Homet finds rebirth to wrestling
CANONSBURG – After last year’s PIAA Wrestling Championships, Kyle Homet knew he needed a change.
Not a change from the sport he loved but in the way he approached it.
He needed a higher power to help him improve his skills and wipe away the disappointing 2-and-out memory forged in Hershey.
So far, so good.
Homet, a senior from Waynesburg High School, came into the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament Friday and won three bouts to advance to the semifinals, which begin at 11 a.m. Finals start at 7 p.m. at Canon-McMillan High School.
Homet will wrestle fourth-seed Jason Montgomerie of Bethel Park in the semis and, if successful, either sixth-seeded Scott Joll of Belle Vernon or second-seed Jared McGill of Chestnut Ridge in the fiinals.
“I knew when I was 15 at (Junior Nationals) in Fargo (N.D.) that I was pretty good,” said Homet. “I wrestled one of the best kids in the country and lost on criteria. But I could never put whole matches together. Last year, I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and that helped me change my mind.”
It also changed the way he comported himself on the mat.
“Since I walked off the mat at states last year, I’ve been on a mission,” said Homet. “I don’t care who is on the mat with me or how much better they are supposed to be than me, I worked hard and know I’m one of the best in the country. I used to be nervous (when I wrestled) so I put on an act that I was tough. Now, I’m confident, not cocky, and I know that it’s going to be tough but I have to go out and get it done.”
Homet came into this event as the top seed and opened the tournament with a pin of Ryan Weinzen of Norwin in 2:48. He followed with a pin in 47 seconds of Charlie Hough at Franklin Regional and a 9-5 decision over Jake Stefanowicz of Wyoming Seminary.
“I think I can hang with the best and that’s what I’m trying to prove in this tournament,” he said.
Homet had a strong effort in the Beast of the East Tournament two weeks ago. He had the top seed in trouble and ended up finishing fourth.
“I beat a couple good kids out there and had Julian Ramirez (of Blair Academy) on his back, and was winning the match, 6-5,” Homet said. “He’s one of the top kids in the country. I couldn’t finish it.”
Ramirez rallied after that, taking advantage of a mistake by Homet and pinned him in 3:18.
“It’s stuff like that, that you can always improve on,” Homet said. “I’m getting to where I want to be. At the end of the day in March, I’ll be waiting there at the end of the road.”