PA Power Wrestling Announces Inaugural Pre-Season Tournament “The Surge”
TDR Editor’s Notes; Your first thought may be, now isn’t that the same time as the Super 32 Challenge in Greensboro, NC? Well, we wondered as well and quickly checked in at https://www.super32.com/ and see that this new event will be the weekend after The Super 32. OK, so just passing along the options to those looking forward to the fall.
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PITTSBURGH -– The Pennsylvania Wrestling Media Company, PA Power Wrestling, has announced an inaugural preseason tournament, The Surge, which will place on Saturday, Nov. 3 and Sunday Nov. 4, 2018, on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. The Surge will serve as a guide to PA Power Wrestling’s preseason State Rankings for returning Keystone State stars, but also a chance for high school freshmen to earn a spot on the Top Incoming Freshmen (TIF) Report. Located four hours from Philadelphia and 90 minutes from Pittsburgh, Johnstown is conveniently situated, making it an ideal destination for wrestlers all across the Keystone State. It is no secret Pennsylvania is home to the nation’s top wrestling talent. PA Power Wrestling owner Jeff Upson indicated Pennsylvania was due to host a premier preseason tournament. “We felt it was important to the Pennsylvania wrestling community that we host a tournament which highlights and showcases the best talent prior to the start of official competition” Upson stated. “This is a tournament designed to benefit not only the top tier wrestlers who want to solidify their spot a top the State Rankings, but also allowing those wrestlers who have put in the work over the off-season to prove their worth. Additionally our Top Incoming Freshmen Report has grown exponentially, and the best way to determine where a rookie should rank is by throwing them in the mix and seeing how they do.” Upson and PA Power co-operator and tournament director Eric Knopsnyder have been working on The Surge for months. Rest of the Story at http://www.papowerwrestling.com/pa-power-wrestling-announces-inaugural-pre-season-tournament-the-surge/?mc_cid=e5a88d9676&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
New Jersey Athletic Association is considering a Girls State Tournament
TDR Editor’s Notes; Could not click and copy much of the text on this thus we recommend that interested readers go to the link below and learn of another state association that is looking to expand their wrestling opportunities.
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Rest of the story at https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2018/06/06/wrestling-njsiaa-considering-girls-tournament/677449002/?mc_cid=a1ed0d26d3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Davidson $250k Wrestling Matching Gift Challenge Reached
TDR Editor’s Notes; More good news for wrestling in North Carolina as another college team takes steps to strengthen their program. Improving teams helps to improve the level of competition. Glad to see the generosity of the donors and the leadership at Davidson in accepting this challenge.
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DavidsonPhotos.com
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Davidson wrestling program, with the help of the Davidson Athletic Fund, reached their $250,000 gift challenge, announced Tuesday. The program initially started the matching gift challenge in August after an anonymous wrestling alumnus announced he would match $250,000 in donations, for a total of $500,000 to be integrated into the program. The money will provide additional scholarship dollars needed to help excel in the Southern Conference and be named after longtime wrestling advocate, Professor Gill Holland, as a tribute to his loyalty to the program. “All of nation’s premier wrestling programs have a common thread – an incredible support system. The completion of this matching gift campaign is a great illustration of the amazing support we receive from our Davidson Wrestling alumni, families, and friends,” said head coach Andy Lausier. “These new scholarship dollars will provide an immediate impact in recruiting as we seek out the nation’s best student-athletes, and it is a tremendous honor to have this scholarship campaign named after Dr. Gill Holland.” Through Coach Lausier’s vision and leadership, wrestling will capitalize on the advantages that are distinctly Davidson and leverage this edge to recruit the nation’s top scholar athletes. Rest of the story at http://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2018/6/5/-250k-wrestling-matching-gift-challenge-reached.aspx?mc_cid=ddd7eff4d5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Lee Carroll Award winners Timothy & Christian Decatur-Luker
Timothy and Christian Decatur-Luker presented the Lee Carroll Awards
State Champions Timothy and Christian Decatur-Luker of Rosewood High School were presented the 19th & 20th Lee Carroll Award for excellence in athletics, academics and sportsmanship in northeastern North Carolina last season. The TakeDown Report Editor, Martin Fleming and Lee Carroll presented the awards during a pause between innings of the last home baseball game. The home crowd enthusiastically cheered on the two state champions placers.
Junior Timothy Decatur-Luker was a state champion as a freshman with a (58-4) record at 106 lbs., He placed 3rd at States as a sophomore (61-2) at 120 lbs. This year he earned his second State Champion medal with 58 wins and just 2 losses at the same weight class. His career record is 177wins and 8 losses.
Sophomore Christian Decatur-Luker was a state runner-up as a freshman with a (56-9) record at 106 lbs. This year he completed the season with the most wins and most pins of all high school wrestlers in the state with a 62 wins and 1 loss record still at 106 lbs. His career record is now (118-10).
Both wrestlers take advantage of many opportunities to compete in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman form of wrestling styles year round in local, state and national tournaments. The pre-season Super-32, Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota and the NHSCA National Dual tournaments are some of the events that these champions have tested their skills as they seek to become the best. In addition to the Lee Carroll Award both wrestlers earned a TDR Top 12 engraved wooden plaques as the top wrestler at his weight class in eastern North Carolina. Lee Carroll started wrestling his sophomore year when Tarboro High School re-started the sport in 1992 with Butch Sadler as his coach. Lee won 112 matches in just 3 years with the Vikings. Lee was state runner-up his junior year before becoming a record setting undefeated state champion in 1995 with a (50-0) record. Lee went on to start four years at North Carolina State qualifying for the Nationals 3 times. Lee is an adjunct professor teaching engineering graphics at N.C. State and has his own interactive design agency, Forged Media, in Raleigh. He was recently recognized and inducted into the Tarboro High Athletic Hall of Fame.
