Boys
Alabama – 3
Alaska – 2
Arizona – 4
California – 1
Colorado – 4
Connecticut – 4
Delaware – 1
Florida – 3
Georgia – 5
Hawaii – 1
Idaho – 4
Illinois – 2
Indiana – 1
Iowa – 3
Kansas – 4
Kentucky – 1
Louisiana – 3
Maine – 3
Maryland – 2
Massachusetts – 3
Michigan – 4
Minnesota – 3
Missouri – 4
Montana – 3

Nebraska – 4
Nevada – 3
New Hampshire – 2
New Jersey – 1
New Mexico – 3
New York – 2
North Carolina – 3
North Dakota – 2
Ohio – 3
Oklahoma – 4
Oregon – 3
Pennsylvania – 2
Rhode Island – 1
South Carolina – 3
South Dakota – 2
Tennessee – 2
Texas – 1
Utah – 5
Vermont – 1
Virginia – 3
Washington – 5
West Virginia – 2
Wisconsin – 3
Wyoming – 3

Girls

Hawaii – 1
Texas – 1
Washington – 1

Wednesday evening, right around the time that the New York Yankees were surging to a 2-0 Game 6 lead by virtue of a Hideki Matsui home run, Lighthouse Wrestling was in the process of getting it confirmed that two-time defending CHSAA Catholic State/2008 NYS DI champion Andrew Lenzi had indeed officially come off of the market.

Responding to a Facebook message left for him, the two-time NYS finalist confirmed that earlier in the evening, he had contacted the University of Pennsylvania’s head wrestling coach, Rob Eiter, to inform him that he had decided to make the Philadelphia-based campus his home away from home for the next four years (commencing in the fall of 2010).

Lenzi becomes the first recruit from the current senior class to formally announce his intentions to join the Quakers.

A household name in New York since 2006 when he won the schoolboy state title in impressive fashion, teching nearly all of his opponents, the future student-athlete at the famed Wharton School of Business, has found himself on everybody’s radar ever since.

Electing to concentrate on the academic adjustment that accompanies matriculation at a top-flight college preparatory school in 2007, Lenzi and his family made the decision to forego the rigors of weight cutting. However, despite being pitted against physically more mature upperclassmen, the Ram wrestler compiled a more than respectable freshmen campaign, culminating with a third-place finish at the Catholic state tournament (CHSAA qualifier for the NYS tournament).

As a sophomore, Lenzi would distinguish himself as a true contender for the federation hardware at the Eastern States Tournament (considered by some to be a tougher tournament to win than the NYS title because it includes wrestlers from both divisions). Seeded 12th, Lenzi would go on to win his first four matches, including a 10-4 decision over top-seeded Brian Benton (currently at George Mason University), before bowing out in the finals to Dom Oddo. This would be a loss that Lenzi would study and learn from, avenging the defeat several weeks later in the quarterfinals of the state tournament�.a 14-5 major decision over Brandan McKeown in the semifinals would set the stage for a rematch with Benton, with the victor not only going the spoils, but claiming the 130-pound state crown as well. And, again, it would be the representative from the Catholic League that got his arm raised, emerging with the 5-3 decision. The win made Lenzi the first wrestler from the CHSAA to earn the top step on the podium since 2000 When St. Anthony’s Lucas Magnani (wrestled for Brown University and the University of Iowa) won the title as a sophomore. Lenzi would be an emphatic exclamation point on 2008, earning All-American honors at the NHSCA Sophomore National tournament, finishing sixth at 135-pounds.

Lenzi, rated as the No. 8 senior in the Empire State’s 2010 class, would wrestle his way back onto center state last season, winning his first three matches in Albany (including a thrilling 6-5 decision over former 2x NYS champion/Current Harvard freshman Paul Liguori). However, unlike his magical sophomore season, the future Quaker would have to watch as his opponent, Rocky Point’s Stephen Dutton (No. 3 senior in NYS; Verbal commitment to Lehigh University) would go on to get his first taste of glory, knocking the defending champion from his throne via a 10-1 major decision.

Now, just a month or so away from the beginning of his swan song, those of us who have chatted with Lenzi know how hungry he is to return to the top of the mountain. Should the FP captain succeed in his mission to recapture the gold, he will have made history, becoming the first wrestler from the Catholic League to win multiple state crowns. In doing so, he will immediately join the likes of the aforementioned Magnani in the discussion of the greatest wrestler in CHSAA history.

Projected as a 141-pounder on the next level, Lenzi chose the University of Pennsylvania over Ivy League rivals Columbia University, Harvard University, and Princeton University. When asked about the deciding factors, the two-time CHSAA State Most Outstanding Wrestler cited the quality of the coaching staff, saying “Coach Eiter and Coach Valenti are really good guys and really good coaches. I believe I will be able to achieve all of my goals under them. They are the type of people that would do anything for me or any other member on the team to help them achieve their goals.” Lenzi also spoke very highly of the camaraderie that he experienced during his visit to the campus, talking in detail about how he was impressed with the fact that all of the team members are friends off of the mat as well. To conclude, Lenzi commented about life after wrestling and how he felt the strength of the academics (especially the Business program) were ideal for him, saying “Wharton is the No. 1 business school in the nation. It will provide me with the opportunity to be most successful after my career on the mat is finished.”

