DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
The Adams Central BAGUBAS won ten of 16 bouts on the day at the Fort Wayne Semi-State and will make a triumphant return to the IHSAA State Finals next weekend after qualifying three wrestlers for the final meet of the season in an outstanding day for coach Tony Currie and his team – highlighted by a semi-state title for Dylan Ogg at 138 pounds.
Becoming the first individual semi-state champ for Adams Central since Blake Heyerly won back in 2022, Ogg defeated Bellmont sophomore Henry Faurote for the third consecutive weekend in the championship bout, this time in dominating fashion in an 11-0 major decision.
The fourth consecutive title won by Ogg, continuing a streak that goes all the way back to the ACAC tournament a month ago, nearly didn’t happen. Ogg faced a fierce battle in the semifinals with Western’s Liam Bumgardner, but managed a 5-4 win to set up the rematch with Faurote.
Two more Jets will join Ogg in Indianapolis, with Brason Schortgen and Maverick Dubach punching their tickets to Gainbridge Fieldhouse by fall and giving the Jets a perfect 3-for-3 start in the ticket round. It appeared the Jets may have a perfect ticket round, but Matt Heiser’s big lead at 175 against Dominic Dunn ended in disaster – with Dunn scoring a fall and joining teammate Drew Waldon at the State Finals.
The Jets lost a heartbreaker to begin the day when Kale Beer was unable to repeat a victory against Kaeden Benedict of Homestead, falling 4-3 to end a great season with 33 victories.
Ethan Funk also dropped out in the first round, falling to eventual semi-state champion Travis Henke of Northridge. A trip to the semi-state at the Coliseum was certainly well-deserved for Funk, who had just three career varsity wins when the season began in December.
The Jets’ toughest and nerviest match of the day came in the very first round at 150. With many expecting Brason Schortgen to be a lock to reach the State Finals, the sophomore found himself worrying Jet fans about a Homestead curse when six minutes ran out against Ian Hutchinson and the score at 0-0 (see below).
Schortgen got a takedown in overtime to keep his season alive, then cruised through the ticket round against Riley Kling of North Miami. (See Gallery Below)
Brason’s win in the opening round was the 80th of his career.
Mav Dubach also had no easy task in the early rounds, wrestling Evan Oglesby of Maconaquah with 41 wins in the ticket round. Dubach found a pair of takedowns in the first period and was cruising when he punched his ticket in the best way possible – a fall in the ticket round.
Dubach was unable to hang with Brock Hagewood of Prairie Heights in the semifinal, but he bounced back to score a third-place finish, knocking off Brian Barrett of Garrett with a 9-7 decision.
After falling to defending state champion Easton Doster in the semis, Schortgen scored the opening takedown against Dallas Davidson of Angola in the third-place match, but the sophomore gave up a takedown in the second and again in the third before giving up the fall.
The performance will only strengthen the program’s hold on the #1 qualifying spot for 1A Team State in 2026. The Jets were already in first place heading into semi-state and few 1A teams will even come close to three underclassmen state qualifiers like the BAGUBAS have.
First Round
126-Kaeden Benedict (Homestead) d. Kale Beer (AC), 4-3
138-Dylan Ogg (AC) p. Brayd Arthur (Oak Hill), 3:09
150-Brason Schortgen (AC) d. Ian Hutchinson (Homestead), 3-0 (OT)
157-Mav Dubach (AC) p. Ian Amstutz (NH), 1:54
175-Matt Heiser (AC) d. Cory Dowden (Tri-Central), 9-3
215-Travis Henke (Northridge) t.f. Ethan Funk (AC), 18-2
Quarterfinals
138-Dylan Ogg (AC) p. Blake Mock (Elkhart), 5:25
150-Brason Schortgen (AC) p. Riley Kling (North Miami), 4:39
157-Mav Dubach (AC) p. Evan Oglesby (Maconaquah), 3:58
175-Dominic Dunn (DeKalb) p. Matt Heiser (AC), 2:42
Semifinals
138-Dylan Ogg (AC) d. Liam Bumgardner (Western), 5-4
150-Easton Doster (New Haven) p. Brason Schortgen (AC), 5:17
157-Brock Hagewood (Prairie Heights) m.d. Mav Dubach (AC), 15-5
Placement Round
138-Dylan Ogg (AC) m.d. Henry Faurote (Bellmont), 11-0
150-Dallas Davidson (Angola) p. Brason Schortgen (AC), 4:32
157-Mav Dubach (AC) d. Brian Barrett (Garrett), 9-7
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