McKinley senior Michael Stovall has momentum and he’s hoping it leads to bigger and better things.
Stovall upset OIA champion and third-seeded Max Higa by pin the 138-pound division preliminary round at the Texaco/HHSAA Wrestling State Championships at Blaisdell Arena on Friday afternoon. The victory avenged a loss by pin to Higa in the second round of the OIA championships.
The win also put Stovall into the quarterfinals later Friday. He’ll be going against Saint Louis’ Ansen Ursua.
“My mind-set,” was Stovall’s answer when asked what the difference was this time. “Aggressiveness, attitude and effort. I just ran that through my head and I knew I could beat him and went out there and pinned him.”
As for the upcoming quarters, Stovall said, “I’m going to do my best, stay focused on the match and whatever happens, happens.”
Stovall didn’t wrestle last year as a junior. He placed fifth at OIAs as a freshman and third as a sophomore and has never placed at states.
“I want to win. I want to win. I promise,” he said about what’s ahead of him Friday and Saturday.
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