With the addition of former two-time NCAA champion Matt Valenti to the UPenn coaching staff, coupled with the return of incumbent starter Bryan Ortenzio (133) and former blue-chip recruits Dan White and Zack Kemmerer, there should be no shortage of quality workout partners to reach the fullest extent of his potential.

On behalf of everyone at LHW, we offer our sincerest congratulations to Andrew and his family on this big moment. Coach Eiter is getting a great young man!!!

Since winning a state wrestling championship in March as a sophomore, Lenzi hasn’t taken much time to reflect on his accomplishment.

Although he was the first wrestler from Fordham Prep – or any other New York City school – to win a state championship, the aggressive 16-year-old remains hawkish, almost to a fault.

During a match on Saturday, Lenzi built up a 4-1 lead over his opponent in the King of the Mountain tournament at Central Mountain HS in Mill Hall, Pa.

Rather than protect the lead by adopting a more defensive posture, Lenzi went for the kill and attempted an attack that backfired and cost him five points. Lenzi, the top seed at 135 pounds, lost the semifinal, 7-6, and spent a moment after the match contemplating whether he should have been more careful.

“Being aggressive in that moment kind of hurt me,” he said a day after the loss. “I took a shot at getting more points even though I didn’t need to, but I’m not going to change my approach. I’m an aggressive wrestler, and having that mindset is what’s gotten me to this point. I’m always looking to dominate.”

Lenzi may be learning to measure his combativeness, but his success so far has been anything but intermittent. For his achievement on the mats in 2008, the Daily News has named Lenzi the Bronx Sports Person of the Year.

His quarterfinal win on Friday, the opening day of the King of the Mountain tournament, was the 100th victory of his high school varsity career. It’s a milestone that is all the more impressive because of the speed with which he reached it.

“It’s a defining moment in my career,” he said. “I’m proud of the accomplishment. I know it’s a cliché, but matches are won and lost in training, and I’ve worked hard to get to this point.”

So when Bailey, a three-time Missouri wrestling state champion, was injured recently at the beginning of his senior season, he had a hard time just killing time at Oak Park High School wrestling practices.

Surely, he thought, there had to be something for one of the top wrestlers in the state to do while his teammates worked on their takedowns and escapes.

“I said ‘heck, help us coach,’ ” Oak Park wrestling coach Tim Rupp said. “He started helping coach when he was injured and it has just gone from there.”

Now, Bailey is healthy, back on the mat and dominating opponents again. But he’s still keeping up with his duties as an unofficial coach for the Northmen.

During a recent Saturday at the Midwest Wrestling Classic at the KCI Expo Center, Bailey was stationed next to Oak Park assistant coaches, shouting instructions at some of the younger Northmen wrestlers. He did this prior to his championship match.

“It almost motivates me more,” Bailey said of his leadership role. “I have more to do. Not only do I have to worry about myself, but I have to make sure all the other guys are working hard, too.”

Bailey says he has always had the type of personality to offer advice to other wrestlers — when they asked for it.

This season though, with Bailey being a team captain and the Oak Park wrestling team being as young as it is, the timing of his increased leadership role seems to be perfect.

Oak Park has been one of the elite wrestling programs in the nation the last few years. But with the departure of coach Gary Mayabb to take the job at Staley High School and graduation of a laundry list of state champions, Rupp knew it would be vital to have people around who knew exactly the meaning of the Northmen’s tradition.

Two former state champions are part of Rupp’s coaching staff, and Bailey is the core link among the wrestlers.

“As far as coaches, I wanted people around me that the Oak Park tradition was important to as well,” Rupp said.

As for how the other wrestlers handle taking coaching from Bailey, who is just a year or two older than them, it seems to be all positive.

“In a lot of ways, they will listen more to him than they will to any of the coaches. He’s out on the mat just like they are,” Rupp said. “That’s just the nature of team sports. There are a lot of instances where the younger guys will listen more to them than they will Coach.

“For the younger guys, when someone like Mac takes an interest in them, that’s a huge motivator for them.”

Bailey, to some extent, had some of the same mentors when he was starting out in the high school ranks. Wrestlers such as Scott O’Donnell and older brother Zack Bailey — both Missouri four-time state champions — provided tips to Mac when he was wrestling and in practice.

But they never were seated at the corner of the mat in a coaching role, as Mac often is.

“My brother, all of those guys, they were at every match,” Bailey said. “They were always telling me what I needed to do to get better.”

So now, in a way, it’s Bailey’s turn to pay it forward.

“I like to see my team win and also a lot of the guys look up to me,” he said. “The guys seem to wrestle better when I’m there.”

To reach Cole Young, sports reporter for The Star, call 816-234-5912 or send e-mail to ceyoung@kcstar.com

By Zak Keefer

zkeefer@greenfieldreporter.com

FORTVILLE – When you reach one of the major goals you’ve set out for your high school career as a sophomore, a little reshuffling is in order.

Now, when you ask Mt. Vernon’s Jake McCarthy what he wants to accomplish come this February in the state wrestling tournament, his answer comes a little bit differently than how it would have a year ago at this time.

“This year, I don’t want to just make it to state, I want to make it on the podium,” he says. “That’s my goal and that’s what I’ve been working hard for.”

As he enters his junior campaign, the challenges will undoubtedly be there.

McCarthy, the lone MV qualifier for last year’s state finals, has moved up two weight classes for this year’s season, from 103 to 119 lbs. He said he’s ready for the jump.

