Record-breaking high school dynasty has a family at its heart
High school wrestling is family, figuratively and literally. The same last names pop up in the pairings meet after meet, year after year for school after school.
Woodford County had coach Joe Carr Sr. and Joe Carr Jr. help the Yellow Jackets to their record 13 team state championships during their time.
But in Union County, the program that’s barreling down on Woodford’s records, it’s the Ervin family who has touched every decade a Brave has taken the mat — 18 from the clan total, in fact — brothers and cousins, fathers and sons.
Saturday at the 2020 Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s State Wrestling Championships, Coach Robert Ervin’s youngest sons, twins Micah and Matthias, helped Union County obliterate the record books, breaking the overall team scoring mark by more than 41 points in winning the Braves’ fifth straight state title and 12th overall.
Union County, a small school with an enrollment just more than 600, qualified 13 wrestlers for the event’s 14 classes. Ten of those reached their class’s semifinals. Nine reached the finals. Six won individual titles — a team record.
Before Saturday’s final round had even started, Union had clinched the overall team championship and broken the team scoring record. It was 257.5 points, a South Oldham mark untouched since 2003. It’s now 299 points.
“I have to wake up tomorrow and maybe pinch myself,” Coach Ervin said. “When you have something happen like this, everything’s got to fall in the right places, and it did this weekend.”
The six individual titles included Micah Ervin’s in the 182-pound class and Matthias Ervin at 285.
“I went out there and represented something bigger than myself,” said Micah Ervin, who pinned his finals opponent within 20 seconds. “I represented my family and my community. It just made me fight harder, you know.”
Family thing
Ervins have been fighting for Union County wrestling for almost as long as there has been a team in Morganfield.
Coach Ervin himself was a two-time state champion and the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler in 1981.
“My mom and dad — they’re 84 years old — and they still, every fundraiser, they’ll cook, and they’re still right in the middle of it,” Coach Ervin said. “And I’d say we’ll be part of it as long as we’re breathing.”
Robert’s brothers Brad and Tim wrestled, too, and serve as assistant coaches along with son Caleb. Gary, the oldest brother and first Union wrestler in the family, and one of his sons, Luke, helped with the state championship radio broadcast for WMSK-AM/FM.
“They’ve been brought up in it,” WMSK broadcaster David Curtis said. “If you’re an Ervin, (people) say, ‘What class do you wrestle in?’ It’s not ‘if’ you’re going to wrestle, it’s ‘What weight are you going to wrestle?’”
While Saturday was historic for Union, it was also bittersweet for its coach, who saw the last of his sons put on the powder blue singlet. He’ll still have a nephew on the roster next season, but the 2021 campaign will be the first time in 18 years one of his own boys won’t be suited up.
“It’s kind of an end of a cycle. I was looking in my state tournament rooms last spring, and it was emotional,” Coach Ervin said. “They’re ready to move on, so I’m ready. It will be a whole new thing for me, too.”
Coach Ervin recognizes how difficult it’s been for his sons carrying the legacy of the Ervin name.
“They handle it well,” he said. “They always compete well. We try not to put too much pressure on them.”
Micah admits he feels it. OIder brother Saul had three state titles. Cousin Brock had five. The list goes on.
“I ain’t going to lie, it’s a little bit of pressure. My cousins and brothers have had a lot of success, but I’m proud to represent it,” Micah said.
Matthias won his third straight title, a feat made more remarkable considering the difficulties he faced as a young child.
‘A lot of issues’
When Matthias and Micah were toddlers, their father got a phone call at the state tournament. It wasn’t good news.
“We don’t talk about his story much. … I had to leave in 2003, and we went and got (Matthias) evaluated in the children’s hospital there in Louisville.”
As the twins developed, Matthias’ differences from his brother became apparent.
“He was nonverbal, real hypersensitive and had a lot of issues … and was diagnosed with autism,” Coach Ervin said.
As devastating as the news was, there was only determination from it — by the entire family. There were strategies to help with Matthias’ diagnosis of atypical autism and pervasive developmental disorder they learned about from The Family Hope Center.
“Every day from the time he was three to five, I’d have to lay some boxes out in a building and he’d crawl a mile a day on his hands and knees,” Coach Ervin said. “It’s called cross-patterning. I had all my kids and my whole family (doing it) every day, seven days a week.”
There were other exercises, too, all aimed at improving brain function and coordination.
In two years, Matthias began speaking. At 6, he began asking questions.
