The IHSAA boys wrestling state final produced repeat champions and first-time victors. Seven Indy-area wrestlers won a state title. Center Grove won the team state title by the skin of its teeth, holding off Brownsburg 137-133.5. Here’s the recap, results and reactions from Indy-area winners.
Team results: 1. Center Grove 137; 2. Brownsburg 133.5; 3. Crown Point 86.5; 4. Lowell 73; 5. Delta 71; 6. New Prairie 68; 7. Avon 61.5; 8. Columbus East 48.5; 9. Cathedral 47.5; 10. Evansville Mater Dei 40.5
Central Indiana champions
Connor Maddox, Westfield, 106
Maddox celebrated with a backflip after he became the first state champion in Westfield history Saturday. The 106-pound grappler defeated Delta freshman Karson Kahalekomo via tech fall, 17-2, to end his sophomore season with an undefeated record of 34-0.
“Every day this summer, just thinking about those two heartbreaking losses here last year, I didn’t want to ever experience that again and just made sure I was ready to go this team,” Maddox said. “Guys are coming in with a game plan … but I know my offense is better than anybody’s defense and I just got to keep coming and they’re not gonna be able to stop me for a whole six minutes.”
Traevon Ducking, Brownsburg, 113
The Brownsburg sophomore captured the state title at 113 after defeating Center Grove sophomore Daniel Brown Jr. via pinfall with 16 seconds left in their match. Ducking said teammate Braylon Reynolds helped him grow in his faith this season, which played a role in him winning a second straight state title. Ducking admitted he got “beat up” during the first period and prayed in silence to help endure through the match. ”All I said was God, please be here with me in this moment and help me achieve my goal,” Ducking recalled. The two-time state champion capped his second season with a 35-4 record and a jump shot celebration after the win.
Case Bell, Brownsburg, 120
Bell (35-3) joined Ducking as a repeat champion after winning the 120-pound state final against Avon sophomore Case Bridge via pin in the first round. This match was special for Bell before the outcome. Bell and Bridge are best friends. The two sophomores have known each other since they were 4 years old. “He’s my brother. If I didn’t win it, I wanted him to win,” Bridge said.
Nathan Rioux, Avon, 132
Rioux went up a weight class this season and still produced the same outcome as last year: a state title. The Avon senior won by decision, 4-0, against Delta junior Jensen Boyd in the 132-pound final, bringing his record to 41-3 on the year. Rioux will wrestle at Purdue this fall and said exiting Saturday with a winner’s medal will help him mentally prepare for college. But as of now, Rioux is most excited about getting “bragging rights” over his brother, Luke, who won a state title at 126 in 2024.
”This means a lot because finally I’m able to one-up my brother and get the bragging rights,” Nathan joked before discussing Luke’s impact. “My brother winning before me motivated me to go out there and get my own title and this year, get another one. It put the fire in me to go get it done.”
Braylon Reynolds, Brownsburg, 144
The Brownsburg junior went down with an ankle injury in the first period of his championship match against Center Grove junior Peyton Hornsby. It seemed Reynolds, who was grimacing in pain, wasn’t going to endure, but he did. The 144-pound grappler came back from a 4-0 deficit and won by decision, 7-4. Reynolds finished the season 40-3.
“It doesn’t matter how you get tested. It’s a matter of who you are when you get tested,” Reynolds said after the match.
Sean Breedlove, Center Grove, 175
Center Grove’s Sean Breedlove ended his junior season with a state title after he defeated Garrett senior Carter Fielden by decision, 12-8. Breedlove’s win clinched the team state title for the Trojans, who .5 points behind Brownsburg entering the 175-pound final.
Michael White, Lawrence North, 190
The Lawrence North senior lost last year’s state final due to “nerves,” he said. They almost caught up to him again Saturday. White was up 16-2 in the second period, one point away from a major decision, before Boonville junior Sam Howard cut White’s lead to 18-14 in the third. But it was too late. The nation’s No. 1-ranked wrestler withstood Howard’s pressure and captured his first state title at 190.
“I put the pace on him, then the pace got put on me,” White said. “I was just really nervous. Being in the moment, I’m in the state finals, and I choked last year because of nerves. This year was a little different. I had God in my favor.”
Other champions:
126: Maximus Quiroz, Chesterton, Jr.
138: Evan Stanley, Lowell, Jr.
150: Clinton Shepherd, Crown Point, Jr.
157: Linkin Carter, Eastside, Sr.
165: Matthew Staples, New Prairie, So.
215: Ceasar Salas, Crown Point, So.
285: Kameron Hazelett, Lowell, So.
Runner ups:
106: Karson Kahalekomo, Delta, Fr.
113: Daniel Brown Jr., Center Grove, So.
120: Case Bridge, Avon, So.
126: Maximus Quiroz, Chesterton, Jr.
132: Jensen Boyd, Delta, Jr.
138: Tylin Thrine, New Castle, Sr.
144: Peyton Hornsby, Center Grove, Jr.
150: Thomas Gibbs, Brownsburg, Sr.
157: Jackson Bradley, Cowan, Sr.
165: Aidan Kincaide, Noblesville, Jr.
175: Carter Fielden, Garrett, Sr.
190: Sam Howard, Boonville, Jr.
215: Hartley Hoover, North Miami, Sr.
285: James Hartleroad, New Prairie, Sr.
Follow Josh Heron on X at @HeronReports for more high school wrestling coverage. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Boys wrestling: State finals recap, results and reactions
Reporting by Joshua Heron, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
