30 Southsiders advance to semistate


Southsider Voice correspondent
Perry Meridian won a regional wrestling championship Saturday on its mats by winning five individual titles and advancing 13 wrestlers to the New Castle Semistate on Saturday.
The Falcons, ranked No. 2 in the state, were paced by champions Jordan Napier (132 pounds), who pinned Warren Central’s Matt McKinney at 5:55, five seconds left in the match; undefeated Brandon James (138) defeated New Palestine’s Jared Timberman 10-2; Brett Johnson (152) defeated Warren Central’s Dominic Herrick, 9-2; and Tristen Tonte pinned New Palestine’s Landon Burton in 54 seconds.
Tonte pinned each of his opponents in the first period. James is unbeaten in 38 matches this season.
In the all-Southside 120-pound final, Perry’s Cornelious Elliott II defeated Southport’s Dameion Rutledge 9-3.
Roncalli’s Conner James pinned Warren Central’s Cornelius Knox Abbott in 77 seconds of the 182-pound championship match. James, who won the 152-pound class last year, won each of his bouts by falls and upped his record to 41-0.
Perry Meridian amassed 207 points, far ahead of runner-up and No. 7 Warren Central with 174 points. Roncalli was fourth, Franklin Central fifth, Southport ninth and Beech Grove 10th.
Wrestlers from the Perry Meridian Regional compete Saturday in the New Castle Semi-State at 9 a.m.
At Mooresville, Center Grove placed eighth and advanced four wrestlers to the Evansville Reitz Semistate.
The top four wrestlers in each class will advance to the state finals Feb. 20 and 21 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The following Southside wrestlers will compete Saturday; action at both sites starts at 9 a.m.
Perry Meridian (13 qualifiers) – regional champs: Cornelious Elliott II, 120; Jordan Napier, 132; Brandon James, 138; Brett Johnson, 152; Tristen Tonte, 195; second place: Ngun Uk, 126; Noah Warren, 145; Garrett Milner, 160; Chris Ridle, 285; third place: Sunny Nier, 106; fourth place: Jack Servies, 113; Jordan Marion, 170; Blake Schjoll, 220.
Franklin Central (five) – third place: Jordan Vaughn, 132; Josh Torres, 195; fourth: Josh Vaughn, 106; DeRon Young, 160; Evan Ewers, 285.
Roncalli (four) – champion: Conner James, 182; fourth: Nick Ellis, 132; Patrick Waugh, 138; Tyler Smith, 195.
Center Grove (four) – second, Logan Coyle, 145; third, Gleason Mappes, 152; fourth, Zac Siddiqui, 106; Jonah Hays, 160.
Beech Grove (two) – second: Ethan Smiley, 113; third: Evan Smiley, 145.
Southport (two) – second: Dameion Rutledge, 120; third, Robert Clark, 182.