THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602110255
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEVIN DOEPP, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Corey Williams is unbeaten this season for Norfolk State, but he's had his doubts and tough times in the past.
The year before Williams decided to try out for the wrestling team in high school, he remembers making fun of a schoolmate who was on the team.
Then Williams moved to another school and found himself trying out for its wrestling team.
``It is sort of ironic now that I look back on it,'' Williams said. ``I was making fun of the fact that he would be rolling around with another guy on the mat.''
Williams also remembers struggling through high school wrestling and not being at the point he wanted to be.
He tells of how the daily training and the loss of close matches wore him down to the point that he wanted to quit. He reminisces about how his mother helped him keep going and chalk it up to a learning experience.
``I sort of got depressed and my mother just told me that if I wanted it bad enough that I could achieve success,'' Williams said. ``I just had to be happy doing it.
``I think that not doing so well in high school has helped me succeed in college. It has helped me work harder.''
Now Williams, a Princess Anne graduate, has found success in the sport he once mocked.
Heading into the state tournament this weekend, Williams was 20-0 at the 142 weight class.
He won the 150-pound title at the Old Dominion University Tournament in November and was named the tournament's outstanding wrestler at the Newport News Apprentice Tournament last weekend.
Even bigger, Williams has a chance to become the first wrestler in Norfolk State history to go undefeated in the regular season.
``To go undefeated has been a goal of mine since I got here, '' Williams said. ``It is very important to me and it is my main focus. I think about winning all of the time.''
Although wrestling is more of an individual sport, Williams, the team's captain, lends a hand to teammates in practice.
``If they see me doing something they like, they will come to me and ask me about it,'' Williams said. ``After I wrestle someone in practice, I will point out a mistake or two that they may have made.''
Aside from all of the hoopla surrounding his stellar season, Williams has a spot in his heart for an ex-teammate who died during the season last year.
Anthony Edwards, a freshman at the time, died after suffering an asthma attack after practice.
``I got close to him last year, and I have dedicated this season to him,'' said Williams, who also suffers from asthma.
``It is frightening for me at times. I think about what happened to him all of the time.''
ALUMNI REPORT: Towson State junior gymnast Erin Shanley (Princess Anne) was named East Atlantic Gymnastics League gymnast of the week last week. She took first place at the Governor's Cup at Towson, Md., in the all-around with a 38.725, lifting the 13th-ranked Tigers to victory. . . . Liane Williams (Bayside), a freshman gymnast at Towson State, took first in the vault for the third time in four meets with a 9.85 and also won the floor exercise with a 9.775. She had a 38.325 in the all-around. . . . Cornell University junior Carlos Eason (Great Bridge) is ranked sixth in the nation at 190 pounds in this week's ``Amateur Wrestling News'' Division I rankings. He is 15-0 and is the top-ranked 190 pounder in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. His career record at Cornell is 42-21. . . . Franklin and Marshall freshman Megan Romash (Great Bridge) led the women's swim team in wins over Ursinus (110-76) and Susquehanna (111-89). She won the 400 individual medley against Ursinus with a time of 4:58.23. Against Susquehanna she won the 200 individual medley (2:20.49) and the 100 freestyle (58.83). She finished second in the 100 breaststroke at 1:14.51. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Heading into the state tournament this weekend, wrestler Corey
Williams is 20-0 at 142 pounds.
by CNB