Sarasota senior wrestler takes final shot at state title

Then-junior wrestler Michael Bush II, representing Sarasota High, was one match from glory March 5.

One match from a Class 3A state title in the 113-pound division, a division he had cut weight all year to make. His opponent, South Dade High senior Elijah Varona, now with the University of Missouri's renowned program, was tough, but was dealing with a bad ankle, Bush said. Bush entered the match confident he would walk out with a title.

He didn't.

“I was shocked, or maybe overwhelmed,” Bush said. “In the center of the (Silver Spurs) arena, you have all these people around you. I don't know how to explain it. That match is definitely a regret. There are so many things I would have done differently.”

Bush lost to Varona 11-3. He was taken down early and never recovered. He spent all offseason working on his technique so failure never catches him off guard again, he said. He skipped tournaments, including the AAU Wrestling Scholastic Duals at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, to refine his maneuvers, particularly his top moves.

“Last year, all I did on top was a cross-face cradle,” Bush said. “I had other stuff, but since I was in a lower weight class, the guys were smaller. I could just cradle them. There were a couple kids at state who were getting good at defending it. I want to have other weapons to throw at people.”

He's also been working with Mark Prince Jr., a coach in Clearwater and the father of Division 1 wrestlers James and Connor Prince. He's become a more all-around wrestler in the process, Bush said.

This year, Bush isn't going to cut as much weight, he said. He'll wrestle somewhere between the 120- and 132-pound divisions, where he feels more natural and he can be “an animal.” Last season, he won consistently, but admitted to feeling exhaustion at the end of matches. His cardio wasn't where it needed to be, he said. He also feels stronger and faster than a year ago, though he won’t get to show his new skills just yet.

His season debut has been delayed by an injury he suffered at a practice in Palm Harbor. He took a 160-pound heavyweight down to the mat and rolled both bodies over his ankle, stuck in the mat, in the process. Bush said his ankle “popped pretty good,” but that setback is a minor one and he should be able to wrestle in two weeks, perhaps sooner.

Getting back to the squared circle will be a relief for Bush, who is currently studying for both the SAT and ACT, which he’s scheduled to take in the coming weeks. Conceding his life is a little overwhelming at the moment, Bush said it’ll be worth the work if he gets good scores. He wants to attend Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey and study finance.

After the tests, though, paper money will be out of his mind until May; Bush is preoccupied with gold.

“I’m ready to see what happens,” Bush said. “My goal is a state title.”