INDIANAPOLIS, IN—Zach Kenney and the Griffith High School Wrestling team went to the Indiana High School Athletic Association [IHSAA] Wrestling State Competition hosted at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on February 20-21. 

Senior Zach Kenney competed in the IHSAA Two-Time State Qualifier to win the entirety of state. Kenney qualified for state his junior year and is also the first two-time qualifier in about ten years. He was in line with 224 other wrestlers from multiple schools across Indiana.  

First period of the match was even, both Kenney and the other player were 0-0. The other player made a reversal by moving from the bottom to the top position, gaining control over Kenney. About 20 seconds into the last period, Kenney performed a sit-down move, where he pushed back into the opponent with his shoulders while sealing off his sides, but got caught on the back by the other competitor. Although he lost the match, he still believes it was a good one and that he tried hard “Yeah, it was definitely a good match, me and him wrestled a month before that and it was the same things back and forth,” Kenney said.  

Kenny’s ranks second in semi-state and ninth in state, with an overall season record of 34-6 and 115-29 career record. 

Kenny’s teammates, friends and family went to state to support him, giving him the confidence that he needed. Kenney’s teammate, Nicholas Grahovac, expressed his excitement for his fellow player, stating “I went to support Zach and of course it makes me feel included, but it doesn’t make me feel any different than anybody else on the team.”

Although it is his senior year, Kenney still plans to wrestle outside of high school and as a potential future career. “Yeah, I’ll be wrestling in college for sure, I just haven’t decided where yet,” Kenney said.