Before the season started, Notre Dame Prep wrestler Ray Long had a few lingering doubts about his ability to achieve his primary goal.
Long was motivated after a promising freshman season that ended with a loss to Grayslake Central’s Vincent DeMarco in a Class 2A sectional, but he needed an extra push from his training partner, senior John Sheehy.
“Ray started the year practically unranked and completely overlooked,” Sheehy said. “He had losses throughout the state from last year, but I told him he’s not the same guy anymore. He put on tons of lean muscle and was no longer an undersized 106-pounder defined by his natural talent.
“I helped him acknowledge that it was his time and, more importantly, that next year is never promised. I told him countless stories of people I knew and how they had their careers cut short.”
Long heard the message loud and clear, and he embarked on a stunning run to the 2A state title in the 106-pound weight class. He avenged his loss to DeMarco with a 15-12 victory in the championship match during the state meet at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Feb. 22.
Long (46-4) is the second state champion in program history and the first since Mike Rosengrant won at 130 pounds in 1994.
“It almost didn’t feel real and took a while for it to sink in,” Long said. “It’s an amazing feeling, a good feeling.”
Long credited Sheehy for putting him in the proper mindset on a daily basis.
“Johnny implemented in my brain that I can win state,” Long said. “I knew I had two or three years to do it, but he told me I could do it now. He told me to tell myself that every single day. As the season progressed, I was beating a lot of guys and realized I can do this.
“He definitely pushed me and helped me every day in practice. After I won, he came up to me and said, ‘You finally did it.’ I said to him, ‘I couldn’t have done it without you.’”
Sheehy, who finished fourth at 126 pounds and ended his career with a school-record 143 wins, knew the key for Long was believing in himself.
“I tried to give him the confidence to believe he was going to dominate his bracket,” Sheehy said. “Ray is probably one of the best neutral wrestlers in the country at 106. It’s his defining trait that he can shoot and throw, and he’s a threat to everyone. Ray wrestled at the state tournament with confidence and the feeling of being unstoppable.”
Notre Dame coach Anthony Genovesi agreed that Long benefited from Sheehy’s influence.
“Johnny does everything the right way,” Genovesi said. “He always knows how to maintain his weight and what to eat. Ray fluctuates more, is nonchalant about a few things, which drives me nuts.
“Johnny and the coaches believed in Ray, and it was all about him doing it and getting it done. He did.”
To do it, Long made sure to utilize a certain technique.
“I got to my leg attack,” he said. “I knew I could score if I could get to their legs, and I rode when I needed to ride a guy.”
Genovesi said it was important for Long to do that.
“He had to focus on his leg attack,” Genovesi said. “The goal was more for him to dominate and not be satisfied with squeezing it by. He’s fast and explosive and can go upper body if he needs to go. It’s hard to get your hands on him. People try to tie him up and pressure him, but he moves fast.”
Genovesi said this is only the beginning for Long.
“Ray is super talented and continues to want to do better,” Genovesi said. “I have high expectations for him. We’re on the same page. He has to clean some things up and continue to work, but he’s a wrestling junkie. The talent was always there. It was more just getting him to believe in himself. We upped our schedule, which helped him and everyone else.”
Notre Dame senior Michael Keany said Long is an unusual wrester.
“Ray is a hard worker and naturally talented, but he wrestles so loose and calm,” Keany said. “He has the ability to take anyone down in the state whenever he wants, and watching him wrestle is always entertaining.”
Long, who lives with his grandparents, credited his family for supporting him through it all.
“My family plays a huge role in my life,” he said. “They help with my homework, stay up late to help me lose weight, and they just help me with day-to-day tasks.”
Long has longer-term tasks in mind too. He said his state title has motivated him to try to become one of the best wrestlers in state history.
“All the hard work paid off, but I still have more left to do,” he said. “I want to win more titles.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
