Zeke Grabowski locked in for state championship tournament
Wrestling senior advances past regionals to compete in Greensboro
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
February 14, 2022
Owen senior Zeke Grabowski, who finished fourth in the Western Regionals last weekend, will compete for the state championship, Feb. 17 - 19, in the 120-pound weight class. Photo courtesy of Scout Stevenson
There is no doubt Zeke Grabowski will have his hands full, Thursday, Feb. 17 - Saturday, Feb. 19, when the top individual wrestlers in the state square off to grapple on the mats in the Greensboro Coliseum.
If everything goes according to plan, the Owen senior will bring an NCHSAA 1A/2A Individual Wrestling State Championship home to the Swannanoa Valley.
Grabowski, a two-sport athlete who played three seasons on the varsity Warhorse football team, wrestles in the 120-pound weight class. He was one of 11 Owen wrestlers to compete in the 1A/2A Western Regionals, Feb. 11 - 12, in Lincolnton. His fourth place finish in the tournament earned him a chance to wrestle for a state championship.
First-year Owen wrestling head coach Dwight Shelton coached Grabowski on a youth club before middle school, and eventually as a Warcolt. The health and physical education teacher, who led the OMS team for four seasons, took over the Warhorse program when he accepted his current position at the high school.
“Zeke has a very good chance of placing or winning a state championship this week,” said Shelton, who guided the Warhorses to a 10-12 record in his first season. “As a head coach, I’ve never had a wrestler win a state championship, and I really hope he’s the first.”
Zeke Grabowski talks to Owen wrestling head coach Dwight Shelton during a match. Shelton began coaching Grabowski when the senior was in the fifth grade. Photo courtesy of Scout Stevenson
Grabowski posted a record of 29-4 this season, as his work ethic and energy on the mat made him a difficult matchup for opponents, according to his coach.
“He’s very tough, and he’s in excellent shape so he can go the full match,” Shelton said. “He’s constantly aggressive and really good on his feet, and all of that has helped him have a strong season this year.”
Grabowski, who qualified for the state championship as a sophomore, is motivated by his underdog status at the No. 4 seed. He will face No. 1 seed, Reidsville High School senior RJ James, who finished second in the 106-pound weight class in the state championship last year. James took first place in the 120-pound weight class in the Midwest Regionals last weekend.
“I believe in myself,” Grabowski said. “Even though I’m going in there as an underdog, I want to show what I can do.”
Grabowski entered the regional tournament with his sights set on first place, but mistakes in the semifinal round, which was interrupted when a fire alarm was inadvertently triggered, cost him.
“I aimed for third after that, and I always seemed to get down and come back,” he said. “I ended up losing by a point in the finals.”
He was, however, excited to advance to the championship tournament.
“I was proud of myself,” Grabowski said. “I was hungry when I made it to states as a sophomore, and that’s driven me to this point. I’m ready to compete for the championship.”
Owen placed second in the Western Highlands Conference tournament in January, with a first place showing from junior Daniel Rueda in the 182-pound weight class and second place performances by Landon Robinson, Aiden Noonan and David Orr. Kam Moore and Jason Dash each placed third in their weight classes in the conference.
Dwight Shelton, the former head coach of the Owen Middle School wrestling team, is in his first season in the same role at Owen High School. The Warhorses were 10-12 this season and finished second in the Western Highlands Conference postseason tournament. Photo courtesy of Scout Stevenson
“We have a bunch of good, tough kids here in the Swannanoa Valley,” Shelton said. “There were some new faces on the team this year, and some old faces who wrestled in middle school and came back to the sport. We’re really pleased with the direction the program is heading.”
The head coach credits the support of his coaching staff, which includes last season’s head coach Jack Slaughter, Leonard Slaughter, Matt Turner, Brook King and David Avila.
“These coaches and wrestlers are working together to build a strong foundation here,” Shelton said. “It’s easy to be excited about the future of this team.”