Coming from the Ohio Valley wrestling community there is always one thing for certain — it’s a close knit group and no one is ever going to break stereotype.

Regardless of where you choose to go in life or where you choose to wrestle you are always a part of that wrestling family and that close bond has only strengthened this year for a pair West Liberty State College wrestlers.

Lucas Huffman (125) and Kayne Melko (149), both OVAC prodigies, had a similar goal this season, to qualify for the NCAA national tournament. With Huffman being a senior and Melko a rookie to the collegiate level some may have thought the goal was too far out of reach, but the two local guys on the team have fueled off one another this season to obtain the status of national qualifier.

“It means a lot to me,” Melko said in response to making the NCAA tournament. “Coming into this season my goal was to just start because I was a redshirt freshman. But at the regional the guys kept telling me they expected me to make it out (and qualify).”

One of Melko’s biggest inspirations on the mat this season has been his fellow valley mate Huffman.

“It is special to me because one of the main reasons I came to West Liberty was because of Lucas (Huffman). It means a lot to me and our families since it’s my first year and his last,” Melko, who finished fourth at the regional qualifier at Pitt-Johnstown, explained. “It has meant a lot to me to have someone here from the valley to help guide me along the way.”

The trip to Iowa isn’t the first trip to the Midwest for the two, but will be the first time as a national qualifier – which many collegiate wrestlers never get to do.

One of the things Melko has gained from Huffman is being able to purse a goal even with diversity in the way and Huffman has definitely had many roadblocks in his way to qualify for the national tournament.

In 2006, Huffman was called for an illegal slam disqualifying him from the regional and in 2007 blew out his knee, but still decided to wrestle in the regional qualifier without much success.

“Going to the national tournament has been a dream of mine since I started wrestling. It is even especially great because it is my senior year,” Huffman explained after finishing third at the regional qualifier. “I have had injuries and have choked other years making this year a very exciting time for me. I am trying to keep my head straight by working hard in the room and hitting the weight room pretty hard.”

Checking out of the regional early on past occasions, like Huffman did in 2006 and 2007, can easily cause someone to throw the towel early, but the River graduate continues to step back out on the mat showing true dedication.

“You have to take every match like it’s you last,” Melko said the mindset that Huffman and him have for this weekend. “To me, I am going out with the same goals as these seniors are to win it. Yes, I am young, but it could be my last year.”

IN HUFFMAN’S prep career he had some heated matches with a fellow Irish teammate of Melko’s which could have easily caused bad blood between the two grapplers, but it has not affected either of them.

“As a team we are a big family now. We have come a lot closer together,” Melko indicated. “Even our families have come together. It makes it nice having a strong base of people always backing you.”

When you wrestle for a small college that doesn’t get much prestige in comparison to other sports having a tight group goes a long way. The wrestlers from West Liberty have continued to prove that this week as a majority of the team continued to come to practice to help prepare the six national qualifiers.

As for the Huffman and Melko family, both families have become very close traveling to different matches and tournament throughout the season.

HUFFMAN isn’t bashful about it and he is going to give every ounce of energy he has in him against his opponents this weekend. The former two-time Ohio state place winner isn’t thinking of anything else except standing on the podium Saturday night in Cedar Rapids.

“I am going to go wrestle my hardest. I don’t care who I have. It is my last year I have to give it everything,” Huffman said.

The Powhatan Point native has been in and out of the national rankings all season. In the most recent poll, Huffman was bumped out of the top eight, but was seventh in the previous week’s rankings.

“Rankings don’t matter,” Huffman said knowing he has beaten a handful of national opponents this season. “I try to block it out. Rankings are just added pressure.”

WHEN YOU think of wrestling many high school wrestlers think Iowa and Oklahoma State, but you don’t have to go Division I to wrestle. The gem in their own back yard is the West Liberty mat program – which is currently ranked 19th nationally among Division II mat programs.

“I wanted to stay close to home. I love wrestling in the valley,” Huffman explained. “Everyone that remembers me from high school can come up and watch which is great.”

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Cook can be reached at bcook@timesleaderonline.com