And for STLCC-Meramec students it will be an opportunity to see one of the top NJCAA wrestling teams in the nation. The third ranked Meramec Magic.
Brett Lohmeyer
– Online Editor –
The 2009 Meramec Duals will be an opportunity for many.
For wrestling coach Ron Mirikitani it’s a chance to add to his lead as all-time national junior college career dual meet wins leader.
For Deron Winn it is one step closer to becoming national champion two years straight.
And for STLCC-Meramec students it will be an opportunity to see one of the top NJCAA wrestling teams in the nation. The third ranked Meramec Magic.
“One kid said it would be nice to sleep in his own bed,” volunteer assistant coach Dave Mirikitani, Ron’s dad, added.
The Meramec Duals will be held Jan. 30 and 31 in the Physical Education building’s gymnasium. The Magic are 4-2 in duel meets this season and swept their last meet at the Lincoln Duals.
Meramec is currently ranked third in the nation, but was ranked first as recently as early January.
“We expect to be the best,” Dave Mirikitani said. “We expect to be in the hunt for the national title every year.”
Last season Meramec finished the season second in the national tournament. The team has retained many of the champion wrestlers from last year’s team including All-American Donald Woods (165 lbs.), national champion Aaron Senzee (141 lbs.) and national champion and winner of Outstanding Wrestler at the 2008 National Champion Deron Winn.
Freshman wrestler T.J. Williams, Webster Groves H.S., said he thinks the team’s chances at winning the national championship is “awesome.”
But, Meramec may have just as tough competition.
“I think the junior college level is stepping it up,” Winn said.
In the most recent NJCAA poll Meramec dropped from first to third after losing two duels in the NIACC National Duels in Cedar Falls Iowa.
“We wrestle against Division I schools,” Ron Mirikitani said. “Some of these tournaments you have Olympians and world class athletes.”
“I think you’d almost want to lose as many matches as you can and still win the National Duals because then you got stuff you can talk to the guys about in order to improve,” Mirikitani said earlier in the season.
If Meramec does well this year and wins the national championship it will be a first for coach Mirikitani.
Mirikitani is in his 39th year as coach at Meramec. In that time his teams have won more than 450 dual matches, he has taken 28 teams to the NJCAA Wrestling National Championships and has lead the team to 28 consecutive winning seasons.
He has been inducted into the NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and last season he was named National Coach of the Year.
Last year’s second place finish is the highest-ranking finish any of his teams has had.
“We are at least twice as good as last year,” Williams said.
“We are a better team,” sophomore Woods said compared to last year. “If we improve on our shape, conditioning and better technique I think we’ll do well.”
Dave Mirkitani, who has been assisting his father since 1992, said that hopefully this team will end up being the best he’s had. But, he tried to not be over confident.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” Dave Mirikitani said.
