Trojans’ Smith No Lightweight Despite His Size

To look at most of the heavyweights in the State A-1 tournament, Post Falls’ Matt Smith looks like he’s in the wrong class.

But he hopes to prove this weekend that he’s in a class by himself.

Smith will be perhaps the lightest heavyweight when the tournament begins this afternoon in Idaho State University’s Holt Arena at Pocatello.

Line up all the heavyweights, and Smith would be easy to pick out. Big doesn’t necessarily mean best.

Smith will be out to prove something else, too. He wants to live up to his top seeding.

He figured to be seeded in the top three - more likely third than first. During Post Falls’ 6:30 a.m. run Monday, coach Dennis Amende told Smith of his seeding.

“I had so much adrenaline, I was running at the head of the pack with the little guys,” Smith said before an after-school practice. “I just floated all day.”

Smith, who finished third last year, hopes to fulfill a dream he’s had since he took to the sport in the seventh grade. He wants to be a state champion.

To that end, Smith will have to overcome some of the stiffest competition in recent years. Heavyweight is considered one of the toughest weights at state this year.

As many as five of the 16 entrants figure to challenge for a state title. Phil Colburn of Idaho Falls, runner-up last year, is back and is seeded third.

That means if Smith and Colburn both win their first three matches, they will face off for the title. Colburn is a hulk of a young man, standing nearly 6-foot-3 and weighing about 270 pounds. He has to diet to make weight.

Smith is 3 inches shorter and about 50 pounds lighter. As weight goes, Smith won’t face anybody lighter than himself.

Although it’s his dream to be contending for gold on Saturday, Smith isn’t looking beyond his first-round match. He knows he won’t be wrestling for a title unless he takes care of business in the three previous rounds.

Smith is used to tangling with opponents who are bigger.

“More than half the guys I’ve wrestled this year are bigger than me,” he said. “He needs to be technically superior to everybody he wrestles,” Amende said. “He’s got to slick them, create angles. He has to make them make mistakes.”

And when there are opportunities to score, Smith must seize them.

“I have to work on takedowns. They will be important at state,” he said. “I can wrestle a lot better than I have.”

During the Trojans’ next-to-last practice Monday, Amende urged his team to be aggressive at state. That’s especially important to Smith.

“He has to concentrate on scoring points when they’re available,” Amende said. “A lot of times heavyweights won’t do that. He can’t allow people to dog him on top.”

He hasn’t yet this season. Smith, who picked up his 100th career win in the championship match at regionals, doesn’t feel any pressure about being the No. 1 seed.

“I feel honored, but there’s no pressure,” he said. “They know who I am. They saw me last year. I think it should have been me and Laki (Ah Hi of Lewiston) in the championship match, not Laki and Colburn.”

There are at least two differences between the Smith of last year and this year.

He’s much more aggressive offensively. Last year, he was defensive. And he’s in much better condition this year.

“I have to be a lot quicker to create angles,” Smith said.

If he captures a state title, he’ll become just the fourth champ in school history and second winner at heavyweight.

“He’s the hardest-working heavyweight I’ve ever seen,” Amende said. “I’ve seen all the heavyweights who’ll be at state, and they’re not near the technician Matt is. He’s very skilled on his feet.”

Smith’s strategy is simple.

“I’m going to try to wear them out and not let them get their weight on me,” he said.

Proving that light can overcome heavy will be no small chore for Smith. But at least he knows what he’s up against.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STATE WRESTLING Day, site: Today, Friday and Saturday at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena, Pocatello

A-1 Last year’s finish: 1, Idaho Falls 239.5. 2, Sandpoint 145. 3, Meridian 122.5. 4, Minico 102. Team favorites: Like Sandpoint a few years ago, Idaho Falls is a lock. The Tigers will be out to break the team points record of 281 (set in 1986 by Meridian). Local watch: Al Mack, Post Falls, 103 pounds, two-time state champ; Cody Crawford, Sandpoint, 125, fourth last year; Jared Lawrence, Sandpoint, 135, undefeated and three-time state champ; Joe Tuinstra, Sandpoint, 171; Matt Smith, Post Falls, heavyweight. Returning state champs: Mack; Lawrence; Jed Clarke, Pocatello, 119; Fred Bartlett, Meridian, 140; Rustan Burton, Madison, 152.

A-2 Last year’s finish: 1, SugarSalem 195. 2, Weiser 158.5. 3, Snake River 115. 4, Jerome 100. Team favorites: Weiser, SugarSalem, Buhl. Local watch: Shaun Willey, St. Maries, 103; Travis Duffey, St. Maries; 103, third in 1997; Billy Elliston, Bonners Ferry, 125; Casey Holbrook, Priest River, 130; Winter Braden, Bonners Ferry, 135, fifth at 125 in 1997; Lucas Blaine, Priest River, 140, sixth at 119 in 1997; Jake Stark, Priest River, 145, state champ at 140 in 1997; Travis Liermann, Bonners Ferry, 160; Josh Queen, Priest River, hwt. Returning state champs: Clint Wolfley, Snake River, 103; James Evans, American Falls, 125; Stark; Matt Cobb, Weiser, 171; Ty Matthews, Jerome, 189; James Huml, Sugar-Salem, hwt.

A-3 Last year’s finish: 1, North Fremont 157. 2, Malad 124. 3, West Jefferson 113. 4, Ririe 94.5. Local watch: Brandon Pine, Wallace, 125; Brady Livermore, Kootenai, 160.