Roseville

Roseville grappler Wawrzyniak making most of his senior year

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» Click on image to view full size « Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Roseville High senior wrestler Kirk Wawrzyniak, right, jostles with senior Alex Mafteiu during practice. Wawrzyniak, a 140-pounder, amassed a record of 31-2 at press time and is confident he can win a state title this season. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Roseville High senior wrestler Kirk Wawrzyniak, right, jostles with senior Alex Mafteiu during practice. Wawrzyniak, a 140-pounder, amassed a record of 31-2 at press time and is confident he can win a state title this season.

ROSEVILLE — Roseville High senior grappler Kirk Wawrzyniak is confident he can end his prep career on the highest of high notes.

The 140-pounder said confidently he feels he can win a state title this year.

“This is the year it feels like all the hard work I’ve been putting in is paying off,” said Wawrzyniak, in his fourth year on the team.

“I really think I can win a state title this year.”

The Roseville senior, who placed seventh in the state finals as a sophomore, points to technical help he’s received from coach Davon Gray. Wawrzyniak, with a remarkable 31-2 record at press time, credits Gray — in his second year with the Panthers — with improving his technique and mind set going into matches.

Wawrzyniak said he psyches himself up prematch and thinks about the time and sweat he puts in every day at practice.

“I just do that and tell myself I’ll be fine,” Wawrzyniak said. “And coach Gray has lots of college experience, so he knows what he’s doing, and he’s been a big help.”

Gray, a varsity wrestler at Central Michigan University, won state titles in 1993 and 1994 as a member of the Roseville squad. Prior to the start of the season, the second-year coach tabbed Wawrzyniak as one of the team’s standouts.

Gray also said his 140-pounder has the skills to win a state title.

Those skills shone early this season when Wawrzyniak won five matches to win his weight class in the Macomb County Wrestling Invitational in December. He won the 130-pound division in the 2010 edition.

“Winning that two years in a row feels really good because you’re going up against some of the best guys in the county,” Wawrzyniak said. “It gave me a lot of confidence because you’re going up against people with high skill levels.

“I feel like that was what really gave me confidence I could win a state championship.”

Winning that state title would likely come in his final match. Wawrzyniak said he doesn’t plan to wrestle as a collegian. A demanding field of study and other long-term aspirations, he said, are a major reason why.

“I’m planning on majoring in biology at (the University of Detroit-Mercy) because I want to go into the medical field,” the Panthers grappler said. “I don’t know if wrestling in college is something I’m going to want to do.”

Until then, the Roseville senior said he’s going to enjoy his time on the mat.

“I don’t have that much more time left as a wrestler here,” Wawrzyniak said. “And I’m going to miss it. I just want to get as much accomplished in this time as I can.”
 

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107.