DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
The new wrestling season will begin with a bang for the South Adams Starfires Tuesday night as they host the Cowan Blackhawks, who boast three returning state qualifiers and a renewed squad, hungry for a spot in the 1A Team State tournament in January.
Both teams feature second-year head coaches who were former state medalists themselves and the similarities don’t stop at school colors.
A few years ago it was the Starfires who were trying to find a way to beat the Blackhawks and get one of the final spots for Team State in the small-school division. This year, it’s the Starfires who are already in and the Blackhawks who would love to come up with a big scalp to open up the season.
As previously mentioned, there are few teams outside of the state’s most elite who can boast of three returning state qualifiers, but that’s exactly what coach Bradley has at Cowan, a school in Delaware County with just 231 students, making South Adams’ total of 357 look rather large.
Jackson Bradley is a three-time medalist and the only mystery involved in his season from now until the ticket round will likely be the weight he chooses as his final destination. Taking fifth place last year at 157, Bradley is listed on the initial Cowan lineup at 150.
Sophomore Ashton Goney is also listed at 150 and either her or Bradley will likely be at 157, pairing up with Wyatt Mann and Eli Loshe. Goney pinned Loshe in last year’s opener at Cowan.
Jacob Unger is also a returner and his initial spot on the roster will come as a surprise to many. Unger drew the eventual state champ, Tommy Gibbs of Brownsburg, last year in the opening round at state at 144. He is listed on the Cowan roster at 126.
The Blackhawks were not just unlucky with Unger’s draw last year, as Goney also drew the eventual state champ at 138, falling to Mater Dei’s Isaiah Schaefer on Friday in Indianapolis in February.
That weight may also be the eventual landing spot for South Adams’ best hope for returning to the State Finals – senior Dakota Sprunger, who has already competed in a Finals as a cross country runner.
The Starfires are crowded in the middle weights and their team hopes may rest on every boy finding a weight that works in a dual setting.
Tune in Tuesday night to hear the action on 92.7 FM or check out our YouTube channel to watch and listen.
Note: Records listed are last year’s varsity records. Those not wrestling in last year’s state tournament are listed with no record.
| Cowan | vs. | South Adams | ||
| Antonio Veiga Lopez, Fr. | 106 | FORFEIT | ||
| Chevy Buis, Jr. | 113 | Brock Sprunger, So. | (21-11) | |
| Dalton Parks, So. | 120 | Max Adams, So. | (29-7) | |
| Jacob Unger, Jr. | (16-9) | 126 | Dakota Sprunger, Sr. | (35-4) |
| Chase Matson, Jr. | 132 | Will Patterson, Jr. | (27-7) | |
| Coltin Cool, So. | 138 | Braxtyn Hough, So. | (15-19) | |
| Lincoln Gick, So. | 144 | Gabe Steiner, Fr. | ||
| Jackson Bradley, Sr. | (35-1) | 150 | Wyatt Mann, Sr. | (28-11) |
| Ashton Goney, So. | (35-5) | 157 | Eli Loshe, Jr. | (16-19) |
| CJ Bynum, Jr. | (13-16) | 165 | Nathan Plattner, Sr. | (22-8) |
| Lars Begstrom, So. | 175 | Nic Brewster, So. | (4-11) | |
| Jack Johnson, Fr. | 190 | Wes Summersett, Jr. | (25-9) | |
| Grayson Walters, Fr. | 215 | Cooper Affolder, Fr. | ||
| Travis Watson, So. | 285 | FORFEIT |
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