Inspired by Dennis Rodman, record-setting Middleboro wrestler Patterson has a unique flair

MIDDLEBORO – When Matt Patterson hit the wrestling mat at Middleboro High for the first time in sixth grade, he was misled and caught by surprise.

“I thought it was WWE," Patterson said. "They were showing all these moves on the first day and I was like, ‘I don’t remember the Undertaker ever doing this.’ It was an eye-opening moment, but I had to finish what I signed up for.”

The learning curve was admittedly steep at the start and Patterson, undersized at the time, struggled with gaining confidence. A lot has changed in short time.

Now a high school sophomore, Patterson recently became the Sachems' all-time winningest wrestler with 121 wins and 100-plus pins (and counting) for his career, breaking the marks of 2009 all-state champion James Muirhead.

Patterson finished second at the Division 2 championships, falling to Milford's Michael Boulanger. He'll compete at All-States this weekend.

Lacking confidence? That's no longer an issue.

“He likes standing out," third-year head coach Derek Seibert said.

Patterson has taken a creative spin to his hairstyles since his freshman year, going from buzzed and bleached with patterned smiley faces – modeled after his inspiration Dennis Rodman – to a pink flow as his sophomore-season flair.

“The most important part of wrestling, to me, is you’ve got to have fun doing it. You’ve got to let your personality show," Patterson said. "That’s why I do this with my hair. I’ve got a bigger personality, so I’ll show it.”

“He’s definitely the most unique individual I’ve had. And, he’s one of, if not the, best leaders," Seibert said. "99.9% of the time he does everything right. He’s probably the most reliable, consistent kid I’ve had as a captain.”

Patterson wrestled for two years before placing in a match for the first time at a tournament at Whitman-Hanson his eighth-grade year. Patterson said he wasn't even 5 feet tall when he first started as a sixth grader, then grew to 5 feet and 140 pounds in seventh grade. “Going into that year, it felt unhealthy," Patterson said. "It wasn’t where I wanted to be.”

“He wasn’t a blue-chip youth wrestler," Seibert said. "His first year, he just liked being a part of it. He’d lose every match and laugh and smile. Then, in seventh grade, he started taking it more seriously and expected more from himself. His eighth-grade year was his coming out year – he placed (third) at States.”

Patterson, standing 5-foot-6, currently wrestles in the 138-pound weight class and 45 of his 50 wins this season have come via pin.

“I knew he was going to excel. Maybe not as quickly as he did at this point, but I knew he was going to be up there," Seibert said of Patterson's school record. "A lot of people underestimated him, but I didn’t. I saw every hour he put in. ... It didn’t happen overnight.”

“I’m just proud of him and happy for him. Matt’s like my brother," said teammate Ken Mentee, an eighth grader. “I want to follow Matt’s footsteps. I want to be like Matt. He’s my inspiration.”

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Patterson credited his parents, Matt and Sam, for insisting he stick with the sport. Seibert said Patterson hadn't missed a practice since he first showed up five years ago, even before he was a member of the varsity squad.

“He brings a lot of positivity. I built the program around him the last few years because people like being around him," Seibert said. "He’s got an infectious personality. He’s always trying to build people up.”

Patterson finished his freshman season, and first as a team captain, last year going 4-1 in the Division 3 state tournament and placing third for the second time.

“He makes very quick decisions," Seibert said. "He’s not super strong or fast, but he wins off of his decision-making. It’s like a chess match. You’ve got to react to what the other person does, and that’s where he excels.”

“I don’t think he’s hit his ceiling yet," the coach added. "His knowledge will definitely expand. It’s exciting.”

Patterson said his lifelong dream is to one day coach wrestling at the high school level, and open his own club: “I saw how much of an impact (Seibert) has had on me in my entire life, and I want to give that back to someone.”

Are you glad middle-school you stuck with it?

"Oh, very glad," Patterson said with a smile.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Matt Patterson is Middleboro High's record-holder in wrestling wins