Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

High School News (2021) – # 6

TDR Editor’s Notes ; While high school wrestling has not started in North Carolina it has begun in many other states with modifications. Some of those modifications, adjustments and challenges are detailed in the articles below from the far west of Montana & Colorado, the south of Louisianna & Georgia to the east in Virginia and Pennsylvania and northward to Illinois & Ohio. Yet these stories apply to adjustments in other states. According to W.I.N. Magazine (an excellant resource) 29 of the 49 states with sanctioned scholastic championships will still be held in February and March. IN some states wrestling will not start until March while a few have cancelled a season or have completed their season. Will have numbers on each of them by our next posting of High School News. Keep on Wrestling! E-mail us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – (Montana) Family ties: Wrestling captivates Billings West father, son, daughter
BILLINGS — Dividends are coming to fruition for Billings West wrestling coach Jeremy Hernandez. He said his Bears have seen a lot of progress in the past 10-12 years and that more than 50 wrestlers are out this season, a high mark for the Bears that includes a pair of state champs. One of the newest faces is also one of the most dominant: freshman Keyan Hernandez, a chip off the old block and, according to dad, even more tenacious. “He’s a Tazmanian Devil. He’s a lot tougher than I am,” Jeremy Hernandez told MTN Sports. “He has a gas tank, he just goes and goes and goes. He’s pretty technical and when he’s got to get funky, he’ll do some pretty crazy things. He’d have pinned me when I was a freshman.” Keyan showcased that gas tank opening his high school career earlier this month with a pair of pins over opponents from Bozeman High and Bozeman Gallatin in the 103-pound weight class. And he hasn’t lost yet with a 6-0 record, including five pins and a technical fall. … rest of story at https://www.montanasports.com/high-school-sports/wrestling/family-ties-wrestling-captivates-father-son-daughter?mc_cid=4ec9be6c16&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – Making Sense of Wrestling’s Unwritten Rules
On Monday night, Major League Baseball and one of its endless list of unwritten rules were the talk of the sporting world when the San Diego Padres slaughtered the Texas Rangers. One of the games brightest young stars, Fernando Tatis Jr., was up to bat for San Diego in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and the Padres holding a seven-run lead. Tatis hit a grand slam after swinging on a 3-0 count, which angered the Rangers bench and considered a faux-pas by some baseball purists. The chatter carried into Tuesday and plenty of baseball players and writers weighed in on the situations, with many supporting the Padres superstar. 
All this discussion led me to wonder, what are some of wrestling’s “unwritten rules”. I turned to Twitter for some help and received a ton of great feedback. You touched on a variety of topics and brought up some issues that I would never have considered on my own. I’ve listed some of the tweets and given some real-life examples of these situations and/or my opinions on them. A few seem like no-brainers to me. Others have a lot of gray-area, like some of baseball’s unwritten rules. … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/high-school-wrestling/making-sense-of-wrestlings-unwritten-rules/78738?mc_cid=27a5988c78&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – (Ohio) Quarantines, opt-outs among the issues for wrestling teams adapting to COVID-19
‘Frustrating’ season keeps churning on as pandemic doesn’t relent
Change, it is everywhere. Like basketball, wrestling hasn’t been spared from COVID-19. Quarantines have shortened rosters and canceled matches, sometimes with little or no warning. Many teams have resorted to dual matches and dual tournaments, rather than larger invitationals. Athletes have opted out of competition due to safety concerns.
Yet, programs have tried their best to stay the course. Established Muskingum Valley League programs like New Lexington, Sheridan and Tri-Valley continue to enjoy plenty of success — the Panthers just secured their 25th MVL title — even as their usually rugged tournament schedules have been limited compared to past seasons. And that didn’t come easy for coach David Ratliff’s squad. … rest of story at https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/2021/01/26/high-school-wrestling-teams-adapting-covid-19-changes/4161737001/?mc_cid=348fe62197&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – (Louisiana) New Orleans area wrestling coaches say suspension of regular season could have been avoided
This all could have been avoided. That was the feeling Brother Martin wrestling coach Andrew Nicola had when he learned about the LSHAA decision Tuesday to suspend the high school wrestling season for close to five weeks. The suspension wipes out the rest of the regular season for teams. Nicola, whose team competed Jan. 15-16 at the Louisiana Classic tournament that the Louisiana Department of Heath said was the source of a COVID-19 outbreak, said he told organizers more than once that they needed to do something about the number of unmasked people at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. Nicola said the reminder announcements over the public address system were not good enough — that too many people did not follow what was being said. “Things were not handled correctly at the Classic,” Nicola said. “I told them they needed to fix it, and there was nothing done. That frustrates me beyond measure.” … rest of story at https://www.nola.com/sports/high_schools/article_8e491480-604b-11eb-b44f-87abf639f506.html?mc_cid=348fe62197&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – (Montana) Havre’s Orion Thivierge weighs wrestling success with future goals
HAVRE — After winning a state championship at 160 pounds last season, Havre wrestler Orion Thivierge has already achieved one of his athletic goals. But as the Blue Pony junior will tell you, that doesn’t make future goals any easier to decide. A college career in wrestling would seem obvious until it’s not. “It was a dream come true, really,” Thivierge said of his first state tile. “It was awesome having all the fans there, and looking back it was a great experience.”
