Derrick Webb, Staff Writer
CHILLICOTHE — The first thing you need to know about Ashten Moody is that his motor, on or off that mat, simply doesn’t stop.
Moody, a senior at Unioto High School and the leader of the Shermans’ wrestling program, has become a staple of his sport over his four-year career … because of said motor.
You’d be hard-pressed to find an athlete who works more diligently at perfecting their craft.
That’s why it was no surprise to see Moody win his 100th career match this past Saturday.
“I felt very proud after getting my 100th win. I had been working towards it my whole high school career and it was awesome to finally achieve it,” Moody said of the accomplishment.
The victory came over Zane Trace’s Alex Brown on Dec. 15 at the Vinton County Invitational — and it instantly became a moment Moody will never forget.
“I poured out everything into that match and gave it my 110 percent. I came out with a tech fall in the second period,” Moody said. “Getting 100 wins has been my goal since I first stepped onto that mat my freshman year. Achieving it is a reward for all the hard work.”
Any wrestler will tell you that any victory is a good one and most will also tell you that any loss nags at them, some more than others. Moody fits that description.
“One other match [other than his 100th win] that sticks out to me over my career was actually one I lost,” Moody said. “I was wrestling one of the best kids in the state and we both wrestled very hard. But he ended up coming out with the win. Today, I still think about what I should’ve done differently to win that match.”
But that loss, and others, have allowed Moody to learn from his past mistakes — lessons that have combined to become a catalyst to his success.
Last year, after taking second place within the SVC’s 132-pound weight division, Moody’s season ended abruptly when he suffered two early losses in the Division II Sectional Tournament at Washington Court House.
But those, like the others, are mistakes he’s learned from. And as you might imagine, he isn’t planning on repeating that process this winter.
Instead, he’s expecting much bigger things out of himself … throughout the rest of his senior year and beyond.
He’s signed with Alderson Broaddus University to further his academic and athletic careers.
“I chose wrestling because it was such a different challenge compared to what I was used to. The sport really helps teach discipline, hard work and sportsmanship,” he said. “My next goal is qualifying for the state tournament, wrestling my hardest there and then wrestling hard at the collegiate level.”
With his motor and his mindset, there’s no doubt Ashten Moody will continue to cross off goals.