Dylan Tom looks to pin Norwell’s Paul Simerman in Wawasee’s third dual at the IHSWCA Team State Duals in Fort Wayne Saturday. (Photos by James Costello)

FORT WAYNE — Wawasee wrestling took a pretty significant step back from the kinds of finishes it has enjoyed at the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association’s Team State Duals Saturday.

But then again, the Warriors had set the bar pretty high for themselves, claiming the 2A title in 2018 and placing as narrow runners-up last year with a close loss to Western in the final. What concerned head coach Frank Bumgardner more than his team’s 2-2 finish at the 2020 tournament at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne were his wrestlers’ performances.

“I did not think we performed very well today at all. We do need to grow, and we need to progress in our maturity as a wrestler. I think today kind of exploited some of those weaknesses, and this competition will do that,” he explained. “I think we’ve got some guys that are making progression and you see it, but we’ve got some other guys that are not making as much progression and you can see that also. You can just see it in the way that they move, and it just kind of seems like those awkward positions — that’s because we are not in the correct position.”

While the overall picture may not have been sparkling, there were definite bright spots for Bumgardner’s squad, which opened the day with a defeat of Leo (45-22) before dropping two straight duals to Garrett (57-19) and Norwell (46-27), then finishing out with a win over Edgewood (42-25) in the Class 2A seventh-place dual.

Logan Stuckman and Jace Alexander — fresh off respective fifth- and third-place finishes at the Al Smith Invitational last weekend — both went 4-0 on the day at the IHSWCA state duals.

Logan Baugh attempts a takedown of Edgewood’s Jon Burton.

Stuckman battled from a 4-0 deficit versus Leo 113-pounder Spencer Hart with a takedown and a near fall in the third period to clinch a narrow, 7-6 decision in his first match, followed up with a third-period pinfall of Garrett’s Hayden Brady at 106, another pinfall win over Norwell’s Cayden Smithley in just 57 seconds back at ’06 and finished the day with a thrilling, sudden victory, 4-2 decision over Edgewood’s Noah Bengtson via a takedown 27 seconds into the extra period at ’13 to close the day unbeaten.

Alexander was pretty much dominant, benefitting from a forfeit in the dual with Leo and then pinning his way through the rest of the 126-pound field with first-period falls in each of his next three matches. He stuck Garrett’s Chandler Minnich in only 39 seconds, pinned Norwell’s Paul Simerman in 1:27 and rolled Edgweood’s Masen Cornwell on his back in 1:21. He stands with just one defeat on the year at 26-1 following Saturday’s results.

Dylan Tom (12), Tim Shortt (145) and Logan Baugh (170) all collected 3-1 records in Fort Wayne, meanwhile.

“I think those guys performed very well today. It was kind of a carry-over from last week at the Al Smith. Again, I thought they performed very well against tough competition,” said Bumgardner. “It was a very deep tournament, top to bottom. Teams one through 12 are all pretty dang good.”

While it may not have shown in the wins/ losses column, Hunter Miller also showed some good things Saturday. Already a tad undersized at 106 pounds, he won his opener there against Leo’s Sam Ford via sudden victory but lost two straight at ’13 and closed with a disappointing, major decision defeat back at ’06 again.

“Hunter Miller is a kid that is very much overlooked. He’s not a big sixer — he weighs about 106, 108 pounds so he’s not losing any weight — and he’s having to bounce between six and 13,” Bumgardner said. “He is wrestling outstanding right now. He’s giving a ton of effort, and he’s doing what we’re working on, what we’re trying to progress to. Unfortunately it hasn’t come together for him.”

With team state duals now behind it, Wawasee now wrestles in three straight weeknight duals. The Warriors play host to NorthWood in a Northern Lakes Conference and senior night affair at the Hardwood Teepee next Thursday, then travel to Penn the following Tuesday, then return home for a dual opposite South Bend St. Joseph on Thursday, Jan. 16.

“We’ve got to get back, and we’ve got to start progressing quickly because we’ve got a big season coming up here in the postseason. So we’ve got to make some big adjustments real quick,” Bumgardner said.

Hunter MIller locks horns with Edgwood’s Cash Turner.