Now, as a junior, he’s looked at as one of the leaders of this year’s Marauder team.

But most important, no matter how good of a season he has, if he fails to make it to state, the year will likely go down as a disappointment. Such is the trade-off of having such high pre-season expectations.

“We have a bunch of different leaders out here on this team,” he said before practice began Wednesday. “I try to lead by example—my work ethic, the time I put in during the summer trying to get better.”

His coach, Jason Smith, has seen a distinct change from the sophomore he knew last season.

“He’s really matured from last season and into this one,” Smith said. “He’s a lot stronger. He worked all summer long and his goal this year is to make it on that podium at state. That’s what his motivation is this year.”

McCarthy finished his sophomore campaign with a 29-13 record. He finished as runner-up in both the Shelbyville sectional and Perry Meridian regional, then placed fourth at the New Castle semi-state, earning a ticket to his first state finals.

He fell 4-0 in the state quarterfinals at Conseco Fieldhouse to Jay County’s Casey Kenney, the eventual state runner-up.

Smith cites McCarthy, whose father Mike is an assistant for the Marauders, as one of the team’s silent leaders.

“He leads by example through his actions,” Smith said. “Whenever you become an upperclassmen you seem to wrestle with more confidence.

“Jake’s already had a good amount of success so we hope he can build on that.”

Smith added that he didn’t think the weight class jump would deter McCarthy in the slightest.

He does, after all, face bigger teammates every day in practice.

“I think 119 is going to be good for him,” Smith said. “His body has matured and he’s getting stronger. It’s really only a couple of weights up and he wrestled guys at that weight all summer long.”

The MV coach said that McCarthy was just one of a handful of key returners this season for the Marauders. Add senior Logan Howard (125), junior Joal Mogollon (130) and junior Josh Williams (135) all to that list.

“These guys have wrestled together for a lot of years and I’m looking forward to coaching them all the way this year,” Smith said.

He added that there are a few that may surprise some people this season— wrestlers entering the year off the radar that have a very good chance at turning some heads.

“Two guys I foresee making a huge impact are Cody Morgan and Sam Balbach,” he said.

Morgan, a sophomore filling McCarthy’s shoes at the 103 spot, and Balbach, a sophomore at the 215 position, are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of weight but will be key components if the Marauders are to attain their goal of a sectional title.

“Everyone wants to win,” Smith said, who added that he’s got the Jan. 6 meeting with Bloomington South circled on his calendar.

Smith, a South alumna, has yet to beat his high school coach Royce Deckard head-to-head.

“They always have an extremely good team,” Smith said. “And I haven’t been able to beat my mentor yet. I wouldn’t mind doing that this year.”

MV’s success will likely start with how McCarthy does as he transitions to the bigger weight class. He urged that despite however difficult it may be, he’s going to stick at 119.

Smith has faith in his leader.

“Everyone got better this summer,” Smith added. “Jake got extremely better.”

This past July he wrestled at 152 pounds with Team Illinois during the USAWrestling Freestyle Junior Nationals in Okalhoma City, Ok. This was his second time wrestling with the Illinois Junior Dual Team; in July of last year as a Cadet he wrestled up in age at 135 pounds going 6-0 in a very competitive weight class and was named to the all-tournament team. This year Team Illinois achieved a remarkable third consecutive Freestyle National Championship, making them the first team to ever accomplish this three-peat in the history of the tournament.

Individually, this spring Munster participated in the FILA Cadet National Championships in Arkron, Ohio at 152 lbs. where he brought home a bronze metal with a 3rd Place finish. In freestyle wrestling a competitor must qualify to compete, so Munster participated in the Illinois Freestyle State Tournament held in Danville, Illinois. Munster dominated a very competitive 152 lbs. weight class in winning the State Championship, qualifying for the National tournament held in July. At the USA Wrestling Freestyle Junior Nationals held in Fargo, ND Munster was one of the younger competitors competing in this tournament at the 152 lbs weight division. This weight division was one of the largest of the tournament with 96 competitors representing 32 different states. During the tournament, Munster wrestled 11 matches, reeling off 9 straight victories, and placing 4th overall. This finish earned Munster All-American status.

Munster is in his junior year of high school and currently ranked number 2 in the nation at 152lbs by W.I.N. magazine. Ryan Geist of Grant High School coaches Munster. At a club level, Munster trains in the off-season at the Overtime School of Wrestling, and is coached by Sean Bormet. Munster is projected to wrestle 165/174 in college.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments Lee maintains above a 4.0/A=4 GPA. He keeps himself busy hanging out with his friends and family; he enjoys water sports, fishing, snowboarding, and learning guitar. His family has supported him throughout his competitions and is looking forward to being able to watch him wrestle for Northwestern. Grandpa Munster is his most loyal fan and has logged many miles to attend tournaments and routinely drives him to and from Naperville for practices. His greatest hope is for Lee to win an NCAA wrestling championship for Northwestern.

Lee states: “I have been thinking about the future for quite a while. It has been my goal to wrestle at the collegiate level and to attend a university with challenging academics as well as a successful wrestling program that is not too far from my home. Northwestern U fits my needs and goals perfectly, I am ready and very happy to commit to the next level at this point in my life. I am honored to be able to have the opportunity to wrestle at Northwestern U and look forward to working with the team and Coaches Cysewski and Pariano. Meantime, I can focus on finishing with a successful high school career and am proud to be a future WILDCAT!”

http://illinoismatmen.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18894

Striding down the sprawling fairways of the Pelham Bay Golf Course on Friday, Andrew Lenzi, Fordham Prep’s 15-year-old boy wonder, was finally at peace.

