Mike and Richie Screptock obviously have never met former president Teddy Roosevelt, who, on Jan. 26, 1900, in a letter to Henry L. Sprague, wrote, “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”

People who meet the Screptock brothers won't hear a lot of bluster and bravado. They prefer to stay humble and let their wrestling ability speak for them.

“These two young men are two of the most dedicated wrestlers on our team,” first-year Clay coach Ralph Cubberly said. “Both are continually doing extra workouts and trying to learn new techniques in order to become better wrestlers.”

Mike and Richie Screptock. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)

“Mike is a quiet leader who leads by example. He is a very hard worker whose reward comes when his hand is raised at the end of the match. Richie is also a quiet-type person but he can be quite the jokester at times. Richie is also a very hard worker on the mat and in the classroom.”

Mike is a senior 126-pounder for the Eagles, and Richie is a freshman 113-pounder. Both are having outstanding seasons – and they don't feel the need to brag.

Mike, a USA All-American as a sophomore and a two-time AAU All-American, is 33-4 just one season removed from placing fourth at 112 pounds at the Division I state tournament. Richie, a two-time Great Lakes League champion in junior high, is 31-4 this season.

“It's pretty cool seeing him do well,” Mike said. “He might be the only freshman starting on our varsity lineup this year. I guess I'm a little surprised. Stepping up from junior high to high school is a pretty big jump in wrestling. He's doing pretty well.”

Mike, 18, added that he never gave Richie, 15, any advice about making the jump from junior high to high school wrestling.

“I didn't really think about it,” Mike said. “He was pretty good already.”

Richie said he didn't take up wrestling just because his older brother was a wrestler.

“I kinda got involved because we got a flier got sent home when we were little and it sounded like a lot of fun,” Richie said. “I'm pretty happy with the sport I chose.”

The brothers aren't in any family contest to see who gets the most victories. They don't rough house at home or think up competitions to try to one-up the other. Cubberly said Mike and Richie rarely pair up as workout partners in the wrestling room because of their size and age difference.

“Both boys are very supportive of each other and they strive to help one another out,” the coach said. “When Richie is wrestling, Mike is right there watching and supporting him. When Mike is wrestling, Richie keeps his eye on Mike's match. Both of them share things they notice during competition with one another.”

Mike and Richie are both known for staying after practice to get in some extra work, which often includes running around the school.

“I'm pretty surprised with how good I'm doing this year,” Richie said. “It is a pretty big jump from junior high to varsity. I was hoping I was going to make the varsity. I think (I did) because of how hard I work at practice. I'm well conditioned. We do some extra workouts after practice, me and my brother. We drill more moves and do some extra conditioning.”

The Screptocks have been vital cogs in Clay's tremendous success this season.

At last month's Maumee Bay Classic (formerly known as the Mary E. Kerr Memorial), the Eagles set a tourney record with 281 points, beating runner-up Lorain by 109 points. It was the 36th year for the tournament.

Mike won his weight class, beating Ivan McClay of Massillon Washington, 3-1 in double overtime, in the title match. McClay beat Screptock at last year's state tournament.

Richie, who has a 3.5 GPA, placed second at the Maumee Bay Classic and also has one tourney title this season, at the Brecksville Invitational.

“They are both hard working, talented and exceptional wrestlers who I believe have the potential to wrestle at a Division I college,” Cubberly said. “Mike is currently being recruited by Ohio University.”

Mike, who has a 3.7 GPA, earned his 100th career win earlier this season, which was a goal when he started high school.

“It was one of them,” he said. “The other one was to be a state champ. Last year showed where I stand with everyone else and how much harder I have to work.”

It would, of course, be a huge accomplishment if Mike and Richie both qualified to the state tournament next month. Richie said his main priority is reaching Columbus, just like his brother.

“It would be great if we both made it,” Richie said.

Mike added, “We'll all be pretty happy if that happened.”

Speak softly...

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