Miamisburg wrestler fulfills his mission

Rob Bronson from Athletes in Action presented Perkins with a way to do both.

“I was really nervous,” Miamisburg’s returning state qualifier said of the 17-day trip to Guatemala last June. “I didn’t know what to think about it. It was definitely overwhelming speaking a different language and it felt like everywhere you went, everyone’s eyes were on you.”

Perkins began with a three-day camp in Chicago before traveling to one of the poorest areas of Guatemala as a member of Athletes in Action’s wrestling team.

The group competed in some of the country’s biggest tournaments against wrestlers from the host nation, Puerto Rico, Honduras and Nicaragua among others.

“It was weird because everything they do is based off strength,” Perkins said. “We practiced with the Guatemalan National Team and I think I got suplexed five times before I learned my lesson. But, it was easy to adjust over the course of the trip and that is what the mission trip – and wrestling – are about, adapting and overcoming and helping others be able to adapt and overcome.”

Perkins said he was appreciative of the experience.

“It was rough,” he said. “Everything from the food to not being able to drink out of the faucet. It was a huge eye opener to how good we got it.”

• Seven area wrestlers placed at the Ironman held at Walsh Jesuit in Stow last weekend.

Graham finished third with 126.5 points, 19.5 behind second-place Blair, which travels to Graham for a dual on Jan. 2. Alex Marinelli was the lone area champ, claiming the title at 160 for Graham.

Graham’s Mitch Moore (126) and Brent Moore (138) placed third with Rocky Jordan (145) fifth and Garrett Jordan (170) sixth.

Bellbrook’s Tyler Wiederholt went 5-2 to finish in fifth at 170 and Springboro’s Jonahan Floyd was eighth. Both of Wiederholt’s losses came in sudden victory of overtime.

• Waynesville won the Greenville Invitational without a senior in its lineup. The Spartans had four juniors, three freshmen and a sophomore with all eight earning top four finishes.

Winning for Waynesville were juniors Tayler Steele and Travis Foster and sophomore Avery Collins. Waynesville beat runner-up Greenville by 25.5 points.