February 9, 2018 By Chris Varney
Tomorrow, wrestlers will be competing in Districts try and qualify for next week’s state tournament.
It is very difficult for the average sports fan to understand amateur wrestling. Many people that I talk to don’t understand the scoring in the sport. Qualifying for the state tournament can leave some people scratching their head. How can a wrestler lose a match but still have a chance to make it to state? What is a wrestleback anyway?
Every sport has their own terminology and wrestling is no different. Takedowns earn 2 points. Near falls earn more points. Escapes earn 1 point. You can use a wizzer, a chicken wing, you can even lift your opponent and slam him to the ground if you can but there’s no biting, no pinching or poking. There’s no choke holds, no spearing, or piledrivers like they do in the WWE. The goal is to pin your opponent — that is put both shoulders on the mat. If you can’t pin them, then score more points than your opponent, just like basketball. The only difference is there is no ball and no net. Its just you against him.
Wrestling is the only sport where you have a chance to win at all times. In basketball, if you trail by 30 points in the second half you pretty much have zero chance of winning. In wrestling, a match can turn around in a blink of an eye. I have seen it happen. One moment you are in control and riding your opponent to a win — the next moment, you make one false move, you are reversed and on your back fighting for your life.
Wrestling is the ultimate test of physical endurance. There is no equipment needed except a flimsy piece of plastic to protect your head. Just suit up in your singlet and go to work. Legendary Iowa Head Coach Dan Gable says that once you have wrestled, everything else in life is easy. Winning in wrestling is not easy, but nothing ever worth winning ever is.
We’ll have coverage of 2A wrestling districts in Knoxville as we follow Grinnell, South Tama, and Williamsburg beginning at Noon on Saturday. 1A Wrestlers with BGM, Montezuma, Lynnville Sully, North Mahaska, English Valleys, HLV, and Iowa Valley are going to Pleasantville with our coverage beginning at 1:05 Saturday on 1410 KGRN and myiowainfo.com.