thedrifter
04-19-08, 08:09 AM
Article published Apr 18, 2008
Olympic hopes still alive
By Gary Ogle
Telegraph-Forum staff
BROCKPORT, N.Y. -- U.S. Marines Cpl. Noah Blankenship has twice gone to Iraq on behalf of his country. The Bucyrus native would like to make another overseas trip representing the stars and stripes, this one to China.
His uniform, though, would be just a bit different.
Blankenship, a 2000 graduate of Bucyrus High School, this month won the 60 kg (132.25 pounds) weight class at the Northeast Regional Olympic Trials in Greco-Roman wrestling. That qualifies him to compete at the Olympic trials this June in Las Vegas.
"And I get paid to do it," Blankenship said.
Blankenship was a two-time state qualifier at Bucyrus, finishing sixth as a sophomore at 103 pounds and fifth at 119 his senior year.
"He's the career recordholder with wins at Bucyrus. I believe it's 147," current Bucyrus wrestling coach Matt Makeever said. "He's in the top three of about every record possible. He was pretty dominant while he was here."
Blankenship joined the Marine Corps while he was in college as a way to help pay for school.
"With the war and everything, I never got to back," Blankenship.
But he made the most of his short time at Mercy-Hurst. He ended up taking a medical redshirt there, but did get to wrestle in one tournament at Duquesne University as a 141-pounder.
"I won that," Blankenship said.
Although his college and high school wrestling was in what is referred to as folk style or collegiate wrestling, Blankenship began competing in the Greco-Roman style while still in high school and made the Ohio National Team at that time.
He explained the difference between the two disciplines.
"It (Greco-Roman) saves my knees for one thing," Blankenship said. "It's so much more power wrestling. It's all upper body. It's the oldest style. It's nice because you get those huge throws now and then."
Blankenship had shared with Makeever he was going to try qualify for the trials while still assisting with the Bucyrus Middle School team. What amazed Makeever was how well he did almost immediately after being away from the sport for so long.
"I think it's pretty exceptional," Makeever said. "(College) was the last he wrestled until this year."
Blankenship almost immediately picked up where he left off. He wrestled two tournaments for the Marines in 2007, the Northeast Regional Trials and a national meet in Waterloo. He finished second in both.
As a result he had some high expectations coming into this year's regional trials.
"I was expecting it," Blankenship said of claiming the weight-class title.
He will compete next at the nationals in Las Vegas, also the site of June's Olympic trials.
"I'm not ranked or anything," Blankenship said. "But I'm hoping to get in the top eight."
He knows he's still a long shot to make the Olympic team.
"Pretty much I'll have to knock off the number one guy and the number two guy," Blankenship said. "When you get to the finals you have to beat the number one guy two out of three and he gets to sit and watch the whole tournament until then."
Regardless of the odds or the outcome, Makeever said Blankenship's exploits in high school and beyond serve as motivation for the current group of Redmen wrestlers.
"It gives them something to dream for," Makeever said about qualifying and placing at the state tournament.
Asked if he would consider a trip to China if Blankenship becomes an Olympian, the Bucyrus coach could only laugh. "I don't think I could make that trip. But I would be pretty interested."
gogle@nncogannett.com
419-563-9225
Ellie
Olympic hopes still alive
By Gary Ogle
Telegraph-Forum staff
BROCKPORT, N.Y. -- U.S. Marines Cpl. Noah Blankenship has twice gone to Iraq on behalf of his country. The Bucyrus native would like to make another overseas trip representing the stars and stripes, this one to China.
His uniform, though, would be just a bit different.
Blankenship, a 2000 graduate of Bucyrus High School, this month won the 60 kg (132.25 pounds) weight class at the Northeast Regional Olympic Trials in Greco-Roman wrestling. That qualifies him to compete at the Olympic trials this June in Las Vegas.
"And I get paid to do it," Blankenship said.
Blankenship was a two-time state qualifier at Bucyrus, finishing sixth as a sophomore at 103 pounds and fifth at 119 his senior year.
"He's the career recordholder with wins at Bucyrus. I believe it's 147," current Bucyrus wrestling coach Matt Makeever said. "He's in the top three of about every record possible. He was pretty dominant while he was here."
Blankenship joined the Marine Corps while he was in college as a way to help pay for school.
"With the war and everything, I never got to back," Blankenship.
But he made the most of his short time at Mercy-Hurst. He ended up taking a medical redshirt there, but did get to wrestle in one tournament at Duquesne University as a 141-pounder.
"I won that," Blankenship said.
Although his college and high school wrestling was in what is referred to as folk style or collegiate wrestling, Blankenship began competing in the Greco-Roman style while still in high school and made the Ohio National Team at that time.
He explained the difference between the two disciplines.
"It (Greco-Roman) saves my knees for one thing," Blankenship said. "It's so much more power wrestling. It's all upper body. It's the oldest style. It's nice because you get those huge throws now and then."
Blankenship had shared with Makeever he was going to try qualify for the trials while still assisting with the Bucyrus Middle School team. What amazed Makeever was how well he did almost immediately after being away from the sport for so long.
"I think it's pretty exceptional," Makeever said. "(College) was the last he wrestled until this year."
Blankenship almost immediately picked up where he left off. He wrestled two tournaments for the Marines in 2007, the Northeast Regional Trials and a national meet in Waterloo. He finished second in both.
As a result he had some high expectations coming into this year's regional trials.
"I was expecting it," Blankenship said of claiming the weight-class title.
He will compete next at the nationals in Las Vegas, also the site of June's Olympic trials.
"I'm not ranked or anything," Blankenship said. "But I'm hoping to get in the top eight."
He knows he's still a long shot to make the Olympic team.
"Pretty much I'll have to knock off the number one guy and the number two guy," Blankenship said. "When you get to the finals you have to beat the number one guy two out of three and he gets to sit and watch the whole tournament until then."
Regardless of the odds or the outcome, Makeever said Blankenship's exploits in high school and beyond serve as motivation for the current group of Redmen wrestlers.
"It gives them something to dream for," Makeever said about qualifying and placing at the state tournament.
Asked if he would consider a trip to China if Blankenship becomes an Olympian, the Bucyrus coach could only laugh. "I don't think I could make that trip. But I would be pretty interested."
gogle@nncogannett.com
419-563-9225
Ellie