Interstate 35 has sights set on State trophies

(This story originally appeared in the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune)

BY MATT PFIFFNER
Expectations inside the Interstate 35 wrestling room may be at an all-time high heading into this season and that's saying a lot, based on the success the Roadrunners have enjoyed over the years.

The Roadrunners are ranked second in Class 1A in The Predicament's Preseason State Tournament Team Rankings and fifth in the IWCOA's Class 1A Preseason Dual Team Rankings.

I-35 placed fourth at the State Tournament last season and qualified for the State Duals for the sixth time in school history, but lost in the first round to Belle Plaine, to finish the year 19-2 in duals.

Several wrestlers from that squad return this winter, which justifies the high expectations. Included in that group are two-time State place finishers senior Matt Terrell and junior Mitch Johnson, sophomore James Houchins, who placed fourth at State last season as a freshman, and senior State qualifier Lance Jones.

"We do expect some big things from this group. But we've told them we haven't accomplished anything yet," I-35 Coach Randy Calvert said. "The potential is there to have a great year, but potential doesn't mean anything."

The Roadrunners come into every season with similar goals - winning the Pride of Iowa Conference, getting as many wrestlers to State as possible and qualifying for State Duals. This season, those goals are a bit loftier.

"Our goal at State is to get a trophy. (Defending 1A champion) Don Bosco is the team to beat and there are a lot of other good teams out there, like Akron-Westfield and Belle Plaine. But we want to be in that trophy hunt," Calvert said. "State Duals, our goal is always to get there. And the big thing now is to get a good seed. That's so important. We have to show up every night ready to wrestle."

Terrell, who placed at State as a freshman and junior, said this team has what it takes to do something that hasn't been done by an I-35 team since 1995.

"We really want to make it to the finals at State Duals. I think this is the team to do it with. We lacked experience last year," he said.

Calvert said this team compares very well with the squad that took second at State Duals in 1995. But this team does have at least one very important advantage over that one.

"It's probably the best team since we took second at State Duals in 1995. Up and down the lineup we're pretty solid," he said. "The difference between this squad is that this group has a lot of experience.

"Matt and Mitch have wrestled at State every year. Having that experience will help some of the inexperienced guys. And all of these guys have experience at State Duals. That's huge."

The Roadrunners have had individual successes for quite some time, but the team successes can be traced back to the early 1990's, when the Roadrunners placed third and second at State Duals in back-to-back years.
The year before that first trip to State Duals, the team had some University of Iowa wrestlers come to the school for a clinic. What they were shown that day is still being used now, Calvert said.

"The kids bought into that system. We've lived on that Iowa pinning combination. We're very confident when we get on top that we're going to pin you," he said. "It goes back to that Iowa style. Push them, push them, push them."

The Roadrunners have been known for their pinning prowess ever since and that has helped the team win a lot of duals and tournament titles.

As for this season, along with the returning State Tournament experience, the Roadrunners have three other grapplers  - Shane Stanley, Tucker Young and Garret Young - who have wrestled in Districts at least once in their careers and are looking to take that next step to State this year.

But the main focus of this group are the four studs in the middle of the line-up - Houchins, Johnson, Terrell and Jones.

Houchins burst onto the scene last year with a fourth-place finish at State at 112 and a 30-plus wins campaign. He will wrestle either 125 or 130 this winter for the Roadrunners and is currently ranked No. 2 in 1A at 125.

"He had to be the surprise last year. He's pretty confident in what he's doing now," Calvert said. "The thing about him is he never stops and he brings that attitude to practice."

Johnson, ranked second at 130 in the preseason poll, may have the best skills of any of the Roadrunner wrestlers and he has used that to garner a pair of State medals in his first two seasons. He was eighth at 119 as a freshman and finished fourth at 125 last winter.

"He's our technician. He's spent a lot of time working on that at camps and clinics. And he's stronger this year, so that will help," Calvert said.

Terrell placed seventh at 119 as a freshman, missed out on a medal his sophomore season, but bounced back with a sixth-place effort last season at 140. He begins the season as the No. 1 ranked wrestler at 145 in 1A.

"I want to be in the State finals. That's my main goal," Terrell said. "I'm ready for just about anything."

Calvert said Terrell is usually his own worst enemy on the mat and if his energy can be harnessed a little, it will go a long way.

"He seems more focused this year. We call him our squirrel. He's a ball of energy. If we can get him to slow down and stay in position, that's when he's at his best," Calvert said. "But that explosion will be there for him when he needs it."

Jones was lone State qualifier not to place last season for I-35, as he went 0-2 at 145. He moves up one weight to 152 this season and starts the year ranked eighth.

"He'll learn from that experience and be better for it this year," Calvert said of Jones' 2006 State experience.

Terrell said he and fellow senior Jones have been given the leadership duties by the coaches this season.

"Me and Lance try to get on the younger guys. We know that's our role on the team," he said.

Terrell also said last season's success and this year's expectations aren't a big surprise to him and his teammates.

"We knew for a while we were going to be good. Especially with some of the younger kids who have come through," he said.

Just how good this Roadrunner squad will be is yet to be seen. Like Calvert said, "potential doesn't mean anything."