Steven Malloy has fired out to an impressive start for the Morley Stanwood wrestling team. But the defending Division 3 state champion at 189 pounds realizes that the key for any high school grappler is to be wrestling at his best in the postseason.
In the final at The Palace of Auburn Hills last season, he matched up against Donavan Fouchey of Oscoda and scored a 7-6 win in the title match. His final record was 46-1.
Malloy is at 189 again this season.
In 2011, Malloy was at 171 and was league champion at 160. But 189 seemed to be a perfect fit.
“He’s agile at the lower weight classes but strong at the upperweight classes,” Morley Stanwood coach Jeff Davis said. “He has great shots and excellent takedowns. At the upperweight classes, you don’t normally see that aggressive offensive wrestling style. He was excellent on his feet, and he scored a lot of points from the top position. He was strong all the way around, but definitely, he was strongest on his feet.”
Both Malloy and his top rival from last season, Fouchey, were juniors and could continue their rivalry this year during the regular season, depending on their weight class.
They met for the first time since the eighth grade in the finals of the Chippewa Hills Invitational in December 2011, and Malloy prevailed. Malloy also beat Fouchey in the districts but sustained what would be his only loss of the season to Fouchey in the regional.
In their biggest match of the season at the state final, Malloy prevailed by a point.
“The good thing is that Donovan had two losses and they were both from Steven,” said Davis. “They were all close matches and they were pretty evenly matched. I personally think Steven is a better technical wrestler than Donovan.”
Ironically, Malloy will be in Division 4 this season for district, regional, and state competition, so he won’t see Fouchey during the postseason.
“I’ll be seeing different kids,” Malloy said. “I have the same goal.”
Right now, Malloy is ranked No. 1 in Division 4 ahead of Cody Symons of New Lothrop.
Malloy, also a key football player for Morley Stanwood, had a limited off-season schedule for wrestling. But he came into the season ready to go, with a 9-0 record and with no close matches.
The postseason is several weeks away, and competing in the Central State Activities Association, which includes Division 2 power Chippewa Hills and Division 4 power Hesperia, will give Malloy a competitive regular season to get ready for the postseason.
“I’m trying to get stronger and quicker,” Malloy said, adding that working off his feet has been a strength.
Overall, Malloy has been wrestling 12 years. As a senior, he won’t settle for anything but taking another state crown.
“I want it even more now,” Malloy said.
As a defending state champion, Malloy acknowledges that he probably has a target on his back. His opponents will want to be at their very best when they face him, and he prefers his opponents give it their best shot.
Malloy attributes his staying undefeated to the fact that he doesn’t “like to lose at all.” If given the choice, he would take a state title over remaining undefeated, though, and he will get it, as long as no losses come during the postseason,
Malloy, a fullback and linebacker in football, is looking at college opportunities, mostly likely on the gridiron.