Wrestling Wed: 4 area wrestlers to compete at state this weekend

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WRESTLING WEDNESDAY: Four area wrestlers to compete at state this weekend

 

Three are making first trip; NA?s Martin returning at 130 pounds

 

By KEVIN HARRIS

Kevin.Harris@newsandtribune.com

 

On Friday and Saturday, three area wrestlers will experience their first appearance in the IHSAA State Finals at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, another local wrestler will attempt to have a better result in his second trip to state.

 

Jeffersonville grapplers Alonzo Shepherd and Renaldo Weekley will both make their state finals debut this weekend along with New Washington senior Josh Sampson. New Albany senior Tim Martin returns to state for the second consecutive year after he had an early exit in 2009. Each of these wrestlers qualified for state by finishing in the top four of their respective weight classes at last Saturday?s Evansville Reitz Semistate.

 

Shepherd (46-5), a sophomore, will take on Greenfield-Central freshman Josh Farrell (45-4) in the first round of the 103-pound division on Friday night. As for Weekley (45-7), he will square off against Maconaquah junior Austin Waite (29-1) in Friday?s opening round. All of Friday?s first-round winners will advance to Saturday?s quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals and finals on Saturday night.

 

Weekley, a junior, finished second at semistate, while Shepherd was third. In the 135 final, Weekley lost to the top-ranked wrestler in the state, Bloomington South senior Brannigan Barlow, for the third time this season.

 

Jeff head coach Danny Struck says both of his wrestlers each have the same goal ? placing in the top four.

 

?They got good draws and have been wrestling really well,? Struck said. ?I know that (Weekley) will be shooting for a top-four finish, as Shepherd will be shooting for a medal as well. Both of them have already started talking about their offseason training in pursuit of a state title next year.?

 

Struck thinks both of his grapplers each deserve to go to state because of how much hard work each Red Devil have done throughout their wrestling careers. Shepherd and Weekley each wrestled in several tournaments during the offseason.

 

?They wrestled a long road to get here - over 50 matches in-season apiece and 100 between them in the offseason,? Struck said. ?They wrestled the best kids in the state and country we could find, and it was hard for them to see every day why a loss in June or November was what we needed to do.?

 

Not only is it Sampson?s first berth in the state finals, it is the first for any New Washington wrestler. Sampson (44-2) placed third in the 145 division at semistate to become the first Mustang wrestler to earn a trip to state. Earlier this season, Sampson made school history by becoming the first wrestler to finish the regular season undefeated.

 

New Washington head coach Jeremy Campbell says Sampson has definitely been a great role model for his younger wrestlers.

 

?He ignites in us a solemn pride that burns with immense enthusiasm,? said Campbell, who credits New Washington assistant coach John Maples for giving his star wrestler some great advice in Evansville. ?When he graduates, that distinction will remain embedded in the young eyes of all those he helped along his journey. It is a monumental step for our program and Josh is the one that took it. It is up to the rest of us at New Washington to now follow him.?

 

Sampson?s opening-round match will be against DeKalb senior Tanner Boman (29-5) on Friday. Sampson hopes a win on Friday will spark a run to his ultimate goal ? a state championship.

 

?Josh Sampson?s goal is the same now as it has been every year that I have had the privilege to coach him - to win a state title,? Campbell said. ?He is tireless in his efforts to achieve this. He has understood from early on that it is the process of preparation, the willingness to sacrifice, the resolve of belief and the ability to execute that separates the ordinary from awesome.

 

?It is not accomplished overnight - it is a constant endeavor that has no season. It is a mindset, a way of life. Josh lives that life. He has not bothered to concern himself with the odds that have been set against him, and there have been many.?

 

Martin?s opening match in the 130 division will be a tough one. He will face undefeated Yorktown sophomore Devon Jackson (50-0), who is ranked third in the state, in the first round on Friday. Martin (37-7) got his second state berth by finishing fourth at semistate.

 

Last year at state, Martin suffered a 7-5 decision loss to Whitko?s Daniel Rothgeb in the first round of the 125 division. Martin earned the 2009 state berth by collecting a semistate championship.