Life has reached up and hit McCallie wrestler Judah Duhm in the face not once, but three times yet the soft-spoken junior stands at the door this weekend of a possible undefeated state championship season.
In wrestling terms, he was on his back and fighting to get up.
From a distance, life seems good for the 16-year-old Lookout Mountain Ga. resident with a 3.5 grade point average, who has the aforementioned undefeated season (36-0) and is three wins from a state championship which could come Saturday night in Franklin at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center.
State Tourney Info: (all times EST) Friday
11 a.m.
-D-II quarterfinals … 7 p.m. - championship semis and consolations
Saturday – Noon - finals in all divisions for third and fifth places … 6 p.m. championship finals for all divisions
A closer look shows thanks to suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee in the summer after his eighth grade year and a bad back keeping him sidelined the next two years his prep career could have been over and with it the dream of a state title.
Plus, the family home burned to the ground when he was 10-years-old.
“We lost everything in the fire and it took two years to re-build our home,” said Duhm (pronounced Doom) who is the top seed at 160 pounds this weekend in the D-II (private school) tournament and one of the best wrestlers at that weight in any division (A-AA and AAA being the other two)in the state.
“But thanks to great friends in the neighborhood and in our church (Lookout Mountain Presbyterian), and lots of prayer and encouragement we were able to find a home nearby to live in while my dad led the way to re-build our new home.”
Home schooled until his eighth grade year when he entered McCallie, Duhm is thankful for where he is today.
“I was hoping to apply for McCallie six years ago, but when the fire destroyed our home that option was put on hold for three years.
“I never thought I would be able to attend McCallie (after the fire) and even through injuries I am thankful for this opportunity of earning a great education.”
Academic Adjustment: He admits that it was a huge adjustment going from the world of home schooling to the academic rigors of a top prep school.
“I didn’t do so well my eighth grade year, yet I knew this (being at McCallie) was such an incredible opportunity for me and being sidelined from wrestling for two years helped me focus on my studies,” stated Duhm who says Chemistry is his most enjoyable subject this year and AP U.S. History is the most difficult.
He also enjoys wrestling and likes the one-on-one, man-to-man combat part of the sport.
“My dad wrestled in high school in California and had me in a singlet by the age of five,” Duhm stated.
“I didn’t do too well early on and my current teammate Trent Walliser and others whipped me pretty bad in practice when we were kids.
“But today thanks to coaches David Levitt and Gordon Connell I have a clear idea of who I am - one who is extremely aggressive and ready to do battle with my opponent.”
Coach Connell said,” Judah doesn’t give in and is so persistent when he out there on the mat which a great trait to have to be successful.”
“This “incredible opportunity” and a second and third chance to wear the McCallie singlet continues starting today in the morning quarterfinals. A win moves him to this evening’s semifinals and then possibly knocking on the championship door come Saturday night.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net