The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Harvey graduate aiming for the top
Harvey graduate is a redshirt junior and nationally ranked wrestler at Findlay
Since arriving at college, Alonzo Turner said he’s spent more time than ever thinking.
Thinking about life, college, wrestling ... a lot of things.
What he’s found is a positive attitude can be a powerful thing.
That positivity has trickled onto the wrestling mat for Turner, who’s now a redshirt junior wrestler at the University of Findlay. It’s made the Harvey graduate believe anything is possible, and at the rate he’s going, Turner might be right.
As his college wrestling career has progressed, Turner has improved each season. As a redshirt freshman, he was a national qualifier. Last season, he again qualified for the Division II nationals, and this time left as an All-American.
Turner went 3-3 at the tournament to take sixth, and finished his redshirt sophomore season at 165 with a 39-14 record. The 39 victories were second most in school history. He had 86 takedowns during the season.
He won a big bout to get into the consolation semifinal round with an eye on getting to the third-place match, but he came up short. In his final bout of the tournament, Turner lost to Kutztown’s Troy Werner, 6-2.
“What I try to do now is not worry too much, and not complain. That’s just wasting time.” — Findlay wrestler and Harvey graduate Alonzo Turner
That was last March, and with the postseason fast approaching, Turner has big goals, thanks to the power of positive thinking.
“What I try to do now is not worry too much, and not complain,” said Turner. “That’s just wasting time. I’m reading a lot more, going out into nature, and being more focused on my thoughts. What your actions are become your habits.”
That has helped with results on the mats, where Turner is ranked in the top 10 nationally among D-II college wrestlers. That’s not good enough for Turner, who isn’t shying away from his ultimate goal.
“It’s all or nothing for me,” said Turner, 18-8 this season and ranked No. 8 at 165 nationally by Intermatwrestle.com. “You have to shoot for the top. For me, it’s a mindset.”
Turner’s best performance this season was at the Tracy Borah Duals in Colorado, where he went 4-0, and was named Great Midwest Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week for the first time in his career. He had a pin, a major decision and two other victories, including a 10-3 win over Western State’s Ryan Pellow, who was ranked No. 9 nationally at the time.
It’s that type of performance that has Turner thinking big, despite a loss in his most recent match. The big challenge was not paying attention to national rankings. That’s because he began the season ranked No. 2 nationally by intermatwrestle.com, and has since fallen.
“I looked at the rankings I think once, and haven’t since,” said Turner. “It’s about who’s ready on that day, and that time, and not where you’re ranked. Rankings just get in people’s head.”
What is different this season is the belief Turner has in himself. He wanted to be a national champion last season before settling for sixth, but admits he wasn’t 100 percent confident. That’s not the case this season.
“This year, I think it’s 100 percent possible,” said Turner. “But I still need to keep taking those little steps to being ready and prepared at the end of the season.”
Turner is a business management major who hopes one day to own his own business, and possibly enter the world of mixed martial arts fighting. He became interested in the sport beginning in the fifth grade when his father was an assistant boxing coach at the GriffonRawl MMA Academy in Mentor.
Turner was also a standout football player at Harvey, and was hoping to play both sports at Findlay before settling on wrestling. At Harvey, he was known for high-scoring matches, but Turner’s since changed his style. The comfort level while on his feet is still there, but Turner also feels he’s strong from the bottom position.
“On top is where I need to get better,” he said.
That’s the goal for Turner — continue working to improve while lofty goals remain on the horizon. The key?
“Just trying to stay more positive,” he said.