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Hitting the century mark

Fluvanna County’s wrestling programs is just hitting stride. The Flucos launched the wrestling program seven years ago, and three years ago, saw Willy Crawford win a Group AA title only to go on and defend that the following year. Last year it was Christian Chirico carrying the torch for Fluvanna, but so too did then sophomore Justin Zimmerman who also qualified for the state tournament. As a junior, it’s now his turn to play the role of elder statesman, and he came by that job as about as honestly as you could.

“I wasn’t sure what sport I wanted to play, I tried baseball, cross country — I just wasn’t that athletic and I wound up in wrestling, but my first year I lost 100 matches,” Zimmerman said, who took to the sport as a seventh grader. “Then I started working with Jim Harshaw over at UVa (with the Cavalier Wrestling Club). That helped me get started to where I am now.”

Getting that first victory in middle school was Zimmerman’s biggest hurdle, but with support and plenty of coaching and effort, things quickly turned around.

“It was tough early on, but my dad told me that one day I’d be the one beating the crap out of people and having his hand raised,” Zimmerman said. “For a while I never thought that would happen. Once I got my first win I realized maybe this is possible so I started working harder and harder.”

That work has pushed him to the top tier of Jefferson District and Region II wrestlers, formerly at 103 pounds, now in the 120 classification after the VHSL revamp of weight classes, Zimmerman is the staple wrestler for Fluvanna right now. Against William Monroe on Saturday in the Marines Challenge, he hit the 100-win mark in high school victories with a 21-4 tech fall.

Getting to 100 wins puts him in storied company, despite the program’s brief history. Both Chirico and Crawford reached that mark, and for Zimmerman to be amongst their ranks, tells a lot about how the program’s been put together in Palmyra.

“I started working out with Willy because he was my idol,” Zimmerman said. “I wanted to be just like him and so we trained a lot together. Working with him, working with UVa it’s just gotten better. Both Willy and then Christian, they helped me mentally get ready. When Willy graduated that’s when I started looking up to Christian and he continued to help.”

As a freshman in ’09-’10 when the Flucos won the JD championship, Zimmerman was an instrumental part along with Crawford and Chirico as he went 30-8.

“That’s when I think things came together,” Zimmerman said. “Since then I’ve been more confident.”

It showed as a sophomore as he went 42-6 and worked his way through the JD tournament, through the Region II tournament and into the state tournament at Salem. The progress he made and size of the venue was not lost on him.

“I’ve heard stories about how people went to states and their breath was taken away, but I said that wouldn’t happen to me,” Zimmerman said. “It did. Out there on that big stage, you’ve got to be ready, to be able to compete at your best our else you’re going to fall short.”

Now past the century mark in wins, Zimmerman’s set his sights on trying become one of the most successful wrestlers in Central Virginia, not only looking to return to Salem, but also to set the bar high for the rest of this year and next.

“I wanted to get to 100 this year and so hopefully be able to get to 150 or 160 as a senior,” Zimmerman said.

As such, there is a cycle here. Zimmerman is long since removed from dropping 100 matches as a middle schooler. Those his age when he started now view him like he did Crawford. And that’s something the Fluvanna junior keeps in mind.

“I’ve got kids now at UVa saying they look up to me,” Zimmerman said. “It’s got me thinking a lot more about what I do, what I say.”

Zimmerman’s year is still young, and with two more chances for a run at a state title, so is his high school career. He’s ahead of the curve right now, and with him on the mat the Flucos can bank on having that premiere wrestler continuing to help the program further develop.

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