Chenoweths first college match up.

I left my meeting early to make sure I could see as much of the dual as possible. I had a young man I was introducing to York’s head coach but I also had a few fellows for the Newman squad I wanted to see, none more so than Clearwater’s Curtis Chenoweth.

Upon arriving I could tell that the studly 165 pound wrestler from Newman had had a good day. While he had cut the 5 pounds he needed to make weight, he was using the hunger as anger to get ready for his match.

It was obvious from the opening announcements that Chenoweth was a Jet ready to take off and destroy the panther that lay near him. That was one of the things that made it tough. It was hard for me to yell against a panther, after all, that is my son’s mascot. But on this night, I was reminded that I lived in the Air Capitol of the World, and for this occasion, I was wanting the Jet to fly high.

Things got off to a rocky start, there was the open guy from York that got beat right off the bat by Copeland but then York came back for 2 victories including the nail biter, get up out of your seat jumping match between Settle from York and Arveson from Newman. The score was close and the dual was still up for grabs.

Sprague and Leis both chalked up falls for Newman prior to the Chenoweth match. It was what I had come for, it was the moment I had looked forward to. I knew from talking to Curtis mom, who I was sitting with, that Curtis was angry as a bull out of Clearwater and that he was ready to fly. I could almost hear in the background the song, “I believe I can fly…” Chenoweth had that look that he had prepared for all through kids club at TOHK, Clearwater, high school at Clearwater where he took up the label of “takedown king.” Would his takedowns be effective tonight? We would soon find out. Chenoweth was the man, he looked like it, and I can’t recall ever seeing him so angry, but yet, focused.

Then they call him out to face, …… what, it is that open guy again! That poor boy had to wrestle 3 times against Newman. Against the 125 pounder, now against Chenoweth at 165, and later on against McGrew at 197. What was up with that? This kid just wasn’t that good, why would they match him against 3 of Newman’s wrestlers?

To make a long story short, Chenoweth disposed of him, just as his teammates did at other weights. It didn’t seem like it took very long. As a matter of fact, the most memorable thing was seeing his hand raised in his first college match, and then almost forgetting to go shake hands with Coach Dudrey from York. It was kind of funny though, despite the win, Chenoweth looked like he still had that look of anger on his face. He wanted tougher competition. Open from York was not whom he wanted, he had actually faced tougher wrestlers than him when wrestling for TOHK. College wrestling was supposed to be about competition, he wanted more of it. It was hard to explain, I don’t know if I could do it or not, I will say this though, the next time that Open kid shows his face, Chenoweth is libel to make him swallow a few teeth. It was obvious that getting a win was important, but he wanted more competition than what he had just seen. With an attitude like that, he, nor the rest of the Newman crowd can’t help but be like a big ol jet this year. Waiting to take off, see the world, and take care of business faster than a Concord from London to New York.