Nansemond River High School senior wrestlers Jacob Clark and Hunter Hill begin competition today in the Virginia High School League Group 4A state championships, signaling a fitting conclusion to a long journey as faithful, hard-working Warrior wrestlers.

NR coach Tripp Seed recalls the start of this journey as dating back to around eight years ago when he began coaching duties at the school.

He said, “They were in our youth program, and back then, I ran it all,” which gave him a front row seat for the start of their wrestling careers.

“It’s been a fun experience watching them grow,” Seed said on Thursday. “They started out knowing nothing about the sport, and now here we are on the bus headed to the state tournament.”

Hill said he was in fourth grade when he began participating in Nansemond River’s youth wrestling program. He said he wanted to get involved because “I thought it was like it was on TV,” referring to professional wrestling like that of World Wrestling Entertainment.

Clark, who said he did not join the Warriors youth program until he was in sixth grade, got a clarification of what it was like from his dad beforehand.

“My dad said, ‘You know it’s not like TV,’” Clark said.

But understanding this dissuaded neither Clark nor Hill from pressing on.

Clark said after his third or fourth practice, Seed asked him if he wanted to come and wrestle with the high school guys and be a manager.

Both Clark and Hill got the opportunity early on to wrestle older, more experienced competition. They stuck together because of their similar size and remain practice partners today.

Citing what has changed most about himself as a wrestler from when he started to now, Hill said it is “probably my focus, the focus from practice and before a match.”

It was nowhere near what it is now, he said.

Clark said, “My confidence has definitely shot up a lot,” and he’s become stronger, a marked contrast from the skinny beginner he once was.

Clark wrestled on the varsity team for part of his sophomore year, doing so in the 120-pound weight class. He moved up to 138 as a junior and started there as a senior, before shifting to 145.

Hill has wrestled varsity all four years, going from 112 as a freshman to 126 as a sophomore and 132 the past two years.

“Wrestling didn’t come easy to them,” Seed said. “It’s taken them a lot of hard work and dedication.”

They are not state champions, at least not yet, but Seed noted they have been key to the Warriors’ success of the past few years.

He said he has seen them become good wrestlers, “being what we model our program after, their work ethic, the way they wrestle, the way they carry themselves, the success they’ve had.”

Hill, who is 39-8 this season, said he has learned from Coach Seed that in wrestling, “you’ve got to have a lot more maturity than most sports, and you’ve got to realize that when you’re on the mat, whatever happens is based on you, not the coaches.”

Clark, 29-12 this season, said Seed taught him not to fear his opponents.

“I used to be real timid when I stepped on the mat,” he said. Referring to Seed, “I’ve learned so much from him, wrestling-wise and life-wise, really.”

The coach said they are great role models for new wrestlers coming in.

“If I had 14 kids like those two, that’s definitely every coach’s dream,” Seed said.

Clark’s wrestling career will be over after this season, but he plans to come back and help coach. Hill is looking to get a scholarship to wrestle for Liberty University.