By Tom Rohrer
At every Rochester High School wrestling practice, you can take a stroll down memory lane or take a glimpse into the future.
With four returning state tournament participants from a year ago, the past and future have collided and set the stage for what could be a very promising 2013-14 season.
The closest to acquire the Warriors first individual weight class state crown since 2009 is Lucas Eastman, the younger brother of Justin and Zach. Lucas, now a junior, fell to Roberto Orozco of Connell 9-4 in overtime of the 145 lbs 1A championship match at the WIAA Mat Classic in the Tacoma Dome last February. Eastman was down 4-3 in the last minute of the final round before tying up the match and forcing the deciding one minute period.
The loss to Orozco has certainly been a motivating factor for the youngest Eastman.
“I’m really pushing myself, even more than last year that’s for sure,” said Eastman, who competed in the state tournament as a freshmen in 2012. “It will take more effort than last year to get back, so I need to use anything I can to push myself.”
Joining Eastman at the Tacoma Dome last February were seniors Alex Carabal and Jamilah Ahmath along with juniors Matt Shields and Bobby Brien.
Ahmath, who is a member of the Rochester girls wrestling team, is currently ranked second in the entire state within the 137 lbs weight class. She finished fifth at the state tournament last season and qualified for the state competition as a sophomore in 2012.
Shields, a starter for the Warriors football team this past fall, took seventh place in the 220 lbs weight class at the state tournament after serving as an alternate in 2011
Carabal didn’t place within the 152 lbs weight class while Brien took sixth in the 120 lbs division.
Competing in an atmosphere such as the Tacoma Dome is an experience the returning placers believe will help them, should they qualify this season.
“My sophomore year, it was all about nerves and managing my confidence,” said Ahmath, who may wrestle at 145 lbs later this season. “This past season, I cracked down and just wrestled. Even last year, I had confidence but still a little doubt. I feel so much more confident this year.”
“I was in awe last year, even from just moving around in warm-ups,” said Shields. “It’s all about confidence, and I’m ahead of where I was last year.”
The confidence the wrestlers refer to is generated in part through their interactions with head coach Justin Eastman and the rest of the Warrior’s staff.
Justin, the oldest of the three Eastman brothers, won a 2A state championship in the 145 lbs. weight class as a sophomore at Rochester in 2005. He would win another championship as a senior to go along with fourth and second place finishes his freshmen and junior year respectively. Justin’s success coupled with middle brother, Zach, a state champion as a senior in 2010 in the 130 lbs. weight class, is not lost on the current Warriors squad.
“You’ve got to trust him and we can relate to him a lot easier since he’s not that old,” said Shield. “He’s not just a coach, but an older brother. You know he’s pushing you the right way and knows what you need to do in order to be successful.”
Seeing an increase in confidence over a wrestler’s career is part of the reason Justin initially began coaching.
“Wrestling is a different sport. You can’t slack off and fall back in line,” said Eastman, who is in his third season as head coach at Rochester. “It’s a sport where you battle every day. Some kids are ok with that and some aren’t. That’s one of the rewarding things, seeing the transformation from a freshman to a senior simply in confidence alone.”
Even as a middle school student, Eastman knew he wanted to eventually coach his own team.
“I remember always thinking about how great it would be to run my own team,” said Eastman. “This is what I always knew I would do.”
The relationship between Lucas, Justin and Zach extends past the normal coach/player relationship. Lucas remembers traveling to the Tacoma Dome as a youngster to see his brothers compete and come away from the state tournament as champions.
“I can remember seeing them down on the mat and thinking, ‘I will be there someday,’” said Lucas Eastman, an all-league performer for the Rochester football team this past fall. “I saw how hard they worked, so I knew what it would take.”
All the work Lucas had put in nearly paid off in a big way last season. The devastation his teammates felt following the title match defeat shines light on how close the team is.
“When Lucas lost the match, I lost it with him,” said Shields. “We work so hard together, all of us, so we know what it takes and what he gave to get to that point.”
“During the state tournament, we’re family, both the guys and the girls teams,” said Ahmath. “Everyone supports each other.”
Unlike her male counterparts, Ahmath competes against the best wrestlers in the state, regardless of classification.
Up until 2003, there was no girls division at the Mat Classic. At the 2013 Mat Classic, there were nine separate female weight classes.
Seeing an increase in talent and participation within girls wrestling across the state is something Eastman believes is great for the sport.
“It’s a positive because now there isn’t that controversy of girls and boys competing against each other,” said Eastman. “I think the numbers will only increase because the older girls are spreading the word. People don’t realize, but the female state tournament contenders could defeat a lot of guys across the state – a lot and Ahmath is one of those girls for sure.”
Justin’s ability to identify talent is evident, as he can notice the similarities between himself and Lucas from when he was the same age.
“We have that quiet confidence and we’re the same type of build,” said Justin Eastman. “I didn’t lift weights much in my early high school years. Lucas started lifting as a seventh grader. As a freshmen, he was 145 lbs. I was 130 lbs. when I was that age. I guess he was shown the way.”
To be able to coach both his younger brothers has been a dream come true for Justin and a rewarding experience for Lucas.
“It’s the best just to be able to work with both my brothers every day,” said Lucas. “They will put the work in with me and I know they will do anything for me.”
“There aren’t many opportunities to work this closely with family,” said Justin, who was an assistant coach when Zach won his state championship. “It’s something I don’t take for granted.”
During practices, it’s common for Justin and Lucas to work out against one another.
It leaves one to wonder; who is the winner during these sibling face-offs?
“He’s still too fast and strong,” said Lucas with a smile. “He gets me.”
The experience garnered by the four could be crucial in their quest for individual championships in Februaray.