He wasn’t restless, like he was on the first day of the state wrestling championships on March 8. He wasn’t sleepy-headed, as he was for his first match because his nerves kept him up the night before.

Speaking from his cell phone during a golf break, Lenzi struck a reflective tone. He made history on March 9 when he defeated Brian Benton (Amsterdam), 5-3, in the 130-pound division I championship at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester.

It was the first time a wrestler from Fordham Prep – or any New York City school -had won a state championship. It was just the third time a wrestler from the CHSAA had ever won a state title, according to Fordham Prep athletic director Bob McLaughlin.

Lenzi is known for his tenacious drive and stoicism, but he allowed himself to acknowledge the significance of what he had done.

“It’s what I’ve been training for my whole life,” Lenzi said. “This is what I was dreaming about. I couldn’t believe it. All the long hours and hard work finally paid off. I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment.”

His achievement is splashed across Fordham Prep’s Web site. He was honored, along with state swimming champion Matt Krey, at a winter sports assembly on Monday.

In just two years, Lenzi, now a junior, has quickly built a reputation as a precocious talent.

He works out at the rigorous Iowa Style Wrestling Club in Millwood, N.Y., run by John Degl, a 1991 state titlist out of Mahopac.

David Obiesie, Lenzi’s coach at Fordham Prep, spoke of the sense of fear that seems to permeate every tournament he enters. Lenzi was 47-2 this season.

“I’ve seen it happen – that people see his name on his warm-up suit during weigh-ins and they say, ‘Oh, it’s Andrew,’ ” Obiesie said. “People fear him. They drop out of his weight class because they don’t want to face him.”

As a freshman, two years ago, Lenzi stalked off the mat in frustration after losing to a junior wrestler in the state Catholic championships. He was upset at finishing third.

After a sluggish first round against Brian Guilfoyle (Corning-IV) at the New York State champion-ships, Lenzi went back to his hotel to rest. He’d had trouble sleeping the night before, and the break did him some good.

Lenzi won his second round match, 4-1, against Dom Oddo (Mahopac), the same wrestler whose defensive style frustrated him in the final of the Eastern States at Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.; Lenzi placed second in that prestigious tournament, defeating several higher-ranked wrestlers along the way.

“His maturity, his level of discipline, his dedication to the sport, the fact that he’s willing to learn, is amazing,” Obiesie said. “No matter what he does, if he decides to go to the Olympics or open his own business after school, he’ll do well because he pushes himself. His level of determination is incredible.”

The Eagles’ two-time PIAA Class AA place-winner (second as a sophomore; third as a junior) said, “I had strong connections with the three coaches and it was a really tough decision. When I told the Penn and Cornell coaches that I chose Virginia, I kind of felt bad.”
Fausey began narrowing his college choices once he returned from Fargo, N.D., last summer, where he placed sixth at 189 pounds in the Junior and Cadet National Freestyle Tournament, earning All-America status.
“I got it down to 10 and it was still a little rough and then I finally got it down to five because I was only allowed five official visits,” he said, noting that, in addition to the final three, the others were Lehigh and Maryland.
He took visits only to Cornell, Penn and Virginia. Fausey, who will join former Line Mountain wrestler and two-time state champion Kellon Balum in Charlottesville, said the latter had no influence on his decision. He said he and Balum have talked about colleges since the latter was a high school sophomore, but when they talked during his visit to Virginia, they talked about things that friends would normally talk about.
“He never tried to influence me. I was always around his parents (Lon and Elaine Balum) and neither of them ever tried to influence me. They always said they wanted the decision to be up to me,” Fausey added.
Fausey said he had thought he would redshirt his first year, but the coaches have told him they would like him to wrestle off for a starting spot next season at 184 pounds.
“I thought maybe I would like a year to develop, but I think if I have a pretty good offseason and do the right things and start training and get a lot of tips from the coaches, that I will be ready to go. I guess that’s the plan right now,” he said.
Fausey said the early decision was typical of the way he handles his life.
“I’m the type of person that likes getting things taken care of and out of the way, and that’s what happened,” he said. “If I really wasn’t sure of a school or really wasn’t recruited hard and wanted to show myself my senior year, maybe I would have waited. But the opportunity came up and it happened,” said Fausey, son of Ray Fausey.
“It does take the pressure off for my senior year. I wouldn’t have wanted to do this during my senior year of wrestling, getting phone calls all the time. I had some nights when I’d been on the phone for a couple hours and it got to be 9:30 or 10 and I didn’t get my homework started. It was overwhelming at times, and really frustrating.”
Now he can concentrate on his goal of winning a state championship. “I’m focused on getting healthy, but I have the same mind set going into the season — getting into the practice room every day, improving and getting stronger and making myself a better wrestler, and going into the postseason looking to win states,” he said.
“And having fun,” he added. “That’s a big part of it, too.”
Fausey had surgery this week for a torn meniscus, which sidelined him from football, a sport in which he was an all-state linebacker. He will not play again during the regular season, but has not ruled out a return in the playoffs.
He returns to the doctor in two and a half weeks and, if he is cleared and told that he would not do further damage to the knee by playing football, then he would like to play for the Eagles if they make the District 4 Class A playoffs.
As for college, Fausey plans to major in pre-med and plans to either pursue a career as a physician or a physician’s assistant.
He becomes the second Fausey brother to wrestle in college. His older brother, Shawn, also a former state runner-up at Line Mountain, will be a sophomore at Drexel this season. He missed most of last season with a broken ankle sustained while wrestling in last year’s Penn State Open.
Jon said there is a slight chance that he and Shawn could meet on the mat sometime during their careers, but it would likely be in the NCAA Tournament, because Drexel and Virginia are not scheduled to meet in any duels or tournaments.

FARGO, N.D. – There were no significant upsets during the first session at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Greco-Roman Nationals at the FargoDome on Sunday.

In action on Sunday was Max Nowry of Illinois (105), a returning double champion who won both styles at the Junior Nationals last year. The other eligible returning double champion, David Taylor of Ohio, is not entered in Greco-Roman this year.

Nowry opened with a 5-0, 4-1 win over Blayne Shockley of Missouri.

In addition to Nowry, a returning 2007 Junior National Greco-Roman champion competing this weekend is Kendrick Sanders of Florida (140). Also competing are 2006 Junior National Greco-Roman champion Nathan Furches of Kansas (112), Justin Forrest of Missouri (119) and Eric Grajales of Florida (130). All emerged from the morning session undefeated.

All three 2007 Junior runners-up in the field were also unbeaten in the session, Cody Pack of California (112), Alec Ortiz of Oregon (160) and Tyrell Fortune of Oregon (215).

There were a number of past Cadet Nationals champions in the field today who also were unbeaten in the morning session. These included Alan Waters of Missouri (112), Ellis Coleman of Illinois (130), Andrew Alton of Pennsylvania (140), Carson Fields of Georgia (140), Dirk Cowburn of Pennsylvania (152), Joel Bauman of Minnesota (160), Ethen Lofthouse of Utah (171) and Kyle Caylor of Kansas (215).

Fields scored two pins in the session, stopping Bill Borseth of Iowa and David Calhoun of Florida.

A Cadet National champion who lost a bout in the morning session was Kyle Detmer of Kansas (152), who fell in the second round to Jonathan Urango of California, 2-2, 6-0, 0-4.

Andrew Alton won two matches in the session, as did his twin brother Dylan, who was a Cadet National runner-up last year and is competing at 135 pounds this year. Both Alton brothers had one pin and one technical fall in the session.

2008 FILA Junior National freestyle champion Logan Stieber of Ohio (119), who was also a Cadet National freestyle champion last year, is also in the field. He won his first two bouts, one by pin and the other by technical fall.

This year, the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Greco-Roman Nationals included 790 athletes, representing 44 states and Puerto Rico.

FARGO, N.D. – Something magical happens when the Alton brothers step on the mat at the Fargo Dome.

Pennyslvania twins Dylan and Andrew Alton did plenty of damage last year in this building and they are back for more this year.

Andrew was a double Cadet Nationals champion in 2007, winning titles in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. Dylan also won a Cadet Nationals title in Greco-Roman and placed second in freestyle.

This year, the twins have moved up to the Junior Nationals division with Andrew competing at 140 pounds and Dylan wrestling at 135.

Dylan breezed through his first match early Sunday morning in Greco-Roman.

“It was good to get that first one of the way,” Dylan said. “This is a great tournament to compete in. I love testing myself against some of the best guys in the country. This is as tough as it gets for kids like me who are in high school.”

Dylan’s success in Greco-Roman is impressive when you consider what he focuses on in practice.

“I like freestyle better – I don’t really train at all in Greco,” he said. “I wasn’t going to wrestle Greco this year, but my brother was going to compete in Greco so I figured I would just do it too.”

Dylan said he and his twin brother, who are both 17 years old, push each other in workouts.

“Sometimes we get in brawls and mix it up a little bit,” he said. “But it really helps a lot, having someone to train with all the time. You don’t ever have to go looking for a training partner.”

Wrestling is a family sport and it is common for younger brothers of successful wrestlers to carry on tradition on the mat. Growing up around wrestling often gives the little brother an edge in their own athletic career.

On the flip side, there is often additional pressure on young athletes who are trying to follow in their brother’s footsteps.

Competing in his first Cadet National Championships in Fargo this weekend is Mark Grey of New Jersey. If you remember the name, it is because his older brother Mike has been in the wrestling news for many years.

Mike Grey became the first wrestler to win four New Jersey state high school titles. He was a Junior National freestyle champion after his junior year. Last year as a freshman, Mike was an All-American for Cornell.

In his own right, Mark has won numerous USA Wrestling Kids national titles, and made a big step this spring by winning a title at the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron. In spite of having come to Fargo to watch his brother, this is Mark’s first time competing in the FargoDome as a first-year Cadet. His debut came today in Greco-Roman.

John Grey, Jr., who is a brother older than both Mike and Mark, is one of New Jersey’s coaches and state leaders. He has helped Mark throughout his career, and will be in his corner as he seeks to make his name here in Fargo. Mark’s career began at the age of four as he followed his brother Mike to wrestling events.

“He has always enjoyed the sport, and is eager to learn new stuff,” said John Grey, Jr. “He likes this kind of wrestling more, even at a young age. He likes doing freestyle and Greco-Roman.”

Older brother John understands that it isn’t easy being the kid brother in a wrestling family, but is proud of how well Mark has done handling the pressures.

