The Admiral King wrestling program works out at Masson Elementary more than a mile away from Admiral King.

“I think the run here to practice is good conditioning,” sophomore Demetrius Harris said. “The school is really not that far away. It is not a problem running here.”

Admiral King senior captain Brandon Medina enjoys having the wrestling room off campus.

“It gets us away from my school and our peers and allows us to focus on wrestling than trying to look good and clean up for our student peers,” he said.

Medina is one of only two wrestlers that predate coach Black.

“Coach Black has brought experience,” Medina said. “Coach went to Arizona before he had to stop. He knows what he is talking about. He is good for the program especially all the lightweights that can look to his experience and knowledge. He is a great coach.”

Fellow senior Caleb Borden agrees.

“Coach has us doing a lot of good things. It is always a hard practice, we work really hard."Admiral King is hard working team. The young wrestlers have stepped up this season. All 15 weight classes have done well. Brandon is a great captain. Everyone has come together as a team.”

Bishop Overton said Coach Black has been a huge influence.
“He has brought more coaches to us, he has brought more techniques to us,” Overton said. “He have brought more conditioning to us. When I first came here I didn’t know a lot. He has taught me a lot.”

Sophomore Johnnie Spinkston has seen the pride in the program grow.
“When I was in 8th grade we came here and practiced with the high schoolers and you didn’t hear much coming from the high school,” he said. “Starting last year we have been picking it up a lot more like winning conference and coach is teaching us to be more explosive and we are becoming a tougher program.”

Former Admiral King wrestler and current assistant coach Cliff Dowell is pleased with how Coach Black has built up the program.

“Last year with the team winning Admiral King’s first ever wrestling conference championship, it was obviously a big accomplishment,” Dowell said. “The kids worked hard and earned it. We won by a point or two in a squeaker against Bedford. This year it will be another barn burner. The kids are coming along. We have lost some numbers but the kids that are here are our core. We are looking to improve on last year’s team.

If this is the last year of the program, Dowell is proud of how it is going out.
“Considering where the program has been in the past, you can say we are going out on top. King has never been known for wrestling. So to have the wrestling program possibly finishing out with back to back conference titles, I would have to stay we have finished out on top.”