Randy Owings has climbed every hill and mountain asked of him as a wrestler for Francis Scott Key High School.
He has taken on all comers and has walked away with a 110-6-1 record in four years on the varsity.
Now as his favorite time of the season -- the state tournament at Western Maryland College -- draws near, the Key senior can't help but wonder what would have been if things had been different that day nine years ago when he tried to jump a sawdust hill on a mini-bike at his New Windsor farm.
"I was 8 or 9 years old and wrecked while trying to go over that hill," said Owings, who will be seeking a third state title in a little more than two weeks. "The handlebar hit me in the spleen and ruptured it. They took it out and I've been susceptible to infections ever since. It doesn't affect my wrestling as long as I take my medication but I do get sick sometimes."
One of those times came right before the state tournament when Owings was a freshman. He had already won the county and regionals and was thought to be in a good position to win the states at 119 pounds.
Then suddenly Owings found himself in the hospital with a high fever a few days before the states began at Western Maryland. The doctors said he had a virus.
Key coach Bill Hyson waited until the day before the tourney started to scratch Owings from competition.
That was a heart-wrenching decision for Owings, his mother, Debbie, and Hyson.
It quickly wiped out an opportunity for Owings to become the first wrestler from Carroll County to win four state championships.
Making that goal even more attractive for Owings was the fact that he would have passed his second cousin, Steve Hoff, in the record books.
Hoff is the only three-time state champion from Carroll County, and Owings can join him at the top if he comes out a winner March 3-4. He already has won state titles at 130 and 135 pounds the past two years and will go for three in a row at 140 or 145 pounds.
That is good but not good enough for Owings.
"I wanted four," said Owings without hesitation when asked about his attempt to win three. "I have to believe I would have won if I had been there to wrestle."
This flirtation with the county history books hasn't come as a big surprise for anybody who has followed Owings' career.
First of all, wrestling is in his blood.
Hoff, who wrestled at Westminster, is his cousin; his uncle Harry Owings won a state title in 1971 at 132 pounds for Key, and his father Carl wrestled for the Eagles at 130 pounds.
"Half of my success comes from God-given talent and the other half is from all the years of wrestling in junior leagues and getting instructions from people like Steve Hoff and coach Hyson," he said. "My dad videotapes me and talks to me. I listen to him but ( (TC go out and wrestle my own way."
Owings also believes he has been helped by working on the farm.
It's a relaxing place he hopes to stay close to even if he decides to continue his wrestling career in college.
"I haven't decided what I'm going to do about college," said Owings (25-1), who has been beaten only by DeMatha's Robert Alexander (8-5 decision) in the Annapolis tournament this season. "It all depends on what happens March 30 at the nationals in Pittsburgh. There will be a lot of college coaches there."
Hyson thinks Owings seriously should consider college because "there are a lot of programs he can take that deal with the farming industry."
There can be little doubt that some college coach is going to want Randy Owings on his team.
He has it all -- poise, technique, strength, maturity, self-control and leadership.