Corey’s Stories: How wrestling and a pair of positive mentors reshaped the life of a troubled teen
Josh Chapman is eager to get his final high school wrestling season started. He’s excited to compete and ready to show his gratitude to those who helped him reach this point. He’ll savor his senior year at Taylor High School in Cleves, Ohio, a village nestled in the state’s southwest corner. He’ll enjoy the euphoric triumphs and he’ll appreciate the lessons learned from the setbacks, too. He knows how to navigate around setbacks. High school seniors tend to pause and reflect about where they’ve been and where they’re headed.
Unlike most, however, Chapman will think of struggles — struggles he prays are behind him. He’ll think of his parents. He’ll think of the example he wants to be for his younger brother and sister. And he’ll think of a coach, a cop and a community he wants to make proud. Chapman was arrested as a freshman. A police officer told him to retrieve a water bottle Josh had thrown at a football game. Chapman refused and then violently resisted. “He went crazy,” Sgt. Dave Bingle said. “But that’s how he was then. We were ready with the pepper spray and taser. It was that bad.”
Officers eventually got the flailing freshman into the back of a police cruiser and Chapman was booked into the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center. “Josh lost it, but I knew his story,” Bingle said. “I knew the family background.” Like many small villages, Cleves is a proud, tight-knit community, but one not exempt from epidemics invading other American towns.
“Most of our calls are drug-related — (things) related to addiction of some sort,” Bingle said. At the time, Chapman’s parents were struggling. “I wasn’t a good mom then,” Amanda Chapman said. “As long as I knew my kids were breathing, I did my thing. That’s how bad it was. “Josh’s behavior was a result of how bad things were at home.” Rest of this encouraging story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1571024718492&twSessionId=kiohdqrisq&postId=1689991132&mc_cid=5f8d57f429&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Amos wins third Super 32 Challenge title
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The 20th anniversary edition of the Super 32 Challenge came to its conclusion on Sunday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C. It was also the 10th year of it being held as a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday. Milestone events throughout the finals program from the beginning to the end.
Nine wrestlers still competing in high school came into 2019-20 having already won a title at this prestigious tournament. However, just one was entered in the tournament. Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.), the No. 2 overall wrestler in the Class of 2020, entered the weekend as the clear anchor figure in the 220-pound weight class. He would also leave the weekend in such position, after winning a third consecutive Super 32 title at this weight. The University of Wisconsin commit did not give up an offensive point over five bouts, which included an 8-2 finals victory over No. 36 overall Class of 2022 wrestler Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.). Rest of the story at http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/22414?mc_cid=5f8d57f429&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

