News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Given to Fly

March 25, 2007

Given to Fly: South’s Brandon Smitley preparing for national meet

The Terre Haute South wrestling team had one of its better seasons in recent years this winter, and first-year coach Dave Stewart is still working hard with his youth program.

He’s also putting a large amount of energy — and he’s got a lot of energy — into helping senior Brandon Smitley secure a college scholarship.

Smitley was knocked out of the state tournament in the semistate by Evansville Mater Dei state finalist Ezekiel Zenthoefer, but the 125-pounder is preparing to compete at Cedar Falls, Iowa, in the USA Wrestling junior nationals Friday and Saturday. Smitley took runner-up honors at the Indiana State Wrestling Association folkstyle state tournament last weekend at Indianapolis.

Smitley lost to D.J. Rackley, who was an IHSAA state finalist from Franklin Central in the 112-pound class.

Qualifying for the national tournament could go a long way in helping Smitley get noticed by a Division II, Division III or NAIA wrestling coach with a scholarship to offer.

“That’s why we pushed Brandon into qualifying for the tournament. Coaches from all over the country will be looking at him,” said Stewart, who also had an Indiana University assistant coach visit his clinic. The assistant encouraged Smitley to apply to Indiana and be a walk-on for the Hoosiers.

Smitley was caught off guard by the invitation. Smitley’s four-year career at South wasn’t successful enough to draw attention from many colleges.

He was a regional qualifier as a freshman in his first year of wrestling. The 5-foot-1 Smitley’s first love was basketball.

“I loved it. I still play when I have time, but my height was an obvious disadvantage,” Smitley said.

So Smitley went out for wrestling. He advanced to regionals right away as a freshman under coach Henry Villegas.

Stewart had a similar story growing up. John Stewart, Dave’s late father told his son, “‘you’re too small for basketball and football,’” Dave recalled. “He put me in this wrestling clinic. I used to beg not to go.”

Now Stewart, a Navy retiree after a 21-year career in which he coached wrestling in the South Pacific for several years, is putting all his effort into building up a Terre Haute South program. He has hopes of elevating the program ahead of Terre Haute North and Northview and to compete with always tough competitors from Bloomington.

Smitley was glad Stewart came along. The South coach has brought in people like 1960 Olympic champion Shelby Wilson to talk with his wrestlers.

“I was an average wrestler, but after working with Coach Stewart, my experience level went up like two years,” Smitley said. “I’ve learned new moves and my overall defense got better.”

Smitley said he hopes to get as far as he can in the nationals. Smitley also hopes a college coach shows some interest. The IU walk-on offer is exciting, but Smitley has already been accepted at Indiana State, where he wants to study athletic training. It’s too bad the ISU wrestling program was liquidated in 1986 or Smitley might have at least a walk-on opportunity in his hometown.

Ideally, Smitley hopes to find a scholarship offer to a college that also offers an athletic training major. Stewart hopes so.

“This is raw talent that is available to any colleges. He bloomed as a senior,” said Stewart. “He’s a solid brick. Any college in Indiana that doesn’t come by and take a look at him is missing out. He’s a natural 125 pounder [the smallest collegiate weight class]. He’s 5-1 with 16-inch arms.”



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• Borgnini hitting mats — Amy Borgnini, former wrestler/homecoming queen at Terre Haute North, is preparing for the 2007 U.S. Nationals April 4-7 at Las Vegas.

Borgnini made the U.S. National team in 2006 with a third-place finish at the World Team Trials last June. She’ll also participate in that event June 8 of this year.

Borgnini will graduate from Northern Michigan University, where she’s wrestled on the women’s freestyle team since 2004.

In 2008, the World Team Trials become the Olympic Trials, with the winner earning the U.S. spot on the Olympic team and second place earning an alternate role.

“Everything right now is practice for that,” Borgnini said Friday.

Borgnini wrestles in the 55-kilogram (121-pound) weight class, which is also one of the four Olympic weight classes for women.

Craig Pearson can be reached by phone at (812) 231-4356 or by e-mail at craig.pearson@tribstar.com.

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