TROJANS TAKE TITLE!

For a full year, Park Hill had the memory of a second place finish at the 2012 state wrestling championships. They not only finished second as a team, but also failed to bring home a single individual title. With Coach Bill Erneste providing them with a constant reminder of that experience all year, the Trojans set their frustration from a year ago free at the 2013 state wrestling meet by running away with the Class 4 team title and going three-for-three in title matches.

“Good is the enemy of great. So when we took second last year, we did pretty good, but for us that was a slap in the face,” Erneste said. “We didn’t get to put one name on our wall saying they were a state champ (last year) and I reminded them every day.”

Park Hill’s 156.5 points represented a comprehensive effort that included eight medal winners. Sean Hosford (106) and KeShawn Hayes (113), who were ranked at the top of their class for most of the season, won title matches to win individual state championships.

“I was here watching last year. It was hard to watch our finalists get second, but we worked hard this year and got it done,” said Hosford, whose confidence increased throughout his freshman season. “(In December) I started to realize I could hang with these guys and just went out and wrestled.”

“The very first day Sean Hosmer stepped in the room, you knew he was special. He’s tough, does things right, makes great grades, says ‘yes sir, no sir’,” Erneste said. “KeShawn, we always count on. He’s our go-to guy and can handle the pressure now.”

Perhaps one of the most crowd-thrilling match of the championship rounds was in the 152 weight class where Colston DiBlasi defeated previously undefeated Cain Salas of Blue Springs (5-1). Salas handedly beat DiBlasi twice during the season.

“It’s one of the best feelings in the world, knowing I’m the best in the state,” DiBlasi said. “I had my ups and downs. Last year I came in here seeded first and felt like everyone was gunning for me. So this year, I think coming in second or third helped me, because they were gunning for another guy.”

“Colston always thinks he can win big matches,” Erneste said. “You can tell when he was warming up; it was the kind of energy where you knew he was nervous, but more anxious than anything.”

In what was described by Erneste as an effort that represented a motivated and selfless family, Park Hill likely clinched their title where many teams could have crumbled. Several Trojans fell in quarter and semi-final matches, but battled back to claim medals. They included John Erneste (3^rd), Hunter Roberts (6^th), Canton Marriott (3^rd), Russ Coleman (6^th), and Malik Colding (3^rd).

“The thing about this team is that it truly is a family. For example, whenever something bad happens in your family, it brings you together. So when John (Erneste) and Russ (Coleman) lost, it just brought us together,” Erneste said. “When you wrestle on the backside you have to think about your team and family. I’m just as proud of the guys who won first as I am of the guys who were disappointed, but had the heart to fight back.”

That same sense of family was echoed by all of Park Hill’s title winners.

“Coach told us in our team meeting the guys on the back side are the ones who will win us the title. The guys in the finals just need to go out and win. That’s what all our finalists did; we went out there with that mentality and came out on top this time.

Erneste went on to talk about the difference between this year’s championship team and those of years past. This team more than any represented support and togetherness.

“Every year there’s a little something different. This year we had to keep them together. With a lot of teams, you have four or five really good guys and they carry the team,” Erneste said. “The reason this team won a state championship is because they carry each other. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

For a team that has won six team state championships in the last ten years and is a mainstay as one of Missouri’s top wrestling programs, Hayes probably stated it best for himself as well as his team.

“As wrestlers we just always want to be the best. Unless we win we’re not satisfied,” Hayes said. “This. It feels right and good.”