Jerome Ward = Real Deal

[musicman5]

This kid is only a soph and just started wrestling last year. He is still very raw and just beat one of the best wrestlers in the state yesterday in Tim Golden. He's going to be special.

[Jack Neoff]

Ward was in the IKWF, so he did not just start last year.

[rgr]

Ward wrestled for 1 year in grammer school at Field Elementary in Rogers Park.

[Bulldog1]

Just to set the record straight on Jerome, he did wrestle for Eugene Field School in Rogers Park as an 8th grader. He is an exceptional athlete like so many other Chicago Public School students; however he was afforded the oppotunity to wrestle and has listened to the advice given to him from his family, myself, and his grade school football coaches.
We had suggested that Jerome attend a private school for the mere fact that Sullivan High School (the neighborhood high school) had nothing to offer him in the way of football or wrestling. This school even refused to help Field (their feeder school) with our wrestling program! Also, many of Jerome's former teamates have been left to the wayside because of the premature departure of the wrestling program at Sullivan.
It's not that Chicago doesn't have the talent to compete at the same level as its suburban counterparts, it's just that there is very little in the way of support.
Jerome is now attending Rita for the simple fact that his Uncle drives a bus for the school and it is convenient. If he were attending Sullivan High School now what would he be doing?
We should wish all the other CPL wrestlers the best in their endeavors. The more quality competition we have throughout the state the more competitive we will become in nationals.
I do believe that with the continued participation of the coaches we presently have and their unbelievable commitment, that CPL wrestling will only grow and prosper.

[Another Fan]

I may be taking some of the joy of beating Golden away from Ward by what i am about to say, but i feel like i have to say this. Golden wrestled like **** that day. I know that Golden is a better wrestler than Ward. I've seen it, Golden was flat all day and did not have a good tournament, but still managed to take second. If Golden gets his head on straight and gets ready for state, there is no doubt in my mind that He WILL WIN STATE. Ward is good, but he got very lucky when wrestling Golden.

[Thebigswed]

Why did Jerome attend Gordon Tech as a Freshman and not St Rita? His uncle worked there then didn't he? Just curious.

[ScoobysMom]

I think I read on the old message board that they use to live some where in North Chicago and they have now moved to a South suburb.

[JoeSmo]

Golden did have a flat day i have seen him wrestle and that def. was not his day he was gasping after the first period you can even go back to his semi's match when he wrestled the kid from fenwick 6 days prior he tech. the kid and then goes and only beats him by one at catholic leauge

[wagon0619]

I may be taking some of the joy of beating Golden away from Ward by what i am about to say, but i feel like i have to say this. Golden wrestled like **** that day. I know that Golden is a better wrestler than Ward. I've seen it, Golden was flat all day and did not have a good tournament, but still managed to take second. If Golden gets his head on straight and gets ready for state, there is no doubt in my mind that He WILL WIN STATE. Ward is good, but he got very lucky when wrestling Golden.

I think a kid named Dergo might have some issues with that statement! He will be very tough to beat.

[Mainefan]

Let's give Ward more credit. Having seen him at Dvorak, against Ppovidence and Montini, and at CCl. He has continued to improve. He only beat Novak 6-5 earlier and then at CCl dominated the whole match.

[oldbulldog]

Ward is a stud, and from what I can tell over the last two years he is a class act. My observation regarding the CCL was that Gordon Tech was tough at the upper weights; it is a shame that Ward left a good program. I know the Rita all stars needed to fill a hole when Murphy moved on, but I think Ward would have been just as well coached if he stayed at Gordon Tech. Also, based on the performance of GT's upper weights he would have had plenty of training partners. What wrong with building up some other programs? Transferring to Rita, because is uncle works there? Would he have transferred if Rita had a average wresting program? Rita has enough studs, do they need to get kids from other programs that are trying to fill a lineup?

[GoDogs1]

Well, this is shaping up to be an interesting regional. You'll have Golden, Kernats, and Ward looking to improve to state competition. Who will go, who will not? Any thoughts????

[jrbu]

isn't kernats in the St. Rita regional? The other two are somewhere else I think.

[Mainefan]

Kernats and Ward will be at the ST. Rita Regional. Golden will be in the Hubbard regional. They will all meet at sectional.

[GoDogs1]

You're right. I guess it was the sectional I was referring to. Won't only 2 of them make it out of it? who do you think it will be?

[Larry]

You're right. I guess it was the sectional I was referring to. Won't only 2 of them make it out of it? who do you think it will be?
well, top three from sectionals go to state, so unless theres anther stud in that sectional that nobody is talking about then, i say all three come out

[Bulldog1]

Jerome has yet to defeat Kernats (who deserves a lot of credit himself). If Golden was flat the last time he and Jerome met, this will be the time to prove it. After all, he has already won 2 out of their 3 matches.
This will be a great sectional tournament no matter who wins it at 171. I'm biased towards Jerome; although I know that Kernats and Golden are more than up to the task.
And yes, Jerome is a class act!