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Edgewood senior closes in on record

Jordan Puska needs  7 wins to tie school single-season mark.

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Updated 12:28 AM Friday, February 10, 2012

By John Bombatch

Staff Writer

TRENTON — He’s racking up an impressive amount of wins, just as he’s done in other years. But for Edgewood High School senior wrestler Jordan Puska, this isn’t just another year. It could be his best, and Edgewood’s best, ever.

Puska has a 37-3 overall record with 13 pins this season. That leaves the 120-pounder just a handful of wins shy of the school’s single-season record.

“(The season) looks well, from all the other years. This year, I’ve been going to a couple different practices after practice, wrestling with coaches, getting more live matches in,” Puska said. “I’m throwing harder, I know that. It’s my senior year and I’m trying to make the best of it.”

Puska is just seven wins shy of 2008 grad Cortland Banks’ single-season wins mark of 44. Puska has 127 career wins. Nick McSorley, a 2011 graduate, holds the school record of 144.

“All I do is, every move I do, I work to perfect it. Just make it the best that I can,” he said.

Puska describes his wrestling style as being “speedy and aggressive” with every move, but all the on-mat success he’s had in his career hasn’t earned him a ticket to the state tournament in three tries.

A rash of late-season injuries — a muscle pull as a freshman, a groin injury as a sophomore, and a broken collarbone last year — kept the talented Cougar away from Columbus. Puska says that’s not going to happen this time around.

“I’m giving everything I’ve got, and I’m leaving it all out on the mat this year,” Puska said. “I’m pushing myself, and making my coaches push me as much as they can.”

Over the summer, Puska defeated the Virginia state champion, and a placer from Florida, at the Virginia Tech team camp to win the 120-pound crown.

Puska would like to wrestle in college, but despite his impressive record, he hasn’t heard from many coaches just yet. Edgewood coach James Conniff says Puska has what it takes to wrestle at the next level.

“He’s definitely capable of wrestling in college,” Conniff said. “This year in particular his top work has gotten very very strong. The two places colleges look at: Are they good on their feet and can they ride a match out? He’s doing that. He’s always been strong offensively. But this year, he’s gotten very good with his top work. He definitely has what it takes to wrestle in college.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.

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