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Articles contributed by Wayne Catan
December 2003

Blair Academy Seeks Fourth National Title in a Row

Prep School Counting on “Total Team” Effort in 2003-2004

Another year passes... another national title awaits Blair Academy, the nation’s premiere prep wrestling program. The Blair Buccaneers are primed to hoist another national championship trophy into its showcase. Not so fast ladies and gentleman. Not this year, at least. True, Blair is ranked no. 1 in several polls, including Amateur Wrestling News and USA Today, but there are several other legitimate contenders out there in this great country. You can count on Apple Valley (Minn.) and Northampton (Penn.) as two legitimate contenders who want to dethrone the powerful Blair Academy. Furthermore, the 2003-2004 season will be tougher than most years for the Buccaneers of Blair Academy. Why? There are no forerunners, no top guns, no easy six-point-getters: there is no Steve Mocco, no Zack Esposito, no Cory Cooperman ....So

....So, newcomers Ross Gitomer, Mike Gallante, Charlie Clark, and Eric Medina must come through for the Bucs, and Blair stalwarts such as Hudson Taylor (ranked #4 nationally at 171 lbs), Greg Romano, Adam Frey (ranked #8 at 135 lbs), Alex Maciag (ranked in the top-ten at 189 lbs), Mark Bogart (who carries a # 11 ranking at 130), and Travis Blasco (ranked #6 at 119 lbs.) MUST take on leadership roles — roles that blue-chippers like Mocco, Esposito, Mark Perry and Kurt Backes once carried. (Mocco & company were all ranked #1.)

“TOTAL TEAM”
This year, Blair and Buxton are counting on a “Total Team” effort. The “Total Team” effort commences on December 12-13 when the Blair Bucs travel to Akron, Ohio to compete in The Ironman Tournament at Walsh Jesuit High School. Here, Blair will go head-to-head with powerhouses such as St. Edwards (Ohio), St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Brandon (Fla.) and Massillon Perry (Ohio). (Note: St. Eds is ranked #11; Brandon #8; St. Paris Graham # 7; Massillon Perry #13; and Walsh Jesuit #17.) Then the team’s mettle will be tested at the Beast of the East, where Blair will hit #3 Northampton, #15 Absegami (N.J.), #6 Great Bridge (Va.), and many other tough teams. These are the two toughest prep tournaments in the country; and Blair won titles at both competitions last year.

Dual meet highlights include the January 9th meet against St. Edwards, and the NHSCA National Dual Festival (where Blair will hit # 2 Apple Valley, Minn. and #3 Northampton, Penn. and St. Eds again.) This is an important dual series as the final national ranking could be determined here.

While there is no number one standout this year for Blair, as has already been noted, there is a strong team. “Total Team” is the motto for Buxton and company this year...and they are ready to take it to the country, again.

Can Blair come through? Can they make it four in a row? We will see at the end of February, after Blair has made it through that rigorous schedule. The stage is set, the times and dates are in place, and preparation is finished; now it’s go time. It’s there for the taking — the National Title. The question is: will Blair take it? Or, can Northampton or Apple Valley rise to the occasion? Check back in March. We’ll see if “Total Team” can see Blair through!

Hudson Taylor: Terror or Thespian

Hudson Taylor is a thespian. In fact, he just wrapped up his Fall theatre season with a critically-acclaimed performance as Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors. Rumors have it that Hudson Taylor stole the show. The same way he stole the show in Fargo, North Dakota this past July when Hudson Taylor captured the national cadet title in the 160-pound weight class. Yes...that’s correct this boy performs on stage and on a wrestling mat with equal tenacity. We are going to exit the stage now. So....

....So we can focus on wrestling, the sport wherein one can find Hudson Taylor throwing his body around the mat in a cat-like manner. (If you blink you may miss his movements, but you will always see him land on his feet.)

Taylor, only a junior, has a career record of 54-11 and owns a national prep title (152 lbs.; 2003). He is a two-time place-winner at the cadet nationals (3rd and 1st), and is currently ranked #4 in the USA by most pre-season polls. Hudson Taylor began wrestling when he was four and competing at nine years old. Since then, Hudson has won more than 30 tournaments, including the aforementioned ones. In addition, he has won the Folk-style Nationals (Topeka, Kansas) and was a two-time Tulsa Nationals finalist.

When one looks at Hudson Taylor they see a tall, good-looking boy, a boy whose shoulders are wide, whose legs are long (and well-developed), a boy who stands 6'0" tall, a boy who competes for the #1 ranked team in the USA. This boy is tough. This boy is the real deal. He is one of the best wrestlers in the USA, who chooses to also compete on stage, a testament to his well-roundedness. Further evidence of Taylor’s wide-ranging interests and abilities, he has just finished Chinese III and is going to China this summer for language studies with Mrs. Kramer.

Back to wrestling: This year he is the nexus of Blair Academy’s team. This is not to say that he doesn’t get tested inside of Blair’s wrestling room; on the contrary, he gets tested there every day there by Alex Maciag and Mike Gallante.

This year, Hudson Taylor would like to win the Ironman, Beast of East, the National Preps and then head to Fargo, where he would like to come home with another first-place trophy-this time on the junior level in the 171-pouind division. Can he do it? We may find out early as Hudson will likely hit Kurt Brenner of Pennsylvania (the #1 ranked 171 pounder in the U.S.), David Craig of Brandon, Florida (who is ranked #5), and defending Jr. National champion, Rocco Caponi of Ohio. These athletes are scheduled to compete at the Beast and Ironman meets.

Is Hudson ready? Has coach Buxton prepared this terror? Absolutely! Just watch this Sanderson/Schalles hybrid in action. This year’s motto for Blair Academy is “Total Team” effort, and Hudson Taylor plans on being the fulcrum of “Total Team” 2004.

Where Are They Now?

Kurt Backes

Kurt Backes spent four years at Blair Academy, earning a #1 national ranking as he honed his skills for the “Big Time” — NCAA Division I wrestling. Little did Backes realize that when he chose Iowa State over Penn State and Michigan he would have to do a little better than excel in the “Big Time “; after all, he was taking over the 184-pound division for the Iowa State Cyclones — the weight division in which the greatest collegiate wrestler of all-time competed: Cael Sanderson. Yes, the Cael Sanderson who went 159-0. Yes, the same Cael Sanderson who won four NCAA titles. Yes, the same Cael Sanderson who was named outstanding wrestler at the NCAA’s four times. Oh, yes, add a world silver medal to Cael’s resume.

Back to Kurt. Because Kurt is now a part of Cael’s life. And welcomes the challenges that Cael has left for him.

After red-shirting in 2002-2003 when he served as Cael Sanderson’s primary workout partner, Kurt Backes has arrived on the college scene. In fact, he arrived during his redshirt year. Backes won the Fila Jr. National Championships last may, which earned him a world team slot (on the 20 year-old and under world team). Backes placed fifth at the prestigious tournament in Istanbul, Turkey last August (2003). He fell to a tough Russian, Georgiy Tibilov, 5-1, in the quarterfinals.

Currently, Kurt Backes carries a record of 10-1 for the Cyclones, and is ranked as high as #5 nationally in most polls. Not too shabby for a freshman.

Backes has been tested and has consistently come out on top. He beat a tough Travis Frick of Lehigh (4-3), as well as staunch competitors from Virginia Tech and UT-Chattanooga, and he placed third in the Kaufman Brand Open.

His season is in its nascent stages as is his career. With the Midlands, National Duals, duals vs. Iowa and Oklahoma State — where Kurt will battle defending national champion Jake Rosholt and also be re-united with Zack Esposito, who now competes for the Cowboys at 149 lbs. — on the horizon, Backes is primed for an All-American slot.

What is in store for this young grappler? Might he be a four-time all-American? A four-time national champion, as some may think? Perhaps. Check back in March. One thing is for sure: this Blair Academy Buccaneer has arrived on the national scene, and he’s not going anywhere.