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Wrestling: Exeter senior look back talks about his role as team captain

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Courtesy photo Exeter senior catpain David Burke, top, is hoping for a state championship and a second straight berth to the New England tournament.

EXETER — The match was long over, and David Burke was the last Exeter High School wrestler to leave the building. He was getting treatment for a nagging shoulder injury, a separated AC joint that has been bothersome since last year.

It sort of comes with the territory in this sport. And this season, with a young crop of wrestlers around him, Burke knows how important it is for him to stay on the mat and compete.

It's what he's been doing since he was 6 years old, what he's trained for year round since he was in seventh grade. He's been molding himself to be a leader for the Exeter wrestling team, and today, he's the lone senior captain and the team's rock at 182 pounds. If the Blue Hawks crown a state champion this season, Burke is their odds-on favorite to stand on the podium.

He more than learned the ropes last winter, earning his way into the New England championships with a runner-up finish in the 170-pound state championship bout. He made the trip with then senior teammates Ross Dannar and Jeff King, and he wound up placing at New Englands with a 5-0 win over Timberlane star Josh Riley.

This season, he's eyeing the state championship that eluded him in 2013 and a run to the New England finals.

Here's what Burke had to say about the progress of this year's team, his goals for the season and more:

ENL: You're a senior captain on the Exeter High School wrestling team. What's that been like?

Burke: It's weird. It's liked switched now, kind of. I see the freshmen and I remember being there. It's seeing wrestling from a different perspective.

ENL: Have you noticed anything different from yourself in that leadership role?

Burke: Yeah. It definitely motivates me. It makes me want to work a lot harder. I definitely found that. I don't know why but it just does. I definitely feel like some kids look up to me, so it pushes me to work hard, to be a good role model for them.

ENL: How's the team looking so far?

Burke: A lot of good sophomores that I've been working with are going to be real good these next two years. And then we have a whole bunch of freshmen who are showing a lot of potential. They all work hard.

ENL: How has it gone on the mat?

Burke: In terms of dual meets, we beat Keene, we just beat Central and we beat Nashua South. But we've lost some matches, some dual meets, because we give up pins sometimes with the younger guys. It comes with age. But we have a full team. We have a full lineup, and we have some extra kids that wrestle JV matches too, so there's more to come up.

ENL: What are the challenges that face a young team?

Burke: It comes down to the freshmen and sophomores. They kind of get out-toughed sometimes. They're obviously trying, and coach would probably want them to try a little harder, but it's hard. When you have freshmen going up against seniors and juniors, it's a huge difference.

ENL: What are some of your personal and team goals this season?

Burke: I want to win states, make it New England finals and see what I can do. That's my goal. But as a team I think we just need to get as many kids as we can on the podium. They're all young. This year is kind of a learning year. They've got to feel it out.

ENL: What is your lasting memory from last year's Division I state meet?

Burke: I was second seed in divisions. In the semifinals match, against a kid I had beaten earlier in the season, there was kind of a screwy situation where the scoreboard was broken and they didn't tell us that before the match. Their 8s looked like 6s. So it looked like I was up 8-6. So with 10 seconds left I let the kid up, me thinking, 'OK, there's 10 seconds left, I'm just going to ride it out with a one-point lead.' It turns out I actually gave it to him 9-8. So I lost that match and took third at divisions."

ENL: Take me back to the beginning. How did you get into this sport?

Burke: My dad (Roger) has always been watching UFC. I would always watch UFC with him when I was younger. And then sixth grade came along, and he had wrestled in high school. It's not that he pressured me to do it, but he's like, 'You should try wrestling.' So I just tried it. I just loved the competitiveness of it. That's what got me I think.

ENL: How did your initial matches go?

Burke: There were kids that would beat me up because they were eighth graders at the time. I wouldn't get mad, but I would just be so determined to beat them. I think that's what pushed me.

ENL: When did you feel yourself turning a corner?

Burke: Eighth grade I did really well. And then freshman year you kind of have to work your way into the ranks in high school.

ENL: And now here you are, as a senior and one of the state's favorites at 182 pounds. What has to happen on your end to finish it off?

Burke: It's been a good year. I just have to stay healthy. I separated my AC joint last year. It was fine until a couple weekends ago and it started acting up again. But that's the sport.

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