North Carolina Wrestling Scout Report

One might imagine going into your senior year as a returning two-time state champion that there might be added pressure placed on yourself. If that is not enough, then add into the equation going to a new school for your senior season. But for one wrestler, he just takes it one day at a time and tries to not let the pressure bother him.

Now, everyone is wondering, “Who this top wrestler is, and what new school is he attending? “

A couple of clues about this wrestler are: he has won the 189 pound weight-class for the past two years, and he is currently listed as the number three top college wrestling prospect for North Carolina.

This upcoming wrestling season, Anthony Clinton will slip on the orange and black singlet of the Davie County “War Eagles”. 

When asked about his change of school, Clinton said, “I moved to Davie County late this summer, and I will be signing up for classes this coming week...  I’m really looking forward wrestling for them this winter. ” 

Clinton doesn’t think the transition to a new school will affect him that much. He knows several of the guys on the team, and he has actually wrestled with some of them during open mats the past couple of years.

Wrestling fans first took notice of Anthony Clinton during his sophomore year in 2006 where he seemed to come out of nowhere to beat two-time state runner-up Alan Carter of Northwest Guilford.

"The whole team stepped it up a notch during the 2006 tournament. Coach Hooker had us believing in ourselves that we had put in the time, hard-work and effort to become state champions... Hooker is such a great motivator."

In fact, Clinton contributes much of his wrestling success to Coach Jason Hooker.

"Coach Hooker really knew how to push me, to get the most out of me. He really cares about his wrestlers, not only on the mat but also off of it."

Although Coach Hooker is no longer coaching at the high school level, Clinton still plans to wrestle for Coach Hooker’s wrestling club, Renegade Wrestling, during the off-season.

One would assume that Clinton would be the favorite to repeat as state champion at 189 pounds, but Clinton looks at it differently.

"I always take it one match at a time and never assume anything. All it takes is one big move to end a match. I have really worked hard over the spring and summer to improve my wrestling."

When asked what he had done to help improve his wrestling? Clinton replied.

"I have wrestled for Team North Carolina at the East Coast Duals and went undefeated in both, freestyle and Greco. I was a runner-up at the (National High School Coaches Association) National Open in Myrtle Beach.  I went undefeated at the third session of Appalachian Wrestling Camp, and I won a belt at the Morehead tournament this spring."

One of the key ingredients of being a successful wrestler is to have a good workout partner in practice -- someone that will be able to challenge and push you everyday.  Clinton is no exception to this rule. Clinton’s workout partner for the past two years has been Austin Trotman. Trotman was a two-time state champion and Senior National All-American for Mt. Tabor.

"Austin has really helped me as a wrestler at Mt. Tabor. When you wrestle someone of Austin’s caliber everyday, then it cannot help but to make you a better wrestler. This year, I am going to have to step it up a notch because Austin will not be there to help push me."

Looking over his profile page on the North Carolina Wrestling Scout Report website, one can see that Clinton has beat several top quality out-of-state opponents this past spring.  One of his biggest wins was over Max Huntley in freestyle at the East Coast Duals in May.  Huntley is a Virginia 3A State Runner-up and double USA Wrestling Cadet All-American.  Huntley placed 3^rd in the nation at Cadet Freestyle Nationals this past July in Fargo, ND, a little over a month after Clinton had beaten him.

Clinton said, “I did ok this summer, but there is still a lot of wrestling to be done this fall before the season starts.” He plans on competing at the Super 32 Challenge, and he hopes to take home a championship belt from the tournament.

In fact, winning one of those championship belts is one of his goals for the upcoming season. His other goals are: to repeat as state champion, to become an All-American at Senior Nationals, and to be offered a college scholarship to wrestle at a Division I school.

Clinton realizes, with the new APR rules for college athletics, that he must keep his grades up and do will on the SAT if he has a chance for a college scholarship.  He plans to take the SAT this fall.

Clinton has received letters of interest from several universities during his junior year, but he hasn’t made a decision on where he wants to go yet. 

If he continues to improve this season, as he had in the past, then Clinton should receive a lot more letters and phone calls in the coming months.