FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Goll is determined to go out on top, and he’s put in the work to prove it.
Goll, a senior at Fayetteville, has been a part of the Bulldogs’ wrestling team for the past four
Profile
Sam Goll
School: Fayetteville
Class: Senior
Division: 170 pounds
Height: 6-0
Notable: Defeated Kyson Larsen of Bentonville to win 170 division at Big West Tournament. ... Finished sixth in the 152-division at the 7A/6A state meet last year.
years. In that time, his drive to improve and succeed on the mat are second to none. And now, Goll is hopeful that his hard work will pay off when he competes in the 170-pound weight class at the 7A/6A State Wrestling Tournament, which begins today in Little Rock.
“Definitely this season has been an improvement and every year that I’ve wrestled I’ve improved,” Goll said. “It’s just a combination of things. I’ve learned a lot from my teammates and I have great coaching.”
Steve Adair, head wrestling coach at Fayetteville, believes the one thing which sets Goll apart is his consistent approach to the sport.
“One thing I really like about Sam is his priorities are in order,” Adair said. “He rarely misses practice and he’s very self-disciplined. I feel like wrestling brings self-discipline in academics and Sam is a living example of that. He’s a great student first.
“So he definitely has his priorities straight and he’s just a real hard worker and a great leader.”
Goll competed in the 152 weight division as a junior and placed sixth overall at the 7A/6A state tournament. It was there when Goll realized much work was still needed to come away as a state champion.
“There were some people I realized were better than me,” Goll said. “There’s always going to be that competition, but I realized I still had to improve.
“So this year I moved to the 170 class and it’s been a good move for me.”
Goll has risen to the top of the 170 weight division among area wrestlers, defeating Kyson Larsen of Bentonville in the finals of the Big West Conference Tournament. Now the goal is to carry over that performance to the state level.
“I definitely expect him to place well at state, if not win it,” Adair said. “He’s got a great chance this year.”
And if he does win an individual state wrestling title, Goll admits that would be the perfect way to cap his Fayetteville career.
“It would mean a lot,” Goll said. “I’ve put in a lot of work and blood and sweat over the last four years, so it would mean quite a bit to me if I was able to win.”