Gp Wrestler Prefers Pinning Rivals To ‘Pumpkin Pushing’

A self-proclaimed former “pumpkin pusher,” these days Nick Sullivan prefers to push around people.

The North Side resident switched from basketball to wrestling as a freshman at Gonzaga Prep.

Although his father, Jamie, wrestled in high school, Sullivan said he had never been on a mat until then.

His dad had helped restart the basketball program at his elementary school, St. John Vianney.

“I played basketball, pumpkin pushing, but planned, if I had the chance, to wrestle as soon as I got into high school,” Sullivan said.

It put him on the ground floor of the Bullpups’ ascent in the Greater Spokane League.

And the ground floor it was for Sullivan.

“He had never wrestled before,” said coach Phil McLean, “and didn’t win one match. Even as a sophomore he only won a couple.”

By last year the improved Sullivan helped the Bullpups win a share of their first GSL championship.

“He was inconsistent,” said McLean. “It was either win or be pinned.”

This year, whether wrestling at 178, 190 or 215 pounds, Sullivan was a major factor in the Bullpups’ second straight title tie.

He went 5-1 in the 190-pound weight class and 6-2 overall, including a victory at 215 pounds. His two losses were to state placing wrestlers Joe Thiefault, Central Valley’s 178 pounder, and David Sandberg, North Central’s 190-pound star.

“It’s a pretty good success story,” said McLean. “He took his lumps and now he’s one of our key guys.”

Sullivan’s initial reaction to wrestling as a freshman, after finding himself flat on his back, was “what did I get myself into?,” said Sullivan. “Everytime I heard the hard slap of the mat I always thought about going back to basketball.”

He stuck it out because of parental support during the hard times and good practice partners in teammates Joe Pence, a state placer in 1994, and Rex Mangiaracina, who qualified for state last year.

His first victory came as a sophomore against Ferris in a junior varsity match.

“At first I was kind of in shock,” he said. “Then I got so excited I wanted to begin practice right away. It gave me hope.”

Hope has given way to success.

Included were victories this season against co-champ University and Mead that helped the Bullpups to last-match triumphs.

“Six minutes of non-stop heat,” said Sullivan after his effort against Mead. “I can’t help it. My adrenalin gets going too much.”

His pin loss to Thiefault came during Prep’s only defeat of the league season.

“It was a pretty big disappointment,” said Sullivan. “I got caught up in the head slapping and forgot about the basics.”

Sullivan wrestled calmer against NC’s Sandberg, losing just 3-0.

He also won three times during Prep’s championship at the Washington Dream Duals in Auburn two weekends ago.

By starting the sport later than some of his teammates, Sullivan said he feels he’s a year behind where he should be.

“If I had one more year, I feel I could really compete,” he said.

He’s one of six Bullpup regional hopefuls when the state-tournament qualifying process begins with districts at Mead on Friday and Saturday.

Any thoughts of playing basketball and pushing pumpkins have long since faded into memory.

“Wrestling is the sport for me,” Sullivan said. “I like getting out one-on-one. I love the competition.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo