South Fayette wrestler wins state title
When prompted what they are going to do next, champion athletes usually reply, “I’m going to Disney!” Not Mike Carr, however. After winning a PIAA title, the South Fayette wrestler said that he’s going back to work.
“I want another undefeated season next year,” Carr said. “I want to dominate matches. Get major decisions and tech falls. Add more to my arsenal. So, I have to keep working hard.”
Since finishing fifth in last year’s PIAA tournament, Carr has labored to become a champion. A year-round wrestler, he mainly trains with his brother. Nick Carr won a PIAA title as a junior in 2010 and finished as a state runner-up his senior season. Currently, he wrestles at Washington and Jefferson College. The younger Carr also trains at Quest School of Wrestling after his workouts at South Fayette.
Carr credits this formula for his success, particularly in the 138-pound championship match when he scored a 3-1 decision against Tyler Vath. The Saegertown senior was the Northwest Regional champion and finished 42-7 on the year.
“All my training and hard work built up toward this match. I wasn’t going to be satisfied,” Carr said. “(The state championship) was the culmination of all my hard work.”
Hard work, indeed, has proved Carr’s secret to success. Hard work in and out of the room carved his path, said his coach, Rick Chaussard.
“Mike is what you call a very coachable kid,” Chaussard said. “He’s always striving to make himself better and correcting his weaknesses and making them stronger.”
Carr suspected he would face Vath in the finals. Last year, Vath finished fourth in the state finals at 132. While the two did not meet in the 2014 tournament, Carr and Vath battled when South Fayette lost to Saegertown in the preliminary round of this year’s PIAA team tournament.
“Honestly, I knew we would be in the same weight class after last year and we wrestled in the team tournament so I knew I could beat him. After last year, I worked on bottom and not getting tilted. In the state final, I felt like I dominated on my feet and did not get tilted. I just wrestled 100 percent.”
Throughout the tournament, Carr was at the top of his game. After an opening bye, he blanked Hunter Gimbor of Brandywine, 7-0, and edged Shae Bloom from Curwensville, 4-1, to reach the semifinals. Carr disposed of Collin Edsell from Wyalusing, 7-2, to reach the finals.
“The hardest part of the process probably is the mental aspect,” Carr said. “I’ve prepared for this all year. The easy part is the training hard and going all through the workouts. You just have to maintain focus. You have to stay calm and not let nerves get the best of you.”
Nerves got the best of Carr’s brother when he attempted to repeat as a state champion. As he embarks on his own title defense, Carr says he will heed his brother’s advice. “Nick tells me ‘don’t be nervous.’ Nerves got to him.”
This season prepared Carr for the pressure. As the reigning WPIAL and Southwest Regional champion, he easily repeated those feats.
“I think I am used to having a target on my back because of districts and regionals. There is that weight of defending a championship, but on a smaller scale,” he noted.
Being undefeated did not weigh Carr down, either. He finished the season at 44-0.
“I didn’t focus on my record,” he said. “I just wrestled hard. Sometimes, if you lose early in the season that could be motivating but that did not happen. So I just tried to ignore the record and not think about losing.”
Carr seldom thinks about losing. In fact, he has again set his sights on perfection his senior year.
“I want another undefeated season next year and I plan on wrestling at a Division I college. Winning state title opened a lot of doors for me. It was the culmination of all my hard work. The climax of everything coming together at the right time,” he concluded.
Chaussard is certain Carr will be successful in his endeavors on and off the mat.
“Repeat,” he said of his expectations for him. “What else is there left to do?
“Mike has worked very hard to get to this point in his career and I’m sure he will continue to work towards number two.
“Mike has a bright future ahead of him on the mat and in life,” Chaussard continued. “He wants to be a doctor and I’m sure he would make a good one, because he’s very good with young kids.”