Here is a look at six high-end wrestlers who also excelled on the gridiron.
Joey Baughman (Wadsworth, Ohio)
The University of Virginia wrestling commit enters his senior wrestling season ranked No. 74 overall in the Class of 2018, and tenth at 182 pounds. However, his recently completed football season as a quarterback could throw a curveball into that situation. The Grizzlies finished 11-1, going undefeated during the regular season and advancing to the state round of 16. Baughman had over 3000 yards passing and 1500 yards on the ground with 56 touchdowns between passing and running. He will also be a finalist for Mr. Football in Ohio, an award to be announced next week.
Zach Elam after winning a Fargo freestyle title (Photo/Jim Thrall)Zach Elam (Staley, Mo.)
A Junior National freestyle champion this summer, the University of Missouri signee is ranked third nationally at 220 pounds and No. 50 overall on the football field. As a tight end and defensive lineman, Elam has played a role in advancing Staley to this weekend's state title game with a 13-0 record for the season to date. On the season, he has at least 43 receptions for 766 yards and 12 touchdowns though one game of offensive statistics is missing; while on the other side of the ball he has at least 50 tackles (30 of the solo variety) and over 18 tackles for loss (7 sacks), with two games of defensive statistics missing.
Gaige Garcia (Southern Columbia, Pa.)
The nation's No. 19 overall Class of 2020 wrestler is a returning state placer, but also the ace offensive player for a state football power. Southern Columbia were state runners-up last year after winning a state-record seventh state football title in 2015. The Tigers are currently an undefeated 13-0 headed into their state quarterfinal game this weekend. Playing the tailback position, Garcia is averaging 140 yards per game on the ground with 30 rushing touchdowns on the season; when augmented by his receiving numbers, he is at just under 2200 yards from scrimmage on 176 touches (152 carries, 24 receptions) and has 35 TD's on the season.
Josh McKenzie (Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
This junior, ranked No. 23 overall as a wrestler in his class, will start the 2017-18 wrestling season as the No. 10 ranked wrestler at 220 pounds. The four-star "athlete" on the football field is primarily a running back, while playing some at defensive back. The Crusaders are currently 9-2 and will be playing St. Peter's Prep for a state title next weekend. The 2016 state placer on the mats during the present football season has run for over 800 yards on 130 carries with seven touchdowns, though one of his games did not have stats submitted; on defense, McKenzie has about 40 tackles (15 solo).
Mason Parris is the nation's top-ranked 220-pounder (Photo/Paul Tincher, IndianaMat)Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Ind.)
The No. 8 overall senior wrestler is the nation's top-ranked 220-pound wrestler and a University of Michigan signee. However, he is also a star on the football field on both sides of the ball, as both a running back and linebacker. Parris was key in the Tigers advancing to the state quarterfinals and finishing 11-2 one season after they were state runners-up. On the season, Parris had nine touchdowns on offense (eight running), while amassing over 150 tackles (85-plus of the solo variety) with at least 15 of them of the tackle-for-loss variety.
Anthony Walters (Bishop McCort, Pa.)
The No. 73 overall senior wrestler will start the season ranked fifth nationally at 195 pounds. During the fall football season, he amassed over 1100 yards on the ground while averaging close to six yards per carry. Walters also had at least 20 touchdowns, which enabled him to break the school record for touchdowns in a career. The Crushers finished the season with a 10-3 record, advancing to the state playoffs round of 16.
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