It was also a great experience for Thivierge’s dad, Tyson, who knows a thing or two about wrestling as the head coach down the street at MSU-Northern. “He helps me a lot. It’s nice to have him at home kind of just talk about stuff and fix little mistakes with him,” Orion said. “It’s really nice having him.”
But between their busy schedules, Tyson hardly ever actually sees his son wrestle. And this year, the State A wrestling tournament is scheduled at the same time as the NAIA nationals, so Tyson won’t catch Orion’s attempt at a state repeat. … rest of story at https://www.montanasports.com/high-school-sports/wrestling/havres-orion-thivierge-weighs-wrestling-success-with-future-goals?mc_cid=bf1f14c6db&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – (Colorado) High School Insider: Strickenberger making most of opportunities
Jett Strickenberger has a lot of energy. And the wrestling mat is the perfect place for him to release that energy.  “I just get out on the mat and let it fly,” he said. “Wrestling is my escape and I just enjoy the opportunity to go out there and wrestle my hardest and see what happens no matter who it’s against. A lot of people, they study their opponent, they watch film. I don’t do any of that. I just wrestle my hardest and see what happens.” Strickenberger, from Colorado Springs, CO, is ranked eighth in the nation at 120 pounds by Trackwrestling. To say he has been on fire of late is an understatement.  He went 6-0 at the Tyrant Duals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on January 10, outscoring five opponents by the score of 60-16 and winning another by injury default.  In December, Strickenberger went 5-0 at the Christmas Sparty All-Star High School Duals in Wisconsin Dells, WI. That included a 5-3 win over 16th-ranked Christian Nobles (Minnesota) and a pin at 48 seconds over Reid Nelson (Minnesota), a University of Arkansas at Little Rock recruit.  In October, Strickenberger was named Outstanding Wrestler of the boys’ division of the Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals in Des Moines, highlighted by a 3-2 win over third-ranked Joey Cruz of California at 120. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1611895063381&twSessionId=bjcjpwztut&postId=1009057135&mc_cid=8a92ee7e2c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Mom & Dad: the heroes of wrestling
By Dr. William Welker, EdD
Wrestlers! If you haven’t realized it yet, don’t ever forget the emotional plight of your parents. It has been said many times that “Behind every successful man there stands a woman.” Let me take this one step “on-the-mat” further. “Behind every successful wrestler there stands totally-involved parents.” Moms and dads are the unheralded stalwarts of the mat sport. For wrestling parents, there is no greater thrill than to see their son or daughter win by a fall. There is also a heartrending down side as they witness their child (sometimes with tears in his or her eyes), being pinned or losing an important match at the buzzer. Because wrestling is such an extremely physical, one-on-one sport, parents tend to become quite stressed during competition, knowing their son or daughter must stand alone on the mat. But a parent’s personal ordeal doesn’t end at the conclusion of their off-spring’s matches. … rest of story at https://www.win-magazine.com/2021/01/28/mom-dad-the-heroes-of-wrestling/?mc_cid=8a92ee7e2c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b#utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mom-dad-the-heroes-of-wrestling

8 } – (Penna.) Double-amputee wrestler Deven Jackson not phased on journey to West Perry record books
ELLIOTTSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — West Perry High School wrestler Deven Jackson has never heard of adversity. At least, he doesn’t act like it. The junior, coming off a fourth-place finish at the PIAA state wrestling championships in 2020, is a double-amputee. He had both of his legs amputated after battling bacterial meningitis at just eight years old. After giving up football, the game he loved, he turned his full attention to wrestling. “That’s one sport I can do, and no one else can take it away from me,” he said. Deven isn’t letting anybody take anything from him on the mats. Since the start of his sophomore year, he’s compiled an impressive 45-8 record. He’s a perfect 7-0 so far this year and on pace to make a run for West Perry’s all-time wins record of 113. Coming into high school, his personal goal was to reach the 100-win mark. “Right when I came into high school, I was like, I gotta get at least 30 or 25 wins every year,” he said.

