Nic Jarvis (right), 220-pound 7A runner-up from the 2018 wrestling season, prepares for the new season at the Colquitt County High Packer wrestling room.

MOULTRIE – Benjy Scarbor made it clear to Nic Jarvis: Don’t dwell on losing the 220-pound state wrestling final. It’s your senior season for Colquitt County High, wrestle one match at a time, have fun and take care of state business when it comes in February.

But, Jarvis did take some time to talk to The Moultrie Observer about the 3-0 setback last February at the GHSA 7A traditional in Macon.

“It was a hard experience to get over,” said Jarvis prior to one last practice before this weekend’s season opener at the Ware County Duals. “It’s something you have to learn from and use it for future experience. It was good to be in the finals after three years of working hard … to finally watch it pay off. But we’re trying to get to the next level, win the state title and carry it on to my college career.”

The state champion of 220, Ricardo Atkinson of Hillgrove High, was a senior and one Jarvis had faced before on the mat. He’s now part of the Life University program.

“He was a tough dude,” said Jarvis. “He traveled everywhere.”

For Jarvis, it’s always been about wrestling going back 10 years. He said he got serious about it at age 8.

“I was a chubby old thing,” said Jarvis about how big he was at 8, trying to remember being around 90 pounds. “I’ve always been the bigger size, heavier-weight wrestler. I think my second year I was wrestling 110 at 10 years old. I can’t remember. I was a big kid. I’m not going to lie.

“I’ve been about 220 now probably for the last two years, just a shade under 220. I’ve grown in height, but I’ve been slimming down, trying to get in shape more than getting big in size.”

And Jarvis, like any other serious wrestler knows, maintaining weight is the No. 1 challenge. Jarvis said it’s the intensity of practice makes it easier, and naturally eating right.

“I haven’t had to worry about weight for a long time, since middle school days, just because of getting in here and grinding,” said Jarvis, referring to the Packer wrestling room. “It gets hot in here.”

Watching a team dual, one will see matches where the competitors get progressively bigger. In fact, most times things start at a middle weight, so after the 285 super heavyweight match the 106-pounders take the mat. Being closer to the higher weights, Jarvis said it is a much different approach to wrestling than the lighter ones.

“It’s a whole different ball game,” said Jarvis. “They move a lot more. With us, it’s kind of a push game. It’s boring compared to them, but if you can do a lot of the smaller-guy stuff, you will be able to, I think, achieve more. That’s what we’ve been working on. I’ve been trying to get my attack and my offense more (varied). My defense and top-and-bottom are pretty decent.”

In his own nation-wide traveling experience to wrestling tournaments, Jarvis said he’s found that competitors aren’t necessarily better if they come from a certain area. Georgia has its parts where the wrestling teams are more successful, and one of those is in the Colquitt County area though it’s three hours away. Camden County became a powerhouse sweeping duals and traditional four years in a row now. Archer High in Gwinnett County also had a four-year title run.

The college recruiters know about Jarvis, who said he is narrowing his options down. He said he’s made several visits during the offseason and has seen some good places to go to school. Jarvis is also looking to obtain an ROTC scholarship and pursue a career in the U.S. military after college.

“(Wrestling) is a big part of my life,” he said. “Monday through Friday, work all week. Saturday, have off. Sunday I’m back in the room ready to go again. It bothers me if I don’t do something. I feel like somebody else is out there getting better when I’m not doing anything. It makes me feel fit.”

Scarbor named Jarvis as one of his team captains, and Jarvis does take the time when not improving his own game to help train the next wave of wrestling champions in Moultrie.

“I work with The Storm Center,” he said about the club based in middle Georgia that now has a branch in Moultrie. “I have a lot of the younger kids there and I try to be a leader to them whenever I have the chance. Here, all my partners are younger than me. So I help them with stuff I’ve learned as a heavyweight.”

If Jarvis isn’t on the wrestling mat, he describes himself as the South Georgia kid who loves the outdoor stuff, be it hunting, fishing or working on cars.