Heart Award – Cole Homet, Waynesburg
Cole Homet of Waynesburg acknowledges the crowd after winning a decision against Connellsville’s Chad Jesko in the WPIAL Class 3A Team Tournament.
It was a long wait for a return to the mat for Waynesburg’s Cole Homet.
In a show of sportsmanship, Nicholas Foster, right, of Nazareth gives a hug to Cole Homet of Waynesburg following their 145-pound bout during the semifinals of the PIAA Class 3A Team Tournament in the Giant Center in Hershey. Homet tried to wrestle with a mangled arm from an auto accident.
A hug never said so much.
And maybe only a highly talented athlete, such as Cole Homet, could really understand.
Homet, a senior from Waynesburg, received a hug from Nicholas Forster of Nazareth during the semifinals of the PIAA Class 3A Team Tournament in the Giant Center in Hershey.
Homet was attempting a heroic comeback from a devastating automobile accident last summer. Homet tried to wrestle with a mangled arm from the auto accident that nearly took his life.
Homet lost a 3-2 decision to Foster. It was apparent Homet was not the same because of the injury and Foster, in a show of sportsmanship, gave Homet a hug after the match.
“We wanted to give him a chance for another win and Foster is top-5, maybe 8th in the state. Homet almost always pulls it out,” said Waynesburg head coach Kyle Szewczyk.
Homet had made only two appearances during the 2021-22 season prior to his bout against Foster. Homet recorded a takedown in the first period and finished with a 5-4 victory over Connellsville’s Chad Jesko, leading the way to Waynesburg’s 35-18 win over the Falcons in the WPIAL Class 3A Team Tournament.
But Foster was a different story.
“We’re excited, fingers crossed the whole time,” Szewczyk said in January. “We didn’t want to get our hopes up too high. About two weeks after it happened, he was running and working out the way he used to. We were hoping this day would come 6 to 8 months ago and we’re here.”
Waynesburg fans might have been skeptical when Homet took the mat against Jesko, but they were cheering with delight as the third period came to its conclusion.
“The whole Waynesburg community has rallied behind me,” said Homet, a three-time PIAA placewinner. “It’s incredible to see the support from everybody. I’ve been talking to a lot of people after our matches and they tell me I’m an inspiration to them. That means a lot to me. That means more than I can put into words.”
Homet was a key piece to Waynesburg’s PIAA Class 3A team championship as a junior but the crash robbed him of most of the season.
“My hand is paralyzed,” Homet said. “My arm is getting stronger. It was completely destroyed. Only rehab brought it back, seven days a week.”
Homet was driving to St. Louis to take part in Sammie Henson’s wrestling camp and to attend a celebration party thrown by former teammate Wyatt Henson. Homet lost control of the car and the crash severely mangled the left arm.
“I don’t know what happened,” said Homet. “After the crash, I was in a coma for two days.”
Homet is slowly recovering. Feeling has returned to about mid-forearm. It’s been a long, slow process.
“Therapy is the toughest thing I ever did,” said Homet. “I’m building back muscle that wasn’t there (after the crash). In the beginning, I was certainly frustrated. I kept thinking why did this have to happen to me. After that, I had to come to a decision. Would I let it bring me down or would I let it bring me up. I saw this day coming for a long time.”