THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 10, 1997 TAG: 9701100711
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 66 lines
When it comes to recruiting area wrestlers, Virginia Military Institute takes a page from a certain car-rental agency: They try harder.
But it has to do that around here anyway. Home to some of the country's strongest high school programs, the Eastern Region's best tend to have higher aspirations for collegiate wrestling.
VMI, nestled in the hills of Lexington, 234 miles from Norfolk and light years from Penn State and Oklahoma in terms of national fame, wouldn't appear to be the haute school among area wrestlers.
So how come four of the Keydets' starters hail from Virginia Beach?
They try harder.
VMI takes something of a barnstorming tour of area high schools in the week leading up to the Virginia Duals, which start today at the Hampton Coliseum. For the fourth consecutive year, the Keydets are headed to Hampton. And again, they're practicing at different high schools beforehand.
``So far, we've been to Cox, Great Bridge and Tallwood,'' said VMI coach John Trugedon, who coached at Williamsburg's Lafayette High School for nine years. ``Not only does it give our program exposure around here, it also helps maintain our relationship with area coaches.''
It seems to be working. Among the Virginia Beach alumni in the lineup are Adam Mickiewicz, who has an 11-2 record at 134 and went to Kellam; Reese Edginton, formerly of Green Run, who qualified for the NCAAs last year at 158 and has a 12-3 record; Jason Foresman (Cox, 9-6 at 150) and Eric Jones (Princess Anne, 7-2 at 167).
``Typically, we'll get three to four area recruits each year,'' Trudgeon said. ``This is still a hotbed for high school wrestling. In fact, we've only got two wrestlers not from Virginia.''
Mickiewicz is a familiar name to area wrestling fans. He earned national attention for refusing to wrestle twin brother Aaron in the 1992 Group AAA state finals.
Adam Mickiewicz chose VMI over Lock Haven, Bloomsburg and James Madison. Aaron went to VMI, too, but later transferred to Old Dominion.
``I had a lot of friends decide to go (to VMI),'' said Mickiewicz. ``I also liked (Trudgeon) as a coach and a person, and thought VMI was the best choice for me.''
Said Trudgeon: ``I had my eye on both Adam and Aaron for a while. We had a pretty good rapport with both of them, and they figured this was a good mix for them.''
And while Lock Haven, which is also at the Duals, might have a higher team ranking (10th nationally) Mickiewicz has hardly suffered at VMI. He qualified for the NCAAs twice and this year placed fifth at the Midlands Invitational in Evanston, Ill., regarded as one of the better in-season meets.
Mickiewicz, who redshirted as a sophomore, hopes in his fifth and final season to take the next step.
``I like to wrestle as an underdog,'' he said, ``and I tried to do that at the NCAAs, but I was a head case there. I haven't done too well at the big tournaments in the past.''
His showing at the Midlands meet, however, might be his turning point.
``This is my last year, and I'm just trying to enjoy it,'' Mickiewicz said. ``I put too much pressure on myself in the past; now I'm trying to have a little fun while I can. I don't want to look back and say `I wish I could have done it differently.' '' ILLUSTRATION: BILL TIERNAN
The Virginian-Pilot
Former Kellam High School standout Adam Mickiewicz, left, has an
11-2 record at 134 pounds as a fifth-year senior at VMI.