Mid-Prairie wrestler takes first in his individual weight class at tournament entire high school career

It?s not an easy task to accomplish, but one wrestler from Mid-Prairie was able to complete that task last weekend in the Jeremy Fulk Classic in New London.

Duncan McCain, who wrestled in the 132 weight class, stood in the first-place position on the winner?s podium this year and it?s a place where he?s stood before.

During the meet, McCain won by fall over Jordan York from Clear Creek Amana?s JV team in 1:53 in the quarterfinal round.

He won by a 16-4 major decision over Max Mashek from Louisa-Muscatine in the semifinal match and he would take first place after pinning Rashaun Braggs from Oskaloosa in 2:50.

McCain says winning that had given him a sense of gratitude. ?I?m happy that I?ve been able to take part four years in a row.

?Winning the tournament wasn?t really the first thing that went through my head. I was more happy that I won the tournament, then later that night I realized that was the last time I would ever wrestle in that tournament and all of it will be over soon.?

Mid-Prairie coach Justin Garvey says of the win, ?It?s a great accomplishment. It was a moment of pride to see him win his fourth title. It is a nice start to his senior year.?

He says winning first each year is difficult. ?You have different guys every year in different weight classes and different teams from his freshman to senior year.?

One of the unique features of McCain?s win was winning in a different weight class each year: 106, 113, 120, then 132. Going into each weight class is something he has to prepare for every time.

?My preparation each year was cutting the weights for each class, but this year I?m not doing that. These guys are stronger than what I?ve wrestled in the past. I had to do things different.

?I have to think if I want to tie up and get in close with them or do I want to try and work from the outside.?

Even though McCain had taken first place the last three years, going into the final round with another first-place title on the line was something that didn?t cross his mind.

?I really didn?t think about it until after the tournament. I thought, ?wow, I?ve won this four years in a row.??

One interesting note of the tournament, is that McCain has only seen two different opponents when vying for first place.

?I wrestled the same kid my first three years (Josh Diehl from Oskaloosa) and he was a good wrestler, which I thought was neat. This year I?m at a different weight so I knew I wouldn?t be wrestling him this year.?

With this being his senior year, he is not only busy on the mat, he is acting as a mentor for those just starting on the team. ?I try my best to help them out when we are in practice.

?We have a lot of first- and second- year guys who are new to the sport. I?m trying to help them with their shots by teaching them head up, drive across, not to get stuck under and teach them what to do if that happens.

?I don?t think it will be my last year in the (wrestling) room. I?m thinking about coming back and helping out when I can.?

Garvey says Duncan will be missed. ?He will leave a legacy in our room. He is a great example of how to do things the right way and get results. He will be a measuring stick of a successful career for years to come.?

To those taking part in the Jeremy Fulk Tournament in the future, McCain leaves this advice: ?Try to treat every match the same. It doesn?t matter if it?s a tournament, a dual, a meet, the first round or the final round, pigtails or what.

?Every match should be the same in the way you treat it. If you do that you won?t have any problems mentally going in.?