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Thursday, January 31, 2008

MHS celebrates its senior wrestlers
Brady Bauman Sports Writer

The Manhattan High wrestling team cruised through Shawnee Heights dominating 49-11 and only two Indian wrestlers lost a match.

But the focus of the night wasn't Shawnee Heights, but more on Manhattan's 15 seniors, who went into their last match at home during senior night on Wednesday.

"It's tough for me," MHS wrestling head coach Robert Gonzales said. "(The seniors) have won a league championship, a regional championship and a state championship in their four-year career here. It's just really sad to think that on May 25 they will be walking across the stage at Bramlage (Coliseum)."

However, Steve Andrus, who is signed to wrestle for Michigan State next year, did not wrestle and is out for the season with a knee injury.

"I get choked up when I think about Steve Andrus and all his accomplishments," Gonzales said. "He's a five time All-American and has won over 100 varsity matches."

Andrus said it's the team's unity that has been the strength of the senior class.

"We're all hard workers and have been wrestling together for a long time," the heavyweight competitor and defending state champion said. "We're all friends and get along with each other really well. We always come together whenever there is something we need to get over."

Fellow senior Jed Sicard, who won his match by default against Shawnee Heights' Barrett Bramingham due to an opponent injury in the second period of the 152-pound weight class, shared Andrus' sentiment.

"I grew up wrestling with all these guys in the kids club and have been going to tournaments together for years now," Sicard said. "They're like a family to me. Everybody is really close and they're my best friends."

Like Sicard, the rest of the senior starters ended their last home match the right way — all with victories.

Kevin Frazier (119), Mitch Henderson (130) Jason Lewis (135), Tucker Adams (140) and Steve Miller (145) all dominated their matches against Shawnee Heights.

Jacob Wagner, another prominent senior for Manhattan was out due to sickness, but along with Andrus and Miller, is another 100-plus match winner for the Indians.

"They are all tremendous athletes," Gonzales said about the group, which wrestles next on Feb. 9 in the Centennial League meet. "It's so hard (to replace them) and we'll just have to start over next year and hope the freshmen coming in and sophomores moving up will be ready."

By the looks of Wednesday night a few of the Manhattan underclassmen showed that hope, with junior Jeff Vesta quickly pinning Chad Height in the 103-pound match-up and freshman Dane Norris winning against senior Alberto Martinez in a 6-1 decision in 112.

Sophomore Trevor Machell pinned senior Matt Calovich at 215 for the Indians and junior Tyler West fought to the end and made his move in the match's final seconds to gain the 7-5 decision over Shawnee Heights' Marquis Ceazer.

Junior Lucas Wagner won in the open slot in the 125-pound class.

Freshman Drevan Shorter and sophomore Jacob Stroda were the only Manhattan wrestlers that fell.

Shorter fell by pin to Shawnee Heights' Glen Thurber in the 160-pound class and Stroda lost in a close match 5-4 against Shawnee Heights senior Ben Wooten.

Nonetheless, the night belonged to the Manhattan seniors, who wrestled their last home match with wins and with a coach who many look up to as a father.

"It's not even wrestling related most of the time," Andrus said about what he has learned from Gonzales. "He builds character for everybody on the team and if you need help with studies or anything else he's there for you. He's more like a father than really a coach."


Richard D. Salyer
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There were a few mistakes in the article. Manhattan won 49-23. The 215 lb. class Calovich pinned Machell. Shawnee Heights also won by pin at 171. Heights had one team point deducted.

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There are a couple more notable mistakes in this article Steve Andrus's Varsity record is 6-1 as Freshman, 25-6 as a Sophomore , 21-1 as a Junior and 25-0 as a Senior. When I was taught new math back in the 60’s that comes out to 77-8. This young reporter must have miss quoted Coach Gonzales! But nonetheless I am pround of all these Seniors!


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What a GREAT group of wrestlers and fine young men. Good luck the rest of the season.

Ned & Linda Price


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