Crown Point curse lives on for Bloomington South's Delaney Ruhlman
It's extremely rare for any wrestler to appear in three straight state championship matches at three different weights.
Unfortunately for Bloomington South's Delaney Ruhlman, each time he has reached the final, one of Crown Point's finest is standing in the way of an elusive title.
Cody Goodwin was not undefeated as Jesse Mendez and Sam Goin had been in 2021 and '22 when Ruhlman competed at 138 and 152 pounds, respectively. (Goin won the 160 title this year, by the way). Goodwin was not even with the team at the Al Smith Classic when Ruhlman became the first Panther to win at the Mishawaka tourney.
But he was there, at 24-4 in the finals across from Ruhlman at 170 pounds Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The sting of the one-point loss to Goin last year was enough to carry Ruhlman, a Purdue signee, through an undefeated season to bring 141 career wins to the mat against Goodwin. It wasn't enough. Goodwin matched up well against Ruhlman and it was scoreless until the final 40 seconds where Goodwin claimed a 2-1 victory.
"Any time you're No. 2 in the state three times in a row, you're still one of the top wrestlers in the state," South coach Mike Runyon said. "We just came up a little short today."
Ruhlman is the first wrestler from Bloomington since North's three-time champ Patrick Cassidy (1993-95) and first Panther since three-time champ Randy May (1974-76) to appear in back-to-back-to-back state championship matches.
Goodwin was one of four Bulldogs to win titles for the team champs (167), who topped Center Grove (131) and Brownsburg (129½). Warren Central was a distant fourth at 43.
"They've got the numbers out," Runyon said of Crown Point. "They're bringing them in up there. Each one of them feels the need to win for the other and when one does, it keeps right on rolling."
South (35) was eighth because it had a second medalist this year — the first time that's happened since three Panthers earned the honor in 2014 — with sophomore Cam Meier (36-6) finishing fourth at 106.
Ruhlman's road to the finals
Ruhlman (40-1), who had won his Friday opener in just 25 seconds, had to go all six minutes in the quarterfinals, topping No. 5 Aiden Costello of Hobart, 7-5. Ruhlman had a 5-0 lead in the second when Costello picked up a reversal. It was 7-2 in the third when Costello got another reversal with 1:16 left then stalling point with 22 seconds left as Ruhlman held on.
It was the most points Ruhlman has given up all year.
"He was a tall, lanky, strong kid," Runyon said. "I think Delaney got a little too rambunctious in warm-ups. He wouldn't calm down. He was running and pacing. I think he half wore himself out before he got out there.
"But then facing the Warren Central kid, he came back to life a little bit and made the finals."
Everything went back to cruise control in his semifinal and a rematch with WC's Anthony Cashman II. Ruhlman pinned him in 3:59 at the Al Smith Classic in December and needed just 1:30 this time to finish him off.
Stalemate early in the final
Goodwin and Ruhlman left the first period scoreless.
"He's a strong kid and matched up with us on strength," Runyon said. "We had a lot of action there. Delaney got in on his legs a couple times, but couldn't finish it off."
Second period was also scoreless and that was not to the benefit of Ruhlman, who started on bottom and simply could not quite get out from under Goodwin to get the point he desperately needed to put some pressure on the Bulldog.
"There were a couple of flurries where it looked like it was coming," Runyon said. "But he grabbed an ankle and a leg and returned Delaney to the mat. He just couldn't get out. Normally, he has no problems getting out."
The third, Ruhlman had no choice but to keep Goodwin on the mat and he did until 35 seconds remained when Goodwin reversed his position. Ruhlman got an escape with five seconds left, just too late to do much more.
Meier takes 4th
Meier followed up his 5-0 win over Fort Wayne Snider's Julianna Ocampo in the opener with another strong win, pinning Crown Point's Logan Haney (23-15) in 3:43. Meier had a 2-1 lead at the time, getting a takedown just 17 seconds in.
That earned him another rematch with No. 4 Nathan Rioux of Avon in the semifinals. Rioux, who had won their Evansville Semistate semifinal 6-1, got a takedown 50 seconds in, and that was it, claiming a 2-0 win. It sent Meier into the third place match.
"(Meier) came out and really wrestled well Friday," Runyon said. "And then he came back Saturday morning and wrestled well. We've had that Avon kid three times and twice it's been a two-point match."
The final belonged to Delta's Ayden Bollinger (42-1) a New Haven Semistate champ in a 14-6 major. He started off with a takedown and two-point nearfall in the first. Still, his lead was only 8-4 after two periods when he finished strong in the third.
"He was ranked ninth and comes out fourth," Runyon said. "That's not too bad. Now, we just have to moving up the ladder. He's got to put in the time this summer and do the work. Then, let's make sure we get to the championship match, let it fly from there and see what happens."
IHSAA STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Top 10 team scores: 1. Crown Point 167; 2. Center Grove 131; 3. Brownsburg 129½; 4. Warren Central 43; 5. New Castle 40; 6. Evansville Mater Dei 37½; 7. Roncalli 36; 8. Bloomington South 35; 9. Avon 33; 10. Delta 30.
Championship results
106: Revin Dickman, Brwnbg (41-5) d. Nathan Rioux, Av (39-6), 3-0. 113: Charlie LaRocca, CG (42-2) d. Jackson Heaston, Ind Crk (36-5), 3-1. 120: Jake Hockaday, Brwnbg (33-4) d. Ashton Jackson, LaPorte (53-1), 6-3. 126: Tylin Thrine, NC (42-0) d. Hyatt Yeager, CG (35-9), 5-3. 132: Joey Buttler, Whiteland (45-0) d. Brady Ison, Brwnbg (29-6), 6-3. 138: Cole Solomey, Kankakee Vly (48-1) d. Reese Courtney, CG (36-9), 6-2. 145: Aiden Torres, Chesterton (52-0) md. Wyatt Krejsa, CG (20-1), 11-2. 152: Bryce Lowery, Ronc (44-0) d. Hunter May, EMD (39-2), 3-1. 160: Sam Goin, CP (39-2) p. Luke Kemper, Evansville Cent (41-3), 1:30. 170: Cody Goodwin, CP (25-4) d. Delaney Ruhlman, BSouth (40-1), 2-1. 182: Orlando Cruz, CP (35-2) d. DeAlcapon Veazy, FW Snider (41-2), 5-4. 195: John Purdy, Castle (44-1) d. Kaden McConnell, CG (40-4), 4-0. 220: Will Clark, CP (38-3) p. Cole Chicoine, McCutcheon (40-4), 1:48. 285: Leighton Jones, Brwnbg (37-5) d. Kelton Farmer, EvMemorial (39-2), 7-2.
Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com or 812-331-4381 and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington South wrestler Delaney Ruhlman short of state championship
