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    #WrestlingWednesday Feature: Hurford Wraps up Successful NJCAA Career

    Brought to you by EI Sports

     

     

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    By JEREMY HINES

    jerhines@cinergymetro.net

     

    Former Culver Community wrestling standout Matt Hurford is making a name for himself in the junior college ranks.

     

    Hurford recently finished as runner-up in the National Junior College Athletic Association championships. The Ellsworth Community College sophomore has placed runner-up in the championships both of his years at the school.

     

    Ellsworth is a two-year college program. So now Hurford is weighing his options and hoping to wrestle Division I for the remainder of his collegiate years.

     

    “I’ve got several Division I coaches talking to me,” Hurford said. “I’ve just got to decide what I’m going to do and what the best fit for me is going to be.”

     

    At Culver Community High School Hurford ended his senior year on a high note. He won state at 182 pounds, beating Perry Meridian’s Jake Massengale 9-4 in the final.

     

    “That was probably the highlight of my wrestling career so far,” Hurford said. “I was so happy after that.”

     

    Ellsworth coach Cole Spree was pleased to have Hurford on his team the past two seasons.

     

    “He’s the hardest worker we have,” Spree said. “That is ultimately the key to his success. His work ethic and what he expects from himself is second to none. There are times in the room where he gets beat by the other guys, but that’s only because he practices so hard, he warms up so hard, he can wear himself out because he only knows one speed.”

     

    Spree said he loves to recruit Indiana wrestlers. Ellsworth is located in Iowa Falls, Iowa.

     

    “I’ve got one other kid from Indiana on my team right now (Merrillville’s Isaac Rentas),” Spree said. “A lot of Indiana kids don’t want to go far away. But the kids from Indiana are usually very grounded and seem to all come from very good programs and they know their wrestling.”

     

    Hurford admits he has work to do in order to be able to compete at the level he would like to in Division I.

     

    “I think my strength and my hard work are my two biggest assets,” he said. “But I still have to improve technique-wise.”

     

    Hurford wasn’t always a good wrestler. He started competing in second grade and struggled quite a bit up until about seventh grade.

     

    “I think seventh grade is when things really started to click for me,” Hurford said.

     

    Wrestling has been an uphill climb for Hurford since the beginning. He didn’t get recruited heavily out of high school, despite winning the state championship. But it didn’t stop him. Instead he went to Ellsworth to improve, and has done so. Spree contributes Hurford’s success to the amount of time he spends working to get better.

     

    “Matt doesn’t have freaky speed,” Spree said. “He doesn’t have anything that would make you say ‘wow.’ But he’s got that attitude that no matter what is put in front of him, he’ll go around it, or through it, or over it. He’ll do whatever it takes. That’s why he will continue to be a success.”

     

    If you have a story idea for #WrestlingWednesday, email jerhines@cinergymetro.net with your suggestion.

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