Parade honors state wrestling champ
Honking for Hutch
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

In top photo, Cody Hutcheson's childhood wrestling coach Jeff Baroody is pictured in a WVIN van that carried Hutcheson, pictured above, in last Sunday's parade. Hutcheson's team mates followed on a Bath fire department truck. More photos, messages on page 18.

BATH - Scores of local residents turned out last Sunday to celebrate Haverling wrestler Cody Hutcheson, who won the Division II state championship at 171 pounds in Rochester March 9.

Hutcheson, a junior, rode in a WVIN Radio van, while his team mates followed in a Bath fire department truck. The parade was hosted by WVIN Radio with the assistance of the fire department.

"I feel pretty great," Hutcheson said afterward of his victory. "It's been a goal of my career since I started. To be able to say I made it is something great."

The son of Dan and Elizabeth Hutcheson of Bath, Cody Hutcheson also plays varsity football for the Haverling school district and currently maintains a 98.6 grade point average. The scholar-athlete plans to play football and wrestle in his senior year.

Hutcheson began wrestling in the third grade through a local youth program. His starting coach was Jeff Baroody, who also coaches junior varsity wrestling for the Haverling school district. He began wrestling for the school district in the 7th grade, joining the varsity squad at 103 pounds.

Hutcheson's summer plans include wrestling tournaments and football passing competitions. Along with football and wrestling in his seenior year, he will begin applying to colleges, although he said he has no favorite schools at this point.

He also has the unique opportunity to win the state championship two years in a row, although he doesn't know what weight class he'll be assigned.

"It depends on how much I weigh after football," he said.