When his eyesight made playing soccer difficult, junior Anderson Huger took up wrestling.

“I began wrestling because I wanted to be an athlete, but I didn’t have the best hand-to-eye coordination, so wrestling was the best fit for me,” said Huger.

While Huger has not been wrestling his whole life, he started when he was in the eighth grade. He has been focusing on his workout programs for the current season.

“Over the summer I would workout four days a week on my strength training, and I have also been working on my aerobics,” said Huger.

After falling short of qualifying for states last season, Huger expressed a lot of interest in making it to states this season.

Huger swept all three of his matches during the opener on Nov. 30 at Harrisonburg High School.

“My big goal this season is a visit to states. I came very close last year, and that has given me the drive to go this year,” said Huger.

Huger will compete in 25 to 35 matches this year and plans on winning as many as he can.

“The coaches definitely have high expectation of me this season, but they are also very supportive of me as well,” said Huger.

Assistant Coach Chris Bowring has been coaching Huger since his freshman year and has always seen potential in his skills.

“I am expecting him to realize that you can not train too hard. He has been through a season before, and I think now he knows what it takes to be successful,” said Bowring.

Bowring also noted that the conference is very competitive.

“We are in a very challenging  region. It is the strongest region of all of the regions, and if you are able to make it out of regions, that is quite an accomplishment,” said Bowring.

Huger has had a successful early season giving him a chance at qualifying to states.

“I think pushing him is really just reminding him what he already knows, and that is that it tough to get there,” said Bowring. “He has a good chance, yes; he is probably one of the few wrestlers that is among the team that knows what it takes and has the talent to make it there.”