Soddy-Daisy's Russo already working for third state title

Soddy-Daisy's Tucker Russo, top, wrestles Northeast's Delrico Bowen in their TSSAA state wrestling championship A-AA 145 lb match on Feb. 14, 2015, at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo in Franklin, Tenn.
Soddy-Daisy's Tucker Russo, top, wrestles Northeast's Delrico Bowen in their TSSAA state wrestling championship A-AA 145 lb match on Feb. 14, 2015, at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo in Franklin, Tenn.

After winning his third medal and second state championship, Soddy-Daisy's Tucker Russo is taking a partially-enforced break from wrestling.

"Coach (Jim Higgins) is telling me to chill out, take a little break," the 145-pounder said.

Except for Baylor and McCallie wrestlers who are preparing for the prep school nationals in a week or so, resting, recuperating and reenergizing is the story for most area wrestlers.

"We'll take off at least three weeks," Higgins said. "Some of the kids will go into free style and Greco and then that will roll over into folkstyle (traditional) stuff we'll do in the summer."

For Russo, though, there are thoughts of a third state title, the possibility of wrestling in college and maintaining a lifestyle he finally embraced fully in the midst of the 2014-15 school season.

"It wasn't rededicating himself, but there was a big change in him," Higgins said. "Tucker's work ethic for the most part is there all year long, but he hits that point in the second half of the season where he really turns it on."

Turning it on this time, though, wasn't just about practice but rather embracing proper eating habits and a change in tactical approach.

He was distraught, even angry after losing a match to Donnie Beyer in the Trojans' dual meet with Bradley Central.

"Part of it was me hitting a wall. For me it was a wake-up call. I realized that everyone was after me and that I couldn't let myself slip up. I knew I had to be more serious about it. I told my Coach Higgins and my dad they were going to see a change in me and that I definitely wanted to win a second state championship."

And now he's already taking aim on a third.

"I'm definitely more serious about training," Russo said. "You can't let up. There's always that part of the season where you train hard and you hit a wall. It gets old and the diet gets old and you can slip up -- cheat on your diet or get a little lazy. I don't want to be one of those guys that falls off the track."

So the healthy diet -- without the fast and/or fatty foods -- will continue, as will the conditioning -- a run of at least a couple of miles every day in addition to lifting and some rolling around on the mats.

"You have to let it click and set your mind to it. You have to do what it takes -- all the extra work and the right diet. It's not just going to practice," he said. "I lift in the mornings before class and get my running in. After a practice I go home and eat dinner, go to the (wrestling arena) and get in another workout and then go home and go to bed."

He learned this year that winning the first state title was easy compared to winning the second.

"No. 2 was actually harder," he said. "In talking with some other guys, they've all told me the second was tougher than the first. You're a target, and I definitely think winning the second was tougher. I had more close matches than I did last year."

But Russo made the adjustment from first to second in time.

"Tucker is dedicated to being competitive. He wants to be the best, and he has serious internal drive," Higgins said. "I think he tweaked what he was doing and made some adjustments across the board.

"He'll be better for it."

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.

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