02/02/2008
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Morning Sentinel staff photo They'll be plenty of quality heavyweights on hand for today's Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference meet at Cony High School, though. There will be 15 competing in all, and some are among the best in the state.
If the Class A seedings hold up, top-seeded Sam Helm of Erskine Academy will meet No. 2 seed Chris Knowles of Cony. The two seniors have met twice this season with Helm recording pins both times. Last year, Knowles topped Helm in the Eastern Regionals.
"Wrestling him a lot you know what he's going to do," said Helm, who is 31-1 overall this season. "But he knows what I'm going to do."
Helm's only loss this season came to defending state champion Nate Lavallee of Cape Elizabeth.
"He's kind of a brute," Helm said. "He's four inches taller and pushing 285."
Helm, who stands 5-foot-11, is about 35 pounds shy of the 285-pound weight limit for heavyweights. This both hurts and helps.
"There's leverage when you're low to the ground, but the other guys have that height advantage," Helm said.
Knowles, who stands 6-1 1/2 and weighs 280, finds it tough to get down to Helm's level.
"He's a little quicker and more technical," Knowles said.
Helm and Knowles aren't the only quality heavyweights in today's meet. Mt. Ararat's Henry Chandler is seeded third and Skowhegan junior Todd Steward is seeded fourth. Steward was leading Knowles 11-8 this year when he was pinned in the closing seconds. He lost 3-0 to Helm and split his two matches with Chandler.
"He's really improved on his feet," Skowhegan coach Al Wilson said of the 6-1, 255-pound Steward. "He's a little quicker than he was last year."
Although quickness counts, you won't find too many heavyweights shooting for single- or double-leg takedowns. It's just too risky.
"There's a different strategy because you don't want to get caught underneath those guys," said KVAC meet director and Erskine assistant coach Terry Devereaux. "If you're taken down, you don't want to stay there too long because these guys are too big."
Knowles and Helm are a contrast in styles. Knowles likes to throw his opponent whenever he can while Helm prefers to work leverage and angles and doesn't attempt throws.
"I don't like having all that weight moving," Helm said.
"I try to keep things simple. The biggest thing is keeping the hips up. If your hips are up, you're controlling the center of gravity."
The three central Maine heavyweights are all good athletes. Steward and Knowles are football players while Helm plays baseball.
With Steward's 20-4 record and Chandler's 17-3 mark, the top four seeds are a combined 79-9 in KVAC competition this season.
A mistake by any of the four could cost a championship today.
"Helm is the guy to beat," Wilson said. "But among all four of them, I believe on any given day . . ."
Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638
ghawkins@centralmaine.com
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