Wrestling: Morton’s Durant working his way to the top

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Senior Fabian Durant, photographed at Morton High School in Hammond, Ind. Wednesday February 8, 2012, will wrestle at the 285-pound weight class at semi-state in Merrillville. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 11, 2012 8:52AM

Family members always try to give the best advice possible when helping to make a decision. But Morton senior Fabian Durant is glad he didn’t consider his brother’s opinion when he was asked if he wanted to try wrestling.

“I tried wrestling in sixth grade when my dad walked into my room and said ‘Do you want to do wrestling?’” Durant recalled. “My older brother was behind him saying, ‘Don’t do it. Don’t do it.’ But I was like ‘Sure dad.’ I didn’t have anything else to do in the winter.”

It might have seemed like a nonchalant decision at the time but it’s proven to be one of Durant’s best. He’s worked his way to becoming one of the area’s top wrestlers, claiming his first sectional and regional titles in the heavyweight division this season.

Durant, who is 26-1 this season, will participate in his first semistate meet at Merrillville on Saturday with the first matches starting at 9 a.m. The championship matches are set to start at approximately 4:30 p.m. and the top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the state finals Feb. 17-18 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Governors coach Kevin Persley said his senior standout has traveled a long road to reach this point, but it’s much deserved.

“He was pretty much a backup his freshman year and most of his sophomore year,” the 17-year veteran coach said. “The turning point came when he beat a four-year senior in a wrestle-off for conference and sectionals sophomore year.

“He had a nice junior season but he didn’t develop as much as we had hoped and he lost in the first round of regionals. But he’s definitely matured and developed this year. He’s a whole new kid and his work ethic has been leaps and bounds better than the previous years.”

Durant started this season 11-1 losing his only match in the Harvest Classic championship match by injury default. He missed a couple weeks to recover from injuries to his shoulder and neck then rattled off 15 straight wins when he returned to the mat.

His willingness to keep working out and staying in shape during the injury allowed him to return without missing a stride. That ambitious attitude is what has defined him this season.

“There’s more intensity and he’s more serious this year,” Persley said. “Him and Diego Perez work hard in practice. They are not just wrestling two minutes, then laying down for five minutes; they are going at it for 20 minutes at a time.”

“When I got injured, I still kept on running,” Durant said. “I thought to myself: ‘Someone is working twice as hard right now so I have to keep going.’ So I kept on going to practice and my father took me to Omni to work out. When I got healthy, I thought, it was time to crank it up and kick some butt. It felt great winning those 15 straight matches.”

Durant will also get a chance to avenge his lone loss to McCutcheon’s Blake Ford. Ford (35-1), who defeated previously-undefeated West Central’s Jordan Culp (35-1) in the Logansport Regional handed Durant his only loss this season in the championship match in the Harvest Classic.

“I was really looking forward to wrestling (Ford) in the Harvest Classic before I injured my shoulder,” Durant said. “So I’m glad I could get a chance (to wrestle him) this weekend.”

Persley said Durant got a good draw and expects him to fare well on Saturday.

“We know we got the best possible semistate draw that we could’ve got,” he said. “Abraham Hall and Blake Ford are tough. They are more athletic and more gifted and I’m sure they are working just as hard as (Druant is) in practice.”

Durant would be the first heavyweight state qualifier since assistant coach Josh Turner reached that round in the mid-2000’s.

Turner has been a big inspiration to Durant, too.

“His success helps a lot,” Durant said. “Coach Turner is like the best coach I have ever had in my life. He works one-on-one with me and he teaches me things I’ve never thought of doing. Like, he’s taught me another way for big people to shoot in and things to use to my advantage on other opponents.”