BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
The wrestling program at Union County High School has been in existence for only four years, but that’s been enough time for senior Ian Halfacre to prove that it’s a sport he’s good at.
In fact, he proved that he’s good enough to get a chance to do it at the next level.
Halfacre signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Division III Mount St. Joseph University during an April 20 ceremony in the UCHS media center.
“It’s a big opportunity,” Halfacre said. “It’s a dream. It really is. It hasn’t been a dream for very long, but it is a dream, nonetheless. I think regardless of however long you’ve had your dream, it’s still good to get those dreams.”
And it’s a big dream come true. Halfacre is the first-ever UCHS wrestler to receive a scholarship. As you can imagine, that’s a “big deal” to UCHS Head Coach Edwin Johnson, who said Halfacre won’t be the last.
“It just shows everybody else that you can get it,” Johnson said. “A lot of them think, ‘At this little school, nobody will look at us.’ This is just the start of it.”
Halfacre said if no one’s ever done something before, then the mindset is, “I can’t do it.” He’s now proven that a wrestler from UCHS can get the chance to compete at the collegiate level.
“If they’re able to say, ‘Oh, he did it,’ then it’s possible,” Halfcre said.
Prior to entering high school, Halfacre played tennis, but thanks to the encouragement of his mother, Cindy, he gave wrestling a try when it began at UCHS as a club sport its first year. Halfacre said his mother told him it’d be a sport he’d be good at.
He fell in love with the sport. It gave him a satisfaction that tennis couldn’t give him.
“Usually, guys like more physical sports,” said Halfacre, who added that he had accepted the fact he was too small to play football. “It’s a lot more rewarding when you win because it takes a physical toll on your body. When you go through all of that struggle and stress, the blood, sweat and tears — when you win, it feels good.”
In Union’s first year as a Florida High School Athletics Association participant in 2020-21 (the Tigers wrestled as a club team their first year of existence), Halfacre, who wrestles in the 132-pound class, placed fourth at the district tournament. He followed that up with a third-place finish in 2021-22.
As a senior, Halfacre won the district championship in his weight class and finished the season with more than 30 wins. Johnson said a knee injury at the regional tournament prevented Halfacre from giving himself a better opportunity to qualify for state.
Halfacre said visiting Mount St. Joseph, which is located in Delhi, Ohio, was a great experience, which included being able to participate in a practice with the team. He described the team as giving him the feeling of family and said the program has a great coaching staff.
As for the school itself, he said it reminded him a little-bigger version of Union County High School.
“It’s really everything I was looking for in a college,” Halfacre said.
UCHS Principal Julie Denson said Mount St. Joseph is getting an “amazing, young man,”
“Not only are we celebrating Ian’s accomplishments on the wrestling mat, but we are also celebrating his academic diligence he has displayed at UCHS from ninth through 12th grade,” Denson said. “He will be graduating with honors from UCHS in less than a month.
“I just want to say Ian is the kind of student you want in your school. He’s kind. He’s respectful. He is the citizen you want walking down your hallways.”
Johnson said the first year at Mount St. Joseph is probably going to be the most difficult for Halfacre because of the culture shock of being away from home and in a new environment. However, the coach seems confident that Halfacre will persevere and ultimately be successful.
“I think he’ll do well. I really do,” Johnson said. “He’s got the mental aspect already.”
As for wrestling at the collegiate level, Halfacre already knows it’s going to be a lot more work than in high school.
“Obviously, the work and pace will be a little bit higher. The effort will be a lot higher,” Halfacre said, “but one of my favorite quotes is, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’ As long as I can keep working hard and putting in the effort and putting in the time, it’ll all work out.”
Halfacre is excited about his future as well as that of the UCHS wrestling program.
“Next year, watch out for our program,” he said. “We’re going to be really good.”
Halfacre said he plans to be present when the next UCHS wrestler signs a collegiate letter of intent. He admitted he’ll feel kind of like a proud father.
“I came before. Now, it’s their turn,” Halfacre said. “It’s going to feel good.”