“He is different from Mike. He has different goals within wrestling. Mike wanted to be the first four-time state champion. Mark wants to win Fargo in both styles and wants to win the Olympics. His goals are more with the international styles,” said John Grey.

Mark admitted to his parents today that he was a little nervous, even though he had been to Fargo to see Mike wrestle in the past. John said his brother had some butterflies as he went to his first day competing at Cadet Nationals.

Mark won his first two matches by technical fall, beating Bronson Ashijan of Nevada, 6-0, 7-0 and Zack Vesta of Kansas, 6-0, 8-0 then stopped Nathan Kraisser of Maryland, 7-0, 5-0.

“He doesn’t want to follow in Mike’s footsteps. He wants to make a name for himself. The way he sees it, he is doing his own thing. He wants to be himself,” said John Grey, Jr.

FARGO, N.D. – Harry Lester has captivated fans around the World with his explosive, in-your-face style of wrestling.

He also is one of the classiest and nicest young men you will ever meet.

The two-time World bronze medalist was upset in the semifinals of last month’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials by Jake Deitchler. The 24-year-old Lester came back to place third before taking his shoes off and retiring after what turned out to be his last match.

Lester is in Fargo to help coach wrestlers from his native Ohio at the Junior and Cadet Nationals. He is a native of Akron, Ohio. Lester was a Cadet and Junior National champion during his days in high school.

Lester has made the last three U.S. World Teams in Greco-Roman wrestling at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. He was a member of the historic 2007 U.S. squad that won the World Championships team title for the first time in American history.

Lester has trained at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University. He received his college degree in history and geography from Northern Michigan.

Lester sat down for a short interview with USA Wrestling’s Craig Sesker on Saturday morning.

What have you been up to in the last month since the Olympic Trials ended?

I’ve just been kicking back, relaxing, hanging out, fishing, swimming, going to the beach. Just taking it easy basically.

How much of a relief is to be done competing?

It’s a pretty big relief. I don’t have to watch my weight now. I feel good. I just pretty much eat whatever I want now.

It’s been just over a month since you retired. Are you comfortable with that decision?

Oh definitely, I’m comfortable with it. I’m still going to be working out and helping the guys at Northern Michigan. I will be in the room working out. I’m just not going to compete anymore.

What will be your role here in Fargo?

I’m helping coach some of these young kids from Ohio that are wrestling here. I loved it when I came here to wrestle in Fargo. I grew up looking up to guys like Joe Heskett. I just decided instead of sitting at home doing nothing that I would come up here and help some of these young guys.

Is coaching something you want to pursue?

Definitely. I want to stay around wrestling and stay involved with the sport. I would like to coach at a club and do something similar to what Sean Bormet is doing at his club (in suburban Chicago). I want to do something where I can have all age groups and all skill levels come in to train.

You were asked at the Olympic Trials why you would retire at age 24. What led you to that decision?

It was a combination of a lot of factors. The weight cutting, the travel, all the wear and tear on your body. It was time to step away. My body is falling apart. A lot of people said take a year off and then see if you still want to wrestle. Maybe in a year or two I will get that urge to come back, but for now it’s just not there.

When you took your shoes off after finishing third at the Olympic Trials, did you know before the match you were going to do that?

Yes, I did know I was going to do that. It was a rough year and I knew this was probably going to be it. Even if I would have gone to Beijing, this likely would have been it for me after the Olympics.

You were so close to winning a World title last year, how hard has it been to not be on the Olympic Team?

I see all the articles on all the Olympians and all the attention they’ve received. I’ve talked to T.C. (Dantzler) and Dremiel (Byers), and they’re obviously preparing for Beijing. I miss the camaraderie among the guys who were on the World Team with me. But I lost a match and it happened. T.C. is like my older brother – I miss being there with him. Every guy on the U.S. team, I’m pulling for all of those guys to win at the Olympics. I hope they do well.

Your good friend and former teammate Spenser Mango made the Greco-Roman Olympic Team at 55 kg/121 lbs. How excited are you for him and what are his chances at the Olympics?

He’s Showtime, that’s what we call him. I can’t even put into words how excited I am for Spenser. His parents are here and his little brother is here. I can’t wait to see how he does. I think he can win a gold medal. He’s an offensive machine, and he has good defense.

How many doors has wrestling opened for you?

I’ve been to a lot of places I never even dreamed about going to. I’ve met so many great people because of my involvement in this sport. I’ve had so many opportunities and it’s been great. I’ve made friends I’ll have for the rest of my life.

In the match with Jake Deitchler at the Olympic Trials, what do you think the difference was?

I didn’t wrestle my match. I was a little overaggressive and he was good at picking that apart. He just wrestled a great match. I still felt strong throughout the match. I just chased him when I shouldn’t have chased him. He basically turned my strength into my weakness, I guess.

With the success of young guys like Deitchler, in addition to the USOEC program developing so many young guys, how important is that for Greco-Roman wrestling in the U.S.?

That’s what we need in this country. Nothing against the older guys, but we need younger guys to make these teams at a younger age to help our depth and help the quality of our program. These young guys are ready to make an impact right now.

This messy, cluttered, typically teenage bedroom belongs to Jake Deitchler, an atypical 18-year-old Olympian. While most of his fellow graduates of Anoka High School in Anoka, Minn., will spend the summer bumming off their parents, Deitchler is training for Beijing.

