New Palestine’s Bryce Doss battles with Greenfield-Central’s Kannon Zuber during their regular season match. The Dragons and Cougars are both participating in the Class 3A state dual meet championships Saturday in Franklin.
The Daily Reporter File Photo
When the calendar turns to 2024 it’s more than the start of a new year, it’s the start of high school championship season.
Today at Franklin Community High School, Greenfield-Central and New Palestine boys wrestling teams are among the 12 teams participating in the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association (IHSWCA) Class 3A team state duals.
The Dragons are seeded No. 6 and the Cougars are No. 7.
Action begins at 9 a.m. New Palestine opens against East Noble, a team it edged by one point for second place at last week’s Connersville Spartan Classic.
Greenfield-Central, winners of the Spartan Classic and competing in the state duals for the second straight year, open against Fort Wayne Snider.
Other teams in the field include, Terre Haute South, Columbus East, Floyd Central, Franklin Community, Mishawaka, Roncalli, Hobart and DeKalb.
Top-seeded Terre Haute South, second-seeded Columbus East, No. 3 Floyd Central and No. 4 Franklin Community received first-round byes.
“I think every team feels a little bit, whether they want to admit it or not, they could be first or they could be last,” Greenfield-Central head coach Josh Holden said. “A lot of coaches I’ve talked to have felt that way. It’s the same with us. If we wrestle our best there is no reason why we can’t win it. If we go out and we don’t wrestle and let the moment get to us, we could go 0-and-whatever and go home.”
The Cougars are coming off a 35-31 win over No. 8 seed Roncalli, at G-C, on Wednesday.
New Palestine improved to 13-4 in duals with an impressive 49-13 victory Thursday at Franklin Central.
“Every dual is going to be tough and close,” New Palestine head coach Andrew Frey said. “Whether we make it for first, or third, or whatever, every dual is going to be a tight dual. It’s anyone’s day. There is really no clear favorite, in my eyes. We’ve just got to see who shows up and performs best and hopefully it’s the good guys.”
Closer to home, at the New Palestine Natatorium, Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and New Palestine girls swimming and diving teams will be competing for the Hoosier Heritage Conference championship.
Greenfield-Central is looking for its third straight HHC title and fifth in the last six years. They won convincingly last season by scoring 474 points. Second-place Delta had 282. Mt. Vernon placed fourth and New Palestine was seventh.
The Cougars won 10 of 12 events and broke two conference and two school records in their dominating win.
Alyssa Osborn, Rachel Stutz and CeCe Johnson are all returning record-setting HHC champions. Selah Vahle is a returnee that was part of a championship-winning relay team.
The diving competition begins at 9 a.m. The finals for all events begins at 1 p.m.
