Prior to the 2012-13 season, the IHSAA sanctioned both an individual bracket state tournament - which was unscored - and a dual meet tournament. However, starting with that season, the IHSAA only has an indivudal bracket state tournament, which became scored. With that coming into force, the IHSWCA established the "state duals" as an invitational event.
Unlike the state duals sanctioned by the IHSAA, which was a single class event, the IHSWCA team state duals are held in a classed format (3A, 2A, and 1A). However, in Indiana there is a singificant inequity between the classes, with virtually all the power found in the big-school division.
Friday's Class 3A team state tournament was a most excellent event. It started with four pools of three teams each. The champion in each pool would advance to the semifinals. Winning pools were No. 22 Brownsburg, Perry Meridian, Avon, and Portage.
In the two round-robin dual meets, Brownsburg went 23-5, Perry Meridian went 21-7, while Avon went 19-9. However, Portage was extended to a very tight dual meet with Evansville Mater Dei in order to reach the semifinal, as the Indians won 28-27 with the teams splitting bouts at seven apiece. Interestingly in that dual meet, the defeated squad won all three of the matches decided by two points or less.
The semifinal matches saw Brownsburg take on Portage and Perry Meridian take on Avon. Brownsburg blew Portage out by a 42-9 score, winning eleven matches. Starting at 145 pounds, the first four matches were all close and split by the teams.
No. 7 Brayton Lee (Brownsburg) won the opening match of the dual meet 5-3 over returning state runner-up Kasper McIntosh, while Zach Meyers extended the Bulldogs dual meet lead to 6-0 with a 6-4 decision over Zach Nugent. Drake Guerrero stopped the bleeding with a 7-3 decision over Donny Marcus, and state qualifier Ismael Cornejo tied the dual meet 6-6 with a 2-1 overtime decision at 170 pounds.
Two-time state placer Nathan Walton secured a pin in 1:29 to start a match-sealing nine bout win streak for Brownsburg. Included in that stretch was five Brownsburg wins by three points or less, a pair of which were 1-0 decision victories.
In the opposite semifinal, Perry Meridian won the last three bouts of the dual meet to upend Avon 28-24, a match in which each team won seven weight classes. Starting at 138 pounds, Perry Meridian held an 18-7 lead after six weight classes, keyed by a 4-3 upset victory at 160 pounds; a match in which Christian Warren upended returning state placer Jacob Clark (Avon).
Avon would counter with five consecutive victories to earn a 24-18 lead after 113 pounds, going into the last three bouts. Included in that stretch were decision victories of 2-1, 3-1 in overtime, 4-3 in the ultimate tiebreaker, and a 3-1 win by defending state champion Asa Garcia.
Perry Meridian would win the dual meet's last three bouts, including a winner take all match at 132 pounds. The 120 pound match was a 1-0 victory for state placer Sammy Fair over Camden Chatterton, while the final match at 132 was a 2-1 win for Jack Servies over 2015 state qualifier Mason Miranda.
This would set up a championship match between Brownsburg and Perry Meridian; it should be noted that Brownsburg beat Avon 28-23 in a dual meet two weeks ago, one in which the Bulldogs won eight bouts. As expected, this championship match would be close as well.
Starting at 152 pounds, Perry Meridian opened up a 10-0 lead after three bouts. Included in that were 3-1 and 3-2 decisions after state placer Noah Warren opened the dual with a 12-3 major decision.
Brownsburg countered with their own three match run to take 13-10 lead, which included Isaac McCormick's 3-1 overtime victory at 195 pounds. A 2-1 win for Steven Woolbright at 285 pounds leveled the match for Perry Meridian at 13-13 headed towards the turn for home.
There was a trade of victories at 106 and 113, so the match was tied 16-16 going to the 120 pound showdown, one that two-time state placer Ty Mills won for Brownsburg with a 3-1 decision over Sammy Fair. State placer Blake Mullkey pushed the lead to 23-16 with a 13-2 major decision.
Consecutive decisions for Perry Meridian shrinked the deficit to 23-22, before Brayton Lee wielded the final hammer for Brownsburg securing the pin at 2:34
The third place match saw Avon upend Portage 28-25, as the teams also split the individual matches at seven apiece. Seven of the bouts were decided by three points or less, Avon won four of them.
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