Best Finals Matches??

[Spider Legs]

What was your favorite finals match and why??

[Stallion GT]

Madrigal vs Balzadua, Juan got the best of Tony the previous two weeks and Tony got it done on Saturdays big stage. Both great wrestlers and both great kids. Neither kid had a close match all series until they would meet each other. Congrats to both these outstanding young wrestlers. I'm pretty sure this will be the last time Juan leaves Rockford without the bracket board.

[TappedOut]

gomez / duncan

returning state champ vs a runner up from last year...classic scn/gomez battle.

[will-I-am]

Renteria had a great match, pat walkers match was also entertaining, others completely dominated which was also great to see.

[87 tiger]

Ahart vs. Rakers at 122 Novice. I'm being biased here as both boys are from the south. Ahart is in his third year and Rakers placed second last yr at Rockford. He also dominated the south in his weight class and wherever else they put him. Ahart on the other hand was pretty much a better than average kid with potential and a knack for working hard. He battled injuries and a few other personal issues throughout the season but never quit. He comes into the state tournament as basically a "nobody", fresh off a defeat in less than a minute from the hands of Rakers a week before at the sectional championship. Then the mountain faced in front of him is on a stage that he never even fathomed he'd be on, let alone thinking he'd even still be wrestling after the first round or two. This surely wasn't the most technical match, and by far was it an exciting match (unless you were from the South). But what made this match so good was that it was between the two wrestlers that were there and where they were from.

[87 tiger]

In no way do I mean to take anything away from Rakers. He's obviously a great wrestler with a storied career, but the underdog won in a "Rocky" like manner...which made it the finals match that I thought was the best.

[The Hammer]

Originally Posted by Spider Legs

What was your favorite finals match and why??

177lbs was a great match. Bessette defending champ against Stallings 2X champ. Stallings launches Bessette for 5 in first period only to have Bessette get off his back, escape and firemans carry him to his back. That was 1st period. Bessette with the lead in 3rd gets thrown and pinned. Bessette lost with class and Stallings won with class.

[SIWrestlingDad]

Originally Posted by 87 tiger

Ahart vs. Rakers at 122 Novice. I'm being biased here as both boys are from the south. Ahart is in his third year and Rakers placed second last yr at Rockford. He also dominated the south in his weight class and wherever else they put him. Ahart on the other hand was pretty much a better than average kid with potential and a knack for working hard. He battled injuries and a few other personal issues throughout the season but never quit. He comes into the state tournament as basically a "nobody", fresh off a defeat in less than a minute from the hands of Rakers a week before at the sectional championship. Then the mountain faced in front of him is on a stage that he never even fathomed he'd be on, let alone thinking he'd even still be wrestling after the first round or two. This surely wasn't the most technical match, and by far was it an exciting match (unless you were from the South). But what made this match so good was that it was between the two wrestlers that were there and where they were from.

I enjoyed watching this match as well. No one in our club thought that Ahart had a chance. Rakers is like a machine. We've watched him handle all comers since the beginning of the season. All weekend, we told our kids that everyone there is good and that you have to exploit any opening you can get (and try not to give any openings). Ahart wrestled tough, saw an opportunity and went for it. Taking nothing away from Rakers (because the kid is a beast and will likely be in the finals again next year), this match taught our kids that even the best wrestlers can be beat, so don't concede before you even shake hands.

Being from the south, I also enjoyed the Shannon/Polka match at Novice 95, and the McCloud/Warren match at Senior 215. That move Shannon hit for the pin had me out of my seat.

Can't wait til next year!

[Pigeon Toed]

I enjoyed watching Oughton v Demoss nice job Carson. Betourne v Bey WOW what a clinic Betourne put on the defending champ. Witzig v Fearro down to the wire could've went either way.