Merely standing on the awards podium the night of Feb. 17 isn’t going to be sufficient for Indian Creek wrestler Grant Goforth.
The senior wants to be on the top step.
Goforth, a 195-pounder who lost early in last season’s Evansville Reitz Semistate, has had eight months of offseason to examine how his junior campaign concluded.
He’s determined not to repeat the experience.
“A lot of athletes don’t recognize their faults, and that’s why they don’t get any better. I know I could’ve done better,” said Goforth, who nonetheless finished with a 33-6 record. “Last year, I had a really weak mindset. I think I was subconsciously satisfied with myself.”
A State Finals qualifier as a sophomore at 182 pounds, Goforth expected a return trip to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis in the 195-pound class. That dream ended when he was pinned by Jack Michel of Southridge at semistate.
Goforth refers to it as the biggest disappointment of his athletic career.
Indian Creek coach Pat Dowty said that last season Goforth was often the lighter wrestler in whatever match he was in. This won’t be the case this winter as Goforth, the Braves’ second-leading tackler during the 2017 football season as a linebacker, currently weighs 199 pounds.
“Last year Grant was a little bit on the small side for 195. This year he’s a little bigger and he has that senior confidence. He has a different mindset,” Dowty said. “Grant wrestled a lot over the summer and has a hunger inside him from not going to state last year.
“It’s put a drive in him that that’s not going to happen again.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Goforth, young man” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Name: Grant Goforth
Age: 17
Born: Franklin
Family: Parents Gerald and Stacey; brother Brody, 12
Favorite TV show: “Family Feud”
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: “Friday Night Lights”
Favorite athlete: Brian Bosworth
Favorite team: University of Oklahoma football
[sc:pullout-text-end]
