Cathedral’s wrestling team earns third straight state title
The Cathedral High School wrestling team displays its hardware after winning its third straight team championship in the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s Wrestling State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Feb. 22. (Submitted photo)
By John Shaughnessy
Sean McGinley has always stressed certain key points to his student-athletes in his 20 years as the coach of the wrestling team at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.
McGinley starts with an emphasis on the qualities that he believes will serve his wrestlers during each season and throughout their lives—hard work, dedication and teamwork.
“We want to put these guys in situations where when they get in tough situations later in life, they’ll say, ‘Hey, I’ve been through wrestling, and that was tougher than this.’ ”
He also focuses on getting his team “peaking at the right time.”
“Hopefully, the kids will be ready both physically and mentally when it comes to tournament time. We want to be wrestling our best at the end of the season.”
All those ingredients came together on Feb. 22 when the Cathedral wrestlers won their third straight team championship in the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s Wrestling State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“It’s special to win one—and it’s hard to win one,” says McGinley. “To win three in a row—and to know how hard the kids have worked—makes it even more special.”
A 1988 graduate of Cathedral, McGinley credits the eight seniors on this year’s team for setting the tone for the season: Logan Bailey, Edwin Perez, Holden Parsons, Danny Brady, Garrett Stewart, Jacob Huffman, Tyler Wagner
and Elliott Rodgers.
“They’ve rewritten the history books,” he says. “In their four years, they’ve finished third, and they’ve won three state championships.”
He also praised the contributions of his assistant coaches: Jeff Brown, Brian Seltzer, Mo Gunn, Michael Venezia, Anthony Bill and Tony McGinley.
Cathedral sophomore Zeke Seltzer finished first in the 120-pound weight class while senior Logan Bailey was runner-up in the 138-pound weight class, and senior Elliott Rodgers earned a third-place finish in the 160-pound weight class.
The emotion of winning the championship overflowed for the Cathedral team after senior Holden Parsons won a state title in the final match of the day, in the 285-pound weight class.
“All the kids were down on the floor,” McGinley says. “He won in overtime. All the kids were screaming and jumping up and down for him. Their whole reaction showed how much it meant to them.”
The team from Roncalli High School in Indianapolis placed fifth in the
state finals, led by two state
champions.
Roncalli senior Alec Viduya capped his undefeated season by winning the 145-pound championship while senior Brayden Lowery earned the 126-pound state title. †
