Travis Flinchum of Pinecrest has been selected this week’s The Pilot Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Southeastern 4-A Conference individual wrestling tournament.

Entering the finals of Saturday’s 135-pound class, Flinchum said he felt “butterflies,” but neither his case of nerves nor Richmond’s Eric Duncan could deny the junior the individual championship.

“There were the butterflies,” Flinchum said. “Everybody’s eyes are on that one mat watching you. It felt good to win — not just for me, but for the team.”

He did it in style, pinning Duncan in 1:45 to get the championship. It was the second pin of the tournament for Flinchum. His two wins at the tournament pushed him past the 30-win mark for the season. He is now 31-3.

He began his career at Pinecrest as a freshman, when he wrestled eight times on the varsity level.

“Friends talked me into going out for wrestling,” he said. “One friend had been wrestling for nine years and he convinced me to come out. I had eight varsity matches my freshman year and ever since I’ve been trying to go all out.”

He said that several coaches, including Pinecrest coach Tim Nocton, have been helped him reach the level at which he is performing. “I’ve had to push myself hard and there were so many coaches that helped. Of course, coach Nocton and then there is Jim Ransdell (coach for the Sandhills Sandcats, an AAU wrestling program in the area). He really helped me with extra practice.”

Talking about the regionals, he said he “feels like he is going in strong, and hopes to come out strong.”

After that comes the goal he set for himself before this season. “My goal was to get to the state and go as far as I can there.”

Ranked ninth in the state in the 135-class, Flinchum knows one of his chief rivals will be the state’s number-one ranked wrestler in his class – Ryan Larue of Orange. The two met earlier this season at the Orange Duals.

“He was leading 2-1 going into the third period. He got an escape on a dumb move by me and ended up winning 3-1. I’m hoping to run into him again.”