Portage's McMurray backs up his talk

[sparticus]

When you're in the business of making words into stories, you really appreciate the coaches and athletes who add a little spice to your copy.

 

In the sport of wrestling, Sean McMurray is straight jalapeno. The Portage junior never lacks for an opinion and is never afraid to share what's on his mind, no matter whose feathers it might ruffle. A writer's dream, some coaches would consider all his bulletin board material a nightmare.

 

"My parents raised me to not really care what people think about me," McMurray said after winning the 152-pound title at Saturday's LaPorte Regional.

 

Self-assured? Yes. Brash? Probably. Entertaining? Definitely. And this isn't some loud-mouth kid blindly spouting off. A solid B student, McMurray's no dummy. He knows exactly what he's saying and is ready to back it up.

 

"I've been around the block enough," McMurray said. "I've wrestled 600, 700 matches so I've got my share of experience. I'm really confident in my wrestling skills. I don't feel like people can take me down. I'm better on top. I'm better on bottom. If you don't wrestle with confidence, you're going to lose those close matches."

 

Those have been few and far between for McMurray. who hasn't lost in high school competition in just about a calendar year. He fell to Hobart's Eric Galka in the Merrillville Semistate semifinals last season, but came back a week later to edge Galka, who's now at Northwestern, 4-3 in the 135-pound state championship match.

 

He moved closer to another title Saturday, downing Chesterton's Anthony Quiroz 9-3 in the finals. A week after questioning Quiroz's effort, McMurray went a little easier on the freshman.

 

"He was tapping my knee," McMurray said, "if you want to call that wrestling."

 

OK, I said a little easier.

 

McMurray enjoys interacting with crowds, too. He signalled to the home folks after Wednesday's 15-10 win over Munster's Aaron Estrada in the Portage Team Regional, then played with the Crown Point fans a bit during his next match.

 

McMurray is looking forward to a possible rematch with Estrada at semistate.

 

"He's a great wrestler," McMurray said. "But we went back and looked at some film, and tweaked a couple things. I think it'll be a lot different."

 

Another state title should wrap up a Division I scholarship for McMurray, who intends to have his college plans determined before next season.

 

"My parents are paying for my sister to go to Purdue so I really want for them to not have to pay for me," he said. "I don't want to burden them. That's why I'm working my tail off."

 

While a big fan of the maize and blue, McMurray is open to any Big 10 school, among others, if Michigan isn't an option.

 

"You win a state title, they want to get on your good side," he said. "It has to be the right school, the academics, fitting in the team, the money. I'd wrestle at a smaller school if it was for free."