The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Miller eyes coming home for NCAAs
Home is on Billy Miller’s mind with two tournaments remaining in the 2017-18 season.
The setup couldn’t be more perfect for the two-time state champion from Perry.
Now the Edinboro heavyweight has to deliver in the clutch.
Miller is set to defend the Eastern Wrestling League championship he won a year ago in dramatic fashion by defeating Lock Haven’s Thomas Haines in overtime. Edinboro is hosting the event, so Miller and his teammates won’t have to travel.
If he can secure a top-two EWL finish, the redshirt junior will earn his third trip to the NCAA Tournament.
This one would be extra special
with the March 15-17 event at Quicken Loans Arena.
“It means everything,” Miller said of trying to make it to The Q as an NCAA qualifier.
“My family has had tickets booked ever since they announced it. I’m really confident I’ll make it. It’ll be my third appearance if I do, but the goal is to place at nationals. Doing that in front of my home crowd, that would be amazing.”
I’m really confident I’ll make it. It’ll be my third appearance if I do, but the goal is to place at nationals.” Billy Miller
Getting to this point has been a bit of an adventure for Miller, who dropped about 30 pounds last season to 235, which he has maintained this season.
During an early-season match, Miller broke a rib and was forced to miss about a month of the season, including the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He’s back healthy and ready for the EWL tournament,
but won’t forget the pain of a cracked rib.
“It was the most unique pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” Miller said. “I’ve torn my meniscus (in my knee) multiple times. I’d rather tear my meniscus three times before going through that again. I had a cold at the time, so I’m coughing and sneezing. Every time I did that, (the rib) would pop.
“I think (being out) definitely hurt me. I could have wrestled some other ranked guys. It’s like a missed opportunity to beat some good guys.”
The grind of recovery, then finding his wind once he returned, was a challenge. The injury dropped him in many national rankings from the top 10 in the preseason to the bottom half of the top 20. Miller said rankings don’t affect him, but they can for seeding at the NCAAs.
Defending his EWL title would be a nice step to securing a favorable seed — if it plays out that way. Standing in his way again could be Haines, who’s 16-4 this season and ranked in the top 15. Miller is 14-4, and ranked No. 16. The NCAA this week announced wrestling qualifier allocations, and the EWL received 18 automatic qualifiers. At heavyweight, the top two earn automatic NCAA bids.
Miller calls Haines his “rival,” especially after last season. Haines beat him twice in the regular season, but Miller avenged those losses at the EWL tournament. They haven’t wrestled each other this season.
If they do meet again, it should be another tough matchup. Haines was a four-time Pennsylvania high school state champion, and Miller won two at Perry.
Since arriving at Edinboro and taking a redshirt as a freshman, Miller has grown into his role at heavyweight. He was 29-11 three seasons ago and made the NCAA tournament. Last season, he went 32-11 and again made it to the national tournament, where he won a match. This season, he’s hoping to make it to Cleveland and do a bit more damage with no regrets.
Miller is hoping for at least a top-eight finish, which would make him an All-American. It won’t be easy in a tough weight class that features Ohio State heavyweight and threetime world champion Kyle Snyder and Michigan’s Kyle Coon, who beat Snyder in a dual two weeks ago.
“My mindset from last year to this year is to get on the podium, but if it happens it happens,” Miller said. “If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. The only thing that matters is going out and trying my absolute hardest. (Giving) 100 percent effort every single match. The only way I’ll be disappointed is if I don’t give maximum effort.”