In an event designed to “celebrate humankind’s original form of recreational combat,” the first-annual Garden State Grapple at the Prudential Center will feature three Top-25 college wrestling teams as well as the strength of the Hofstra Pride. These are three storylines you’ll want to know before following this unconventional, exciting, wrestling event.
Last week was a busy week for West Delaware senior Wyatt Voelker and it concluded Friday afternoon with a Junior Greco-Roman National Title at 195 pounds. Voelker began last Sunday at the Fargo Dome in Fargo, North Dakota with the freestyle portion of the tournament and started 4-0 to advance to the quarterfinals where he fell to Caden Rogers of Pennsylvania. In the consolation bracket Voelker earned his first of two All-American honors of the week with a 7-5 win over fellow Iowan Spencer Mooberry of Osage, before falling in his final two matches to claim an 8th place finish.
After a day off Wednesday, Voelker began the Greco-Roman tournament as the 2nd seed and won by technical fall in his first four matches including a 11-0 win over John Gunderson of Wisconsin who handed him one of his losses in freestyle, setting up a rematch with Caden Rogers in the semifinals. In the semifinals Voelker took a 4-0 lead into the break and in a physical back and forth second period Voelker was abl
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Individually, though, stars have developed, and senior Nate Lucier is the latest.
Coming off a sixth-place finish at the Class 3A PIAA tournament, Lucier has had to wait an extra month to begin his quest to climb all the way to the top of the podium.
The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the start, and threatened the feasibility of actually finishing the wrestling season, but the social distancing, restrictions and isolation hardly phase Lucier, who’s made a career out of finding ways to improve without marquee help in the practice room.
“Wrestling is a unique sport, where, if you set your work ethic and goals and priorities high enough, you can attain the same thing as anyone else,” Coatesville coach Jeff Bowyer said. “It’s not as convenient to find different partners and extra work, but if you’re driven and focused, it’s attainable, and he’s done that.”
Individually, though, stars have developed, and senior Nate Lucier is the latest.
Coming off a sixth-place finish at the Class 3A PIAA tournament, Lucier has had to wait an extra month to begin his quest to climb all the way to the top of the podium.
Coatesville’s Nate Lucier. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the start, and threatened the feasibility of actually finishing the wrestling season, but the social distancing, restrictions and isolation hardly faze Lucier, who’s made a career out of finding ways to improve without marquee help in the practice room.