By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
The opening event of the winter state tournament season begins this Saturday as sectional action comes to 32 sites in the 72nd Annual IHSAA Wrestling State Tournament.
Three hundred nine schools will be represented Jan. 30, and the top four contestants in each of the 14 weight classes will advance to one of 16 individual regionals Feb. 6.
While competing as individuals, participants also will be accumulating points for their school on Saturday as the championship school will advance its entire team into the separate team tournament. The 15th annual team tournament begins Feb. 3 with regionals at eight locations. (CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE PAIRINGS!!)
Six sites will feature multiple schools ranked among the state’s Top 25 in the latest coaches’ poll; here’s a look at those half-dozen sectionals:
5. MISHAWAKA SECTIONAL
The top-ranked host Cavemen – 75.5-point winners a year ago – figure to roll to their 11th consecutive crown, but No. 11 Penn and No. 20 South Bend Clay (a winner over No. 4 Yorktown earlier this season) certainly will have a say as to how dominant Mishawaka will be.
20. LAWRENCE CENTRAL SECTIONAL
No. 12 Indianapolis Cathedral – a 69-point winner last year – is a slight favorite to capture its fifth straight crown, but No. 21 Lawrence North and No. 24 North Central (Indianapolis) should be in the mix as well.
21. DECATUR CENTRAL SECTIONAL
Third-ranked Perry Meridian – a 135.5-point winner a year ago – should easily pick up its 11th consecutive crown over No. 22 Pike, the runner-up in 2009.
22. SHELBYVILLE SECTIONAL
No. 13 New Palestine – a third-place sectional finisher last season – may rate a slight favorite over defending champion No. 17 Roncalli, with No. 23 Warren Central lurking behind the leadership of three-time state finalist Brandon Wright at 125.
26. MOORESVILLE SECTIONAL
No. 15 Franklin – a half-point team title victim of Martinsville last year – will be very focused to regain sectional superiority, probably over No. 18 Center Grove.
32. EVANSVILLE CENTRAL SECTIONAL
Yikes! It’ll be fifth-ranked Evansville Reitz looking to deny No. 6 Evansville Mater Dei its record 34th straight sectional title, just one week after the Panthers indeed toppled Mater Dei for the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference crown. Last year, the Wildcats got No. 33 by 65.5 points – over Mount Vernon (Posey), with Reitz third another four points back.
Stay tuned to HoosierAuthority.com for the most complete results package in the state! Till then, here’s a look at some historical stuff courtesy of ihsaa.org (which also provided the first three paragraphs of this story):
Defending sectional team champions (listed alphabetically)
Avon, Bellmont, Bloomington South, Carmel, Castle, Columbus North, Crown Point, Delphi, East Central, East Noble, Elkhart Memorial, Evansville Mater Dei, Fountain Central, Hamilton Heights, Indianapolis Cathedral, Jeffersonville, Marion, Martinsville, Merrillville, Mishawaka, Munster, New Castle, New Haven, Perry Meridian, Peru, Plymouth, Portage, Roncalli, Southridge, West Central, Whitko, Yorktown
Active sectional championship streaks (three or more years)
33: Evansville Mater Dei
19: Bellmont
10: Mishawaka, Perry Meridian
8: Elkhart Memorial
7: Castle, Crown Point
5: Columbus North, Merrillville
4: Indianapolis Cathedral, New Castle, New Haven, Yorktown
3: Peru
Most consecutive sectional championships
33: Evansville Mater Dei, 1977-2009
Top 10 all-time sectional championships
39: Evansville Mater Dei
35: Bellmont, New Castle
32: Bloomington South
30: Lafayette Jefferson
29: Hobart, Indianapolis Cathedral, Logansport
28: Castle, Richmond
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