Wrestler Lang forges his own identity at Brecksville<\/p>\n
Pat Galbincea
\nPlain Dealer Reporter<\/p>\n
Competing in a sport in which an older brother won four state titles at a fabled program is a tough task for a high school wrestler.<\/p>\n
That challenge first confronted Brecksville sophomore Kyle Lang while he was in elementary school. His older brother, Ryan, became the state’s second Division I four-time state champ in 2001 while competing at St. Edward.<\/p>\n
Would Kyle Lang attend St. Edward and try to duplicate his brother’s great feat? Or would he attend his neighborhood school and try to escape from Ryan’s shadow?<\/p>\n
To the delight of Bees wrestling coach Todd Haverdill, the younger Lang chose Brecksville. Not only did Haverdill get a blue-chip wrestler who placed fourth in the state at 103 pounds last year as a freshman, but Lang also has helped turn a losing program into a winner.<\/p>\n
“Let’s face it, we’re a public school with no open enrollment, and we have never got a transfer student in my six years here,”\u009d Haverdill said. “He’s a welcome addition, believe me. Kyle wrestles year-round, and with his extensive youth experience, he’s part of a blueprint of what you need to have a successful program.<\/p>\n
“Kids like Kyle, Pat Zamaria [119-pound senior], Ryan Marks [125-pound junior], Mike Pushpak [189-pound senior] and Jim Nemunaitis [215-pound senior] have turned our program around. Our youth wrestlers look up to them. They see their success and they want to emulate it.”\u009d<\/p>\n
Brecksville is ranked third in The Plain Dealer’s Top 25 poll. The Bees are 3-0 in dual meets. They placed 14th among 79 teams in the nationally renowned Beast of the East Tournament in Wilmington, Del., and finished second in their strong holiday tournament.<\/p>\n
“To think that Brecksville was so bad three years ago, we almost got kicked out of our own tournament,”\u009d said Lang, then a seventh-grader. “It’s true. We were 40th out of 45 teams, close to last place. Still, I felt I should go to Brecksville High School after junior high. I told my parents how I felt, and they said it was my decision. St. Edward was upset I didn’t go there, but there were basically four reasons why I didn’t.”\u009d<\/p>\n
The first reason, Lang said, was he liked Haverdill the first time he met him in the eighth grade. Lang said he saw that Haverdill was a good coach and a good technician who was dedicated to reviving the Bees’ wrestling program.<\/p>\n
Second, the Eagles had a vaunted freshman last year, Collin Palmer, who competed at a similar weight. Palmer, however, grew to 112 pounds, whereas Lang stayed at 103. Palmer easily won the Division I state title last winter and is favored to win at 125 this season.<\/p>\n
“Palmer got bigger than me, but anyone in his weight class at St. Ed is going to sit on the bench,”\u009d Lang said. “It takes a special wrestler to beat him.”\u009d<\/p>\n
Another reason Lang went to his public school was because all of his friends also are there. The final reason concerned academics.<\/p>\n
“Brecksville is excellent academically, and I’m a good student who likes math and history,”\u009d Lang said.<\/p>\n
Lang has looked good in the two years he has wrestled for Brecksville, but he has yet to win a major tournament ” though he has come close.<\/p>\n
Last year at state, his losses were to Dan Genetin of Massillon Perry in the semifinals, 11-8, and Bo Touris of Lakota West for third place, 7-4.<\/p>\n
Lang was third at December’s Beast of the East, winning six matches. His lone loss was a 7-5 decision to Chris Villalonga of heralded Blair Academy (N.J.) in the semifinals. Lang reached the finals of the Brecksville Tournament before losing, 3-1, to Touris. Lang beat defending state champ Steve Mitcheff of Elyria, 6-4, in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
“Little mistakes hurt me,”\u009d Lang said. “I hesitated on a shot against [Villalonga] and he took me down. At Brecksville, Touris faked me. I reached and he took me down with a double leg. I realize I have to work harder and get in extra workouts, and check with our coaches about my technique and what I did wrong.<\/p>\n
“My goals this year were to win the Beast, win Brecksville and win state. I obviously fell short on the first two, so I’m hoping that first title is coming sooner than later.”\u009d<\/p>\n
One veteran referee who believes Lang will become a state champ is Terry Armelli, who has officiated for 27 years.<\/p>\n
“I remember Ryan Lang was a little unorthodox,”\u009d Armelli said. “Kyle is a little more conventional. I won’t be surprised if he wins state. He’s wrestled well against some tough opponents. I admire that he wants to make his own mark in this sport.”\u009d<\/p>\n
Ryan Lang is now a senior at Northwestern and rated the nation’s No. 1 141-pounder by Amateur Wrestling News.<\/p>\n
There’s only one time Lang has followed Ryan, and that was in youth tournaments.<\/p>\n
Their father, Bill, who was third in the state at 126 pounds for Class A-AA Brooklyn in 1973, was their chaperone.<\/p>\n
“Ryan got involved with wrestling at age 4, and as I got older, I tagged along,”\u009d Kyle Lang said. “When I got to be 4, dad finally let me wrestle. I was so happy just to wrestle. I still watch the very first match I ever wrestled on tape.<\/p>\n
“Today I watch a lot of Ryan’s college matches on video and he watches mine. We critique each other. He uses legs on the mat more, I use tilts. I also think I’m more physical, he’s more the technician. I used to have a bad temper, but I’m not nearly as mean as I was. Still, I want to have the attitude that nobody can beat me.”\u009d<\/p>\n
Kyle Lang said he also enjoys being part of Brecksville’s wrestling renaissance.<\/p>\n
“Our middle-school program has been upgraded, and last year they had a pretty good year,”\u009d he said. “Those kids are now freshmen ” Tony Bucca [103], Charlie Packard [130], Josh Linden [140] and Jayme Robinson [heavyweight] ” and they are continuing to improve.<\/p>\n
“I’m happy with my situation. I’m on a good team with good people. This is something I enjoy.”\u009d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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