Horn, Deming receive support from Caston basketball cousins

Zimpleman, Douglass admire Zebra wrestlers’ dedication

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Alex Deming Addison Zimpleman

Madi Douglass Layne Horn

If there is any high school team on top of area fans’ minds right now more than the Caston girls basketball team, it might be the Rochester wrestling team.

Two extended families are tied in with both right now.

Caston freshman point guard Madi Douglass and Rochester sophomore 126-pound state qualifier Layne Horn are cousins. So are Caston senior shooting guard Addison Zimpleman and Rochester senior 215-pound wrestler Alex Deming.

Douglass and Zimpleman return to the court for No. 7 Caston’s Class 1A semistate semifinal against No. 5 Marquette Catholic at noon Saturday at Frankfort.

Meanwhile, 210 miles south, the wrestling state finals will be happening at the Ford Center in Evansville.

Horn is ranked No. 7 in the state at 126 and is participating in his second straight state finals. Deming is ranked No. 5 in his weight class and is participating at state for the third straight year.

A wrestler needs to win today to earn three more matches Saturday.

“I think Alex would probably know more about basketball than I would about wrestling,” Zimpleman said.

“I think Layne knows more about basketball than I know about wrestling,” Douglass said in agreement. “I’m trying. I have discussions with some of our wrestlers now, and I’m like learning some things.”

Zimpleman smiled when trying to describe the intense nature of wrestling.

“It’s such an uncomfortable sport that I cannot watch,” Zimpleman quipped. “It’s gross. Let me just hug my sweaty opponent or person I’m going against.”

How much work do you appreciate goes into making state? And do they appreciate how much work goes into making basketball semistate?

“They definitely understand all it takes,” Zimpleman said. “I see Alex all the time working out, and I’ll join him alongside. Not doing the same workout though. That would be insane, but just seeing the time commitment that we both put into each of our sports is truly amazing.”

Horn’s dedication impresses Douglass.

“I know that Lane, he’s wrestled for a long time now, and he puts so much time into it,” Douglass said. “It’s definitely his main focus and everything. He’s made it a point to come to some of our games, and I think we both appreciate it. I just feel bad I haven’t made it to any of his yet.”

Caston coach Josh Douglass is Horn’s uncle.

“I know he’s hoping for better results this year, and he put the work in this summer to accomplish those results,” coach Douglass said. “So for people that have never done wrestling before in their life, it is the toughest sport out there.”