#MondayMatness: Eli Working on Another Podium Finish

By STEVE KRAH

stvkrh905@gmail.com

David Eli got an up-close look at the big stage as a sophomore.

The Elkhart Memorial High School wrestler placed seventh at 182 pounds at the 2014-15 IHSAA State Finals.

A year wiser and stronger, Eli has his sights set on loftier heights in 2015-16.

Working with a Brian Weaver-led coaching staff that includes former successful Memorial wrestlers, Eli is honing his skills for a tournament run.

Eli spent the time between high school season attending Indiana State Wrestling Association Regional Training Center workouts at Penn and going to freestyle and folkstyle tournaments.

Just before the start of the current Crimson Charger slate, he went to Las Vegas and went 8-2 in two divisions of the “Freak Show.” Competing at 200 pounds, he won the varsity division and placed fourth in the elite.

That experience combined with plenty of time in the weight room led the a season filled with grueling training sessions and more victories on the mat.

“We’ve been working real hard,” Eli said after a recent win at 182. “I feel like I’ve got conditioning on some guys.”

Weight workouts — especially with his legs — have added the muscle to help put away opponents.

His regular workout partner at Memorial has been senior 170-pounder Nick Ritchie and both have benefitted from pushing one another.

“For David to get down to the State Finals again this year, he needs opponents that can push him to his limitations,” Weaver said. “Nick Corpe, Shane Hendrickson and Tieshawn Johnson can push David to his limitations, get him where he needs to get.”

Corpe and Hendrickson are EMHS assistant coaches and Johnson is a 2014 Memorial graduate.

Corpe was a state champion for the Chargers at 171 in 2004-05 and went on to compete at Purdue University.

Hendrickson, a 2010 Memorial graduate and two-time semistate qualifier and Northern Lakes Conference champion, wrestled for Trine University.

Johnson, who placed fifth at the 2013-14 State Finals at 195, wrestled at Indiana Tech.

“It really helps me out, them coming into the room and working with me,” Eli said.

Corpe has been impressed with Eli’s work ethic and athleticism.

“He doesn’t miss any practices,” Corpe said of Eli. “He just keeps getting better.

“He digs for his ties and gets to his positions. When he hits his moves, he’s explosive. He stays in control of the match.”

While Eli has been successful with blast double, high crotch and headlock combinations, Corpe wants him to add to his arsenal.

“To win a state title, you need more than one shot,” Corpe said. “You’ve got to be able to scramble and know your positions. On top, he’s good. He’s a strong kid. But it usually comes down to the feet game. You need to compete with everyone on your feet.”

Eli has taken this to heart.

“I can be one-dimensional,” Eli said. “I’m working on scoring from more positions.

“No matter who I’m wrestling, I’ve got to make sure I’m finishing my shots. Everything needs to be crisp.”

Hendrickson said it is the basics that make Eli so good.

“He is one of the more fundamentally-sound wrestlers I’ve ever seen in high school,” Hendrickson said of Eli. “That’s what we continue to work on. Fundamentals — David has gone them down. That’s why he’s ranked so high. That’s why he’s going to do damage at the state tournament.”

Hendrickson sees Eli stay in what he calls “power positions.”

“He’s always in a good stance,” Hendrickson said. “He doesn’t expose his side or his hip as much as he can help it.”

Weaver, who placed seventh at the State Finals at 130 in 1996, said Eli and other high school (folkstyle) wrestlers have benefitted from freestyle wrestling.

“There are more angles to freestyle and you can lock hands,” Weaver said. “(Freestyle) helps with mat awareness. Anytime you expose your back to the mat, it’s two points. A freestyle match can go very quick. You have to keep yourself in very good position the entire match.”

Some folkstyle matches become a contest of playing near the edge of the mat. That’s not the case in freestyle.

“Freestyle does not allow you to play the out-of-bounds line,” Weaver said. “(The official) will blow the whistle and take you right back to the center. They don’t want the lag time.

“I’m hoping that Indiana will go to the college rules where if you have any limb inside the circle, it’s still live wrestling. It will eliminate playing the out-of-bounds line game.”

Taking his knowledge of freestyle and his work ethic, Eli is aiming high this season.

Next up for Eli and the Chargers is a dual against Northridge Tuesday, Jan. 19, and the NLC Tournament Saturday, Jan. 23 — both at Memorial.