He finished high school in early April and took part in his graduation ceremony last month. Three weeks later, he qualified for the Olympics, becoming the fifth Greco-Roman Olympic wrestler from Anoka High and the youngest United States Olympic wrestler since Mike Farina in 1976.

“My life changed like this,” Deitchler said, shaking his head and snapping his fingers. “In an instant.”

Deitchler was talking during his first trip to Manhattan, during his first visit to a pub, as part of a USA Wrestling promotional tour late last month.

There, at a corner table underneath neon Bud Light signage, Deitchler tried to pinpoint where this crazy journey began. Best he can figure, it started in Brandon Paulson’s driveway.

Paulson won a Greco-Roman silver medal at the 1996 Olympics. He retired in 2004 after an epic triple-overtime loss at the Olympic trials, a defeat so painful he thought about it every day for years.

The match is still saved on his TiVo. The ending never changes: Paulson, resting on his knees, drenched in sweat, hands covering the agony written on his face.

“This is a wrestler’s classic, one for the ages,” the announcer says. “This will be tough on Brandon Paulson.”

After the loss, Paulson told reporters everything happened for a reason. When he returned to Minnesota, he found the Anoka High wrestling coach, Todd Springer, waiting in his driveway. He wanted to discuss a ninth grader named Jake Deitchler.

Soon, Paulson and Deitchler began working out. Paulson gave Deitchler his telephone number and told him to call anytime. Big mistake.

Deitchler called the next day, and the day after that, and most days for weeks and months and years. One Sunday, the workout stalker called six times.

“It was just one of those matches,” said Jason Deitchler, Jake’s father. “You can’t explain it. It was divine.”

Paulson and Deitchler are cut from the same competitive cloth. They compete in everything — foosball, wrestling, sauna sit-offs. During one practice session, the teacher tore his anterior cruciate ligament wrestling the student.

The more Paulson pushed, the more Deitchler responded. He stayed after practice every day, arrived at school before sunrise and left after sunset, won three state championships and more matches — 201, including the last 111 straight — than anyone in school history.

Only Deitchler did not make small gains. He made exponential leaps. He learned moves one day and used them in matches the next. Even before the Olympic trials.

“I thought of something on Monday,” Paulson said. “I showed him on Tuesday, and he beat the best guy in the world at his weight class with it later that week. That’s not normal. That’s not even coaching.”

Asked for a comparison, the talkative Paulson suddenly was silent. Told the progress sounds more typical of a prodigal violinist, he nodded.

“There’s nobody to compare him to in wrestling,” Paulson said. “He progressed faster than anybody I’ve ever seen.”

That statement means something in Anoka, a suburb north of Minneapolis that locals call the Halloween Capital of the World. Deitchler also wrestles for the Minnesota Storm, coached by Dan Chandler, a three-time Olympian and Anoka High graduate. The school has sent at least one Greco-Roman wrestler to every Olympics since 1968.

Deitchler did not end up at Anoka High by accident. Jason Deitchler had known his son would follow in the family wrestling tradition since the first weekend of his life, when Jake was born and Jason left for a college wrestling tournament the next day.

Dad became an all-American at Mayville State in North Dakota, and because Jake was born during his freshman year, teammates became extended family, a wrestling team that raised a wrestler.

Jason Deitchler moved the family to Minnesota. Eventually, he moved again, to Anoka, even though the house there cost an extra $70,000.

Jason fed Jake books, mostly self-help, biography and inspirational.

He built his son a wrestling room in the basement of their three-story home, complete with a mat, a dummy and the sauna he installed for Jake on his 16th birthday. They talked wrestling every morning, every meal, every night.

Despite the wrestle-mania upbringing, Deitchler waited until age 12 before adding the Olympics to his goals. Overhearing that, Paulson rolled his eyes and noted that was only six years ago.

Paulson always had an infatuation with the Olympics, religiously watching the winter and summer games. At Deitchler’s graduation party, it was Paulson who gave him the Olympic flag. During the two weeks before the trials, Deitchler found himself drawn to his bedroom, where he sat on the bed and stared obsessively at the flag.

In the Olympic trials in Las Vegas, Deitchler lost the first period of every match during qualifying. He beat the celebrated Harry Lester, a two-time world bronze medalist and a medal favorite in Beijing, in the 145.5-pound division with a move Paulson taught him earlier that week. He celebrated like any 18-year-old would — dinner at the Hard Rock, a 32-ounce Mountain Dew and this gem: “I’m off to the arcade now,” he quipped to reporters.

Folks in wrestling described the upset as one of the sport’s greatest.

People told Paulson the last match they saw that was that exciting was his triple-overtime loss in 2004. This time, the memory hurt a little less.

He thought back to his quotation. Everything happens for a reason.

“It was the ultimate thrill of victory, following the ultimate agony of defeat,” Paulson said. “That’s what I went through the last four years.”

After missing his prom and finishing classes two months early, Deitchler wants to retain some semblance of a normal life. He plans on wrestling next season at Minnesota, again following in Paulson’s footsteps. His goals are taped to the wall leading to the basement.

He taps them as he walks downstairs. National champion. Tap. World champion. Tap. Olympic champion. Tap.

Until then, he must confront the whirlwind. One day, Deitchler is at his graduation party with 200 friends, picture montages and medals lining the garage, family telling him to do his laundry before leaving for Las Vegas. The next, he is toppling wrestlers he once idolized. Then Manhattan, where he asked his mother, Racheal, if he could get a tattoo of the Olympic rings.

