Elijah Levee - 01/12/06 Article

Northlake Christian seventh-grader wrestles with the big boys
By Jacob Brooks

St. Tammany News - January 12, 2006

MANDEVILLE - Northlake Christian seventh-grader Elijah Levee may have been the youngest wrestler competing in Saturday's Mandeville Open, but he definitely carried his weight.

Elijah, a 112-pounder and NCS's only team member, advanced to the championship match in his weight class, where he lost to Rummel's Tyler Ehret, 15-3.

As a student at a private school, Elijah can compete at the high school level, which he began doing this season.

"He's doing great," said the wrestler's dad, Ross Levee.

Elijah has 18 wins and five losses on the season. Seventeen of his wins have come by way of pin, Ross said.

Elijah, who has been wrestling since age 7, was having no problem beating the kids his age prior to the beginning of the high school season in November. So his dad decided to increase Elijah's competition and enter him in high school events to build experience.

Northlake Christian seventh-grader Elijah Levee, top, tumbles with his Rummel opponent, Tyler Ehret, during the 112-pound championship match of the Mandeville Open Saturday. (Staff Photo by Jacob Brooks)

"It's been really an eye-opening experience," Ross said.

It's a blueprint the Levees also followed with Elijah's older brother Caleb, who wrestles for the Naval Academy. But Caleb began competing against high school wrestlers when he was in eighth grade. Elijah is starting even earlier.

"I did that because he was bigger than Caleb was," said Ross, adding he originally wanted Elijah to wrestle at 103 this season. However, "he's growing so fast."

The seventh-grader, who appears very relaxed in between matches, said the high school wrestlers he goes up against don't take him lightly.

"I feel pretty good," said Elijah as he waited for his championship match to begin.

Since there is no wrestling program at NCS, Elijah practices and travels with the Mandeville team.

"Me and my dad are really good friends with the Mandeville coach," said Elijah, adding he and Caleb took up wrestling after they saw their oldest brother, Zac, become involved in the sport.

"This is the greatest sport I have ever seen," Ross said. "It's a tremendous character builder."

At this point in the season it's unclear if Elijah is the best 112-pound Division III wrestler in the state, his dad said. But the seventh-grader has defeated plenty of Division I wrestlers this season, and more will likely fall before the state tournament Feb. 17-18.

Ross said he's never heard of a seventh-grade state champion. Elijah might have a shot to be the first one.