March PPOW

J.H. Wrestling

All the success that I had the past two years in Junior High is because of the work I put into the sport and the people who were around me. Especially the people who said I couldn’t do it. The four people that helped me the most are my dad, who has been with me since I first began, Coach Sampson, who has been my coach since I started, Coach Brix, who has been my coach only in Junior High, and Gabe Pauley, who put a beating on me everyday in practice and taught me different moves which I still use today.

I was never really successful in wrestling until 6th Grade, which was the year I started wrestling for Avoca.
In 7th grade I started wrestling practices which made a huge impact on my ability on the mat. At my first J.H. wrestling meet, I finished 1-1. I lost my first match early in the first period, and I said to myself it is going to be a long year if this keeps on happening. My second match I won in a nail-biter. We were tied with about 30 seconds left in the match, and he went in on a lousy shot, which I used to my advantage and got behind him to win the match by two points.

At our next meet, I finished 2-1 with a loss to a very tough Logan-Magnolia opponent, who wrestled multiple times that year but could never beat. After that meet, I went on a win streak until our second home meet. I lost someone that I had beaten multiple times that year. That is when I truly learned to take nothing for granted.

At AAU Districts I wrestled at C-160 along with Gabe Pauley, the tough opponent from Logan-Magnolia, someone from Glenwood, and someone from Atlantic. I wrestled the person from Atlantic and won by major decision, 8-0. Second round I lost to the person from Logan-Magnolia by pin in the second period. Third round I lost to the person from Glenwood. Fourth round I lost to Gabe Pauley by a very quick pin in the first period.

At AAU State I went 0-2 ending my 7th Grade year.

My 8th grade wrestling season started with high school wrestling practice, which once again, made a big impact on how the season went. Before my actual Junior High season started I set three goals. They were: finish the regular season undefeated, win districts, and place top 5 at State. Sadly, I only completed one of those.

Our first meet was in Atlantic. I had two very tough matches against two people who I have been wrestling for years; both of which I have never defeated. My first match was against Cale Roller. I won 7-2. My next match was against Dylan Steinhoff.  He pinned me in the second period. I was disappointed because I didn’t do well that match, and I didn’t complete my goal.

A few meets went by then it was time for districts. I only had one other guy in my bracket which meant that I automatically was going to state, but I still had to fight for a #1 seed. My only other opponent was Cale Roller. Since there was only two of us, it was best two out of three. My first match I won 3-1 because he took a bad shot at the end, so I got around him and got my two points. The second match I pinned him in the first period. It was the one goal that I had set and achieved.

There was one kid that I wrestled all year from Missouri-Valley. I wrestled him three times, and I won all three times. The first two times I pinned him very quick. The third time I didn’t pin him fast, but that didn’t mean anything because I had him on his back at the end of the first period, and I made him cry. I then pinned him in the second period. He refused to shake my hand after the match because he was so mad. The referee docked his whole team two points for unsportsmanlike conduct.

After that, I didn’t lose until our last meet. The guy I wrestled was a behemoth from Southwest Iowa. He had at least 40 pounds on me. I wrestled a very good match, but he walked out with the victory by pinning me in the second period. He ended up getting 3rd at state at C-260. That was our last meet, and it was only two days before state. I had no problems making weight, so I didn’t have to starve myself.

First round at state I had Caleb Hobart from I-35. The match only lasted about a minute, and I came out on top. My second match was against Samuel Kessel. I wrestled very well for the first minute and a half. I almost had him in a cradle, but when I went to flip him over my feet went out of bounds. After that, I was gassed, and he pinned me in the third period. My third match was a close one. At the beginning of the third period I was ahead 5-3. He got a takedown early in the period which tied it 5-5. With about 15 seconds left in the match. I got a reversal which put me ahead 7-5. My fourth match which was sadly my last was one of the best matches I’ve wrestled all year, if not than the best match I have ever wrestled. I lost 2-1 in 2OT. It was the other goal that I didn’t complete, but it will always be there waiting to be accomplished in high school.

I was very upset, but at the same time I was proud because I proved that I belonged in the state tournament, and that showed how much potential I have for high school. It doesn’t really matter what happened in the past 10 years I have wrestled. All that matters is the next four.