Takedown Report

Nick Corey: How one car ride changed the lives of two high school wrestlers

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Interested background story on a North Carolina Wolfpack wrestler. Inspiring to learn of the bond wrestlers have in overcoming tragic events.
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How far is human fragility from the thoughts of a high school wrestler’s mind as he speeds on a winding, two-lane road to watch the NCAA wrestling finals with his buddies? The driver is with his friend and high school teammate on a Saturday night in March of 2013. They’re on their way to meet up with a few of their peers to watch the coronation of 10 individual national champions and undoubtedly debate strategy and officiating calls before returning home. They’ll talk on the drive, likely about the night’s biggest match — Cornell’s Kyle Dake versus Penn State’s David Taylor in the 165-pound title bout.  

North Carolina State’s Sean Fausz was a high school junior. Collin Humphrey was, too. Both wrestled at Campbell County High School in Alexandria, Kentucky. Their season had ended weeks earlier with Fausz winning his first of two state titles. Dake would win his fourth NCAA title that, becoming the third wrestler in D1 history to accomplish the feat. Sean Fausz and Collin Humphrey missed it. They never made it to the party. “You never expect anything like this to happen,” Collin Humphrey said. “I woke up the next morning, not really aware of what was happening.” Humphrey was the driver that night. He would gain consciousness the next morning and learn he’d been driving recklessly. He crashed.  “I was 17 and stupid,” he said. The accident left Fausz with a sprained lower lumbar in his back. He would rehab and go on to win a second state championship a year later. Fausz accepted a scholarship to North Carolina State, where he has qualified for the national tournament three times and reached the ACC finals twice. Last season, he won the ACC title at 125 pounds. Internationally, Fausz earned a silver medal last month at the U23 World Championships in Romania. “In my opinion, Sean is one of the best 125-pounders in the country,” North Carolina State coach Pat Popolizio said. “His wins over guys who have placed over the last several years prove this.”
Rest of the story at http://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1545945077044&twSessionId=okuxkgyimp&postId=936982132&mc_cid=651ae652dc&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

January 1, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized