Sal Tovar needs four victories and a championship at the State wrestling tournament this weekend to become Emporia High’s all-time win king, and the man he’s trying to eclipse is clinging to his record like a bare-handed cook clings to a hot cookie sheet.
That is to say, Dusty Spaulding’s attachment to his mark is all but nonexistent. He hopes that when he returns from cheering Emporia on at the Kansas Coliseum in Valley Center this weekend, he’ll be coming back at No. 2 on the Spartans’ career victory list.
“I’ve known Sal since I was in high school and he was in Kids (Wrestling Club),” Spaulding said. “So I’ve known him a long time. Excellent kid, and it couldn’t (go) to a more deserving kid. ... I’m very, very happy for him, and I’m gonna be cheering him on, rooting him. Hopefully, I’m gonna be close to matside there, helping.”
Tovar has been aiming for Spaulding’s record of 131 wins ever since his EHS career began, but Spaulding didn’t even know he had the record until this year. The only four-time individual champion in Spartan history and a senior on the last State title-winning EHS squad in 2000, Spaulding moved to Emporia from Kansas City only a few weeks ago. In that time, he’s been doing some wrestling with the Spartans, helping them prepare for upcoming tournaments and duals.
“He comes to practice, and he helps me out,” Tovar said. “Hopefully, I can beat his record.”
Tovar notched wins 126 through 128 on the EHS mat last weekend in winning the Regional championship at 135 pounds, setting him up to end up with exactly 132 victories if he can win the four matches needed this weekend for a State title. Last year, he finished second at State, losing in the 125-pound title match to Bishop Carroll’s John Keller by a 5-0 decision. His victories at Regionals last weekend boosted his season record to 36-4.
“You look at the history of Emporia (wrestling), and the domination and the strong tradition that we have here,” EHS coach Greg Buckbee said, “and to take home a record like that, that’s important, that’s big stuff for him. I think he’d rather win a State title, but it’s also a big thing.”
During his senior year, Spaulding wrestled at 135 pounds, just like Tovar. Surprisingly, he didn’t learn that his 131 victories were a school record until he attended one of the Spartans’ dual meets earlier this year, and assistant coach Ryan Karjala mentioned that Tovar was chasing his mark.
“And I said, ‘Well, that’s news to me,’” Spaulding said. “I said, ‘Good, I hope he goes for it.’ That’s the whole point of doing it.”
Spaulding — who lived in Council Grove as a youngster and drove back and forth from EHS every day to be part of the wrestling program — believes that even if Tovar doesn’t break his record, with the strength of Emporia’s wrestling program, it’s only a matter of time before someone does.
“If I thought that that record wasn’t gonna be broken, we would be doing something wrong,” he said. “That just shows what the Emporia program is all about.”
The 2000 team had 12 wrestlers qualify for State, and seven took home medals, including Spaulding’s final crown. Thirteen Spartans will represent EHS this weekend.
“They’re just as deep as we were then, and I think that’s the benefit of what we’ve always had,” Spaulding said.
Tovar is No. 1 in Class 5A at 135 pounds in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings for Feb. 17. His first-round opponent this weekend will be Miege freshman Joe McSorley, who carries a season record of 7-14. If Tovar wins that bout, he’ll move on to a quarterfinal match against either Hutchinson sophomore J.R. Roman (25-9) or McPherson senior Bart Hageman (12-5).
If he gets past that round, his semifinal opponent could be Shae Hinman (31-6) of Andover Central, the No. 3 wrestler in the state according to the Feb. 17 rankings. Awaiting in the finals could be Winfield’s Vance Olivier (25-5), the No. 2 wrestler in the state.
“But I think I have a good draw, and I should be able to make it,” Tovar said. “And anytime, anyone can beat my record, but no one can take my championship team away.”
That team title would be more important to Tovar than the individual crown or the EHS win record.
“I want a fat ring,” he said.