by Peter Dewey

On Day 3 Team Texas finds itself in the Consolation Quarter-finals. Anything less than 3 straight wins will be a disappointment to a team that already had its share of disappointment over the first 2 days. But 3 straight wins is a tall order. The half of the team that wrestled Greco enters a 5th straight day of competition. Even the Freestyle only boys have seen 7 straight matches in 2 days against the best wrestlers in the nation. And because it is win or go home the pressure is on every match.

First up Kansas. This was a team where it was strength on strength. As usual Texas is in a hole after 98 and 105 (neither of Texas’ scheduled starters made weight – call this the greco deficit) but also as usual Brandon McDonald comes up big at 112, this time with a fall. Score: Kansas 8 Texas 6.

Really tough opponents at 119, 125 and 130. Both Sandovals lose tough matches and Ben Ashmore is in a dogfight with Oklahoma signee, Tyler Caldwell. Ben wins 2-0, 2-0. I’m sure these two will see much more of each other over the next 4-5 years. Unbelievably Kansas stretches the lead. Score: Kansas 16 Texas 10.

The Lukes (Silver and Ashmore) are in very tough matches but both win. Johnny Koepp wins by fall. Score: Texas 21 Kansas 17.

AJ Forsythe loses by fall but Taylor Torisk who seems to be getting the hang of freestyle wins by fall. But Fred Rowsey with yet another really tough opponent – Okie State signee Neil Erisman – is tagged with a loss. Score: Texas 27 Kansas 25.

The Texas upperweights were not been able to hold leads against Florida or NY. There is cause for concern. A bruised and battered Teddy Gambordella checks in at 189. But attrition has bitten Kansas too and Ted accepts a forfeit. No such luck at 215 where the other 189 – Robert Prigmore – battles gamely but comes up short. Troy Witt is asked to extend the Texans’ day by holding onto a 4 point lead. Troy secures the victory with a solid 3-0, 5-3 victory. Texas moves on. Final score: Texas 35 Kansas 29.

Next up Greco Champs Missouri. Two heroes in this match: the obvious and the not so obvious. The not-so obvious hero is 98-pounder Dante Reynolds. He is the “beneficiary” of the Greco deficit and as the only 98 on the team gets run out for every match. The team, the coaches and Dante couldn’t have imagined him with anything but a back-up role. Probably at most wrestle once or twice, but he was thrust into the starting lineup and understandably struggled with opponents at this level.

Most matches were over quickly and he was pinned or teched without adding a team point. He could have gotten down and gone through the motions. He didn’t. He rose to the challenge and lost 2-8, 3-6 earning a team point and starting off with only a two point deficit instead of 4 or 5. Think about that effort when you read the final score. Can a kid who didn’t win a match on the mat be a hero? Yeah, he sure can!

From there the match proceeded according to plan with the strong Texas middleweights building a huge lead. Score after 145: Texas 29 Missouri 10. Then the wheels flew off the Texas wagon. Losses followed at 152, 160, 171 and 189 in matches that were really not close. And at 275 for Missouri was a kid who had not lost in 5 days either Greco or Freestyle. Big Mo was comfortably seated on the Missouri bench.

Only one man stood in Missouri’s way of sending the Texas boys home with their tail between their legs with a bitter day-three loss. The bruised and battered Teddy Gambordella wrestling at 215. Now Missouri has a stable of 215s – really there are three 215s on thier lineup and of course none for Texas. Needless to say they run out the biggest and baddest of the bunch. One Dakota Greenhaw — he towers over Teddy and outweighs him by 30 pounds – and it is all muscle. Four months ago Ted was 171. I bet Dakota hasn’t seen 171 since 6th grade, and that was before hit went to Grandma’s for Sunday dinner.

The match begins and Dakota takes complete control with a takedown and a couple turns. What happened next is the stuff that legends are made of. A spark went off. Teddy didn’t want to go home . . . didn’t want to let teammates down and came battling back against this behemoth despite grimacing in pain with bruised (or worse) ribs.

Something inside Ted said, no, not today. Not on my team. Not Texas. I am not going down today. He took the first period 7-6. Dakota then threw Ted around like a rag doll in the 2nd period to win 6-0. And Dakota scored a takedown in the third but he couldn’t get a turn. Sensing he was in better condition, and having the heart of a lion, Ted battled until he tied the score and Dakota couldn’t answer the bell. Down goes Kansas. Up goes Texas. The battle of San Jacinto all over again. I wouldn’t take bets on Teddy’s chances in a rematch, but on this day it was Ted Gambordella’s broad shoulders that Team Texas rode into the consolation finals. Final score: Texas 34 Missouri 32.

Consolation Finals – Texas v Minnesota

These guys were very good but Texas caught a few breaks. First Minn had no 98 and so the Greco deficit was eliminated. Dante gets a win, a long-lasting, heartfelt win for this heroic little warrior! They were tough in middleweights and the match really seesawed. The climactic point was Luke Ashmore’s match against a very tough, highly ranked Jake Deitchler. It was a real battle with emotions high on both sides. Luke won 1-0, 3-3, 2-1 and then raised his arms to supporters in the upper deck which was taken by Minn coaches as disrespect and some bad blood ensued. Luke is a demonstrative wrestler but not disrespectful. He was misread by the Minn coaches. Luke is to Team Texas what Michael Irvin was to the Cowboys. He is the emotional leader. When emotion was needed it was usually Luke to supply it.

But after wins by Silver, Luke Ashmore and Koepp, the advantage was only 7 points. Score: Texas 23 Minn 16.

Would the upperweights let this one slip away? Forsythe caught a break with an injury default at 152. But then Torisk and Rowsey sealed the deal with two wins. For once the pressure was off Robert, Teddy and Troy. Score: Texas 34 Minn 18.

Texas would earn only one more point but it was all inconsequential; the match was over. The best scene was seeing Coach Lujan come over to Ted warming up and ready to go to war once again and tell him he could have a seat. He had done enough. Make no mistake about it. Had Gambodella been asked to climb the highest mountain for his team, he would have done it. That’s what champions do. Team Texas had won four straight gruelling matches and was Consolation Champions.

Congratulations to all Team Texas wrestlers and coaches on best ever finishes in Greco and Freestyle.