The TakeDown Report has promoted amateur wrestling for over 20 years in eastern North Carolina reporting wrestling results and encouraging media coverage of the sport. Fleming noted, “We desire to encourage wrestlers and teams in this area to realize the hard work, determination and discipline it takes to be a top notch wrestler,” he added. The TakeDown Report sponsors the Award. Contact the TDR at martinkfleming@gmail.com 
Hidlay, Macchiavello Win Gold at U23 World Team Trials
TDR Editor Notes; The Wolfpack wrestlers ventured north to Akron, Ohio which was once called “The “Rubber Capitol of the World” to compete for a spot on the USA World Championships team. Read all the details in the Wolfpack web site linked below.
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Five from @PackWrestle Earn All-American Honors
AKRON, OHIO – Two members of the Wolfpack Wrestling Club claimed top honors in their weight class this weekend at the U23 World Team Trials in Akron, Ohio. Rising redshirt-sophomore Hayden Hidlay won the Gold at 70 kg, while recently graduated Michael Macchiavello won the 92 kg weight class. With their wins, both Hidlay and Macchiavello advance to the U23 World Championships which will take place in Romania in November.
Rest of the story at http://gopack.com/news/2018/6/3/wrestling-hidlay-macchiavello-win-gold-at-u23-world-team-trials.aspx?mc_cid=e9b639445f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Big Bend CC to Revive Men’s Wrestling Program; Adding Women’s Team
TDR Editor Notes’; More good news of a college that will re-start their men’s team in the fall and will add a women’s team. The school is on the other end of the country but as more schools start wrestling it can encourage more schools to take the jump.
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BIG BEND OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
The Big Bend Community College athletics department is expanding its offerings with the return of men’s collegiate wrestling to its sports roster and the addition of women’s wrestling. The last time anyone wore a Viking’s wrestling singlet, was during the 1994-95 season. The decision to return wrestling to Big Bend was multi-layered and included local interest in the sport as well as the college’s legacy of helping student-athletes achieve success inside and outside of the classroom. “For the last five years, Big Bend athletes have had either the best or second-best GPAs in the state of Washington for schools our size,” said Athletic Director Mark Poth. “That level of success in the classroom is proof that our coaches recruit not only good athletes, but good people with great character. “We feel as an athletic department that we can continue to grow that success with the expansion of our athletic offerings and with the extreme interest in both men’s and women’s wrestling in our service area it feels like a win-win situation.” Rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/blog/2018/06/02/big-bend-cc-to-revive-mens-wrestling-program-adding-womens-team-for-2018-19/?mc_cid=71a880fdbf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Hall of Fame’s impressive Honors Class of 2018 arrives in Stillwater for induction, with bios of the inductees
TDR Editor’s Notes; Last weekend was the big induction of wrestling folks into the big Hall of Fame in Stillwater. I have visited the Museum only twice in last 26 years. Greatly desire to go back soon. A must see place for all fans.
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STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is inducting the Class of 2018 at its 41nd Annual Honors Weekend on June 1-2 in Stillwater, Okla. It is an impressive group of wrestling heroes, leaders and talent, a truly diverse group that has made a huge impact on the sport and life. “The Class of 2018 is an amazing group of people who have made a tremendous and extremely positive impact on our sport,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “We are excited to be inducting our second female Distinguished Member, Kristie Davis, and to recognize Lee Allen, who played a significant role in the development and growth of women’s wrestling. We are so excited to honor another group that has not only contributed to our sport, but who embodies what wrestling can do to help you excel in life.”
Rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2018/June/01/Hall-of-Fame-honors-weekend-begins?mc_cid=e341c3ac85&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Oklahoma State Transfer to UNC
TDR Editor’s Notes; Good to see the line up at UNC strengthened for next year. Have not seen a confirming story on the UNC web site, yet.
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Two time National Qualifier Gary Wayne Harding will be transfering from Oklahoma State to the University of North Carolina.
Rest of the story and video at https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/6208436-ok-states-gary-wayne-harding-to-north-carolina?mc_cid=e341c3ac85&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Lander University in South Carolina will start wrestling
TDR Editor’s Notes; It is a year off but always good news to see expanding opportunities for wrestlers to further their education while wrestling.
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Lander Athletics announces addition of men’s wrestling program
GREENWOOD – Lander Athletics today unveiled a plan to add a men’s wrestling program to the athletic department. Lander will become just the fourth NCAA Division II wrestling program in the state and will begin competition during the 2019-20 academic year. “This is thrilling news for Lander as we continue to elevate and grow our athletics program,” said athletics director Brian Reese. “Men’s wrestling will bring an added element to our overall student-athlete experience and will give us another opportunity to field a progam that can compete at a championship level.” Rest of the story at http://landerbearcats.com/general/2017-18/releases/20180509wbatib?mc_cid=feb686b08c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Wrestling Has Long History with the Military
TDR Editor’s Notes; The following is a sample of some of the information and wrestling history that can be found at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Yet much of that information can be accessed here, on-line.
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The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum is grateful to our veterans.
On Memorial Day, we want to say thank you, and encourage you to thank them, for their service and for all that they have sacrificed. The relationship between the Armed Forces and the sport of wrestling dates back thousands of years. From the early days of mankind to the modern soldier, wrestling, also known as combative arms by the military, has been a big part of battle and modern-day training. Rest of the story at https://nwhof.org/blog/wrestling-has-long-history-with-military/?mc_cid=d591c930b7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
