A year ago, David Evans was days away from making a grab at a state wrestling title. One week, five matches, no problem.
Except when the state title was near enough to reach out and touch, Evans couldn't lift his arm.
"I was standing up and my shoulder was on the ground," the Parkway North standout said.
A dislocated left shoulder ended Evans' 2011 season. But it didn't end his dream. The injury required nearly five months of rest and rehab, but the 5-foot-8 Evans is good as new this year. Maybe, he's better than ever.
The better-than-ever argument picked up a little speed last weekend at the Eric Lewis Invitational at MICDS, where Evans, 18, dominated the 138-pound division. He posted four first-period pins in the two-day tournament to boost his season mark to 33-0. He pinned one of the area's best -- two-time state medalist Austin Smith of Whitfield -- in 1 minute in Saturday's final.
"Beyond belief," is how first-year Parkway North coach Nigel Kinworthy describes Evans' performance this year. "Basically, the sky's the limit for David."
The sky -- and beyond -- is where Evans is aiming. A third-place state medalist and a USA Wrestling all-American in 2010, he is walking the fine line between focusing only on Wednesday's dual meet at Webster Groves and trying to plot the steps that will carry him to a bright future. A wrestler whose calling card is an attacking, aggressive style, Evans is looking to balance everything that's spinning around him. Even the upcoming state tournament -- the biggest thing on the horizon for every prep wrestler in the area -- is part of the balancing act.
"I don't dwell on it," Evans said.
The same is true for what awaits beyond the state tournament. He has not settled his plans for next year. He has been in contact with coaches at the Olympic Training Center. Another option is making a juco his next stop and then jumping to a Division I program.
"I think about one step at a time," he said.
Evans might be the best wrestler in the state this year. Not only has he not lost a match all season, he is within an eyelash of not giving up a takedown. There was a disputed takedown at the De Smet tournament during the holidays. Bugged by the call at first, Evans has moved past it.
"I don't argue with the refs," he said. "They have their job to do and I've got mine. I just wrestle."
By almost any measure, Evans' wrestling has been outstanding this winter. Evans, however, is not sold. By his own reckoning, his work this year is "far from flawless." He seldom steps off the mat thinking he has hit every note. He watches clips of his matches -- "I'm a visual learner," he said -- and sees the need to polish and improve.
"A lot of people would say I'm my own toughest critic," he said, grading his 2011-12 season as a "B-minus" or maybe a "B."
Kinworthy likely would give Evans a better grade. A former state champ at St. Charles West and an assistant to Dan Lovelace at Parkway North before taking over as head coach this year, Kinworthy knew Evans would have his "A" game working from the season's first whistle.
"It wasn't broke, so I didn't have to fix it," he said.
Evans' work has been so sharp that Kinworthy hasn't tinkered with the standout's technique or full-speed-ahead strategy. Their prematch talks boil down to reminders and suggestions.
"It's basically, 'Hey, David, how about this?' or 'Let's try that.'" Kinworthy said. "(It's) just giving him recommendations."
Evans embraces Kinworthy's here's-an-idea game plan. It sums up his approach to wrestling: Every action begins with an idea.
"If I say I'm going to do something, if I believe I'm going to do something, it's already done," he said. "It's just a matter of time before it happens."
EDWARDSVILLE NABS LEAGUE TITLE
With a 44-17 victory Thursday over visiting Belleville East at the Jon Davis Wrestling Center, Edwardsville (17-2) improved to 6-0 in the Southwestern Conference, clinching a share of the league title. The Tigers won or shared league titles from 2006 through 2009. Granite City won in 2010, and Belleville West captured the title last year.
Edwardsville will close out its league schedule Thursday in a tri-meet at East St. Louis that also will include Chatham Glenwood. On Wednesday, the Tigers will host a tri-meet featuring Missouri Class 1 power Whitfield as well as Fort Zumwalt West.
Edwardsville will host the area's Class 3A regional on Feb. 4.
BOWMAN ON THE MEND
Ritenour senior Eric Bowman, who sustained a concussion in the opening seconds of his 145-pound title match against Lafayette's Nick Olejnik at the All-Suburban tournament earlier this month, has been cleared to start training. Bowman (29-2) was a fourth-place finisher at 130 in Class 4 a year ago.
"It's been a slow process -- you just don't mess with concussions -- but Eric was cleared to start working out again on Friday,'' Ritenour coach Conye Ausar said Saturday. "The plan is to bring him along slowly to help him rebuild his endurance.''
Bowman is not expected to take the mat again until Feb. 2 in the Jaguar Invitational at Seckman.
WEEKEND RECAP
• Blue Springs won at the Winnetonka Tournament, which was billed as the toughest in-season event involving only Missouri teams. Seckman finished fifth, Troy seventh, Eureka ninth and Francis Howell Central 10th in the 15-team event.
Troy's Skylar Weber was the lone champion from the area, winning the title at 152 while picking up the 150th win of his career. Weber (38-0) is a returning state medalist, finishing third at 130 as a junior last year.
Troy's other top finisher as Tim Hoffman, who finished second at 170.
Seckman had three runners-up -- two-time state champ Matt Kraus (132), Weston Basler (106) and Brock Wingbermuehle (120). The Jaguars' Luke Weiland (113) took third while teammates Kaleb Cheek (152) and Josh Glore (182) placed fourth.
Eureka's Matt McClimens, a fourth-place state finisher in 2011, took second at 182 while teammates Ben Schroeder (third at 126) and Luke Seiler (fourth at 120) were the Wildcats' other semifinalists.
Two-time state medalist John Wood finished second at 145 to lead Howell Central.
• Kirksville won the 15-team Platte County Invitational. Fort Zumwalt North placed seventh while Fox came in at 10th.
Three-time state medalist Zach Nelson (32-0) led the way for North, capturing the title at 113. The Panthers also received top finishes from Nathan Helmig (second at 285), Joel Lauer (third at 106) and Ryan Thomas (third at 170).
Fox received runner-up finishes from Dominic Vitale (170) and Chris Reppel (195). The Warriors' Anthony Reno took fourth at 220.
• The host school had five champions to win the Lafayette Tournament. The Lancers received titles from Kirk Bradley (113), Ryan Jones (132), Nick Olejnik (138), Khayil Moore (152) and Kevin Root (182). Other area champions at Lafayette were Jesse Czerniewski (120), Nic Smith (145) and Jack Hobbs (295) of Fort Zumwalt South and Kirkwood's Robert Young (220).
