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Article: #MondayMatness: Marion’s Lee sets sights high in final prep mat season


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By STEVE KRAH
stvkrh905@gmail.com

Strength, speed and strategy have helped Victor Lee achieve success inside the wrestling circle.

Creativity and drive have allowed him to excel away from it.

The Marion grappler is hoping for even more mat achievements in his last high school go-round and a future filled with wrestling and film.

A state qualifier at 195 pounds in 2017-18, Lee is currently ranked among the top competitors at 220.

“I’m a naturally strong guy,” says Lee. “Speed is something I rely on most. I usually try to attack below the knee.”

Giants head coach Lonnie Johnson likes the way the 5-foot-11 Lee moves on the mat.

“He’s really mobile for a bigger guy,” says Johnson. “I want him to be a go-go-go guy and wear guys down. He’s in pretty good shape. I want him to pick up the pace a little.”

Lee has been working hard on his stance since last season. If he has a signature maneuver it would be his high crotch.

It’s what Ohio State University’s Kollin Moore used against University of Missouri’s J’den Cox.

“It’s a move to be feared,” says Lee, who started his wrestling career in sixth grade, grappled in the 215 class as a middle schooler and was at 195 his first three seasons of high school.

Gabe Watkins (285) and Corey Horne (152) have served as practice partners for Lee, each giving him a different look.

Lee has studied the methods of Cox, who was a bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“He has a very strategic way of practicing and coming from different angles,” says Lee of Cox. “He tries to keep his attack percentage really high. He’s not real aggressive like (Arizona State’s Zahid) Valencia.

“He’s very technical. I try to emulate that. I use hand fighting to tire the other guy out and keep his head down so all he’s looking at is the mat.”

Johnson is a 1995 Marion graduate. He wrestled at 189 his first three seasons and 215 as a senior. He has coached in the Giants system for two decades and is in his third season as head coach.

The coach has offered advice that has stuck with Lee.

“He says to always be confident in my shots, be persistent and always finish through them,” says Lee of Johnson. “Last year, he sometimes got himself in a bind with 30 seconds to go. I want him to get up on guys 10-3 or 10-4 and then stick them.

“He reminds me of Darryn Scott (who was a two-time state qualifier and placed sixth in the 2010 State Finals at 189) with his strength and his speed. (Scott) would go at you. (Lee) sits back and tries to pick you apart.”

Lee won his first sectional title and qualified for his third regional in 2018. After reigning at the Oak Hill Sectional and qualifying for his third regional. He placed second to Maconaquah’s Aaron Sedwick at the Peru Regional then third at the Fort Wayne Semistate, his first appearance there.

“I was always trying to prove myself, says Lee, who lost 6-3 to West Noble’s Draven Rasler in the semistate semifinals. Rasler then was pinned by New Haven’s Jaxson Savieo in the finals.

Lee was pinned by New Albany’s Jaden Sonner in the first round at the State Finals, but got a taste of that big stage in Indianapolis.

“I won’t be blinded by all those fans,” says Lee, who plans to be back at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in February 2019. “I’ll be going to State with better confidence in my abilities.”


Besides his wrestling prowess, Lee is also a solid student.
“I’ve never had a teacher complain about him,” says Johnson. “I don’t have to worry about the attitude.

“When it comes to that he’s maintenance-free.”

Lee plans to major in drama and film and cinematography at Indiana University and hopes wrestling will also be a part of his college experience.

It’s the behind-the-scenes side of the arts that Lee appreciates most.

“I don’t do acting,” says Lee, who intends to take theater and drama classes at IU next summer. “I mostly direct and writing scripts for plays. I hope one day I can make movies.”

Lee has made a few small films on his own and has started an Instagram account with a friend that he can see leading to film production company.

Why the interest in film.

“Me and mom watched movies a lot together and it just stuck with me,” says Lee, who is the oldest of four adopted by single mother Rosalind Lee. Victor is 18, Zella 17, Levi 16 and Diamond 15.

Foster children at first, the four youngsters were allowed to choose their new first and middle names at the time of the adoption.

During his freshmen year, Javion Mack became Victor Lee.

“We try to make it easier on her,” says Victor of what he and his siblings do for their mother. “We do our chores and we all try to stay
out of the house so it’s not so cluttered.”

Levi is a 220-pound sophomore who came out for wrestling for the first time last season.

“He’s getting pretty decent at it,” says Victor of Levi. “I spar with him sometime then give him another partner so he can speed up.”


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