Dynamic Duo

Winekoff and Watkins have won at  prolific rate during 4-year careers

Feb. 12, 2010, 11:30 a.m.

  In a sport that demands an unbroken pace of dedication and sacrifice -- both on the mat and off -- Canton senior wrestlers  Donnie Watkins and Brent Winekoff have more than met the challenge.

  Tenacious technicians, the duo have racked up a combined record of 400-34 since stepping onto the mat for the first time at Canton in the winter of 2006.

  Watkins will carry a 198-19 record into his final high school post-season, which starts Thursday night with the team District tournament at Canton. Ranked No. 4 in Division 1 at 135 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com, the four-year standout will be satisfied by nothing less than a state title.

  Winekoff, who has earned a scholarship to wrestle at Eastern Michigan University beginning this fall, has gone 202-15 during his high school career and is currently ranked No. 2 in Division 1 at 152 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com.

  The long-time friends took some time before a recent practice to discuss their illustrious careers with PlymouthCantonSports.com's Ed Wright.

ED WRIGHT:  Wrestling is probably the most demanding high school sport. What makes it so tough?

DONNIE WATKINS: It's mentally and physically demanding at the same time; and it's the longest season. Most people wouldn't be able to make it through one practice. Even a practice that we think is easy, they'd have a tough time getting through.

BRENT WINEKOFF: And there's the cutting-weight aspect of it, too.  You have to lose weight and come to practice and work hard without as much energy as you normally would have.

EW: What's the best low-calorie meal you guys eat?

WATKINS: If I'm cutting weight, I'll usually have a peanut butter-and-honey sandwich for dinner. On wheat bread.

WINEKOFF: I haven't had to cut much this year because I'm going back and forth between 152 and 160, and I'm at a perfect weight right now. But if I'm cutting, the night before we weigh in, I'll have a half a glass of Ensure (nutrition drink) or some pasta, something like that.

EW: What's the biggest sacrifice you've had to make the past four years in order to win like you have?

WATKINS: Probably our social life during the winter.

WINEKOFF: Giving up Saturdays and staying out later on Friday nights. Plus sacrificing meals.

WATKINS: Giving up happy foods like McDonald's. And we can't do things like go snowboarding. But it's all worth it.

EW: What gets you guys ticked off when you're wrestling? Is there anything an opponent will do or say to get you angry?

WATKINS: I don't get angry too much. Brent has more of a temper than I do.

WINEKOFF: If it's my fifth match of the day and I'm tired any way, it doesn't bother me when somebody voids. But if it's the second void in a row and my family came out to a tournament to watch me wrestle, that gets me mad. I get mad, too, when somebody is stalling most of the match and just trying to keep it close.

WATKINS: I get mad when somebody I'm wrestling is on the bottom and they just don't move. They know I'm more of a top person, so they don't move. Or if they get a lucky reversal and they throw a cross-face -- something to get at you when they're not even close to winning.

EW: Let's say it's a half hour before the state finals match. What are you listening to on your I-Pod to get you fired up?

WATKINS: To be honest, I don't listen to music before I wrestle. I'll talk to myself, re-assure myself that all the hard work I've put in is going to pay off, that I deserve to win.

WINEKOFF: I don't listen to music either before my matches. A lot of guys do, but I'm just concentrating on what I have to do to win.

EW: If you didn't wrestle, what sport(s) would you play?

WINEKOFF: We both played football our freshmen and sophomore years. We both started. I was a linebacker, Donnie was a cornerback. We didn't play after that because we didn't want to risk getting hurt.

EW: What's the biggest adversity you've had to overcome in your career at Canton?

WATKINS: This year I've had a lot of little injuries, but nothing that has kept me out of practice or a meet. But it seems like every time something heals, something else happens.

WINEKOFF: My shoulder's sore; other than that, nothing major.

EW: How did the transition go from Coach (Casey) Randolph to Coach (Corey) Mancuso two years ago?

WINEKOFF: They're both great coaches. With Coach Randolph, if we didn't wrestle well at a tournament or in a dual, he may walk in to practice the next day and have us wrestle live for the entire practice, just go at it for two hours. Coach Mancuso's practices are more college style. We warm up for 30 minutes every day before going into live stuff. Coach Mancuso's practices aren't easier; they're just more steady.

EW: How will your wrestling experience here at Canton help you later in life?

WINEKOFF: Nothing is going to be harder than what we've gone through with wrestling, so it will help us in that way.

EW: Does wrestling get the attention it deserves?

WATKINS: I'd say no. There are people who give it the respect it deserves, but there are a lot of others who blow it off like it's nothing.

EW: What are you going to miss the most about high school wrestling once your career is over next month?

WINEKOFF: Probably the recognition we've received from other students.

EW: If you two went to different schools and were the same weight, how would the match go if you met in the state final?

WATKINS: It would be interesting because we both know what the other one likes to do. Brent likes to be on his feet and I like wrestling down better. It would be a good match.