Loras after defeating Wartburg to claim the American Rivers Conference title (Photo/Julie Drewes, Wartburg College)It was a weekend that I was looking forward to.
And one that exceeded my expectations.
And then some.
What an incredible weekend of wrestling it was. I wasn't covering a top-level Senior freestyle event or a big-time NCAA Division I dual meet.
It didn't matter.
The competition was fierce and the stakes were still high for a pair of top-notch competitions that I was asked to cover.
Here's a look at the fun-filled, action-packed weekend of wrestling I witnessed on Friday and Saturday.
Friday: Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa)
5:52 p.m. It's more than an hour before the first whistle when I walk into beautiful Buzz Levick Arena on the intimate Wartburg campus. Fans are already filling the gymnasium seats. They want a prime seat for the much-anticipated dual meet between two NCAA Division III powers - No. 1 Wartburg and No. 3 Loras. The winner will take home the American Rivers Conference championship trophy. It's Valentine's Day, but that doesn't matter. Fans aren't going to miss this dual and every seat is filled before the match kicks off. I shake hands with Wartburg sports information guru Trent Jackson and he hooks me up with a matside seat and all of the materials I need to cover this match.
No. 1 Kris Rumph of Wartburg earned a major decision at 133 pounds (Photo/Julie Drewes, Wartburg College)7:29 p.m. Time is running out and top-ranked Kris Rumph of Wartburg is looking for bonus points. The explosive Rumph powers in on an attack and strikes for a four-point move, nearly recording a fall in the final seconds. The pro-Wartburg crowd erupts and comes to its feet as Rumph finishes an 11-3 major decision over Mason McMillen at 133 pounds. Rumph flexes and claps his hands as he receives a standing ovation. The Knights are up 7-0 and Levick Arena is rocking on a Friday night.
Loras' Clint Lembeck knocked off Wartburg's Brady Fritz at 141 pounds (Photo/Julie Drewes, Wartburg College)7:46 p.m. Just when Wartburg looks poised to win its third straight match to open the dual, the momentum shifts. Fourth-ranked Brady Fritz is seemingly in control of his 141-pound match against No. 6 Clint Lembeck of Loras. Fritz leads entering the final period, but then Lembeck takes control in the top position. Lembeck rides Fritz the entire third period, turning him twice. And the Loras fans, which make up about 25 percent of the crowd, go crazy. It sounds like a Duhawk home dual. Loras has battled back and sent a resounding message -- they are determined to knock off the powerful Knights.
8:31 p.m. Senior Guy Patron is one of the cornerstones of the Loras College program. And he's one of the reasons the Duhawks have become a national power in a short time. It's only fitting that Patron delivers in the biggest dual in Loras history. He takes the mat with his team leading 15-14 and two matches left in the dual. The top-ranked Patron headlocks No. 3 Kobe Woods and nearly pins him early in their 197-pound bout before prevailing 14-0. That essentially clinches the win as Loras prevails 19-17. When the dual ends, the Duhawk fans roar in approval as a wild celebration ensues. Loras snaps Wartburg's incredible 26-year, 220-match conference winning streak. And it is Loras coach T.J. Miller, whose father Jim started the streak at Wartburg, who leads his team to the historic win. T.J. Miller was a national champion for Wartburg who returned home to knock off his alma mater.
9:19 p.m. The dual has been over for 25 minutes and Eric Keller is still pacing. The Wartburg coach walks back and forth in the team's spacious wrestling room. His head is down and his hands are on his hips. It's been a tough night for the ultra-competitive Keller, who has done an excellent job taking over the program after Miller retired. Guys like Keller put so much time and effort into the sport, and setbacks like these take their toll. Kudos to Keller for eventually taking time to come out for an interview. He's a class act and an outstanding coach. The Knights will bounce back under his strong leadership. The long winning streak that Wartburg went on was nothing short of remarkable. The former Iowa Conference has been a tough league for many of those years. And for Wartburg to enjoy that long string of dominance is really impressive. It was a heck of a run, that's for sure.
Crestwood won the Class 2A district title on Saturday at New Hampton High School (Photo/Crestwood wrestling)Saturday: New Hampton High School (New Hampton, Iowa)
11:14 a.m. Parking is at a premium when I roll into the lot just outside the gymnasium as I arrive for the 12-team, Class 2A wrestling district. This is wrestling country in the heart of northeast Iowa, where a number of programs feature long and storied traditions. I walk into the gymnasium and the arena is packed. Every seat is filled in New Hampton's sparkling new gymnasium. And it turns out there aren't enough seats to accommodate everyone. Fans end up standing in the open areas on each side of the gym. Kudos to New Hampton athletic director Bradley Schmitt for reserving a spot for me at one of the tables. He informs me that nine different stations are doing broadcasts of the dual, Yes, wrestling is a big deal in Iowa. It really matters. A lot. Everybody is packed in like sardines with wrestlers, coaches, cheerleaders, fans, media and workers all crammed into the New Hampton gym. But most fans understand. Gyms all across the Hawkeye state are always packed at this time of the year.
12:16 p.m. Don't look away when Crestwood sophomore standout Carter Fousek steps onto the mat. You might miss something spectacular. I received my first chance to watch the returning state champion and this kid is a stud. He recorded pins of 53 and 19 seconds to power his way back to state at 113. He did his best Spencer Lee impersonation by finishing his matches quickly on Saturday. This kid is something special. I'm looking forward to seeing how he fares this week in Des Moines.
2:49 p.m. A wrestler I won't name wins his finals match and then decides to take off like Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt after his hand is raised. My first instinct is to track him down, but I take two steps, stop and just shake my head. In my younger days, I would've given chase. But I'm 54 years old and my track days were decades ago. I wait and grab the kid for an interview later on after he receives his medal. Nobody needs to see me trying to run through a crowded high school gymnasium.
3:21 p.m. One wrestler who doesn't take off on a dead sprint Saturday is second-ranked Carson Babcock of New Hampton/Turkey Valley. Babcock shoots in to score the winning takedown in the closing seconds of a 3-2 win over No. 4 Matthew Doyle of Independence. It is an entertaining match to watch between two outstanding wrestlers. After the bout, I follow Babcock into a hallway, introduce myself and ask him if he can do an interview. I tell him to take a couple of minutes to catch his breath and he immediately flashes a smile. "I'm ready," he informs me. He has just walked off the mat, but he still gives an inciteful and articulate interview. And he is very polite and respectful. It's always enjoyable to talk with a mature young man like that. You can't help but root for a kid like Carson Babcock.
4:18 p.m. As it turns out, the best matches at this district tournament aren't the championship bouts. They are the battles for true second. The true second-place matches in New Hampton are epic. Waukon freshman Jakob Regan takes control in his match at 106, but his lead is shrinking and he is trying to make it to the finish line. Regan valiantly fights off a late takedown to prevail and punch his ticket to state. The look of relief on his face is priceless. He is headed to Des Moines for the big show. The biggest cheer of the day comes a few minutes later. Crestwood 132-pounder Chase Thomas is locked in a dogfight in his true second-place bout. Thomas trails 6-5 in the third period as his fans stand and cheer him on. Needing a win to keep his season alive, Thomas executes a textbook throw to record a dramatic fall. The Crestwood fans erupt in cheers and Thomas jumps to his feet and raises his arms in celebration. His teammates swarm him as he walks off the mat. That alone is worth the price of admission. Moments like that are what makes this sport so special.
It was a perfect way to cap a memorable weekend of wrestling. The competition was exciting, the gyms were packed and the level of emotion was off the charts.
That's why wrestling is such a great sport. And that's why this is the best time of the year.
Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.
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