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Shore’s Sechrist on a mission to get back to states again

Slate Sechrist of Jersey Shore escapes the grasp of Jude Bremigen of Southern Columbia during their match at 215 pounds during the PHAC Tournament at Milton High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

You could say that Jersey Shore’s Slate Sechrist is on a bit of a mission this season. Last year was far from a great year for him after going just 11-3 and missing out on the postseason.

This year, he’s eyeing redemption and making a deep run, and he’s off to a great start to getting there.

At Saturday’s PHAC Championships, Sechrist went 3-2, falling to Southern Columbia’s Jude Bremigen in the fifth-place finals by a tough decision, 4-1. Bremigen is ranked No. 12 in the state at 215 pounds.

But it’s only motivating Sechrist to get better.

“Oh yeah, it is,” Sechrist said with a laugh regarding his goal being going deep in the postseason. “It’s very much my goal. I’m doing two practices a day now to make sure that goal happens and do everything it takes (to get there).”

Sechrist isn’t a slacker at all when it comes to practicing and training. The Bulldog is up working out at 5 a.m. and lifting and doing cardio.

“Hard work kills these close matches,” Sechrist said. “I have to start coming in earlier since I’m losing these close ones and start doing more. It’s just hard work.”

If getting up earlier and working even harder will make Sechrist better, that’s bad news for other wrestlers in the 215-pound weight class.

Sechrist does a solid job of wearing his opponents down and tiring them out, it’s something he’s done throughout the season.

“Just keep moving my feet, keep moving my hands, keep moving the person, everything like that,” Sechrist said. “That really helps me out in the long term because it tires them out and I can end up winning those close matches.”

Sechrist is currently 26-8 and has won 16 matches by fall. The Bulldog has also wrestled some tough competition all year.

Of his 29 contested bouts, 20 have come against wrestlers who were either returning sectional, district, regional or state qualifiers or medalists. It’s a resume that’s tough to compete against.

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