Despite success on the mat, Sheridan wrestler Tyler Hume prefers football

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Despite success on the mat, Sheridan wrestler Tyler Hume prefers football

 

But Tyler Hume has had success on the mat, as well

 

By Steve Brooks

Star correspondent

 

Football is the most important sport in the life of Sheridan High School sophomore Tyler Hume, and it gets most of his attention in the offseason.

 

Hume also has been successful on the wrestling mat.

 

This season, he's off to a 3-1 start wrestling at 130 pounds after winning 19 matches a year ago at 119. He's had that success without spending hour after hour on wrestling in the offseason.

 

"Football is my first love, and most of my time in the offseason is focused on that," said Hume, who had 117 tackles from the defensive line for the Class A state runners-up last fall. "The last couple of years, because we've done so well in football, I've only had a week and a half of wrestling practice before starting the season. It's tough because you don't get much preparation time."

 

Being in wrestling shape is much different than being in football shape for Hume.

 

"In football, you're used to going seven seconds and then getting a little break," he said. "In wrestling, it's minute after minute without much of a break. It's a lot more about good conditioning than in football."

 

Hume hasn't seen a big difference between wrestling at 119 pounds and at 130. Going up against 200-pound offensive linemen during the football season makes going up against wrestlers his own weight seem a bit easier.

 

"Going against all those big guys during football was a big challenge," Hume said. "But in wrestling, I'm pretty much going against the same kids I wrestled last year. I've been in the weight room a lot and probably put on nine pounds, so it doesn't seem like (that) big of a deal."

 

Hume finished third in the Hoosier Conference meet a year ago but thinks he can do better this time.

 

"I think it's a possibility (to win his weight class)," he said. "I haven't seen any of the other teams' 130 pounders, but, based on last year, I think I can win it."

 

Hume also has postseason goals in place, with the Zionsville Sectional set for Jan. 31. Last season, he lost to Lebanon's Brayton Young in the Zionsville Sectional and failed to advance out to the regional.

 

"I felt I should have won that match, but I did something wrong and lost," Hume said. "Right now, I'm setting my goals one meet at a time, but I'm looking forward to getting out of the sectional. I felt I should have done that last year, but I messed up. I'm focused on doing better than that this year."

 

Additional Facts

The next 3

Here are Sheridan's last three home wrestling meets of the season (all start at 6 p.m.):

Tuesday: Western Boone.

Wednesday: Scecina.

Jan. 28: Lapel.