Real Pro Wrestling will continue its historic launch of matches for free on iTunes with the release of the 121-pound Season 1 semifinal match between Sammie “The Bull” Henson of the Pennsylvania Hammer and Mike Mena of the Iowa Stalkers.

This is the 5th match overall posted for free on iTunes, giving sporting fans around the globe an opportunity to view these historic bouts.

This match is not only a clash of styles, but also a clash of personalities. The 1998 World Champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist returned to the mats in 2004, and has continued to drive back towards the top spot in the country. Henson is loud, crude and obnoxious on and off the mat. Never one to hold back his words, Henson has also never been to known to hold back on his aggression on the mat. Mena is quiet and reserved off the mat, but turns into a silent assassin on the mat. In the last few years, he has bolted to the top of the U.S. ladder and will look to get closer with a win over Henson.

By JAMIE SUHR, Of The Globe Gazette

DES MOINES — For nine years, Jane Gruis and her family made the trek to Veterans Auditorium, dubbed “The Barn,” for the state wrestling tournament.

To Gruis, Veterans Auditorium was about as comfortable as a barn, so count her as one person happy to see the tourney move to the newly-built and spacious Wells Fargo Arena.

“I like it,” said Gruis, who watched son Thomas, a Clear Lake junior, wrestle in a Class 2A 215-pound match Wednesday night.

That, Iowa High School Athletic Association information director Bud Legg said, was one of the key reasons for the move.

Wells Fargo Arena has more amenities for wrestling fans. TVs screens are up in the hallways, the seats have cushions and there are three major entrances to the venue — something Veterans Auditorium didn’t have.

“It’s more user friendly,” Legg said. “It’s not going to be like Vets, but maybe it could be better.”

Jane Gruis says there is one thing she’ll miss — the intimacy of Veterans Auditorium. There, parents and fans were almost on top of the mat.

Hansen: Passionate fans savor wrestling’s new home

‘New look, same feeling’ as a tradition moves to Wells Fargo Arena

MARC HANSEN
REGISTER COLUMNIST

The wrestling fans stood in line, the way they do every year at this time, waiting for the gates to open on the first day of the state high school meet.

It was almost 11:30. The start of competition was another 90 minutes away, but the crowd outside the door was ready.

A group of kids from Cedar Rapids Kennedy wore green T-shirts. The words on the back said, “Wells Fargo Arena: New look, same feeling.”

In a few minutes 8,000 spectators would find out whether that was true.

The state meet and Veterans Memorial Auditorium were made for each other. Gritty, sweaty, sticky are some words that describe both.

At the Barn, you had all these matches going on at the same time. That hasn’t changed.

But just off the mat you had a constant flow of foot traffic scooping the arena loop. The State Milling-Around Meet.

The fans loved the intimacy and the intensity. They could jump out of the bleachers and creep up to the edge of the mat with a camera.

BY GREGG SARRA AND ANDY SLAWSON
STAFF WRITERS

There have been 43 years of the New York State High School Wrestling Championships. And there are so many Long Island athletes that have grabbed the spotlight and etched their names in the annals of the sport’s history. Here is a collection of the state champions and some of the brightest moments for Long Islanders from each year of the state wrestling tournament.

1963: First year of the tournament. Held at Cornell University. Section VIII-Nassau County dominates the tournament with five champions. Pete Henning of Wantagh wins the 103 pound weight class becoming the first state champion in history.

1965: Section IV (Binghamton-Elmira area) had seven champions to win the sectional team title. Little Sidney High School had four finalists and including two champions. Lindenhurst’s Ken Melchior won his second straight title.

1966: The tournament returned to Whitman High School. It would be the last time in 40 years Long Island hosted the tournament. Nassau edged Section IV for the team title, 91-87.

1967: Nassau again edges Section IV for team honors, 67-57.

By Aaron Chimenti
Kent State Sports Information

Kent State senior Alex Camargo will soon be competing for a conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Division I Championships as many wrestlers do during the final stretch of the season. But Camargo also has an opportunity to do what most wrestlers never come close to… become the winningest wrestler in their school’s history.

Since 1927, Kent State has seen its fair share of outstanding wrestlers, including 17 All-Americans. With just two more victories this season, Camargo will be able to boast more career wins than any of them. Only Nick Nemeth (1998-03) has more victories (121) than Camargo (120).

“The record was never a goal of mine,” said Camargo. “If it happens… it happens. My goal is to wrestle my best and have no regrets. Finishing the season off strong is my main focus.”

A career record isn’t the only the milestone within reach for the 184-pound standout.

“There hasn’t been an All-American here since 1986 and that’s what I really want,” said Camargo. “The wins just kind of happened. I’ve been lucky to stay pretty healthy during my career. Right now I don’t want to concentrate on it but after it’s all over I’ll look back on it differently.”