“Absolutely not, Jacob,” came the stern reply.

Kids these days.

Greg Bishop – New York Times

Click play to view the interview, no membership required.

The High School Excellence Award is named in honor of Olympic and World Champion Dave Schultz. Each award recipient is evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship, and community service.

Chamberlain was selected from the 49 state winners and five regional winners that were announced earlier this week.

“I was shocked when they told me I had been selected for this award,” Chamberlain said. “There are so many good wrestlers, to be selected is such an honor.”

His career record of 191-2 includes 98 pins and four state championships. He was a captain on his high school wrestling team and was honored by USA Utah as the “Wrestler of the Year” in 2007. He was a USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle champion and Greco-Roman runner-up in 2007. In both 2006 and 2007, he was the National High School Coaches Association wrestling national champion. He has been the recipient of the Academic All-Region award from the Utah High School Activities Association the past four years.

He has served as a Teachers Aid in Sports Medicine classes and as a volunteer youth leader at his local church. He has spent numerous volunteer hours coaching and officiating youth wrestling activities, and was a camp counselor for the Rulon Gardner summer camp. He carries a 3.75 G.P.A. and will be attending Boise State University next fall as a student-wrestler. He is projected to wrestle at 141 pounds in college.

“The selection committee felt that Jason combined an impressive balance of excellence in his academic and wrestling credentials while being an active participant in school activities and giving back to his community in the form of community service,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.

Chamberlain will attend Honors Weekend on May 30-31 to personally accept the award. Following is a list of previous award winners:

Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Winners
1996 David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa
1997 Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio
1998 Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appelton, Wisconsin
and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Slat Lake City, Utah
1999 Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas
2000 Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina
2001 Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey
2002 Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
2003 C. P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio
2004 Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
2005 Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York
2006 David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida
2007 Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellog High School, Wabasha, Minnesota

Winston was in the 7th grade and was still living in Edison, when he took the mat in the New Jersey Kid States Tournament against an 8th-grader named Frank Molinaro.

“I was coaching Molinaro, along with Vinnie Santaniello (an ex-Brick Memorial wrestler who runs the ShoreThing Wrestling Club), and it was an eye-opening experience,” said Goodale, who is in his first year as Rutgers University’s head coach.

“Scotty beat him, 3-2. I never thought anybody would beat Frank Molinaro when he was in 8th grade. I said, “This kid is going to be real good.’ ”

Molinaro, who spent his freshman year at Middletown High School North before transferring to Southern Regional his sophomore year, became New Jersey’s 21st three-time state champion last year.

Winston, a senior at Jackson Memorial, became a New Jersey scholastic wrestling immortal on Sunday at Boardwalk Hall when he finished with a career record of 137-0 and became New Jersey’s 22nd three-time state champion. He is the first scholastic wrestler in New Jersey to go unbeaten for a career while wrestling more than 100 bouts.

Goodale, who coached Winston his first three years at Jackson Memorial, was not at Boardwalk Hall this weekend because he was coaching Rutgers in the EIWA Championships at Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster, Pa.

However, he was with Winston in spirit and was informed of Winston’s pin of Scott Kelly of Sacred Heart of Vineland in the 160-pound final immediately after it happened by his mother, Karen, and Jackson Memorial assistant coach Rob Connor.

“It was really emotional for me,” said Goodale, who will be reunited with Winston next year when Winston wrestles for Rutgers. “Then, I had a good opportunity to talk to him later that night and reflect on everything.”

Goodale was thrilled when he was told by mother that the crowd of 10,844 gave Winston a standing ovation. Winston received two standing ovations, one just after the pin, and another after Brick Memorial head coach Dan O’Cone, the president of the New Jersey Wrestling Coaches Association, presented him with a plaque.

“He deserved it,” Goodale said. “I always wanted the fans to appreciate what he has done. If I was there, I don’t know if I would have been able to handle it because I’m a very emotional person.”

Winston’s freshman year was cut short by a broken wrist suffered just before the NJSIAA Team Tournament. It is anybody’s guess as to how he would have fared in the 140-pound weight class against Jefferson’s Dan Vallimont that year. Vallimont, who won the state 140-pound title that year, was a two-time state champion and is now at Penn State and ranked No. 3 in the nation at 157 pounds.

But, early in Winston’s sophomore year, Goodale began to sense New Jersey’s wrestling fans had a chance to witness history.

“When we bumped him up in Minnesota (at The Clash, a national dual meet tournament in Rochester, Minn.) and beat the Pretto kid (Eric Pretto of Sandburg, Ill., who was an Illinois state champion), we, as a staff, said, he might end his career unbeaten,” Goodale said. “We felt his toughest test would be to get through the state tournament the first time.

“What separates him from everybody is his mind-set. He has great technique, but not the best. He does a couple of things and does them really well. He trains so hard and does it all year-round.”

That isn’t all, though.

McCauley wrestles for Apple Valley, a perennial power public school which is currently ranked #3 in the nation and #1 in Minnesota. The Eagles have won the state tournament as a team each year McCauley has been on the team as well, and look almost destined to complete a run at six straight team titles. If the six individual medals isn’t enough, he also has a shot at picking up another Six Team Gold Medals!

We have included a series of three matches featuring Destin below.
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