This weekend, we headed west again, this time to Dodgeland High School in Juneau, Wisconsin. C-man had a solid 4-man bracket, with each of the kids rated as Average. (You rate out as Beginner, Average, Good, or Excellent based on your win/loss record) This was positive, because it meant he'd get some solid competition at his ability, and not just tear through some beginners. (He's technically above average, but Beerman and C-man haven't wanted to move him up to Good until he gets some things down, because the Good kids often get paired with Excellent kids.)
His first match was against a kid from Markesan. They were pretty well matched up. But in the second period, C-man took him down and pinned him at 1:43.
He was a really nice kid, and he and C-man bonded instantly over their shared first name. (They were both giggling that they didn't know what they were supposed to do because both coaches were yelling their names) That's one of the things I really do like about this sport - the kids really get to know one another and create friendships over their shared pain.
The second match up was against a kid from Waupun who is 9 pounds heavier than C-man. C-man wrestled well, and at the end of the first period, threw him down and pinned him. (Beerman was yelling, "No! No! No" because he's tried to get C-man to not just go for a throw, while another coach was shouting, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Beerman acknowledged he needs to back off the anti-throw now that C-man doesn't just always look for it. But it was a funny moment) When I say he got his pin at the end of the first period, it was truly at 1:00 - the exact end of the first period. The other parents were really angry because they didn't feel it was a pin, but upon review of the video, while pretty quick, it was valid.
The third match up was against a kid from West Bend. C-man took the kid down. While Beerman shouted for C-man to "ride him" to let him go to the second period, C-man thought the nod was to pin him. So he did it at 56 seconds.
And that's how you end up with the bracket, a medal, and a brand new t-shirt you wear for three days straight before your Mom makes you throw it in the wash. I still don't understand how you can like doing this sport, but this smile says it all when it comes to his feelings about it
And for those paying attention, he weighed in at 106 and change Saturday morning (down from his 115.5 he weighed in at the beginning of the season), and the sleeves on a bunch of his t-shirts are tight. Hard work doesn't even begin to describe this.
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