Reinvigorated Knight enjoys new success
By TOM WORGO

High School Wrestling

Just two months ago, it appeared senior Razzaq Muhammad was in serious jeopardy of being dismissed from the Parkville wresting team.

The problem started during the Parkville Invitational Tournament, when Muhammad received two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in his semifinal match against Pete Prosser of Loyola Blakefield.

Muhammad was ejected from the event as a result. He aggravated the situation by tossing his head gear into the crowd as he left the gym.

Things went downhill from there.

“I was suspended from school for a week and the team for 2 1/2 weeks,” Muhammad said.

By then, Parkville Coach Brian Wysocki was seriously wondering about the future of his star wrestler, who finished fifth in the state tournament last year.

“We didn’t know if he was going to be wrestling the rest of the year,” the coach said.

Yet Muhammad said his forced time away from school and the wrestling team humbled him.

“I went to church for the first time in 10 years,” Muhammad said.

Apparently, it was time well spent.

One week ago, a Livingston County teenager created a very special Valentine’s Day gift. It was a poem that read “Roses are red, violets are blue, my heart is beating because of you.” Ben Rice gave the poem to two women who used a defibrillator to save his life during a high school wrestling tournament.

The high school wrestling state championships are this weekend.

Read the headlines from this year’s wrestling season and you would think Ben Rice would be competing. Instead, he hopes to make headlines with his message about defibrillators. Technically, Rice, who is the Perry Central School Wrestling Captain, won 101 matches, but his family says it’s 102. They count January 14, 2006 as a victory. It was the day he fought for his life and won.

Rice was at a wrestling tournament in Franklinville, south of Buffalo.

After winning two matches, he sat in the bleachers and called his girlfriend. Rice does not remember anything after that phone call. His father remembers Rice having convulsions and passing out and the Franklinville athletic trainer ran up to help.

A school official ran to his office to get the defibrillator. After one shock Ben came to.

Cardinal wrestlers will compete at the conference championships for a bid to Nationals.

Redshirt freshman Luke Feist will look for his first trip to Nationals.

Stanford, Calif. – Stanford wrapped up the regular season last week and is set to host the 2006 Pac-10 Conference Championships this Sunday and Monday, Feb. 26 & 27 in Maples Pavilion. The 10 Cardinal wrestlers competing this weekend will seek one of the 40 conference spots to the NCAA Championships, which will be held on March 16-18 at the Downtown Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Stanford finished the season under first-year head coach with an 8-7 record and a 4-4 mark in Pac-10 duals. The Cardinal will look to improve upon its ninth-place finish at the conference tournament last year.

Final seedings and brackets will be announced on Saturday, following the coaches’ meeting. Updated brackets, team standings and all the information about the conference championships is available at GoStanford.com.

Tickets for the event are on sale through the Stanford ticket office. Single session tickets are $10 per adult and $6 for seniors, youths and students. All session passes are priced at $30 for adults and $20 for students, youths and seniors. For more information, contact the Stanford ticket office at (650) 723-1021 or 800-STANFORD, or online at http://gostanford.collegesports.com/tickets/tickets-body.html. Tickets will be available at the ticket window at Maples Pavilion at the start of each session.

Ken Nellis, the head wrestling coach at Clarion University from 1998-2006, an assistant coach with the Golden Eagles from 91-97 and a wrestler at Clarion from 1982-86, resigned from his position today.

Nellis will remain as head coach through the EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) Championships March 4-5 at Edinboro, and through the NCAA Division I Championships at Oklahoma City March 16-18. He will continue with his regular duties until a new head coach is named, including preparing for the Summer Wrestling Camp season. Nellis is contracted through July.

“I have accepted Ken’s resignation as head wrestling coach at Clarion,” said President Joseph P. Grunenwald. “We thank Ken for his hard work and dedicated service for nine years as head coach, seven years as assistant coach and his time as a student athlete. We wish Ken and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”

The search process for a new head wrestling coach will begin immediately. “We will immediately form a search committee and conduct a nationwide search for his replacement,” acknowledged Dr. Grunenwald. “Clarion has a rich tradition in NCAA Division I Wrestling circles and we recognize the special place that tradition holds at the university, in our community and to our alumni and friends. We have every intention of continuing and building on that tradition here at Clarion.”

PERKASIE, Pa. — It’s Senior Night at Pennridge High School, a festive occasion for the Rams’ varsity wrestlers, at the last home meet in early February. The booster club has decked the gym in the school’s green-and-white colors. Taped above the bleachers are posters bearing the names of each senior scrawled in magic marker. An arch of green and white balloons is set up for the wrestlers and their parents to walk through as they’re introduced. The gym is packed.

	A.J. Detwiler wrestles to win . . . and, perhaps, survive. (Clint Spaulding/for ESPN.com)