SHELBYVILLE, IL. —
Shelbyville wrestling has done something they have never done before, qualify nine wrestlers for a sectional tournament. They wrestle Friday at Robinson.
Two years ago the Rams qualified four, last year they qualified five, the most in school history. This year they qualified nine of the 13 wrestlers they took to regional, almost doubling the most they ever had before.
The Rams qualified senior Alex Jones, juniors Mitchell Barna and Josh Hicks, sophomore Elliott Smithson, and four freshmen: Jared Finley, Wyatt Fox, Adam Hudson, and Lucas Duckett. Jones and the four freshmen are products of the Shelbyville Jr. Rams Wrestling Club.
"That's a tribute to Tracy Agney who does a wonderful job doing what he does with the kids club," said Shelbyville coach Greg Harkins.
Last year, Hicks and Barna placed 3rd at regional and qualified for sectional. Jones won regional, advanced out of sectional, again, and placed 4th at state.
"I can't tell you how proud I am of them," Coach Harkins said."We turned up the intensity this year in practice. We had a new system and they bought into it. It's a more offensive system, "in your face," on your feet. It's go, go, go, never stop."
The Rams won an overwhelming majority of their duals this season, placed 3rd at the conference duals to Monticello and Argenta and third at regional, against Monticello and Argenta. They will face even stiffer competition at sectional, although regional was no picnic.
"Our regional was the toughest regional in our sectional," Harkins said. "But our success at conference and regional shows we are peaking at the right time. Their techinique is there."
The Rams were in some 1-point matches at regional, some ending in losses, some in wins. There will be more at sectional. Every point counts and the Rams have experience in those kind of matches.
The Rams have a host of overall experience, even the freshmen. Senior Alex Jones has over 700 matches under his belt. Even freshman Lucas Duckett, a former Bantam State Champ, has over 500 matches.
This season all they had to do was make sure they were in better shape than their opponents and tweak their techniques.
The freshmen had a host of kid wrestling experience, even at Kid State. But they had to make the transition to high school wrestling this year. And they did it.
"Kids Club and high school are completely different beasts," Coach Harkins said. "Their technique has to be perfect. Earlier in the year they were doing some things to get in bad situations and putting themselves in bad positions. But we got it fixed."
Harkins cited freshman Wyatt Fox as an example.
"Earlier in the year he was 10-8," Coach Harkins said. "Then he went on a 17-0 run."
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Shelbyville qualified 9 wrestlers for sectional, the most in school history by almost double. They are, left to right; (Front) freshman Lucas Duckett (145), senior Alex Jones (132), junior Josh Hicks (160), freshman Jared Finley (120); (Back) freshman Adam Hudson (138), junior Jordan Johnston (152), freshman Wyatt Fox (126), sophomore Elliott Smithson (285), Coach Greg Harkins. Not present Mitchell Barna (170).
Rams Take 9 To Sectional, Most In School History
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