Published: January 03, 2009 10:45 pm         

Benge marches to own drummer

“He marches to the beat of a different drummer,’’ said Enid wrestling coach Devin Golden about senior Brice Benge.

In fact, the Enid 140-pound wrestler can march to his own beat literally and figuratively.

Benge joined the EHS drum line this fall when the band was short on numbers.

“It’s something I like to do,’’ said Benge before a holiday workout.

The experience left him with a lot more respect for the students who provide entertainment at halftime of football games.

“It’s not as hard (physically demanding) as wrestling, but it’s more difficult than people think,’’ Benge said. “It’s not easy trying to keep in step, especially when you’re carrying a heavy drum.’’

Benge said the experience didn’t take away from his wrestling. He had the OK from Golden, Enid’s first-year head coach.

“You’re only a kid once,’’ Golden said. “You won’t have those opportunities again so I can’t begrudge him for that. I hope he can make up for anytime he may have lost. He’s been wrestling for a long time now, so he’s refining what he already knows.’’

Benge had marched to a different beat long before he joined the band.

“Yeah, I do,’’ said Benge when reminded of Golden’s description. “I’m a pretty eccentric kid.’’

At the “Meet the Plainsmen’’ banquet, he wore a plaid custom-made suit from the 1960s and 1970s that once belonged to his father, Stu.

“It makes me look like Pee Wee Herman,’’ he said with a laugh.

He hopes people notice him when he’s wearing the suit on days EHS has a dual match.

“I like to have fun and this makes me stand out,’’ Benge said. “I like it when people ask me why I’m dressed like that. I tell them we have a dual tonight and why don’t you come and watch us.’’

Benge likes the thrill of extreme sports. He went snowboarding during a recent ski trip.

“I like to do different stuff,’’ Benge said. “It makes life more interesting. It’s kind of dangerous, but it’s not that bad.’’

Benge is not built like the typical wrestler. He’s long and lanky which causes him to have a different style of attack.

“I guess my style is lots of goofy and crazy moves,’’ Benge said. “I do a lot of leg stuff ... just a bunch of goofy moves.’’

Benge was 3-4 at Christmas with a fall. He was 5-22 as a junior and 2-9 as a sophomore. He is wrestling at 145 in duals and 140 in tournaments so far.

“I like this year a lot more than in previous years,’’ he said. “This is the first year that I haven’t had to go up a weight, so I’m a lot stronger.’’

One advantage of going up a weight was he didn’t have to cut weight. He welcomes doing that now.

“There’s a big difference when you wrestle someone your size,’’ he said. “It’s (cutting weight) not that had. I don’t have to do that much. You just have to have self control.’’

Benge started wrestling in the seventh grade at the urging of Golden, who was then the Enid junior high coach. Golden had done some work for Benge’s father so the two knew each other.

“I was starting a new school so I felt I could try something new,’’ Benge said. “I liked it.’’

Wrestling, Benge said, taught him to be mentally tough, something he needed to get through some of his hard times in the sport.

“I know I can work through anything,’’ he said. “It’s made me a stronger person.’’

That inner drive inside him wouldn’t let him quit the sport.

“I don’t quit something that I start,’’ Benge said. “It makes me feel good that I stuck with it for six years.’’

Golden, who returned to the Enid fold after a four-year absence, has noticed a positive change in Benge.

“He’s been working hard,’’ Golden said. “He’s nowhere near where he wants to be, but he’s seeing some of the fruits of his effort. You always want your seniors to go out on a good note.’’

Wrestlers like Benge, Golden said, have given the program some stability by staying through the hard times.

“They show the other guys what determination is and how to keep working toward that end goal,’’ Golden said. “He’s the kind of kid you want in the program.’’

Benge has tried to step up this year as a leader.

“I’ve been trying a lot harder than I have in past years,’’ he said. “When you’re doing better on the mat, people tend to listen to you more.’’

Benge’s goal is to qualify for the state tournament. He benefits by daily workouts with two-time state qualifier J.B. Stuart and Kia Castor, who was fourth at 152 pounds last season at the state tournament.

“They make me better because they’re better than I am,’’ Benge said. “Qualifying for state is a possibility if I can keep going and get better with every match.’’

Benge has noticed a change in Golden from their junior high days.

“When I was in junior high, he was the supportive one, he was as much your friend as he was your coach,’’ Benge said. “He has a lot more of a coaching role now. He’s more of a teacher.

“He’s pretty fair and even. He gets on the seniors a little more than the rest of the team, but that’s all right because we need team leaders.’’

The Plainsmen, who didn’t win a dual last season, have already won two this season.

“We know we have a better chance to win now because we have a full lineup,’’ Benge said. “We’re responding as a team. I feel like we have the same attitude that we have always had, but we’re more ready now.’’

Benge plans to study engineering at Oklahoma State University next year.