It all started out by drawing circles in the sand on an island out in the Indian River Bay.

Inside those circles a precocious young kid named Codey Combs (H.M. @ 152) would take on all-comers to test his wrestling skills against theirs.

It was during those summer times at the beach where Damien Craighton took Combs under his wing and helped to inspire him.

“It didn’t matter if it was a little kid like Codey or a 200-pound Division I wrestler, Codey was there to take on the challenge,” said Craighton, a four-time wrestling state champion at William Penn from 1992 to 1996.

On Thursday night, Combs was honored as The News Journal wrestler of the year at the 47th annual Delaware Wrestling Awards Banquet.

This season, the Sussex Central star became the ninth four-time state champion at the DIAA Individual Wrestling Championships in late February and just the second four-timer from the Henlopen Conference.

Combs, who wrestles at 152 pounds, never gave up a single point in any state championship match throughout his high school career.

“It’s amazing that someone can go to the state tournament and never give up a point,” Central coach Phil Shultie said. “That’s just unbelievable that that would ever, ever, happen.”

Combs is still trying to grasp the wrestler of the year honor.

For Complete Article by Mike Finney, The News Journal