ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 29, 1995 TAG: 9512290040
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-11 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
Christiansburg High School's Jamie Harris may appear at first glance to be just another 112-pound wrestler. But as opponents realize quickly enough, there's quite a fight in Harris' diminutive frame.
"I'm a very aggressive wrestler, that's definitely my strength," Harris said. "Ability isn't enough to carry you all the way. You also need to be aggressive and experienced."
And Harris is loaded with experience. The Blue Demon junior finished 30-4 last season on the way to a runner-up finish in the Group AA state championships.
"I finished last year just about the way I expected to," Harris said. "I ended up the season really strong, and I lost to a really good wrestler from Grundy in the finals."
In fact, all four of Harris' defeats came at the hands of wrestlers from Grundy, a school recognized as one of Virginia's true wrestling powerhouses.
"He's just got some kind of mental block when it comes to wrestlers from Grundy," Christiansburg coach Dean Underwood said. "The only thing that's going to help him is to beat one of them."
Don't be surprised if this year, he does. Harris dedicated this last offseason to getting himself in the best condition of his life, in preparation for the long road to the state title.
"I did a lot of running with members of the cross country team this summer," Harris said. "I also went to Ohio to wrestle in the Junior National tryouts, which was a great experience for me."
Wrestling against other top-flight competitors at the Junior Nationals was a learning experience, Harris said, and one that should assist him in his quest for this year's 112-pound state title.
"They have a very different attitude and wrestling style up there," Harris said. "The wrestlers up there are psycho, I mean, I came back with bruises all over from headbutts and where they would press with their chins.
"But I feel as if the competition has made me better because I'll have to deal with a lot of pressure along the way this season, and the Junior Nationals will help me deal with it because I'll be more mentally fit."
Already the experience has helped renew Harris' dedication to the sport of wrestling.
"Coach Underwood and I had a discussion this year because I wasn't doing some of the things I needed to be doing," Harris said. "He gave me one of those coach-to-wrestler talks that I really needed at the time."
"I just told Jamie that he was going to have to work harder because no one was going to lay down for him," Underwood said. "Jamie has the potential to be as good as he wants to be, he just needs to work harder sometimes. Since we've had the talk he's got things going in the right direction."
Since then, Harris has captured the 112-pound title at the Salem Ironman and Christiansburg High School tournaments.
"Those tournaments are great preparation for the season," Harris said. "I haven't been overly pleased with my wrestling so far this year, but I'll take the wins any day. My overall goal is to get back to the state championships. I expect myself to do at least as well this year as I did last year."
And what if the state finals pit Harris against another opponent from Grundy?
"Hopefully this time I can get the job done," Harris said. "Sooner or later I'll have to beat one of them."
LENGTH: Medium: 65 linesby CNB