The pin chain is pushing an already motivated and talented Indian Land wrestling team
The referee’s hand slammed the mat and Indian Land won another wrestling match Dec. 8 in Rock Hill, this time Alex Murphy pinning his opponent from Andrew Jackson High.
But before Murphy’s match had finished, Warrior wrestler Austin Ross had already reached into a silver carrying case and pulled out a gaudy gold chain. Dangling from it, the Indian Land arrowhead logo. After the ref raised Murphy’s arm in victory and he shook hands with the opposing coaches, Ross draped the gold chain over Murphy’s neck.
Behold, the pin chain.
“We thought as coaches it was something that would motivate the kids this year,” said Warriors coach Leon Boulware, a former Rock Hill High wrestler in the early 2000’s. “So far, it’s working well. They’re working hard and they want to put that chain around their neck.”
Indian Land’s wrestling program borrowed the idea from the Miami Hurricanes football team, which draped a similarly brash-looking gold chain around the neck of any defensive player that forced a turnover during a game once he returned to the sidelines. The turnover chain has caught on and been emulated around the country by college and high school football teams.
Boulware saw the pin chain as a way to push his wrestlers that extra little bit to pin their opponent, earning the team more points than a decision win or forfeit. The extra motivation goes a long way with this group of Warriors, who have their eyes set on a team state championship.
“The whole lineup is strong,” said Ross, the reigning 3A 106-pound state champion.
The Warriors lost in the state quarterfinals in the 3A playoffs last season, but finished fourth in the team standings at the state tournament based on their individual successes. The goal is to top both of those finishes this season.
They made progress over the summer, winning a pair of camps, including one at Appalachian State. Boulware’s program only lost one starter from last season and has a very promising ninth grade class, led by 113-pounder Solomon Cortez, a product of Indian Land’s middle school program. It’s one of the largest in the state with 60 wrestlers, and won a team state title last year.
The freshmen join an experienced and motivated group. Each member of the coaching staff has won an individual or state title and Ross offers his teammates an example of what’s possible with the right combination of talent and work. He bumped up to 120 pounds but remains a threat to win another gold medal.
“Repeating is harder than actually winning the first time,” he said. “Now, people are coming after me and I have to fight back.”
Senior Kyle Daley is also motivated to finish his career at the top of the podium, following consecutive third place finishes.
“It’s my last year, so a lot of pressure is on me,” he said, noting that the pressure is self-imposed. “I want to win it.”
Boulware thinks he has five to six individuals that could win state championships. How cool would it be for a Warrior wrestler to end the season on top of the podium, with a pin chain around his neck?
“That’s the plan,” said Daley, grinning.
This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 12:47 PM with the headline "The pin chain is pushing an already motivated and talented Indian Land wrestling team."