This column was originally published in the Feb. 28, 2013 edition of The Mercury.

There didn’t seem to be a wrestling soul anywhere in the area, or around the state for that matter, who hadn’t heard of Jordan Wood before he strolled into Boyertown’s practice room for the first time last November.

In other words, the 14-year-old freshman’s reputation preceded him… as did some rather lofty expectations, the result of his success in youth and junior high school wrestling.

Wood hasn’t disappointed anyone since, either.

Going into tonight’s opening round of the Class AAA Southeast Regional at Pottstown High School, the 220-pound phenom has proven time and time again there’s no noticeable chink in his wrestling armor. He has won 26 in a row since his only loss to Wyoming Seminary’s highly regarded Garrett Ryan during the Hurricane Classic at Bethlehem Liberty four days after Christmas. And that was no upset, mind you, not when considering InterMat’s No. 11 ranked Ryan was a state prep champion two weeks ago and the national prep runner-up to the almighty Kyle Snyder of Good Counsel (Md.) last weekend.

“There is still a lot of pressure (to win),” Wood admitted following Wednesday’s workout. “I push past that and forget about it when I wrestle.”

Easier said than done.
But Wood has done it, beating a combined 16 section, district and regional champions from a year ago. Add to that total a victory over returning Class AA heavyweight state champion Nazar Mironenko of Mifflinburg. And if that isn’t enough, he’s also gotten the best of nine other postseason medalists from a year ago, all of which adds up to a gaudy 40-1 record.

Not bad for a youngster who didn’t give up on the sport despite some unwelcomed challenges early on.

“I thought it would be cool to try (wrestling) when I was in first grade,” Wood explained. “I really started to like it after a few years. But I was always big for my age, so I started to wrestle some big sixth-graders, and for a couple of years it was tough. Then after I got the hang of it it became fun.”

Winning countless PJW and MAWA titles – as well as the junior high school division of the Super 32 Challenge two years ago — certainly helped make wrestling more enjoyable.

“A lot of my friends were older and I was always training with them, so I haven’t had that typical life of a 14-year-old (wrestler). I’ve done a lot of things related to wrestling that not a lot of others do. And it’s been fun taking trips all over the state and country to compete in wrestling tournaments.”

Yet as good as he’s been, Wood — the son of Jen and John Wood — felt he turned an important corner in his career this past summer while taking advantage of the open mats program at the Boyertown YMCA … and working out with a lot of Boyertown alumni and college wrestlers.

“They beat me up pretty bad,” Wood explained. “But it helped me a lot in getting ready for my freshman year. I picked up more mat awareness.”

Not to mention being focused on and aware of whom he shakes hands with right before the opening whistle of every bout. He realizes there are no guarantees, that a reputation doesn’t win any bout.

“I try to look at everyone like it’s going to be a tough match, like it could be my last match,” Wood said.

That’s why Wood isn’t looking beyond tonight’s opener, or a possible semifinal, or a potentially explosive final against rival Pat Finn or Pottsgrove, Tyler Callender of Council Rock North or, of course, an out-and-out brawl with defending champion Mike Boykin of Coatesville.

It’s an approach that puts his goals, as lofty as they may be, in perspective.

“My goals haven’t changed yet, I still want to win states,” Wood said. “And I can always keep working for more, especially being a freshman. But right now I just hope to win the regional title. I take everything step by step. I’m just aiming to be the best.”

* * *
If there’s someone who can relate to that step-by-step approach right now it is Boyertown teammate Gregg Harvey, another freshman who had some youth and junior high credentials of his own but was thought to be a year, perhaps two, away from stepping into the postseason limelight.

But the 152-pound Harvey is ahead of schedule after winning last week’s District 1-AAA West title and improving to 29-11.

“I’ve always known you can’t overlook anyone,” Harvey said. “But that doesn’t mean you can stop wrestling. I never stop wrestling. I just keep coming and coming.”

His aggressive (and often called funky) style helped him avenge two previous losses to Perkiomen Valley’s very good Nick Giangiulio in the district semifinals, and may have been the difference in his narrow decision of Upper Perkiomen’s Ray Young in the final.

His work ethic, from the very beginning, sure has helped, too.

“I was only 3 years old when I was out on the mat with my brother,” Harvey explained. “I was rolling around with some other young guys, including the Wertz brothers (Dylan and Jordan). I liked (wrestling) right away, and I couldn’t wait to get back to practice the next day.

“I think my work ethic has gotten a lot better the last few years, too. I feel stronger, and my endurance is a lot better than others right now.”

Few could argue with Harvey’s turnaround. He was up and down through the early part of the season, but has won 14 of his 16 times out — the only two losses a pair of decisions to 145-pound district champion Adam Moser of Owen J. Roberts and Giangiulio.

The recent flurry of wins have also enabled Harvey to update a couple of his goals he set out to reach in the beginning of the season.

“My main goal was to make it to regionals and get 25 wins,” he explained. “I thought they were realistic goals, too. I didn’t think I’d take first at districts, but I feel I’m peaking, at the top of my game since (the PAC-10 Championships). So now that I’ve passed them I’d like get a medal at states and have 35 wins.”

Either way, Harvey — the son of Elizabeth and Gregg Harvey Sr. — has considerably more to shoot for in the coming years.

“I’m very happy winning districts as a freshman,” he said. “That’s made me set some bigger goals for my sophomore, junior and senior years.”

* * *
Both Harvey and Wood, along with teammates Eddie Kriczky (126) and Cody Richmond (160), will be shooting for a top-three finish that would extend Boyertown’s current streak of 17 consecutive years with at least one state qualifier. The streak began in 1996 with Zack Miller’s fifth-place finish when the Bears competed in District 3. The school returned to District 1 in 2002-03.