Each one of those wins is more impressive, given what you think would be a natural disadvantage. … rest of story at https://www.abc27.com/sports/double-amputee-wrestler-deven-jackson-not-phased-on-journey-to-west-perry-record-books/?mc_cid=8a92ee7e2c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – (Georgia) Wrestling is a simple math equation for Woodward Academy’s Jeff Ragan
Woodward Academy coach Jeff Ragan has built a powerhouse high school program in Georgia. If his calculations are correct, it will remain that way for years to come. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPlayer.jsp?TIM=1611980660534&twSessionId=fsyrulnhln&videoId=1015918135&mc_cid=ad9f03475a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – (Ohio) High school wrestling: Vermilion’s Chris Bennett dedicates himself to sport to honor little brother who died
Wrestlers find a variety of ways to inspire themselves but the two biggest motivational moments in the career of Vermilion senior Chris Bennett centered on his shoes. “Sophomore year, Coach (Gary) Howell, it was his first year as an assistant coach, and he worked with me every Sunday during the summer during football,” Bennett said. “He bought me a pair of wrestling shoes, I had just met him, and he said I could only wear them in championship-round matches. That’s what really got me into gear, and then I just found the love for (the sport) and kept going.” But it was at the end of Bennett’s junior season, when greater motivation and inspiration were born out of personal tragedy. Bennett’s 14-month-old brother, Robert Eugene Bennett Jr., died in February 2020, just days before the Division II sectional tournament. “I wrote it on my shoes, I’ll never forget it,” Bennett said. “I wrote his birthday and I wrote the last day I saw him on my shoes … rest of story at https://chroniclet.com/news/249717/high-school-wrestling-vermilions-chris-bennett-dedicates-himself-to-sport-to-honor-little-brother-who-died/?mc_cid=ad9f03475a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – (Illinois) Joe Arroyo was a state champion at Grayslake North. At Parkside, he has his sights set on becoming a national champion
When Joe Arroyo arrived at Parkside in 2017, coach Corey VanGroll knew he could become an elite college wrestler. It wasn’t until Arroyo placed third in the 125-pound weight class at the 39th annual Midwest Classic during his freshman year that the Grayslake North graduate began to believe it himself. “I think that was the moment where he was like ‘Wow, I am good. I do belong with this group of people,’ ” VanGroll said. “That was the moment it hit him that he belonged, not only at Parkside but with some of the elite names in the country.” Arroyo, who went 44-1 and won a Class 2A state title at 113 pounds as a Grayslake North senior in 2017, has become one of the Rangers’ top wrestlers and a valuable leader since the Midwest Classic in December 2017. The senior is 3-0 this season and has his sights set on an NCAA Division II championship. Arroyo was an All-American and qualified for the national tournament last season but did not get a chance to compete due to the coronavirus pandemic, which also limited his offseason training this summer. … rest of story at https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/sports/ct-lns-spt-college-wrestling-wisconsin-parkside-arroyo-st-012921-20210128-e4ypbavhenhg5oahjgbg346tv4-story.html?mc_cid=8a92ee7e2c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – (Virginia) HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL RECRUITING SHOWCASE – VIRGINIA QUALIFIER SET FOR DOSWELL, MARCH 12-14
USA Wrestling has announced the sixth of its eight High School National Recruiting Showcase Qualifiers. The USA Wrestling High School National Recruiting Showcase – Virginia Qualifier will be held at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va., March 12-14. This will join the national schedule, along with the Pennsylvania qualifier set for State College, Pa. (March 12-14), the Arizona qualifier set for Bullhead City (March 16-18), the Utah qualifier to be held in North Logan (March 11-13), the Florida qualifier set for Orlando (March 12-14) and the Wisconsin qualifier set for Wisconsin Dells (March 11-3).
