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Tight wrestling trio powers Indian Rocks

 
Indian Rocks Christian’s senior wrestlers Selbourne Steward, from left, Conner Allshouse and Michael Gingras helped build the program’s success from middle school.
Indian Rocks Christian’s senior wrestlers Selbourne Steward, from left, Conner Allshouse and Michael Gingras helped build the program’s success from middle school.
Published March 1, 2016

LARGO

In February 2007, Indian Rocks Christian went to the state wrestling meet and placed 53rd, scoring a whopping three points in Class A. The year after that, IRC did not field a varsity team. Then the Golden Eagles hired St. Petersburg alum Jay Dugmore Jr.

Dugmore grew up in the Ohio Valley of West Virginia, a region well know for its first-class wrestling. In 2009, a quartet of middle-schoolers came under Dugmore's tutelage and have since taken the IRC wrestling program to its zenith. Jay Dugmore III (now graduated) and seniors Conner Allshouse, Michael Gingras and Selbourne Steward vaulted the Golden Eagles from total obscurity in 2008 to an eighth-place finish last year, best of any Pinellas County team in Class A.

"Those four are the glue that's held the team together," Dugmore said. "To watch them grow together through the years has been an honor. They've taught me as much about myself as a person and a coach as I've taught them."

The bonds run deep and are long-standing.

"In our seventh-grade season, (Gingras) and I were sitting in church after service, and we made a promise to each other to beat ourselves into a pulp hoping to become the best wrestlers we could be," said Allshouse, the first Golden Eagle to appear in back-to-back state finals. "Mike was always my wrestling partner and he would frustrate me, not allowing me to get take downs or even to score. We always give our best effort working together."

The Golden Eagles have never had a state champion. The remaining trio of seniors are IRC's best shots. Each of them has his own dynamic, his own introduction to the sport, his own obstacles on the way and his own plans for after high school.

• • •

Allshouse, who is 41-0, a district and region champ, had probably the rockiest road to where he is today.

"When Conner was in sixth grade, I put him in his first varsity match in a dual against Lakewood," Dugmore said. "He scored a take down but the guy got out, got Conner and pinned him in the first period."

It was a make or break moment for Allshouse.

"I remember he was angry, furious, his eyes watering," Dugmore said. "He went over and sat next to his mom and (Jen) was not having any of it, said, 'Oh, no. We're not doing this if you're going to react like that.' (Jen) was a tough woman."

Both Allshouses proved huge additions to the team.

"I knew right then that this kid was going to be awesome, from the day I put him on the mat the kid had fight in him," Dugmore said. "And Jen was the consummate team mom, not just for Conner but for all the kids. She was constantly having the boys over, washing their clothes, feeding them, she cared about the whole team in general."

In Allshouse's sophomore year, right before the district meet, Jen Allshouse died after battling lymphoma. No one expected him to compete. But Allshouse said his mom would have wanted him to and he showed up for weigh-ins.

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Allshouse, who has committed to wrestle at American University, won that district title and placed second at state two weeks later.

• • •

Allshouse's training partner, Gingras, has no aims at wrestling in college. He plans to attend St. Petersburg College and work with the family business. Gingras does, however, stand a good chance of joining Allshouse atop the podium at states.

"Mike is as driven as anyone; he wrestles seven days a week," Dugmore said. "The first season he was here, he didn't say three words. I think we finally got him up to about 20 words now."

According to Dugmore, Gingras has three goals: beat Tampa Prep's Leo Tarantino, beat North Port's John Cruz and beat Lake Highland Prep's Erich Byelick, a former Golden Eagle. Last year in the 152-pound bracket in the state semifinals, Byelick beat him 12-2. If Gingras gets that win, it will be the end of his wrestling career, regardless of how well Dugmore thinks Gingras could do at the next level.

"Mike loves those low-scoring, banging matches," Dugmore said. "All the college coaches love that."

• • •

Steward, competing up at 195, has had a tough season. He injured his leg at districts in the final but battled through and actually came from behind to win the title. Last week at regionals, Steward again advanced to the finals on the bad leg but Dugmore forfeited the bout. It makes for a tougher state draw, but it could very well have saved the three-sport athlete's season.

Steward, who moved to the United States from South Africa 10 years ago, plays linebacker for the football team and recently signed his letter of intent to play rugby at Kuntztown (Pa.) University. Kuntztown is a Division-I rugby program that does have a wrestling team, and Dugmore has said that the wrestling coach is interested in Steward.

"There's a lot of pride in what we've done here," Dugmore said. "To build from a non-existent program eight years ago, to where we are now is just amazing."