DAY TWO COVERAGE
Three wrestlers survived the opening round from our coverage area and they represented their respective schools, conferences and Z-Land well.
Dylan Ogg handed Center Grove a rare loss on the day with a 9-5 win over Marcus Malone in the quarterfinals at 150.
Malone scored the opening takedown, but it was all Ogg after that, as he won his 45th match of the year.
In the semis, Ogg was pinned by Penn State-bound and #1-ranked Clinton Shepherd of Crown Point.
Ogg had the opening takedown against #3 Gunner Butt and led in the dying seconds, but a takedown by Butt at the death gave the New Pal wrestler a 6-4 win in the third-place medal. Dylan’s season end with a fourth-place spot on the podium later Saturday night and a 45-4 record.
Brason Schortgen found little traction in his morning match against Mater Dei’s Camden Baumann, falling into a big hole and eventually succumbing by fall.
Schortgen bounced back, however, and dominated Cameron Sommers in the consolation semis, 7-1.
Schortgen then finished his season in the fifth-place match against Oliver Hallett of Indian Creek.
Brason’s takedown with 14 seconds left in the second period was the difference in the 4-2 bout. The junior finished the tournament in fifth place.
Xavior Palacios took advantage of an early scramble to score the opening takedown, then got a reversal for another lead in the second period, but Colin McMahon dominated the last three minutes of the bout and went on to a 14-6 victory.
The loss dropped Bellmont’s senior 190 to the consolation round, where he met junior Cori Tonte of Franklin Community. Tonte had two takedowns early in the match and a late three pointer by Palacios was not enough to prevent him from dropping to the seventh-place match for the second straight season.
Palacios was never going to allow his season to end with another eighth-place and it was fitting that he ended his career with a fall, pinning Lucas Anderson of Chesterton at the end of the second period with a seventh-place finish and his 157th career victory.
DAY ONE COVERAGE
The Z-Team will update listeners and wrestling fans throughout the day here on our live blog:
Ogg, Schortgen capture first career medals
Adams Central started the Z-Land wrestlers out well with two falls in the first round.
Dylan Ogg pinned Marquell Shelton of Merrillville and Brason Schortgen pinned Charles Barnes of Michigan City, giving the Jets the top spot on the team board for the first hour of the tournament.
Wolpert, Faurote end seasons with first trip to State Finals
Sam Wolpert had the distinction of wrestling #1-ranked and Penn-State bound Clinton Shepherd of Crown Point. Shepherd, a heavy favorite to win the title this season, moved to 35-1 on the year with four takedowns and then a first-period fall, ending Wolpert’s season and career at the State Finals.
Bellmont freshman Charlie Faurote took on Gibson Southern’s Deacon Dressler and ended his freshman year at 33-13 with a tech fall loss.
Palacios gives Bellmont first medal of tournament
Xavior Palacios took care of business with a dominating performance against Camden Funk of Fishers, winning 10-0 to become a two-time medalist for the Braves.
Baker’s fantastic heavyweight career ends at Gainbridge
Grady Baker ended his BHS wrestling career with a tough loss to a very athletic Griffin Osburn of Terre Haute North, 12-1.
Sprunger falls to #1 Verduzco
Despite a third-place finish at semi-state, Dakota Sprunger was forced to wrestle the #1 wrestler in the state in Noel Verduzco in the first round. Vereduzco won 17-0 in the second period.
Faurote falls with controversial takedown
A tough call on a takedown at the end of the second period gave Donald Bowie of Warren Central the only takedown in the match and it was enough to beat Henry Faurote, 5-2.
Valpo’s Reid advances at expense of Myers
Gabe Myers’ great run in the 2026 postseason came to an end with a 10-1 loss to Luke Reid of Valparaiso.
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