These events and the entire High School National Recruiting Showcase series, is open only to boys and girls athletes who qualify for the USA Wrestling Junior age division. Wrestlers must have been born September 1, 2001 or after, plus must be enrolled in grades 9-12. Athletes from any state may enter any of the eight qualifiers. The qualifier events will feature top High School boys’ and girls’ wrestlers from around the country. For the boys (contested in folkstyle) and girls (contested in freestyle), the top five place winners in each weight class in the eight qualifiers will earn a spot in the High School National Recruiting Showcase (which will be held during the weekend of March 26-28 at a location to be announced shortly).
Please note that state champions and National Prep champions (any year) who meet the age and grade requirements automatically qualify for the High School National Recruiting Showcase for both boys and girls (They do not need to attend a qualifier). All previous state champions and National Prep champions MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR THE NATIONAL RECRUITING SHOWCASE BY MARCH 1 to guarantee their spot. State champions are defined as state association sanctioned state champions for boys, and both state association sanctioned champions and recognized unofficial state champions for girls in folkstyle. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/January/29/Recruiting-Showcase-Virginia-qualifier-finalized?mc_cid=ad9f03475a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

February 19, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Wrestling History (2021) – # 3

TDR Editor’s Notes ; The podcasts are grouped in #2 as they offer views of significant events in the history of wrestling. While it is encouraging to look back to see great individuals and their accomplishments this also includes news of the passing of coaches and heroes that are greatly admired. Several tributes and obituaries of coaches and wrestlers (#1, 7, 8 & 9) are gathered below. It saddens us to see their leaving yet it is best to remember and appreciate their time and energy while with us. Keep on Wrestling!
E-mail us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – Augustana icon Dodge leaves lasting legacy in wrestling circles
The Augustana College and Illinois state wrestling families lost a great one this past weekend when former NCAA College Division All-American Tim Dodge died unexpectedly in his sleep at his home in Lindenhurst, Ill. Dodge, 72, made a big impression on those who knew him. “If I was in a survival situation and my life depended on one person, I would want Tim being that person,” said life-long friend John Malvik, a Quad-Cities attorney and former teammate of Dodge’s at Augie. “There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do.” His passing was a loss to the entire wrestling community as was evidenced by a number of tributes posted on social media this week ranging from coaches to former Illinois High School Association Executive Director Marty Hickman. … rest of story at https://qctimes.com/sports/college/wrestling/augustana-icon-dodge-leaves-lasting-legacy-in-wrestling-circles/article_02fc6830-574f-518e-9974-b669af9b0165.html?mc_cid=e4f16a9e0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – PODCASTS – Wrestling History 2021
#192 Julius Whetstone – How Beat the Streets Changed My Life
Julius Whetstone (Julius_Grit) wrestles for Niagara County Community College, and is a product of the Beat the Streets New York program. Enjoy this one folks!
TEXT the SHOW!
–Keyword: Wrestle
–Number: 224-54 … rest of story at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/192-julius-whetstone-how-beat-the-streets-changed-my-life/?mc_cid=4295bf0eb8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
#194 Victoria Francis – 2x World Team Member
Victoria Francis is a 2x World Team Member, most recently in 2019.  She’s currently shooting for a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  Enjoy it folks! … rest of story at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/194-victoria-francis-2x-world-team-member/?mc_cid=01186bea70&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
#191 Kyven Gadson – NCAA Champion for the Cyclones
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Kyven Gadson (@GadsonStrong) is a NCAA champion for the Iowa State Cyclones. In this finals bout, he pinned the great Kyle Snyder.  Today, he wrestles for the Cyclone RTC (@cycloneRTC) and is aiming for a trip to Tokyo in 2021.  Outside of wrestling Kyven is involved with both the Black Wrestling Association (BWA) as a board member, and the Be Rare Initiative.  Learn more at KyvenGadson.Com. … rest of story at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/gadson/?mc_cid=e4f16a9e0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Pat King’s wrestling idea turned into Pacific Coast Championships
No tournament this year, so we look back at the origins of the event
It’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and dozens of the best high school wrestling programs from the West should be competing in Vancouver this week. Alas, the Pacific Coast Championship tournament is a no-go, just like so many other sporting events in 2020. With no wrestling to watch, how about a quick chat with the man who created the event toward the end of the 20th century? Pat King, a longtime coach in the Evergreen School District, came up with the idea. Now retired and living in Issaquah to be near his grandchildren, King is thrilled to see that Pac Coast has remained on the calendar in Southwest Washington.
