MOOSEHEART, IL, Feb. 10 - William Lockridge has never experienced a high school sectional wrestling meet because he's a freshman. Reid Clifton has never been to a sectional either, but as a senior, his time was definitely running out.

Lockridge and Clifton are both headed to Plano for an IHSA Class 1A Sectional this weekend to represent the Ramblers and attempt to qualify for the state meet.

"There's some good wrestling down at the 1A level, and some of the better schools in the state are from this area," Mooseheart coach Mark Johnson said. "It's going to be a tough sectional. But I would like to see them both get a win out there."

The advancement by the two Mooseheart wrestlers breaks a one-year gap in sectional representation by the Ramblers program. Arturo Fernandez qualified for the sectional in 2007 but the team did not have any qualifiers in 2008

At the youthful end of the spectrum is William Lockridge, a freshman 112-pounder who qualified by finishing third in the Seneca Regional. This is his first year he has ever experienced the sport.

"We always talk to our wrestlers about nerves because some of them will be coming up against kids who have wrestled since they were in third grade," Mooseheart coach Mark Johnson said. "They were nervous. But they knew they had put in the hard work in practice. (Lockridge) is a hard worker and he progressed as he moved on.

Of 11 wrestlers on the roster this winter, seven are like Lockridge in that they are first-timers to the sport.

"They come in and work hard and I teach them pretty much the basics so they can go out there and wrestle," Johnson said. "(Lockridge) has taken it a little farther than some. I think he's going to be a really good wrestler by the time he's a senior."

Lockridge said the season certainly included a learning curve. He enters the sectional with an 8-8 record.

"It was pretty intense," he said. "There are plenty of tough schools out there."

Last week's Seneca Regional marked the largest meet in which Lockridge had competed. The sectional, in Plano, figures to be another learning experience. He said he is prepared for the competition, which begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, then continues at 10 a.m. on Saturday for those wrestlers still alive. Finals start at 3 p.m.

"Coach (Johnson) has made us work real hard in practice," Lockridge said. "We've had to do a lot of hard drills, run and do things like that."

The regional started on a rough note for Lockridge. Not only did he lose his opening match, he suffered a slight injury to his arm. But he shook off the defeat and whatever lingering pain he had to make his way through the wrestleback rounds and eventually finish third when he pinned Plano's Kelby Gann in the first period.

"I landed on (the arm) and it got pulled," Lockridge said. "But I felt good that I came back."

Lockridge said his goal is to win at least his first match at the sectional.  "I'm going to work really hard in practice this week and try to push forth," Lockridge said.

Clifton qualified for the sectional in his last attempt. He moved smoothly through the 215-pound field until he met Plano's Ucial Carrizales in the championship match. Carrizales pinned Clifton in the second round.

"I think I did really well," Clifton said. "I think I could have done better on my last one. I think that was because I was tired out and a little intimidated."

Clifton stands 7-6 entering the sectional. Thanks to his placing at the regional, there is hope that he will get a favorable opening round draw in the sectional, and make his path to wrestling on Saturday easier.

"It's nice for a senior to get the opportunity to move beyond the regional," Johnson said. "He's had experience at the regional and it'll be nice for him to get experience at the sectional. It's unfortunate it's his senior year."

Four years ago, Clifton was in a similar situation to Lockridge in that he had never before wrestled.

"He's taken his lumps," Clifton said. "He told the other wrestlers after the regional that he doesn't remember winning a match his freshman year. Over the years, he's won some matches, and now he has the opportunity to go to sectionals."

Clifton said he sees the potential in the squad for future success.

"The freshmen that came out this year were better than usual," Clifton said. "They took naturally to wrestling. That was good."

Clifton's goals are simple for the sectional: "I want to go there and place. I don't want to go and get blown out. I want to make it to state, but I've never been there before," he said.

Mooseheart Child City & School is a 1,000-acre community and school for children and teens in need of a secure home, located just south of Batavia, IL, between Illinois Route 31 and Randall Road.

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,900 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Bermuda. Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1.

Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.

Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 250 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a fully functioning branch of Fifth Third Bank.

In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville, FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.Mooseintl.org and www.Mooseheart.org, or call 630-966-2229.