Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Graham wrestler keeps on winning
The high school wrestling season is over, but Graham senior David Taylor is still nearly impossible to beat.
Taylor topped 49 state winners (all but Mississippi were represented) and outlasted five regional winners to earn the Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Award. The honor is presented by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum and was announced on Wednesday, April 29.
Taylor — who will wrestle at Iowa State University this fall — amassed a 180-2 career record, won four state titles and was named Ohio Wrestler of the Year the past two seasons and the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2009 state tournament.
The High School Excellence Award is named in honor of Olympic and World Champion Dave Schultz. Each award recipient is evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service.
“I have heard so much about the way Dave Schultz touched everyone’s lives in the wrestling community, and to be considered for this great award, let alone win it, is by far the highlight of my high school wrestling career,” Taylor said. “Having seen the stone carving in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame over the years, I know he would be proud of my accomplishments and would feel that I too learned how to wrestle. I will continue to wear a smile and try to be an ambassador to the wrestling community like the incomparable Dave Schultz.”
Outside of wrestling, Taylor is a member and officer of 4-H and has won numerous awards including an Ohio State Championship in barrel racing. Taylor is ranked in the top 10 of his graduating class and carries a 4.0 grade-point average.
“The selection committee felt that David combined an impressive balance of excellence in his academic and wrestling credentials while being an active participant in school activities and giving back to his community in the form of community service,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.
Taylor will attend Honors Weekend on June 5-6 to personally accept the award.
Taylor is the third Ohioan to win the award, first given in 1996. Walsh Jesuit’s Jeff Knupp won in 1997 and Graham’s C.P. Schlatter won in 2003.
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Notre Dame legend ‘Rudy’ speaks tonight
It looks like the rain is going wash out the prep schedule for today, April 30. Looking for something to do?
Head up to Coldwater. Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger speaks tonight at the Palace, the Cavaliers’ high school gym. Ruettiger, despite being small in stature, overcame that and more to play for the University of Notre Dame football team. His story was told in the movie, Rudy.
Ruettiger speaks from 6-7 p.m. tonight at the high school, located on State Route 118 in Mercer County. Admission is free.
Here’s a link to the two snaps he took for the Irish, incudling his sack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z950ovP7N4&NR=1
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