Takedown Report

Wheeling University tabs Wesley to revive wrestling program

WHEELING, W.Va. (April 24) – Wheeling University has appointed August Wesley as Head Coach of the wrestling program, with the anticipation to be back on the mat for this upcoming season. Wesley joins Wheeling after a successful four-year stint running the Iowa State University club wrestling program. During his time in Ames, Wesley tutored 27 National Qualifiers, four All-Americans, six Academic All-Americans, and guided the Cyclones to a fifth place in the 2018 NCWA National Championships. 
 “I would like to thank Wheeling University President Ginny Favede, Carrie Hanna and the hiring committee for the opportunity to take the helm of this decorated program,” Wesley said. “I feel confident that with the continued support from the administration and fans, we will foster a championship environment displaying continued growth on the mat and in the classroom. Together we will reignite the wrestling flame here in our community and showcase our fighting spirit.”
 President Ginny R. Favede said, “Wheeling University is excited to rebuild its wrestling program and I am confident that in August Wesley we have found a superb coach who will lead our wrestlers with professionalism, technical knowledge, ambition and confidence along with the manner in which he exudes the enthusiasm to continue Wheeling University’s history of success.”
 “There are high expectations on this campus stemming from a strong culture with a history of success,” Wesley added. “People from the region have already started reaching out to me and they can’t wait to see our lineup plus watch us compete. They love wrestling here in the Northern Panhandle and are hungry for a national championship team and that inspires me to get the job done!” …. more about Coach Wesley and the restarted program at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Wheeling-University-tabs-Wesley-to-25-4-2020

April 26, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Wrestling History — # 2

Lee Kemp: A Story of Almosts
It’s easy to get hyperbolic about athletes. Easy to overstate their greatness, easy to claim “best ever” in profiles, career retrospectives, and documentaries. This is not one of those profiles.
Lee Kemp is one of the greatest. Ever.
Kemp’s incredible career in wrestling — now the subject of a documentary film, Wrestled Away: The Lee Kemp Story — is one of almosts: a few big things that almost didn’t happen, and one huge thing that almost did. Those who are even tangentially connected to the sport know his name, but because of a political decision made nearly 40 years ago, the rest of America doesn’t. …. Almost Basketball
Leroy Kemp Jr. was not his name at first; it was Darnell Freeman until he was adopted by Leroy and Jessie Kemp at the age of five. Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, he was surrounded by blackness and basketball — and, eventually, racial strife and violence, which prompted the family to relocate to the small community of Chardon, Ohio.
That was the first of the almosts. “Had I stayed in Cleveland, I actually would not have wrestled,” Kemp says in an interview from his home in northern California. “It just would not have been a sport that would have even been in my mind or in my environment. It wouldn’t have been something I would have thought about.”
But his new hometown was small, mostly white, and mostly agricultural — the kind of town where wrestling thrives. …. story at https://madison365.com/lee-kemp-a-story-of-almosts/?mc_cid=e68db38422&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

