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3X champ Hoskins becomes a Sooner

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XENIA — Saying that it’s something that he can finally put behind him so’s he can focus even more on the pursuit of his fourth state wrestling title, Legacy Christian’s Tommy Hoskins signed a National Letter of Intent on Nov. 17 to attend Oklahoma University.

Hoskins claimed his first two state crowns while a wrestler at Dayton Christian, but when that school’s program disbanded he and two other wrestlers helped form a wrestling team at Legacy Christian. Hoskins didn’t let the change of venue hamper his talents as a wrestler at all.

He picked up his third state crown in March, winning the Division III 120-pound weight class.

In LCA’s inaugural season with a wrestling program, Hoskins brought them a state championship while Knights teammates Wyatt Riddle and A.J. Warner finished second and fourth respectively.

Now Hoskins is focused on getting his fourth crown.

“It’s nice to kinda get (signing) off your shoulders. It’s over now. Now I just gotta keep my focus on my senior season and finishing out high school with a boom,” Hoskins said, moments after signing on the dotted line.

He chose Oklahoma, largely because it is led by former Ohio State University associate head coach Lou Rosselli.

“I really like coach Rosselli a lot,” Hoskins said. “And I like the facilities they have at Oklahoma. If there was any school, or any coach, that could make me into a national champion, it would be coach Rosselli.”

According to the flowrestling.org wrestling website, Oklahoma has also received verbal commitments from Ohio champions Dom Demas and Kyle Lawson this year.

Acting Legacy Christian wrestling coach Mark DiSalvo said Hoskins, Riddle and Warner have set a very high standard for future Knights wrestlers to reach.

“It’s a special situation to have a young man like Tommy as the leader of the group,” DiSalvo said. “He’s a guy that this younger group of middle school kids and underclassmen can look up to. He’s quite a leader, not necessarily by words but by his actions.

“These guys can watch him and witness the sacrifices that he makes year-round. That dedication to the sport that he has is pretty special.”

Hoskins is nursing a slight injury he suffered during the summer wrestling season, but said his focus is as sharp as it’s ever been.

“I don’t want to switch up too much. There’s a lot of good things I did over the summer, and there’s a lot of mistakes I made as well. So I just have to work on those mistakes and just get back healthy and get at it,” he said. “You’re always learning. There’s always something new.

“There’s always more. There’s always something you can do better. There’s always someone else better than you are.”

The 2017-‘18 Ohio high school wrestling season officially gets under way on Friday, Dec. 1.

The Hoskins family (left to right), dad Tom, brother Andrew, Tommy, sister Corissa and mom Tracy, were decked out in their Oklahoma Sooners T-shirts in support of Tommy’s National Letter of Intent signing, Nov. 17, in the Barnett Building wrestling room on the Legacy Christian Academy campus in Xenia.
http://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/11/web1_FamilyGroupShot.jpgThe Hoskins family (left to right), dad Tom, brother Andrew, Tommy, sister Corissa and mom Tracy, were decked out in their Oklahoma Sooners T-shirts in support of Tommy’s National Letter of Intent signing, Nov. 17, in the Barnett Building wrestling room on the Legacy Christian Academy campus in Xenia. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Tommy Hoskins (center) poses with acting Legacy Christian wrestling coaches Drew Hammen (left) and Mark DiSalvo, during Friday’s Nov. 17 signing ceremony at Legacy Christian Academy in Xenia.
http://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/11/web1_HoskinsCoaches.jpgTommy Hoskins (center) poses with acting Legacy Christian wrestling coaches Drew Hammen (left) and Mark DiSalvo, during Friday’s Nov. 17 signing ceremony at Legacy Christian Academy in Xenia. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Tommy Hoskins takes a photo with Will DiSalvo, the son of acting LCA wrestling coach Mark DiSalvo, during Hoskins’ National Letter of Intent signing ceremony Nov. 17 in Xenia. The three-time state wrestling champ is headed to Oklahoma University.
http://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/11/web1_LilSooner.jpgTommy Hoskins takes a photo with Will DiSalvo, the son of acting LCA wrestling coach Mark DiSalvo, during Hoskins’ National Letter of Intent signing ceremony Nov. 17 in Xenia. The three-time state wrestling champ is headed to Oklahoma University. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Three-time state wrestling champ Tommy Hoskins (center) poses with Legacy Christian’s Athletic Director Bev Moser, Principal Greg Scheck, Superintendent Dan Braggs and Assistant Athletic Secretary Becky McCaskey during Friday’s Nov. 17 NLI signing ceremony in the Legacy Christian wrestling room.
http://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/11/web1_HoksinsLCAStaff.jpgThree-time state wrestling champ Tommy Hoskins (center) poses with Legacy Christian’s Athletic Director Bev Moser, Principal Greg Scheck, Superintendent Dan Braggs and Assistant Athletic Secretary Becky McCaskey during Friday’s Nov. 17 NLI signing ceremony in the Legacy Christian wrestling room. John Bombatch | Greene County News

By John Bombatch

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Contact John Bombatch at 937-372-4444, Ext. 2123.