Marion’s Josie Logan finds support from family, teammates on wrestling mat

MANCHESTER — Marion sophomore Josie Logan noticed a few special people in the stands during Tuesday’s girls’ wrestling triangular at West Delaware High School.

With a bulk of her cheering section rooting for the hosts, it was a special feeling getting to wrestle in front of her family.

It motivated her to want to wrestle her best against Mount Vernon and West Delaware.

“I had my whole family in the stands,” Logan said. “I just wanted to do good for them. I had little cousins up there, and I wanted to be a role model for them. They make it to everything they can. Having that big family, looking into the crowd and seeing half the stands being your family, it really puts up extra motivation.

“They came to support, and I wanted them to see me wrestle my best.”

Logan’s family got to watch her go 2-0 on the night. She defeated Mount Vernon’s Lexi Glaza, 10-1, and West Delaware’s Anna O’Rear, 6-1.

Her match against O’Rear was a chance to clash with a familiar foe.

“She’s (O’Rear) a great wrestler,” Logan said. “I lost to her last year, so it was kind of a revenge match. It was really important to me to win that match.”

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First-year Marion Head coach Jason Lange thought Logan’s performance Tuesday night was reflective of the high-caliber wrestling she’s been doing all year.

“She battled really hard, going out there against a strong opponent,” Lange said. “She was in their face, going after them, wearing them down. She doesn’t quit and give up. She’s always fighting hard.”

Aside from her family cheering her on, Logan noted she’s received support from other family members involved in wrestling.

One person is her uncle, Michael Doyle, who is the head coach of Independence’s boys’ wrestling team, as well as his son and Logan’s cousin, Matthew Doyle, who wrestles at Wartburg College. Additionally, Logan also has looked up to her brother, Wesley, who was a two-time state qualifier for Marion.

For Logan, it’s been a great experience navigating through the sport with family supporting her, especially her brother.

“He supports me the whole way through,” Logan said. “If I have struggles with my weight or what I’m eating, he’ll tell me what to eat. My brother has always been there and given me the best advice. He’s here for everything and that’s a really big motivation for me.”

As Logan has been inspired by her family, she hopes she does the same thing for her fellow Wolves.

“I just want to be the best leader I can be,” Logan said. “I want to give my team the best support they can have. When you have a strong team, you have a strong wrestling community."

Lange believes she is doing just that.

Her teammates also see that. Logan was unanimously voted one of the team’s captains at the beginning of the season.

“She has that drive,” Lange said. “She leads by example, and the team follows her. She’s kind of everything you want in a leader for the team.”

While it’s evident Logan has a strong bond with her family, she’s also found another family within Marion’s girls’ wrestling program.

She knows, through thick and thin, they will be there for one another.

“You can talk to them about anything,” Logan said. “Whenever anyone in the wrestling room needs something, it’s like a family. The whole wrestling team will be there for you. If you need back up, you can turn around and you’ll have the whole roster behind you. It really is a family.”