By: Justin Feil
As a freshman, Mike Souter found a sport at which he could succeed wrestling. Three years later, the Princeton High senior is among the favorites in the 215-pound weight class for the Mercer County Tournament to be held Friday and Saturday at Trenton High.
"I plan to take every match seriously," said Souter, who has a X-X record in dual matches with X pins. "Coach (RaShone) Johnson said something to me, ‘Any given day, anyone can beat anyone else.’ That’s stuck with me. At counties last year, I was not up to my ability. I planned to do a lot better."
And in his final MCT appearance, he plans to do his best. It’s why he was in the weight room over the summer, it’s why he came to work under Johnson throughout the hottest days of the year and it’s why he can’t wait for Saturday.
"I think I’ve gotten a lot stronger," Souter said. "I think I’m taking better shots. My conditioning is a lot better. I honestly feel like my back is against the wall. I feel I have to do something big or I’ve been wasting my time. Being my senior year, it gives me more incentive to put my head together and do well."
Souter is trying to treat the MCT as another tournament, but it’s impossible to ignore the significance of a county title.
"It’s something you’re definitely tuning for the whole year," the 17-year-old said. "I know I’ve put in a lot of time. I’ve been waiting for it to happen."
Johnson believes that the hard-working senior has a chance at the 215 title if he can control the action.
"He has the tools," Johnson said. "Basically to come through, he’s going to have to have a little luck also. That’s the way wrestling is. But should luck fall his way, he could very well win the county tournament.
"He has to go out there and make his breaks. He can’t rely on luck from the officials. He can’t sit back and wait. He’s has to make his own breaks and he’s very capable of doing that."
Souter has succeeded whenever he’s put his mind to it. Next fall, he’ll attend The Citadel, hoping to follow the path of his father and brother, both of whom are military men. It was his brother that helped fuel his introduction to the sport in which he’s now become a top-flight scholastic competitor.
"I loved to wrestle with my big brother," Souter said of Jeff, who is six and a half years older and currently stationed in Germany with the military police. "He was getting ready for basic training for the Army and he liked to use all his judo moves on me. And Mike Copley, who was in my Boy Scout troop, was a senior and a captain. They got me into it."
No finer fit could be found.
"Wrestling is perfect for him," Johnson said. "He’s a tribute to the sport and what the sport can do for you. He’s not as athletic as some people. But when you put one person here with all the athletic ability and the good genetics and another there like him who doesn’t have all the advantages, he shows that the harder you work, the more level the playing field will get. He’s put the time in and it’s definitely paying off."
Souter and fellow senior Ashwin Reddy are the winningest Little Tiger wrestlers, and it’s no coincidence. They were among the team’s most active off-season workers.
"He’s gotten a ton better," Johnson said of Souter.
It was only two years ago that the sophomore did not win a dual match in four appearances. Now, it’s rare that he loses at all.
"Randy Donatien (of West Windsor-Plainsboro High South) beat me," Souter said. "He’s a really good wrestler, but I think I came out flat. I’m looking forward to a rematch. There are some other good kids. Nick Snyder (of Hamilton) gave me a tough match."
Saturday, Souter will have his shot at beating all of them. It would be quite an ending to a story that began three years ago.
"I’ve been dedicating myself to wrestling," said Souter, who is unsure whether he will wrestle in college. "These four years have been great. In the middle of the four years, it felt long. Now, I wish I had more time. I’ve had the best time in wrestling. It’s going to be sad to see it end. I’m going to end it on the highest note I can."
