Photo by Charlie Leffler
Hanover junior Gabe LaVey became the first Hawks’ wrestler to win a state title.

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Junior took state title by being different

  When Hanover junior Gabe LaVey stepped off the mat at the Group AAA state wrestling championship two weeks ago he was a different person. Not only had LaVey turned in a dominant performance in the 135 class by blanking Salem’s Zach Ketcher 6-0 to take the state title, but he had etched his name in history.

  As the years pass, more state champions will most assuredly come from the Hanover program that has risen to notoriety in relatively few years. Yet as those future state titles fill the Hawks’ trophy case a spot of prominence will always be reserved for LaVey because he was the first.

  When this season began Hanover head coach Aaron Bradley knew he had several wrestlers who could possibly set such a benchmark this season. “We knew that (LaVey) had potential,” Bradley said. “We had several guys this year aiming for a state title and he’s the one who ended up getting it done.”

  While senior teammates Kyle Locke, Patrik Foxworth and Ben Wilson were all possible champions, Bradley said timing played in the junior’s favor. “LaVey just seemed to put it together at the right time. He had a real good finish to the season, was able to stay in pretty good condition even with all the snow and missed practices.”

  Winning a state championship was LaVey’s goal at the beginning of the season, but after taking the title the outcome came to hold less meaning than plotting a path and following it to the end. “Better than winning the state championship is achieving a goal,” he said. “It’s probably the best feeling.”

  And hard work was the vehicle that LaVey used to reach that goal. “He spends a lot of time on the made so that makes him very experienced,” Bradley said.

  It is a combination of mat knowledge and physical skill that made LaVey a state champion. “He has really good body awareness, body control,” Bradley said. “If he thinks he’s getting into trouble he can find his way out of it.”

  LaVey also has a natural distinctive technique that sets him apart from others. “I have a weird style compared to most. Not many people wrestle like me,” he said. “I’m right-handed but I lead my left foot instead of my right and it kind of throws kids off.”

  Now as a state title holder LaVey knows next season will bring greater challenges. “It will be fun,” he said. “I kind of had a target on my back this year because I won regionals last year. I was expected to do well. But now I’ll have a bigger target. I’ll just have to do my job and do what I can.”

  One might expect LaVey to face more pressure next season, but the junior faces it the way he does opponents. “I think I can overcome it,” he said.