Manatee High School senior Jesse Fulk is rewriting school and county wrestling history.
"My freshman year I knew what the record was (for wins) being involved with the program and I didn't just want to beat the record, I wanted to obliterate it and become the first one to get 200 career wins in Manatee County history," said Fulk.
Goal accomplished. 219 wins and counting for the top ranked 182-pound wrestler in the state. The old school record stood at 168.
"He set the bar really high for some guys in the next few years to try and chase after him and break his record," said Manatee wrestling coach Andrew Gugliemini.
All those victories, however there is a big one the school's all-time wins leader is missing.
"It gives me great pride that I have the potential to win a state title for Manatee High School that hasn't won one in a while," said Fulk.
The Hurricane state champions hang in the hallway outside the Manatee gym, including Jesse’s brother, Andrew. Nobody’s been added to the wall since 2009.
"My oldest brother won a state title his senior year and being the youngest I always want to out-do them with everything I do," said Fulk. "It's pretty important to win a state title my senior year."
Last year at states, Fulk placed second (at 160 pounds) to Fox Baldwin, the Kissimmee Osceola stud who owns the national career win total. This year Jesse changed weight classes to better his chances for a gold medal.
"Last year in the finals I wrestled him and lost," said Fulk. "After we wrestled each other, as were standing on the podium, he looked down on me and was like 'next year me and you are both gonna be at different weight classes.'"
"He's still a small 182-pounder," said Gugliemini. "But, we've beaten everybody in the state at 182 throughout the course of the year, so there's no surprises. Jesse's ready to win the state title."