The East Chicago Central Semistate was going to be different for Chesterton sophomore Eli Pokorney.
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“We had a talk with him last week,” Trojans coach Chris Joll said. “And it fixed everything for one week. He did a nice job being on his back, getting off and then putting the hammer to a two-time state qualifier.”
Pokorney’s victory in Saturday’s 220-pound championship match provided the exclamation point on a banner day for Chesterton. The Trojans claimed their first semistate title since 1989.
The win was also redemption for Pokorney, who was pinned in the decisive match of the Crown Point Regional to give the meet championship to the Bulldogs.
But a week later, he was relentless in a 14-6 win over Harrison’s Donnie Crider.
“Last week, I wasn’t on my attacks,” Pokorney said. “I worked with my coaches, and they told me to be confident in my attacks. I like those high-scoring matches where you keep the pace up.”
Three other Chesterton wrestlers — juniors Diego Lemley at 160 and Lucas Davison at 182 and senior Andrew Davison at 195 — finished first.
Joll also praised freshman Danny Tolin, who beat previously unbeaten Colin Reagan of Frontier in the semifinals en route to his runner-up finish at 106.
“If he hadn’t come through, we wouldn’t be here,” Joll said. “I told them coming in that if you win an individual title, it means nothing. But if we work together and win several titles, then we’re going to win as a team. They took that to heart.”
Senior Jack Tolin was the runner-up at 132 for Chesterton, helping the Trojans total a team score of 144.5 to surpass Portage (128.5) and Hobart (88.5).
Hobart had two champions in junior Tylor Triana at 120 and senior Brendan Black at 138, who avenged his regional loss to Portage junior Kris Rumph, who’s ranked No. 3 at 138.
After grabbing a quick 7-0 lead, top-ranked Black ended the match with a 17-1 technical fall victory at 5:51.
“That loss got to me,” Black said. “I had the right mindset. I wrestled at a much faster pace.”
The biggest upset of the day came in the 126-pound semifinals as Merrillville senior Michael DeLaPena knocked off two-time state champion Colton Cummings, a senior from Lowell.
“I knew he was going to come out aggressive, and I like those types of matches,” DeLaPena said. “That opens up my offense. But I have to take my hat off to him. He’s tough. He’s not a two-time state champ for nothing.”
DeLaPena beat Morton sophomore Reese Rodriguez 19-6 in the championship round.
Three other region wrestlers won semistate titles: Portage sophomore Brock Peele at 113, Griffith senior Jeremiah Reitz at 132 and Munster senior Jason Crary at 145.
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.