Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 3, 1994 TAG: 9402030340
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
"A lot of people talk a big game," Kahila said. "But he was always there - listening and learning. Someone like that's going to get good."
Gearhart finished second at the Group AAA meet last year at 135 pounds and this year is one of Timesland's best bets to win a Group AAA title. VMI, North Carolina and Virginia have expressed interest in Gearhart, an A-B student.
"He's a hard-working, determined athlete," Kahila said. "That's the main trait I'm looking for in a kid. It's No. 1 on my list."
No. 1 on Gearhart's list this year is a state title. Last year, he finished second in the Roanoke Valley District tournament and first in the Northwestern Region tournament.
Then came the Group AAA tournament. Gearhart rolled through his first three opponents and into the championship match, where he wrestled Cox High School's Jason Foresman. Earlier in the season, Gearhart had beaten Foresman by one point. This time, the result was different.
The match was tied 4-4 at the end of regulation. That meant there would be sudden-death overtime - the first wrestler to score a point would win. Gearhart shot in on Foresman with a fireman's carry and was "really running it," Kahila said, when the referee became involved.
"I'm not one to complain about officials," Kahila said, "but the ref called a takedown for the other kid, since Daniel was in so deep on his shot. Then he reversed his call and told both wrestlers to get on their feet."
The only problem was that Gearhart had to give up his favorable position. Foresman took him down and won the state title.
"It was just a mistake," Kahila said of the referee's decision. "I can see what the referee was thinking, but it's a shame."
That hasn't diverted Gearhart from his goal of winning the Group AAA title at 140 pounds in 1994. He is 12-4 this season - not a sparkling record, but his losses have come against tough competition.
He lost two matches at a tournament in Grundy this season, one to a defending state champion from Alabama, the other by one point to a defending Group AA champion from Grundy. He also had two other one-point losses, to wrestlers from Green Run and Hampton high schools.
Gearhart moved up one weight class for the Big Orange tournament Jan. 14-15 at William Byrd to help his team. Kahila figured his 135-pounder, Bryan Jones, could do well at 140, and that Gearhart would fare well at 145. It worked. Both won championships - Jones in overtime over Byrd's Heath Brogan, and Gearhart 6-4 over previously unbeaten Bobby Stewart of Lord Botetourt.
"I felt fine," Gearhart said of the move up in weight. "The guys felt stronger than me, but I knew enough to make up for it."
Even so, Gearhart will remain at 140 pounds this year.
He started the season wrestling 135 pounds, but after Gearhart lost in the first match of the season, against Green Run, Kahila told him to move up to 140.
"It wouldn't bother me to leave him at 145," Kahila said. "But he wants to go 140, and he has a good chance at a state title [there]."
As for Gearhart's wrestling style, it's aggressive, but he wrestles with intelligence, too.
"He'll keep you off balance," Kahila said. "He's got a busy style; he's going the whole time. You stop, he's going to keep going."
Said Cave Spring coach Steve Spangler, who has coached against Gearhart on several occasions: "He doesn't give up. He's a hammerhead."
Gearhart smiled at that comment.
"I like that," he said in a voice just above a whisper.
The only problem now for Gearhart, Kahila said, is to keep the pressure off his wrestler.
"The negative thing now is the pressure of being the state runner-up," he said. "When he gets on the mat, he can't worry about showing everyone he's a phenom. We've just got to prepare as hard as possible and give it our best shot. It's one of those boring stories of hard work. He's done it and reached a certain level."
Most of Gearhart's opponents would agree: Wrestling Gearhart isn't boring. It can be downright scary.
by CNB