THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, February 5, 1995               TAG: 9502020163
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST           PAGE: 15   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT   
DATELINE: BARCO                              LENGTH: Medium:   52 lines

STARTER SPARKS CURRITUCK TEAM TO CONFERENCE WIN DAVID LOWE HAS TAKEN FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD IN HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION THIS YEAR, HIS COACH SAYS.

Currituck County High School's wrestling team won the Northeastern Conference regular season championship this past week. The feat was not that unusual, except for the fact that the team was anchored by a freshman.

David Lowe, who graduated from a successful career with the Moyock Wrestling Club to a starting spot at 130 for Currituck, leads the team in victories.

``He's taken first, second, or third in every tournament we've wrestled this year,'' said Currituck head coach Bill Paisley. ``He's certainly got a chance for first in the conference. He'll probably be in the top three in the regionals and have a very respectable showing as a freshman.''

Lowe attributes much of his success to his father who was involved with the Moyock Wrestling Club, which has become a feeder program for the high school in the absence of a middle school team.

``My dad and some of the other kids' fathers started the club so that the kids could have experience for the high school team,'' Lowe said. ``He started me wrestling. He wrestled at Indian River High School.''

Lowe, who just turned 15, probably has not nearly reached his potential yet. He relies on quickness and technique right now. ``I get muscled a lot out there,'' he said. ``I haven't started weight training yet.''

Lowe said that as a freshman he is under no pressure to win.

``It doesn't bother me that much. I have another three years of experience,'' he said. ``The losses don't bother me. I just want the experience. I want to be ready by the 11th and 12th grade.''

What did bother Lowe was a recent loss to Manteo senior Chris O'Neill. O'Neill, a seasoned veteran, dropped Lowe for a 7-1 decision. Lowe beat O'Neill at an earlier match in December. A rivalry was born.

``It's a big rivalry,'' Lowe stressed. ``I'll see him at least three more times this season.''

No doubt Lowe will encounter many more rivalries on the mat. But his biggest goal is to wrestle at the college level.

``Academics are my No. 1 goal right now,'' Lowe said. ``We've had a lot of wrestlers come through here who have had a lot of potential but academics brought them down.''

Lowe admitted he was slack with the books his first nine weeks of his freshman year.

``Then I heard about the wrestlers that were brought down by grades,'' he said. ``I made all A's and B's this last nine weeks.'' by CNB