Michael Craft has learned a lot of wrestling tips from his three older brothers. But his go-to strategy comes from his Bible bracelets.
“Whenever you put them up to your phone, they give you a Bible verse,” Craft explained. “They’re just something I always wear [before] I wrestle … and right before my match, I take them off and I say a little prayer to help me perform to the best of my abilities.”
Craft has lived up to his word. The Camden Catholic High School senior has become one of the best wrestlers in the highly ranked Irish lineup, posting a 21-5 record through Jan. 28. He admits his older brothers Ethan and Desmond, who wrestled at Rancocas Valley Regional High School, as well as his brother Austin, a 2024 Camden Catholic graduate, helped him a bit along the way.
“I always looked up to my brothers when it came to everything,” Michael said. “There was always competition to see who could do better. It’s still something I strive for, like who gets the most wins or pins, or who places the highest. It’s something we’re constantly competing for.”
Craft has accomplished all those goals. He is well over 100 wins in his career, after securing that milestone in the consolation round of the state tournament last winter. His fourth-place finish at the state meet at 150 pounds was also a few steps higher on the podium than state finalists Ethan and Austin accomplished during their careers..
It’s been a long time coming.
“I started wrestling when I was 4,” Craft, a Westampton resident, said. “It ran in my family. I have three older brothers, and I grew up around wrestling. It just came naturally to me. It’s all I can remember.”
Craft doesn’t have to look back very far to remember his favorite wrestling moments. He won team state titles with the Irish in his freshman and junior years and was in the championship match his sophomore year. Craft scored victories by decision in his weight class in all three tight championship matches. This season, the Irish are 10-0 and expect to be back at Rutgers University to defend their Non-Public B title.
“It’s very important,” Craft said of the team’s championship pursuit. “I love when we get to go on the big stage at Rutgers and look up at the stands and see everyone cheering. It’s a great feeling when you get to hold that trophy.”
Craft was named one of the senior captains this year.
“It’s been going great,” he said. “We’ve had some tough tournaments and easy duals. It’s always about staying positive with the team and doing this together. For me as a captain now, it’s never a solo mission. I just love bringing my team up, and we always try to stay positive. I feel like we have a great chemistry.”
After the team championships are settled, the individual part of the season follows, where the two-time regional champ will look to make another strong postseason push. Craft has a strong background in football, basketball and judo that helped him become one of the area’s top grapplers.
“Judo really helped transition into Greco[-Roman] wrestling,” Craft said. “It’s a lot of throwing.”
He also enjoys being around his father, who hunts. It helped Craft find his calling, as he hopes to get into the U.S. Naval Academy to become an infantry officer in the Marine Corps.
No matter the challenge, Craft has a Bible verse or a prayer ready.
“I kind of make [a prayer] up on the spot before a match,” he said. “I’m always grateful and thankful for having the opportunity to be out here, and I just pray and wish that I can perform to the best of my abilities when it comes time.”
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