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01/03/2018 11:00 PMCarter Cox’s interest in wrestling was sparked when he met Craig Vedrani during his freshman year at Guilford High School. Vedrani, who was Carter’s gym teacher and is also the head coach of the Indians’ wrestling squad, approached Carter about testing his mettle on the mat. Carter gave the sport a shot, quickly got into it, and has been pinning down the wins ever since.
Carter is currently in his senior season as a captain and a 152-pound grappler at Guilford. He’s stormed out to a 4-1 mark this winter, including a first-place finish in the 152 division at last month’s Guilford Invitational.
“We are seasoned veterans when it comes to wrestling at home in tournaments since we hosted states last year and will again this year. It was great to get in your own room and get into the zone there, especially going into the final match,” says Carter on his big win in his home gym. “I was the No. 1 seed, so I felt I could do this. One of my coaches told me that wrestling is a sport where you need to be into yourself and believe no one can touch you, and that was my mindset all day. I stayed cool, calm, and collected, and then gave it all I had.”
When it comes to his success in the squared circle, Carter doesn’t worry too much about his opponents’ records or where they rank. Instead, Carter looks inside himself and uses a hefty helping of mental fortitude to propel himself to victory.
“The No. 1 thing with wrestling for me is that you don’t look at who you are wrestling and their rankings within the state, because anything can happen in a match,” says Carter, whose lone loss this year came against defending New England champion Ryan Luth of Foran. “You have to have the mindset that you are untouchable and have to keep grinding. I’ve always wanted to be great in wrestling and win, because it’s fun.”
The current campaign provides Carter with a perfect opportunity to use what he’s learned the past three years to the benefit of the Indians’ underclassmen. Guilford features a lot of younger athletes this season, and Carter is showing them the ropes in terms of what it takes to produce success.
“It’s been great to be given this opportunity as captain,” he says. “We have some young kids on the team this year, so I’m trying to be the best role model I can be to them.”
Coach Vedrani says that Carter always brings his lunch pail for a long day at the office and never leaves anything on the table when he’s striving toward an accomplishment.
“Carter is a tough competitor who thrives under pressure,” says Vedrani. “I often describe him as a blue collar-type of guy who succeeds through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. We’re excited to see him chase his goals this year.”
Of course, Carter would like to go out on top by winning a title in his final foray with the Indians. Carter knows the regular season is a prime time for he and his fellow Indians to prepare to wrestle their best when the postseason rolls around.
“For me, with it being my senior year, it’s a dream to be a state champion. I will work hard and strive to be one,” says Carter, who thanks his coaches, his family and friends, and former Guilford wrestler Colin Rook. “We have young kids on the team, but we have a talented team. Once the midseason hits, the guys will start to progress, and we’ll have a shot at top three in states.”