Griffith senior claims fourth state championship
HANK LOWENKRON
INDIANAPOLIS – Seniors Angel Escobedo of Griffith and Reece Humphrey of Lawrence North claimed positions in Indiana high school wrestling’s history book Saturday night.
Escobedo, who plans to wrestle for Indiana next season, became the seventh wrestler in state history to win four individual championships with three victories Saturday in 135-pound competition. He completed his run by overpowering Portage’s Mike Leucuta 18-6 in the title match at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Earlier, Humphrey became the state’s 22nd three-time individual champion by defeating Andrew Howe of Hanover Central 5-1 in a 130-pound showdown between two undefeated wrestlers.
“It’s the best feeling ever, “said Escobedo, who moved into third place on Indiana’s all-time individual match victory list with quarterfinal, semifinal and championship matches.
Two other 2004 champions claimed their second state title as the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s 67th annual title meet concluded before 10,783 fans.
Escobedo allowed his challenger to escape several times and then scored with takedowns. “That’s what I like to do, take a guy down, cut him and break him down, “he said.
Escobedo defeated Michael Albert of Lawrence North 21-9 in the quarterfinal round and then pinned Blake Kenny of Indianapolis North Central just 90 seconds into their semifinal match.
Escobedo, who won at 112 pounds as a freshman, 125 as a sophomore and 130 last year, moved past Mac Taylor of New Castle on the all-time list with 223 wins and one loss. Only former Griffith teammates Alex Tsirtsis and Andrae Hernandez ended their high school career’s with more victories than Escobedo.
Tsirtsis, who never lost a match in winning four state titles, heads the list with 236 and Hernandez finished his career at 229-5 last year.
“The first championship was definitely the sweetest, “said Humphrey (48-0), who had to overcome a tear in his right leg suffered in semistate competition the previous week. “I just had to stay solid and score whenever their was an opportunity.”
Earlier, Humphrey defeated Merrillville sophomore Jamal Lawrence 7-2 in the quarterfinals and then ousted Matt Irwin of Bellmont 6-0 in a rematch of last year’s 125-pound finalists.
In a 145-pound semifinal match of undefeated wrestlers, Bloomington South’s Kurt Kinser pinned Thomas Jefferson of Lawrence North at the 4:35 mark. Kinser (49-1) then dropped a 4-0 decision to Merrillville junior Wesley English (41-1).
Senior Matt Coughlin of Evansville Mater Dei won the 152-pound championship for a second consecutive year in his fourth straight trip to a title match. A runner-up as a freshman and sophomore, Coughlin (42-0) pinned junior Bryan Deutsch of Columbia City (42-1) at the 1:47 mark in the title match.
In another title match, Hobart freshman Eric Galka (47-0) edged senior Justin LaFlower of Indian Creek (48-1) 1-0 at 103-pounds. Only five seconds remained in the regulation six-minute match when the champion managed to escape LaFlower’s grasp.
Beech Grove sophomore Ethan Harris (42-0) beat Jacob Wise 6-2 for 112-pound championship honors and Anthony Williams (46-2) needed overtime to get past Aaron Sessa of Lake Central 3-1 at 119 pounds.
Carmel senior Scott Kelly (46-0) also needed overtime to decision previously undefeated Alexander Warren (35-1) of Mooresville 9-7. And Bloomington South’s Pat Young claimed the 160-pound championship 4-3 in double overtime.
In another title match between undefeated wrestlers, Orrin Kleinhenz of Columbus North (49-0) defeated Kenneth Caldwell of Union County 11-5 at 189 pounds. At the end of the meet, Caldwell became the first student-athlete in his school’s history to receive an IHSAA mental attitude award.
In the night’s final match, Winamac’s Christopher Kasten added the 275-pound championship to the 215-pound crown he won last year. Kasten edged Merrillville’s Dexter Lanimore 3-2 in the title match.
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