By Staff
By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
Washington sophomore Marquin Hill isn’t your typical heavyweight wrestler.
While most big men like to lock up, do a little pushing and shoving, and then try to capitalize on an opponent’s miscue, Hill takes a different approach. He’s an aggressor. A guy who likes to shoot and score. A big man that wants to scrap to win.
Checking in at just over 250 pounds, Hill often gives away 30 to 35 pounds to his opponent.
However, the Pam Pack grappler doesn’t let that bother him. In fact, he looks at it as an advantage.
Hill also has improved his strength from a year ago.
A solid heavyweight indeed. Hill has posted a 31-6 record this season and finished as the runner-up at both the Coastal Conference Championships and the NCHSAA Class 3A East Region Championships.
Of his six losses, five have been to the state’s elite senior grapplers. He’s lost three times to Charlie Millea (37-3) of Havelock, the state’s top Class 3A heavyweight, once to unbeaten Eloheim Palma (54-0) of Cary, the state’s top Class 4A heavyweight, and once to Casey Collins (29-1) of Swansboro, the No. 2 ranked 285-pounder in Class 1A/2A. The wrestlers that Hill has lost to this season have a combined record of 154-13.
On Saturday, Hill came close to shocking Millea in the East Region finals. Hill took the Rams’ heavyweight into overtime and was in good position for a takedown. However, he couldn’t finish his takedown. Moments later, he slipped up and Millea capitalized for a takedown of his own to win 3-1.
He’s hoping for another crack at him at this weekend’s state tournament meet.