The History of The Historic UCO Wrestling Program
Central Oklahoma boasts a storied wrestling tradition and has always been a player on the national stage, but it took a long-overdue project to fully appreciate the rich history of the program. With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the spring sports seasons – and, sadly, the need to work games – the task became to start putting in past schedules on bronchosports.com. I started with wrestling and the last schedule listed was 2006-07, which was the season UCO captured its 15th national championship. It took a lot of research to find all the dates from the early years, but 53 schedules later the job was done. And it was an eye-opening project in a variety of ways. Here are some tidbits I gleaned from this research. Central wasn’t scheduled to field a team in 1922, but Oklahoma State had a team back out of a scheduled dual so the Bronchos put together a squad and wrestled their first-ever dual on March 2, 1922, losing a 34-12 decision to the Cowboys in Stillwater. The Bronchos had just two matches the next year, losing to OSU and tying Oklahoma, and four in 1924 before taking a year off. UCO had a team from 1925 to 1940, was inactive off six years for World War II and returned for the 1946-47 season before going on a long hiatus that didn’t end until the program was restored in 1972. …. story at https://bronchosports.com/news/2020/4/17/friday-features-the-history-of-the-historic-uco-wrestling-program.aspx?mc_cid=845f982bf2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with One Small Step
2009-10: A quick look back and head coach Cael Sanderson’s first season as Penn State’s mentor
“Every journey worth taking begins with one small step…”
It’s simple to say it but putting the words into action can be daunting…unless everything comes together.  On April 17, 2009, Penn State officially announced that a young legend from the Midwest was taking over the reins of a wrestling program steeped in history and tradition. Three days later, over 500 fans poured into Rec Hall to welcome then-29-year-old Cael Sanderson to Penn State as the new head coach of the Nittany Lion wrestling team.  Sanderson stood offstage, just off the main venue floor peering out at the mass of Lion faithful who had come to a simple press conference, humbled by the show of support for a man these fans had never met.  After a brief introduction, the best wrestler in the history of collegiate wrestling took one small step on to Rec Hall’s hallowed wooden floor and the landscape of collegiate wrestling changed forever. Sanderson, who had served as head coach at his alma mater for three years after winning four NCAA titles and never losing a match as a collegian (going 159-0), made an immediate impact at Penn State.  Bringing in his older brother Cody as associate head coach and bringing Casey Cunningham along as head assistant coach, Sanderson spent 2009-10 beginning work on the foundation of one of college athletics’ great dynasties.  That first season was a year of growth and transition. …. full story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2020/4/15/wrestling-every-journey-worth-taking-begins-with-one-small-step.aspx?mc_cid=eb28f2fdb6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Wrestling Championship History
at https://www.ncaa.com/history/wrestling/d1?utm_campaign=links-bundle-asset

JOE SOLOMON NAMED TO PA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
LEVITTOWN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame announced Saturday, April 11, that the late Joe Solomon of the University of Pittsburgh wrestling team was named to the 2020 class. Solomon, a 1955 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, was a four-year member of Pitt’s wrestling team. His time as a Panther was highlighted by his NCAA Championship at 167 pounds in 1954. While at Pitt, Solomon was named the team MVP his freshman and sophomore year and the Panthers’ team captain as a senior. Solomon was a four-time EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) champion. Aafter college, Solomon joined the Navy and was the U.S. Navy All Navy Champion and as a coach for the Great Lakes Naval Station Wrestling Team, Solomon won the team title in 1956.
 In 1956, he received an invitation to become a member of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. …. story at https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2020/4/13/wrestling-joe-solomon-named-to-pa-sports-hall-of-fame.aspx?mc_cid=2380a36a7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Clarion Mourns Loss of Shae Bloom
CLARION – Shae Bloom, a member of the Clarion University wrestling team, tragically passed away on Thursday, April 16.  He was 22 years old. Bloom was a junior Business Management major and an active member of the Golden Eagle team. Information regarding memorial services are not available at this time. “The Clarion University family is deeply saddened to learn of the death of junior Shae Bloom,” said Clarion President Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson.  “The coaches, faculty, staff and students are supporting one another during this sad time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time.” “Shae was a talented and hard-working young man who embodied the exceptional spirit of being a student-athlete at Clarion,” said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Wendy Snodgrass.  “This is a heartbreaking loss for our community.  Our sincere condolences go out to his family, teammates, coaches and fellow student-athletes.”
“Shae Bloom was absolutely one of the toughest kids I’ve ever had the privilege to coach,” said head coach Keith Ferraro.  “He set an example for all of his teammates by being ready to stand up to any challenge that came his way.  Shae was a part of our family and we are devastated by his loss.”
Members of the Clarion wrestling team were informed of Bloom’s passing on the evening of April 16. Counseling services have been made available to students, faculty and staff. …. Story and history at https://clariongoldeneagles.com/news/2020/4/17/general-clarion-mourns-loss-of-shae-bloom.aspx?mc_cid=845f982bf2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Short Time Shots: Presbyterian picks up the W 
There’s over 70 wrestling podcasts out there. This was the second one. I know people have come and gone from the various Mat Talk shows. I like this format. I like the interview format, but this is also my business, I have to make sure my time is cost-effective. This is why I pitch the Patreon links at the end of each show. Maybe I can take the time away to develop the show ideas in the off-season, but as my wife says, wrestling has no off-season. I put out 448 episodes in 2019, always putting my clients and affiliate shows ahead of my own. Thanks for the feedback, constructive and positive. It’s all taken into consideration. That long winded intro is by your host, me, Jason Bryant, and this is Short Time Shots, a mostly daily look back at the scores and more in the world of wrestling.  the Attack Style Wrestling Podcast will be coming back with NCAA champion Daryl Weber. We’ll record the first episode in over a year next week. 
In Duals:

