It's Nowry or never for Wheeling senior
Take a look at most any wrestling site on the Web and invariably there's a picture of one of those 189- or 215-pound big men who look bigger than life, with arms extended and in full celebration mode after recording a triumphant pin.
Perhaps it's just the nature of competition that many are infatuated with the behemoths of wrestling. But truth be told, there's a 103-pound giant of a wrestler at Wheeling.
On a national scale, Max Nowry is huge.
The Wheeling senior is currently ranked No. 1 in the country. He's the reigning junior national champion at both Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling after capturing both titles last July in Fargo, N.D.
"There've been a few guys that have been ranked No. 1 in the country from Illinois, but I am not aware of anyone having (that) honor as well as national championships at both Greco and Freestyle at the same time," says Wheeling coach Neal Weiner, who did some homework before making that statement. "We've had a lot of terrific guys come through our program in my 22 (years) at Wheeling, but none have had the work ethic and dedication that Max puts forth day in and day out, and for 12 months out of the year like he has."
Nowry is in Weiner's advanced PE class, a class in which he uses to improve his strength, power, agility and quickness each day to help complement his regular training regimen.
"I see coach (Weiner) each day twice, and he's just a great guy who has been a big part of my life since coming to high school, and I am going to miss him next year," said Nowry, who recently committed to Northern Michigan and its United States Olympic Education Center resident training program for Greco-Roman wrestling. That program puts Nowry on a fast track to the 2016 summer Olympics, when he hopes to fulfill a life-long dream -- in Chicago, he hopes.
After starting out in the sport in second grade, Nowry had a brief stay with the Bison club out of Buffalo Grove. He later found his way to the Arlington Cardinals club, for whom he earned a state championship four years ago as an eighth grader.
"Max was always the perfect wrestler," said Jim Ortman, one of the veteran coaches at the 20-year-old year Cardinals program, which also boasts current Palatine standout Dale Jarosz as an alum. "He never missed practice sessions. The coaching staff would only have to demonstrate a maneuver or move just once, and he'd get it. He trained hard, worked hard and was totally dedicated to the sport. He made all of us look so good."
"I just go out there and wrestle, then get back on my I-Pod and relax and prepare for my next match," says Nowry.
With state qualifier Aldo Flores ahead of him, Nowry competed occasionally as a freshman, but his break-out came a year later when he finished second to Jarosz at the Mid-Suburban League tournament and Prospect regional before reeling in a third-place medal and an automatic trip to big show in Champaign.
At his first state tournament, Nowry went 2-2 to finish 33-9 overall.
Then came 2006, a spectacular season. He was an MSL, regional and sectional champ, a third-place finisher at the state tournament and delivered a 42-3 record.
"In the final stages of my semifinal loss (to Jon Morrison of Sandburg) where he just rode me out, there just wasn't any emotion on my part. But I was really unhappy," said Nowry. "After (winning) at Fargo, my focus is now turned toward winning a state title. It's the missing piece of my wrestling career right now."
Most in the sport would be hard-pressed to suggest an opponent who could pose the biggest challenge to Nowry's final goal.
Superb both technically and tactically, Nowry can generate incredible power and speed, thanks in part to his Greco-Roman training and competition.
"You're not allowed to attack (the) legs in Greco, so Max has learned so much more about position, throws, spins and other moves and has become so proficient at them all," said Weiner.
In 2004, Nowry was a Folk Style national champion, before a place on Team USA came two years later after a third-place finish at a Greco-Roman National helped earn his spot.
Following the school year that season, Nowry was part of a contingent which traveled to Bulgaria and France for 11 days of competition.
His new address in the fall of 2008 at the USOEC residence program means Nowry will train in world-class facilities, receive academic tutoring, have access to sports medicine and sports science services, room and board and the first of what may be many steps toward that ultimate Olympic dream.
"The coaching staff (there) is exceptional and I've got two more years of eligibility as a junior," said Nowry. "I'll need to get up to 121 pounds (Nowry's natural weight right now is 108) to compete, and by the time I peak physically and mature, I'll be 26. Just in time for the 2016 Olympics, which I hope is right here in Chicago before my family and friends."