Newcastle senior 150-pounder Max Rinehart was inadvertently left off the list of wrestlers being named Oklahoma Coaches Association West All-Star.
Head Coach Zach Hale said he didn’t find out that Max was not listed until after the names had been published in local and state media. Hale said he called OCA and informed them of the error as soon as he heard.
Hale said this is just one of many situations that Max has had to overcome — not only this wrestling season, but also in season’s past. Despite the many setbacks, the Newcastle senior has persevered.
Hale said Max has wrestled since the youth program in grade school, but he had a rough start adjusting to junior high wrestling.
“As a seventh grader Max would sometimes have to go up against the more mature high school freshman,” Hale said. “However, he continued to work hard in the off-season and in the summers, and in his ninth grade year he actually went undefeated. I think it was something like 31-0.”
Coming off a great season and headed full steam entering his sophomore year, Max struggled at times because he had primarily wrestled against the junior high wrestlers as a freshman.
“So stepping into the high school realm took a little getting used to,” Hale said.
Max went on to compete at Regionals and won fourth place which meant that he qualified for State and had to do a wrestle-in match.
“I think it was midway through the third period in that match that his opponent from Grove brought him back down to the mat, and low and behold, the way he landed he dislocated his elbow,” Hale said. “We called the match and his dad, Max Rinehart Sr., took him to the doctor’s office, and that concluded Max’s sophomore year.”
Coach Hale said during his junior year, coming off of rehab and getting the elbow to work took time, commitment and dedication — all the things a wrestler needs to be successful.
“He did everything, and yeah he was a bit skittish when wrestling season came around,” Hale said, adding that he knew Max would be as he had two other wrestlers over the years with similar circumstances.
“But he knew how to wrestle,” Hale said. “Trying to get him over the mental block was a little more delicate. Max pushed through, and he had another winning season — qualifying and participating at Regionals.”
Max had some tough draws, according to the coach, but he again placed fourth, qualifying for a second trip to the Oklahoma State Wrestling Championships.
“This time Max made it out of the wrestle-in matches and all the way to the consolation semifinals,” Hale said. “Sadly he lost by decision, 4-1. Max was happy to be where he was in the tournament but not satisfied with not placing.”
This year, Max’s senior year, he trained like never before and practiced like never before, the coach said.
“As we began the season, we always take the kids to two pre-season tournaments. I always felt three was a lot on the younger kids because we want them to wrestle but ease into it,” Hale said. “Max and a few other veteran wrestlers and training partners like Blake Johnson and Pryce “Boog” Jefferies asked if they could go to an extra tournament. I had no problem with them doing that. I knew they could handle it.”
Max’s first match out of the gate was K.J. Evans from Heritage Hall. This guy would end up becoming the Class 4A State Champion in the 150-pound weight class.
“In no time at all, Max had dislocated the other elbow,” Hale said. “Fearful it was the same as before, Max’s dad took him to the doctor again and they ran all the tests, determining that it was similar but much more mild in nature.”
This time, Max had a twoto- four week window of healing or, he was told by doctors, the pain would intensify.
“So he rehabs it again, and begins practice a week before our first tournament at Lexington,” Hale said. “There, Max makes his way into the finals with a wrestler from McLoud. About the start of the second period, Max reaches up to engage this kid and his shoulder just drops — just falls out of place — and luckily his dad, being a retired firefighter, was able to quickly set it. Yet again, another setback his senior year.”
“Max continues to train, rehab, rinse and repeat, for about another three weeks. He begins wrestling again, eases into it, and probably did more than he should have, but continues on,” Hale said. “We get to the Carl Albert Tournament and it’s a tough tournament. We do not need Max to ride these guys out and score as many points as he can … we need him to get a takedown and pin the kid as fast as possible, all to stay off that shoulder.”
Hale said as Max finished his match, coaches found out that because of an error made by the people running the bracketing table, Max had wrestled the wrong kid.
“So he had to wrestle a whole other match, which he won, but there was more wear and tear in the elbow and the shoulder,” Hale said. “Let alone the time it took him and his dad to put on all the braces and strap them up.”
The coach said it was just more on Max’s plate, but he continued on.
“The last three to four weeks of the season you could see the pain in his eyes, but the determination he had sharpened his gaze,” Hale said.
Max again wrestled his way into Regionals where he drew a few tough kids but managed to earn fifth place. He would have the opportunity again to wrestle-in to a spot at the State Wrestling Tournament.
“His wrestle-in match went well, and he continued on to earn 4th place in Class 5A at 150 pounds,” Hale said.
One of the kids that beat Max at the Carl Albert Tournament went on to become the Class 5A State champion at 150.
“Max had a rough year with many obstacles, but with the power of perseverance he refused to give in even when his body was trying to give out,” Hale said. “Because of this he won our team award titled ‘Jim Smith Perseverance Award,’ named after the former head coach of Newcastle.”
Hale said Max was selected for All-Star for Class 5A, but due to a clerical error at Oklahoma Coaches Association, Max was omitted from the actual list. Once this was discovered and a few phone calls later, OCA was able to fix the error.
Hale said, “And once again Max persevered.”