“Then we thought, OK, now he’s going to know me as a dad. At the time he didn’t even know me as a dad,” Coach Ervin said, fighting tears at the memory.
He’s come a long way since.
“It was kind of rough for me to get back to normal,” Matthias said. “People said I wasn’t going to be normal. But I know my dad never stopped believing. He told me, one day, he wanted to watch me win the state title. And now, tonight, I’ve won by third title.”
Not only that, Matthias and Micah will both continue their careers at Chattanooga. Matthias wants to one day work with special needs kids.
“It’s something that I’m really proud of,” Coach Ervin said. “I think it’s a good story of hope for anybody. The adversity that he came through — there’s a lot of people nowadays that have kids with that diagnosis and if you’re able to work really hard and are able to find the right people to help train you, you can really make a difference in their lives.”
Making a difference
Wrestling is not just some pastime for the Ervins. It’s a tool to help change the lives of others.
“(It’s about) seeing what we just saw right there,” Coach Ervin said, pointing to one of his state champions. “That young man going up into the crowd and hugging his mom and dad and how much memories and emotions that it brings to them and the relationships. Four of my coaches are kids that I coached. And they just want to give back and be part of it.”
Union County will celebrate for a day, take off for week and get right back at developing the next set of champions as soon as possible. Everyone’s expected to help out with their elementary school camp next week. They’re @WrestlingCounty on Twitter and everywhere else.
“For a small town, (wrestling has) meant a lot,” Coach Ervin said. “It’s meant a lot to our family. It’s kind of helped shape everybody. The lessons that our family learned from it, and what we were able give back to other kids as being part of the program is something I’ll never forget.”
Coach Ervin tried to step back and retire from coaching a few years ago. It didn’t take.
“It’s hard to give something up when you feel so much love,” he said.
Wrestling Ervins
(With relation to Union County Coach Robert Ervin)
Gary Ervin (brother): The oldest brother and first wrestling Ervin who helps commentate on the hometown radio station. Co-founder of family business Ervin Cable Construction. Took part in the CBS reality competition show “The Amazing Race” with his daughter Mallory twice (seasons 17-18).
Tim Ervin (brother): A member of Union County’s first state championship team in 1976. Onetime head coach and now an assistant.
Robert Ervin (self): Two-time state champ (1981-82), Most Outstanding Wrestler (MOW) in 1981. Head coach since 2002.
Brad Ervin (brother): State champ (1992) and three-time placer. Now an assistant coach.
Max Ervin (nephew): Tim’s son and state champ (2005).
Mitch Ervin (nephew): Another son of Tim’s. Two-time state champ (2007-08) as individual and team member. 2007 MOW.
Caleb Ervin (son): Three-time state champ (2009-11) and four-time finalist and member of the 2008 and 2011 team titles. MOW in 2011.
Gabe Ervin (nephew): Gary’s son. State placer and member of 2011 title team.
Luke Ervin (nephew): Gary’s son. State champion (2009) and member of the 2008 title team.
Isaac Ervin (son): State champion (2009) and member of 2007 and 2008 title teams.
Brock Ervin (nephew): Tim’s son. Five-time state champ (2010-2014) and 2014 MOW, Member of the 2011 and 2014 title teams.
Cole Sherman (nephew): Sister Robin’s son. Place winner and member of 2014 and 2016 title teams.
Conner Sherman (nephew): Sister Robin’s son. Two-time placer and member of 2014 and 2016 title teams.
Saul Ervin (son): Three-time state champ (2015, 2017, 2018), four-time finalist; member of 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 state title teams.
Payton Ervin (nephew): Brad’s son. Member of 2016-19 title teams.
Matthias Ervin (son): Three-time state champion and member of four state title teams (2017-2020)
Micah Ervin (son): Two-time state champ (2019-20), five-time placer. Has been part of five state title teams (2016-2020).
Paxton Ervin (nephew): Brad’s son. Member of 2019-20 state title teams.
2020 state championship team
Wrestler (Weight Class)-Individual Place. Trayce Eckman, (113)-1st; Gavin Rickets (120); Glenn Mayes (126); Gabe Adams (132)-3rd; Jake Insko (138)-1st; Trevor Pogue (145)-2nd; Payne Carr (152)-2nd; Dalton Russelburg (160)-1st; Stephen Little (170)-1st; Micah Ervin (182)-1st; Corithian Seales-Portee (195); Darius Moore (220)-2nd; Matthias Ervin (285)-1st.
Complete results online: https://bit.ly/37ySXoG
