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Balk, Denney garner NHS Wall of Fame status
A pair of former Nevada High School wrestling stars, Chip Balk and Eric Denney, were inducted into the school’s Wall of Fame during Tuesday’s quadrangular meet at Nevada Middle School.
Balk, who starred on the mat for NHS from 1981-85, currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas.
“It’s extremely humbling, it’s a great honor,” Balk told the Daily Mail during an informal gathering at the NHS commons Tuesday afternoon.
“There’s so many great high school, college, and even professional athletes on that wall — it’s just amazing they’ve bestowed this honor on me.”
Balk capped his senior campaign in 1985 on the biggest stage of all, the title match at the Missouri State Championship meet. Competing at 132 pounds, Balk fell in the finals to Wrestling USA Magazine High School All-American, and two-time defending state champion, Ed Bonuchi of Excelsior Springs H.S. Bonuchi’s victory over Balk punctuated one of the most spectacular prep wrestling careers the state of Missouri has ever seen, with Bonuchi winning three consecutive state championships to go along with a third-place finish as a freshman.
“Just getting to the state meet, and battling all the way and winning the semifinal match to reach the state finals, was really it for me,” said Balk. “He (Bonuchi) was considered probably the top wrestler in the state of Missouri — I was just outclassed.”
Balk said that in addition to his ’85 state championship meet run, his other fondest memory also occurred in the 1984-1985 season, when Nevada dethroned Big 12 Conference juggernaut Webb City for the conference crown.
“Dethroning Webb City here, in that middle school in front of a packed gym, and doing it for Coach Hurst, was amazing,” noted Balk. “Webb City had been the conference champion for a decade or more.
Balk said it was Nevada High versus Webb City for all the marbles.
“And we pounded them in front of all the Tiger fans,” recounted Balk. “It was standing room only, and it was amazing.”
Added Balk, with a wry smile: “Then we beat Webb again in districts — just for fun.”
Balk continued his wrestling career at the collegiate level, signing with the University of Central Missouri, formerly Central Missouri State University.
“The funny thing is, Eddy (Bonuchi) and I ended up wrestling together at Central Missouri and became practice partners,” noted Balk.
Balk is the founder and head coach of the Nevada Tiger Pit Free Style and Greco Wrestling Club, which later became the Nevada Tiger Pit Youth Wrestling Club.
Balk’s credentials include: Staff Coach for Olympian Ken Chertow Camp System (2004-15); Kansas Veteran’s State Champion, 2009; USA Veterans National Championships in free style and Greco, fifth-place, 2009; Assistant wrestling coach at All Saints’ Episcopal School, Fort Worth, Texas (2013-15).
Eric Denney
Denney notched a 75-8 career record at NHS from 1988-92, including a 61-4 record over the course of his junior and senior seasons, while competing at 189 pounds. Denney’s prep highlights include: Two-time Missouri State High School Activities Association medalist; placing runner-up at the state championship meet in 1991; and third-place in 1992.
In addition, Denney placed third at the district tournament as a sophomore in 1990, and followed with a district championship in 1991, before placing runner-up at the district meet his senior campaign.
“I really can’t even put into words, what receiving this honor means to me,” Denney told the Daily Mail.
Denney noted that the NHS wrestling team might have been overshadowed by Nevada basketball in the early 90s, the pinnacle of one of the most successful stretches in the history of the program.
“The (the 90-91, 91-92) seasons were all about basketball, and not wrestling,” said Denney. “And it never really has been about wrestling for a long time. But this is a great honor, and not something I ever expected to be getting.”
Denney’s fondest prep memory was reminiscent of Balk’s — knocking off Webb City in ’92 for the conference title.
“It came down to the last match, with heavyweights,” said Denney, describing the conference meet with Webb. “I could either sit out the last match at 189 pounds and wrestle heavyweight, or let (teammate) Brian Gannaway wrestle heavyweight. And as a team, (Gannaway) got us here in heavyweight, so we thought he should finish it, and he did. It came down to that one match, and he won. It was really neat, we hadn’t won a conference in a long time.”
Denney, like Balk, said the memories from his back-to-back state championship meet appearances still ring special with him.
“The memories from state are unlike anything else,” said Denney, as the championship meets were held in the old Hearnes Center on the campus of the University of Missouri.
“It’s not your normal tournament. Making the finals (in ’91) was neat. I lost to the same kid both years — Kalin Sharkey of Hannibal — he was a three-time state champion (91-93).