After all, it was all about getting some recognition for the region. “I’m super proud of what we could do to elevate Southwest Washington wrestling a little bit,” King said. … rest of story at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/pat-kings-wrestling-idea-turned-into-pacific-coast-championships/?mc_cid=e4f16a9e0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – What college programs from the past decade deserve dynasty status?
Decades and dynasties are debatable. Did a new decade begin in 2020? Or do we start another one in 2021. How many championships over a 10-year stretch does it take to be considered a dynasty? The final day of 2020 brings us to a stopping point, a time to look back and reflect on the last 10 years and examine which college programs ruled the roost in their respective divisions. Some programs established themselves as the dynasty of the decade and others nearly got there. 
Division I
Dynasty: Penn State
With the exception of 2015, Penn State made a clean sweep of the decade (eight out of nine titles). Nittany Lion coach Cael Sanderson was hired to take over the team for the 2010 season and the following year he led Penn State to its first NCAA team championship since 1953. Sanderson and crew compiled staggering numbers from 2011-19. There were 90 NCAA champions crowned over nine seasons and 23 of those were Nittany Lions (26 percent). … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1609475218009&twSessionId=hxfydyyoeg&postId=926235135&mc_cid=b46d50bbf8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Yellow Jackets highlight best and brightest of the past 10 years
Wrestling announces all-decade team
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Dec. 31) – As 2020 comes to a close, the Waynesburg University wrestling team decided to take a look back at its best and brightest since 2010. After plenty of discussion and looking back at what has been one of the most successful decades since joining the NCAA Division III ranks, head coach Ron Headlee and his staff are proud to announce the all-decade team from 2010-2020. The following individuals, along with dozens of teammates that have put on the Waynesburg singlet, helped the Yellow Jackets to put together some truly impressive numbers over the past 10 years:
… rest of story at https://waynesburgsports.com/news/2020/12/31/wrestling-announces-all-decade-team.aspx?mc_cid=6915204714&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Chance Leonard pays homage to high school wrestling’s greatest dynasty with new film
Chance Leonard was icing his back the morning after sustaining a back injury that ended his freshman season for Oklahoma powerhouse Perry High School. He fractured a bone in his spine, but it went undiagnosed since his family didn’t take him to see a doctor. He could barely move since the muscle spasms were so severe.  Judi Leonard entered her son’s room and explained the gravity of the situation. She understood he was in pain, but there was no sympathy. She only had one thing on her mind: Perry wrestling would not have a 123-pound participant at the Oklahoma state championships. This was important because her son could not be replaced by someone else. Chance won his first match at regionals, was defeated in the quarters, and defaulted due to a back injury in his consolation match. Only the top four wrestlers at regionals go to state. His points could make the difference between Perry winning a state championship and finishing second. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1609711340424&twSessionId=hfzurosuzk&postId=928689135&mc_cid=d8fa13dc26&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – SF State Wrestling Hall of Famer Lars Jensen Passes Away Celebration of Life Will Be Held this Summer, Early Fall
SAN MATEO, Calif.— San Francisco State University wrestling legend Lars Jensen passed away on December 8, 2020, surrounded by his immediate family at Mills Peninsula Hospital. There will be a private outdoor funeral on New Year’s Eve in San Jose, California. Jensen, who was the head wrestling coach at SF State from 1983 to 2017. He guided the Gators to the 1997 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championship. During his coaching career, Jensen coached 122 Gator wrestlers that qualified for the National Championships. He produced 62 All-Americans including ten individual national champions. Naveed Bagheri was SF State’s last national champion in 2012-13 where he captured the title at 141-pounds. Jensen coached 55 conference champions and 67 National Wresting Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-America Team members. He also coached three NCAA Division I national qualifiers. Following the 1983-84 season, Jensen was selected as the Amateur Wrestling Rookie coach of the Year in his first season as the head coach at his alma mater. … rest of story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/sf-state-wrestling-hall-of-famer-lars-jensen-passes-away-celebration-of-life-will-be-held-this-summer-early-fall/?mc_cid=b46d50bbf8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Remembering former Blue Earth wrestling great
Al DeLeon found success on the mat as a wrestler and as a coach
The news of the death of former Blue Earth resident and three-time State wresting champion, Al DeLeon, saddened those who had gotten to know him from his days as a student at the local school on their way to lifelong friendships. DeLeon, 82, died on Dec. 16, after battling Parkinson’s disease for many years.
