Locals relish U.S. wrestling event
Despite a 22-year age difference, Nicholas Harris and Keith Pine had something in common Wednesday.
Neither could wipe the smile off his face after leaving the wrestling mat.
Pine, a 40-year-old Las Vegas resident, placed third in his weight class and division in the veteran’s Greco-Roman competition.
Harris, a senior at Cimarron-Memorial High School, took fifth in the 130-pound class in the junior Greco field.
The Greco-Roman competitions kicked off the four-day U.S. Wrestling Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“It’s fun,” Pine said when asked why he still competes. “It’s the thrill of competition.”
Pine finished third in Division C at 1671/2 pounds.
He began wrestling in grade school and continued through high school before coaching at the high school and college levels in Washington.
Pine now assists with the wrestling club at Palo Verde High School.
“I had the opportunity to have a lot of great coaches and great mentors,” Pine said. “It’s a great opportunity to give back.”
Or in Pine’s case on Wednesday, show some of the younger wrestlers he still can compete at a high level.
“I saw guys out here who were in their mid-50s (wrestling),” Pine said. “I figure I still have another 10 or 15 years.”
While Pine was finishing his third-place victory on one mat, Harris was just beginning his fifth-place match against Tanner Beaman of Montana.
Harris, who won his first three matches Wednesday and then lost his next two, rebounded to defeat Beaman by decision.
Harris wrestled against competitors from Arizona, Montana, New York, Oregon and Washington.
“It’s great,” Harris said. “The better the guys you beat, the more you can move up your ranking. It’s my last high school tournament, and I’m trying to move up.”
Harris is competing in the Western Junior Regional, which is held in conjunction with the national tournament. He’ll also wrestle in the freestyle competition, which begins today, before getting a good seat for the national championships, which conclude Saturday.
“I can’t wait to watch that,” Harris said. “Even after I’m done wrestling, I’m going to come back and watch those guys so I can learn.”
Harris isn’t alone in that thought.
“Anybody who has any interest in wrestling should be here this week,” Pine said. “You’re going to see some of the best wrestling in the world take place here.
“Not in my age group, of course,” Pine added, still smiling.