By Andy Walter, Delaware State News
DOWNSTATE – Fargo isn’t a vacation, Dicky Howell likes to say.
There are no amusement parks or water slides.
No, Fargo is about just one thing: wrestling.
“It’s certainly not a fun trip, “said Howell, the Caesar Rodney High coach. “The atmosphere out there is just wrestling.
“There’s 23 mats. Basically once it starts, there’s matches going on those mats non-stop for eight days.”
Last year Alex Meade went to the USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet National Championships just to take in that atmosphere. The prestigious tournament is held every July in Fargo, N.D.
Meade couldn’t even compete last summer. At 14, the standout wrestler was too young.
“I just wanted to see what it was like, “said Meade.
This weekend the CR sophomore-to-be is back in Fargo but, this time, he’s ready to get out on the mats.
Meade will be one of 26 high school wrestlers competing for Team Delaware over the next week. The Nationals, which include both Greco Roman and freestyle brackets for both Juniors and Cadets, start Saturday at the spacious Fargodome.
Made up largely of Henlopen Conference wrestlers, Team Delaware has had at least one All-American (by placing in the top eight) in each of its five previous trips. Last year it had four.
CR’s Ian Moser returns after finishing second in Greco Roman and third in freestyle in his weight class. Sussex Central’s Connor McDonald is also back after winning a Cadet freestyle title two years ago before placing third after moving up to Juniors last summer.
Meade comes into his first Fargo competition with some impressive credentials, too. In April he won the 119-pound title in the FILA Cadet World Trials in Chicago.
That showing earned Meade a No. 1 national ranking among freshman and sophomore 119-pounders.
“I hoped I would do well but I did better than I thought I would, “Meade said about his title. “Hopefully, they’re going to expect me to do pretty well out there (in Fargo). There’s going to be a lot of people gunning for me. I’m used to it.”
Competing in Fargo is another step up for Meade, a veteran of national-caliber events as a youngster.
“It’s a pretty big tournament, I like it a lot, “said Meade. “It gets you a lot of national recognition. I figure if I can do well out there, I should get a pretty good ranking next year.”
“Winning that (FILA tourney) kind of sets himself as having a good chance at placing or winning it out there, “said Howell.
Howell said Meade’s trip to Fargo last year can’t hurt.
“I don’t know if he was scouting the competition or just trying to get a feel for it, “said Howell. “It’s always good to get out there and see where you want to be. It’s kind of like bringing your JV to the state tournament.”
As a group, Howell would like to see Team Delaware top last year’s program-high four All-Americans. The squad is also being coached by Howell’s brother, Smyrna coach Kurt Howell, St. Mark’s Jason Bastianelli and CR graduate Josh McGregor.
But whether they place or not, Dicky Howell said the wrestlers have already gotten a great deal out of the experience.
The team has been practicing twice a week since May. It also had a week-long training camp before leaving for Fargo on Wednesday.
“It’s a huge commitment – of both time and financially, “said Howell. “Some of the kids ask, ‘Well, what happens if I go out there and I lose my matches?’
“But that’s not what gets you better. Whether you get two or 10 matches out there, it’s all the training that leads up to it. You’re training and working out with the best kids in the state. You’re already ahead of the game.
“It’s a neat experience getting out there and rubbing shoulders with the best guys in the country.”
Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at 741-8227 or [email protected].
Wrestling Gear
