Crown Point’s Gavin Lewis has no intention of slowing down.
Lewis raced ahead of most of his peers during his freshman season, winning a semistate title and placing fifth at state. But he has kept his foot on the pedal.
“It’s all gas, no brakes,” he said. “We’ve got our eyes on the prize, and we have to make sure everyone’s doing their job. If they’re not, that’s on them and on the team.”
That’s the mindset guiding the sophomore 120-pounder, and it’s embraced by a group aiming to state its case as Crown Point’s next wave of championship-worthy wrestlers.
Lewis, who enters this season ranked No. 2 at 120 by IndianaMat, quickly proved he belonged at the high school level last season. He went 31-6 at 113.
“He was competitive right out of the gate,” Crown Point coach Branden Lorek said. “He has a very high wrestling IQ, so he didn’t panic very much.”
Lewis had experienced success before. In April 2022, he finished first at 110 in the 14U division at the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals in Iowa. But entering the competitive wrestling room at Crown Point was still a significant step up for Lewis.
“There’s a difference with everything in the room because your high school years are when it matters the most,” he said. “Middle school was just lollygagging without competing. Now it matters: the hard work, the drilling habits, everything you’re doing.”
Lewis was ready for that challenge, according to Crown Point senior Gavin Jendreas, an Indiana commit.
“He’s a pretty competitive person by nature, and he really, truly enjoys the sport,” Jendreas said. “Wrestling is his favorite thing to do, and he has a lot of fun with it. When you combine that with someone who’s competitive and wants to be the best at whatever they do, it’s an automatic recipe for success.”
Lewis’ freshman season was not without struggles, mostly having to do with cutting weight. He couldn’t recall exactly how much weight he had to lose to reach 113, but he expressed some relief about moving up to 120 this season.
“It was a little tough with the weight management,” Lewis said. “But I adjusted. You just have to do all of the right things — hop on a diet plan, do the extra workouts — just make sure you’re getting it done for the team and yourself.”
Getting the job done is a common goal among the Bulldogs, who finished third in the state last season after winning back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023. As Lorek pointed out, most of the wrestlers responsible for those team titles are gone.
“Most of the guys on the team now weren’t part of that,” Lorek said. “Last season’s team was carrying a lot from the previous seasons that wasn’t necessarily theirs to carry. It’s a new team this year, and they have to go out and prove it. They’re going to make their own legacy and their own name.”
Lewis said his aggressive approach includes countless hours watching clips of college and Olympic wrestling.
“Watching that, it builds into your style and the things you do,” he said. “I’m looking at everything — their setups, their motions, how they’re shooting — trying to see how I can add it into my backpack. You can’t win matches if you’re not opening up attacks, and I didn’t shoot a ton last year, so you’re probably going to see a lot of it this year.”
Lewis said the Bulldogs will keep the throttle down at practices all season as they drive toward the state meet.
“We have to be outworking every other team,” he said. “And no cheating because that plays a factor. It’s about doing all of the right things in the room — and outside of the room.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
