. 145 – Ryan Franz (L) dec. Ethan Harbrecht, 3-1 (ot). 152 – Dan Arnold (L) pin Terry Holmes, 2:58. 160 – Max Znika (L) tech fall Matt Jackson, 5:57. 171 – Chris Hoenke (C) pin Nathan Cleveland, 3:34. 189 – Myles Evans (C) dec. David Lang, 10-5. 215 – Ryan Sanchez (C) pin Drew Steuer, 3:17. Hwt – Adam Boatright (C) pin Logan Wright, 3:57.

Posted 2/1/2007