• We lead with the first victory in over 60 years for Presbyterian College. The Blue Hose hosted NAIA Truett McConnell on Wednesday and shut out the Bears 44-0. It was a forfeit-laden meet. This is the first year of Division I wrestling for Presbyterian, which did have a team back in the early 1950s. It’s the smallest school in Division I and started both men’s and women’s wrestling this year. 
• Closest match of the night came in Division II where Indianapolis edged Findlay 19-18 on criteria E – Total number of takedowns scored only from decisions, major decisions and technical falls. Also in Division II, Belmont Abbey topped Queens 36-12. Fairmont State beat Kent State-Tuscarawas, a varsity NCWA team, 35-0. It’s the first win since the program was added back at Fairmont State, but we’re not exactly sure if the Kent State branch campus is actually a countable opponent under NCAA rules. Fairmont State’s last win came at some point in the 1982-83 season. Fort Hays State beat Central Missouri 28-12.
• Second closest match of the night was in Division III where Pitt-Bradford topped Penn State Behrend 28-27. This one came down to the second criteria, most six-point victories, which favored Pitt-Bradford. Too many forfeits here though. In Division III, Castleton beat Rhode Island College 31-6, Springfield topped Norwich 37-9. North Central topped Chicago 22-15, Otterbein beat Case Western 38-15. Case Western Reserve did get one win on senior night as Connor Forrest got a fall in the first period to push the Spartans past Ohio Wesleyan 27-26. …. story at http://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/shots/short-time-shots-presbyterian-picks-up-the-w-1-15-20/?fbclid=IwAR094kd1P5Yn7CVdpme4IQnPk7OF0UiOB6upmWAoN5tXXMuFMKHbGpVNImY

Dynasty Duals: ’97 Iowa clips ’12 Penn State to reach semis
Iowa’s record-setting 1997 team edged Penn State’s 2012 squad 20-18 to become the first team to reach the Dynasty Duals semifinals.  The two teams split the 10 matches, but the Hawkeyes won thanks to bonus-point wins from Mike Mena, Mark Ironside, Lincoln McIlravy and Wes Hand, each of whom secured more than 70 percent of the fan vote.  David Taylor claimed one of the five wins for the Nittany Lions, picking up 58 percent of the fan vote to beat Joe Williams in a battle of multi-time NCAA champions. …. story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1586845567997&twSessionId=khetngozym&postId=779728135&mc_cid=2380a36a7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

How one high school wrestling team dramatically increased participation by putting kids first
ROLLA, Mo. – Marty Hauck looks at the depth chart of his Rolla High School wrestling team in his office. Each name has a story. Hauck, who is passionately devoted to using wrestling to help build character, commitment and discipline in as many students as possible, starts rattling off the stories. This boy is the state champion who travels nationally for meets and dreams of becoming an Olympian and majoring in biology. That girl convinced her skeptical Muslim parents to let her wrestle and hopes to start the sport for girls in Saudi Arabia when she moves back there soon. This boy never competes – he simply practices because it’s fun and worries he might get injured in a match that would impact his baseball season. Those three on the depth chart? They moved out of their homes and live on their own due to difficult family situations.
“Some of these kids, when I ask what mom and dad did over the weekend, they say, ‘Well, they did a little meth,’” Hauck says. “‘What do you mean they did a little meth?’ ‘They’re not like a meth head, Coach. They just do a little to relax on the weekend.’ Some of these kids, it’s nothing for them to come home and the parents are smoking a bong and they want them to join. These kids are making choices bigger than I know.” …. story at https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/highschool/2020/01/30/how-high-school-wrestling-team-dramatically-increased-participation/2854356001/?mc_cid=0c135afe6f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 26, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment