Wrestlers have a unique bond that can’t be understood unless you've stepped on the mat yourself.
That experience creates an incredibly tight community built out of respect and understanding of what it takes to make it through a season, let alone have a great career.
When two or more wrestlers get together, especially if they competed against each other, there’s an instant bond and shenanigans usually follow.
That bond was on display this week when Skyline had a dual meet versus Maricopa out on the football field and hosted a special guest.
Macky Porter, who turns 3 on Sunday, was diagnosed with cancer on Jan. 20 and he was invited to watch the match to show support to the family. The Porters, Dani and Ty, have no ties to the Skyline program other than Skyline coach Jadon “Gator” Johnson competed around the same time – the mid and late 2000s – as Ty.
Ty was a two-time state champion for Highland finishing up in 2005 and Johnson was a state champion in 2007 and two-time finalist for Mountain View.
“I felt this could be a good way to show some support from the wrestling community,” Johnson said. “We competed against each other and he was a positive influence on the sport. We just wanted to support Macky and his family.”
It was a continuation of the #mackystrong hashtag and he had a chance to sit close to the mat. There is a gofundme page set up for the family at https://gofund.me/37b2599f
“He had a great time and asked his mom if he could show his muscles to the wrestlers,” Johnson said. “It couldn’t have gone any better.”
It’s the type of approach to life Johnson has tried to show his Skyline wrestlers in his first year after coming over from the Mountain View
“It’s been a good fit at Skyline for me,” he said. “It was great coaching at Mountain View with coach (Corey) Anderson but this was a chance to pursue my own goals. It’s a program I can make my own. Of course, it is cool to train winners on the mat, but the goal is to train them hard, give them my best and when they graduate from Skyline they are ready for anything and everything that comes their way and they are able to handle it.
“And they can reflect back at their time as a Skyline wrestler and realize it made an positive impact on their lives.”
Schultz, Porter bond more than wrestling
Cohlton Schultz may have found his way to Tempe anyway, but forging a relationship with Chad Porter went a long way in making it a reality.
Schultz, the undefeated Arizona State redshirt heavyweight, was one of the most highly sought-after recruits and when he qualified for the U.S. Junior Worlds team, he crossed paths with Porter, a two-time Arizona state champion, who was also on the team in 2018.
Porter, who is a 197-pounder for the Sun Devils, was on two missions that summer: Win as many matches as he could to make the team and connect with Schultz with hopes of bringing of the Colorado recruit back to Arizona with him when it was time for Schultz to make his decision on where he was going to college.
According to a story for Arizona State’s Cronkite News, Porter was told by then-assistant Chris Pendelton that Arizona State was recruiting Schultz.
“And so, I was like, ‘So, what you’re telling me is I got to make this World Team so we can start being buddies and I can get him to come here?’ Porter said in the story. “And he goes, ‘Yeah, I mean, that would be ideal.’”
The bond started in in Trials and strengthened once they both made the team and started working out together before the trip to Slovakia. The relationship deepened after Schultz lost his younger sister, Samantha Raye Caflisch, in July. Porter dealt with the loss of a sibling his junior year at Desert Vista and he was able to see Schultz through the times as best as he could because he could relate.
Both of them have tattoos in memory of their lost siblings.
“I got a tattoo while I was home during that,” Schultz told Cronkite News. “It’s her heartbeat from the hospital and then a yellow heart because that was a favorite color. There’s a whole bunch of members of my family that got tattoos around the same idea with her heartbeat and a yellow heart.”
Schultz’s tattoo will be on display this weekend in Corvallis, Ore., at the Pac-12 Championships on Sunday. The Sun Devils are in line to win their fourth conference championship in five years as they have several title contenders besides Schultz.
Desert Edge product Brandon Courtney (125), Jacori Teemer (157), Anthony Valencia (165) and Kordell Norfleet (197) are defending champions, while Old Dominion transfer Michael McGee (133) is a former NCAA qualifier and figures to make some noise at his first Pac-12 tournaments.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sun Devils approach last year’s total of 141.5 points, which was the second-highest point total in team history behind the 152.75-points Arizona State scored at the 1992-93 tournament.
High school state tournament
After years of holding the Arizona high school state tournament in Prescott Valley, the state tournament is being held at Poston Butte High School for all four boys divisions.
Division IV will be held Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17, while Division III is March 18, Division II is March 19, and Division I is March 20. The top three divisions have a 16-man bracket with the top four qualifiers from the four sectionals make it to state.
The venue of Poston Butte, which is located in San Tan Valley in Pinal County, was an interesting choice but Poston Butte coach Traston Yates says the school will be ready.
“We are excited for the opportunity to show we can host a large event and do it well,” Yates said. “We have hosted cheer comps and sectionals and seems like AIA felt we had the space, the facilities and the desire to make it work!”
The girls state tournament is March 5-6 at Mesquite High School.
Mask meeting
The AIA is holding a meeting on Tuesday to see if athletes will need to wear masks the remainder of the winter season and the start of spring season.
Some have said the masks have been a huge hinderance the entire time and others have commented that is has just become part of the uniform.
Either way, hearing that the mask mandate will go away for the remainder of the school year.
Reach Jason Skoda at jason@arizonavarsity.com with story ideas.