“Al was one of the quickest wrestlers I have ever watched move around the mat,” Buccaneer teammate and friend, A.B. Russ, says. “At practice he would have a team member stand on the edge of the six-foot circle located at the center of the mat, he would do the same thing across from his teammate. Al would grab the other wrestler’s ankle before they could back out of the circle. He was that quick.”
DeLeon almost won a fourth State title but lost on a referee’s decision in the semifinals in 1956. He came back the next year and claimed the championship honors once again. “Actually, he qualified for the State tournament a fifth time,” Gary Olsen, another teammate and friend adds. “He qualified as an eighth grader but his family was poor and he did not go.” DeLeon was a member of the Blue Earth wrestling squad which had five individual champions in the same year, … rest of story at https://www.faribaultcountyregister.com/news/local-news/2020/12/28/remembering-former-blue-earth-wrestling-great/?mc_cid=3c167aa54c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – PITT WRESTLING MOURNS MIKEY RACCIATO
PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh wrestling program is mourning the death of 2015 ACC champion and former Pitt student-athlete Mikey Racciato, who has passed away at the age of 26.  
“We are all saddened to hear this terrible news,” Pitt wrestling head coach Keith Gavin said. “We offer our condolences to the Racciato family and Mikey’s friends. Although I did not have the privilege of coaching Mikey, I know he was loved by his teammates, coaches and fans during his time here. He certainly made an impact and will be dearly missed.”  
“Mikey’s personality lit up the room,” said Pitt wrestling assistant coach Drew Headlee, who coached Racciato for several seasons. “He always knew how to make everyone laugh. On the mat, he was dangerous from every position, … rest of story at https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2020/12/26/pitt-wrestling-mourns-mikey-racciato.aspx?mc_cid=0d946e15c0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Danny Hodge’s legendary wrestling life provided special memories for friend Jim Ross
Jim Ross spent many Saturdays watching his boyhood idol, Danny Hodge, wrestling on television. The introduction wasn’t only entertainment. It paved Ross’ professional journey, which has included a Hall of Fame career in professional wrestling. On Saturday, Ross was saddened after learning of Hodge’s death. Hodge died Thursday at 88. It wasn’t a loss only felt in the Perry native’s home state. Hodge was beloved around the globe. “Danny Hodge was a legend in Japan. He was a legend in Australia. He was a legend in Canada. It wasn’t just in Tulsa and Oklahoma City,” Ross said. “It was a whole bigger picture. The reason it’s not as celebrated today is because when he did so many of his great things, media was limited.”
Hodge is a 1978 charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. … rest of story at https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/danny-hodges-legendary-wrestling-life-provided-special-memories-for-friend-jim-ross/article_5cebd758-47b2-11eb-ba17-3bc832cf1893.html?mc_cid=e4f16a9e0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – In his own words, Sgt. Slaughter on the late Danny Hodge
The wrestling world lost Danny Hodge on Christmas Eve. The only wrestler to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated for his wrestling credentials, Hodge was a standout in three varieties of the sporting world – collegiate and international wrestling, boxing and professional wrestling. As Hodge became one of the favorites in the world of professional wrestling, he worked and trained with hundreds of would-be superstars, including Robert Remus, an Eden Prairie, Minnesota native who would later become one of the most iconic superstars in the business, Sgt. Slaughter. … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/in-his-own-words-sgt-slaughter-on-the-late-danny-hodge/?mc_cid=6915204714&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – Damion Hahn: My Greatest Loss
South Dakota coach Damion Hahn was a four-time All-American for Minnesota (2001-04), a two-time NCAA champion (2003-04), and a three-time New Jersey state champion. 
Hahn breaks down his loss to Shawn Scannell in the New Jersey state finals as a high school freshman and loss to Oklahoma State’s Daniel Cormier as a freshman in college. 
EVERY LOSS COUNTS
“Every loss matters to me and there were a couple in my career that stands out. I don’t want to say one more than the other because every one of them changed me. One of the losses I took as a freshman in the state finals when I was in high school really changed a lot for me. I wanted to be a four-time New Jersey state champ, which was something that was never done before when I was going through. I lost in the finals — I don’t even remember — 2-1 or 3-2 or something like that. I lost by a point to an eventual All-American for Rider University, Shawn Scannell. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1609554384543&twSessionId=xalhmovxfy&postId=927133135&mc_cid=6915204714&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

February 19, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment