W: Pendleton Heights' Todd has best performance among HHC wrestlers at state finals

Matt Todd of
Pendleton Heights led the way for Hoosier Heritage Conference wrestlers at the
State Finals on Saturday. Todd finished in the runner-up spot at 160lbs. He was
the only one of nine HHC grapplers who competed to reach the championship
match.

Todd started
the tournament by defeating by pinning Trent Busse of Bellmont at 3:20. He then
pinned Kurt Monix of Lowell in just 54 seconds. In the semi-finals, Todd
decisioned Ross Powell of Northridge. That set up a final showdown with Briar
Runyan of Martinsville who decisioned Todd 8-3 for the title.

The other
Todd boy, freshman Mason was a first round casualty. He was decisioned by Brian
Kuhn of Evansville Reitz 14-2. The younger Todd was among three HHC wrestlers
who fell in the first round. Steven Gonzales of Delta fell at 112lbs. to Josh
Julian of Lebanon. In the heavyweight division, Ross Janney of Yorktown fell to
James Travis of Merrillville.

Four other
Yorktown grapplers had larger degrees of success. Kyle Mosier advanced to the semi-finals at
152lbs. before falling to eventual state champion Sean MacMurray of Portage
7-6. The Tigers’ Derek Bevans (119), Andrew Hiestand (126), and Jordan Dulaney
(145) all fell in quarterfinal action.

Antonio
Halbert of New Palestine also fell victim in the quarterfinals. Halbert fell to
eventual champion Billy Baker of Bellmont 15-5.