How do you replace two state placers on your team?

For Arlington wrestling coach Shaun Williams, it’s simple, you make everybody else better.

Either that, or you schedule so many matches for your wrestlers that they forget what year it is.

One of those is obviously the strategy of the coach from South Africa in his second year with the Eagles.

That was plainly obvious during his Jan. 4 match against Monroe, when Arlington blew out the Bearcats with more than a handful of reserves in its starting lineup.

Williams must worship the old adage of what it takes to get to Carnegie Hall and twisting from practice to playing.

It must work to because nearly every wrestler he penciled into the lineup pinned his opponent.

Being on the mat looked as comfortable as sleeping on the bus ride over.

Williams told me he was impressed with his team’s willingness to rise to the occasion this year and continually facing top competition.

If you keep going up against state champions, you won’t be able to tell the difference between them and yourself.