Braves’ Sego settles in at 132 pounds

Indian Creek wrestler Owen Sego uncovered the one scenario that could prevent him from breaking into the individual state rankings — compete in multiple divisions.

Sego, a sophomore, started the season at 145 pounds, moved up to 152 for a short time and has been locked in at 132 since winning first place at the Johnson County Tournament in mid-December.

A sectional champion in the 106 class as a ninth-grader, Sego took third at the regional to qualify for the Evansville Reitz Semistate.

He closed his debut varsity season with a record of 30-3.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

Though his classification hasn’t been as consistent this time around, Sego, who plans to remain at 132 the remainder of this season, said he thinks he’s benefited.

“I think it’s helped. The kids are a lot smaller at 132,” he said. “In the other classes I was a little small.”

That hasn’t always been a detriment.

On Dec. 9, Sego won the 152-pound weight class at the Evansville Reitz Memorial Invitational despite weighing 139 pounds. His overall record this season going into Saturday’s Brown County Invitational is 18-5.

“Owen has always been pretty light. He’s never weighed more than 145 pounds,” Braves coach Pat Dowty said. “He’s one of the more talented kids that I’ve coached but needs to learn to work harder.

“He’s so technically sound for so long that when you’ve had success early, you don’t have to work hard to have it. We’re working on it. Owen knows that’s the thing I’ve been pushing him on.”

As one of the youngest members of his class — Sego turned 15 on June 24 — the sophomore still is in the process of working to meet his coach’s expectations.

“Some practices I came in and just didn’t work as hard as I could, and that’s my fault,” Sego said. “I’m trying to work harder every practice I go into.”

And now that he’s locked in a single weight class, his hard work should pay off in the form of a state ranking soon.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”The Sego file” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Name: Owen Sego

Age: 15

Born: Greenwood

Family: Parents Neil and Nicole; brother Ethan, 17

Favorite food: Macaroni and cheese

Favorite athlete: David Taylor

Favorite team: Ohio State University wrestling

[sc:pullout-text-end]