Wooster’s Stebbins looking to make a name for himself

  • brian questel
  • December 21, 2010
  • 275
                        
010311 Stebbins Promo: Stebbins throwing his weight around for Generals -- all 119 pounds Wooster’s Stebbins looking to make a name for himself By Brian Questel You can’t say enough about confidence and experience. Wooster High junior Nate Stebbins is proving those two ingredients are invaluable. After enduring losing records his first two campaigns on the Generals’ wrestling team, Stebbins has had a turnaround season this year. That includes runner-up finishes in the season-opening Coke Classic in his 119-pound weight class and at the Wayne Invitational Tournament before he ran the table with a 5-0 effort in the Mapleton dual-meet tournament last weekend. Stebbins, who was 14-16 as a sophomore, is closing in on that win total already as he is 11-2 through the first three weeks of the season. While senior teammates Anthony Catanzarite and Zach Ellsworth may get more attention, Stebbins is giving the Generals another valuable effort. “Nate had a really good week,” said head coach Troy Worth of his effort at Mapleton. “We always know he’s going to be close. He not overly strong, but he’s persistent. He’s a bull and he just keeps coming after you. His technique is getting there and his big thing all year has been working from the neutral position to get takedowns. “It’s nice to see him doing well,” said Worth. The biggest improvement hasn’t been just a physical thing according to Worth. “The biggest improvement comes down to confidence with him,” he said. “In the past if he was struggling he’d say, ‘I don’t have it today coach.’ He has confidence in his ability and technique. He has nice arm drags, nice single legs, nice finishes …. He’s putting the pieces together.” Stebbins agreed with Worth’s assessment, citing “All the experience I’ve had the past two years” as a central reason for his success. “I’m working harder to get those wins,” he said. “I think all those things play into it – the technique, experience and confidence. I think technique really helps in the sport and that comes from the offseason, working hard, going to camps and stuff like that.” He’s been reborn this year, especially now that he’s had a taste of winning. While he stepped into the varsity lineup as a freshman, “I really didn’t care that much. This season I’ve sparked it again and I’m enjoying wrestling this year.” That has been key, too, in his success. “At the Wayne Invitational I was surprised how I did,” said Stebbins, who made it to the finals at 119 before losing to the WIT’s defending champion. “I came out to win. There is always great competition at that tournament and I felt there was this year, especially from new schools like GlenOak. “My goals are to place in every tournament and my top goal is to make it to districts this year,” he said. “Every tournament I set a single goal to accomplish and I work my hardest in each single tournament or dual.” That attitude has been evident throughout the early weeks of the season, said Worth. “Last year he one match away from .500 (14-16),” said Worth. “This year he has gone out and done a nice job. He’s very workmanlike. There is nothing flashy. Basically, he just goes out and does it … and he’s done a great job.”


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