March - 2003

Wrestler of the Month

Anthony Evans - Westside High School

Anthony Evans only started wrestling in December of his junior year, but he immediately set his heart on bringing a state title back to the tiny inner-city school in North Memphis, Westside. With his uncanny competitive spirit, supreme composure and self-confidence, Evans finished his senior season with a 44-2 record and a two year record of 82-9 and a 2003 State Championship. Evans received the medal but gave all the credit to his teammates. He told reporters, "Even though I was the one on the mat, all the guys on the Westside team have helped win this tournament, make no mistake about that. We don't have much at Westside, but we have the best people, and that's a lot. Everybody on the team works hard and the coaches are terrific."   Anthony is considering attending the National Senior Championships in Cleveland. He would like to go to college next year and would very much like to wrestle in college.

Coach of the Month

Luther Killian - The McCallie School

Always involved and always a pleasant smile best describes Luther Killian, an assistant Wrestling Coach at the McCallie School in Chattanooga. There Coach Killian teaches mathematics and is Class Dean. Luther is our Tennessee correspondent for "Wrestling USA" magazine. His commitment with them is a big reason for our Tennessee wrestling community getting some past due recognition on the National scene. After graduating from McCallie in ’68, Luther attended Auburn and UTC. Later, he taught at a parochial school in Chattanooga, at McCallie, and at private schools in Atlanta and Nashville. He also worked for two years in a psychiatric hospital where he taught math and science in the adolescent unit. After twenty-five years, Luther returned to Chattanooga and to McCallie. He is now into his thirty-first year of teaching.