Elder Wrestling: What’s next for the seniors?

2013-2014+Elder+wrestling+seniors

2013-2014 Elder wrestling seniors

Another awesome season of Elder wrestling is officially history, meaning that, unfortunately, another round of senior wrestlers will be departing elsewhere.

As every wrestler knows, it’s all or nothing senior year. If you don’t reach your goals senior year, then there is no next year for you to prepare for and you will always have to live with the regrets of your senior year.

It is also the last year the seniors will be able to put on that purple singlet and carry on the proud tradition that is Elder Wrestling.

Anchored by state placers Jake Conners and Evan Morgan, Elder’s varsity wrestling team had an overall record of 11-5 and wound up finishing 2nd at the GCL tournament.

Overall it was a good first season for head coach Jason Roush, who had big shoes to fill in his first year replacing long time head coach Dick McCoy.

Since senior year is the last hurrah for most varsity wrestlers, I wanted to find out if the graduating wrestlers had any regrets about how their last year went, and whether or not they plan to continue their wrestling career in college.

Conners told me that he had the time of his life senior year, and that he had no regrets about his last year of high school wrestling, “I had a blast wrestling this year it was the best time of my life. Going 40-9, I pretty much reached all my goals. I wanted to wrestle at least as well as my brother did and I did that”, he continued. “The highlight of my season was either winning GCL or winning Districts or placing at state. As far as my future plans in wrestling I will be wrestling at the Division 1 level for Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”

District qualifier Nathan McClanahan said that while senior year didn’t go exactly as he planned, it was still a success, “I thought that my senior year was successful. It didn’t go as good as I had wanted it to go. My main goal was to be a State Qualifier, but in the end being a District Qualifier and being named to the SWOWCA All-Star team was pretty cool. I didn’t reach every goal, but I would say that I was successful in reaching them”, he added. “I’m not too sure about my future in wrestling, as of right now I’m just going into the National Guard and then going to U.C. I may or may not end up joining their club team, but if they were to get a normal Wrestling team, I would join.

Morgan said that he loved senior year and doesn’t plan on his wrestling career ending after graduation, “I loved my senior year. Coach Roush and all the other coaches helped me along the way. I did not succeed in all my goals but being a 2x state qualifier with 126 career wins is nothing to frown upon. I am planning on wrestling in college but I am undecided where as of now. I have narrowed it down to 4 schools: University of Indianapolis, Ohio Northern University, University of Mount Union or University of the Cumberlands.”

District qualifier Savion Truitt was happy with the way his senior year turned out, “Well as in every sport, the goal is to be at your very best at the sport, especially by your senior year. This year started out slow for me, but I was improving every week and by the end of the season I was wrestling the best matches I’ve ever wrestled before. I met my goal by qualifying for districts again but I mean it was time to set new goals but unfortunately I fell a little short but hey I’m happy with the way things turned out. As far as the future, I think I’m done wrestling. It was a hell of a ride but I think it’s time to move on to other things.”

Senior Tim Wahoff said that while he didn’t reach his wrestling goals, he has bigger and better things to worry about, “It was an accomplishment even though I didn’t reach my goal. I set out for freshman year to get my name up on the big board but I believe all my brothers as well as I accomplished something even greater than being state champions, and that is we’ve became men and I couldn’t be any prouder of the last four years. My wrestling career is sadly over and it’s time to move on to bigger and better things in the United States Marine Corps.”

Whether they will wrestle in college or not, I want to give a shout to all senior wrestlers who will be graduating this year, and want to wish them well with whatever they do in the future. Always remember this: wherever you go or whatever or you do, you will always represent Elder High School and its amazing wrestling program.