Leave it all on the mat- Part IV

After a relaxing shower I settled into my bed with a little bit of turkey and a Vitamin Water. The Vitamin Water was a refreshing reward after a grueling practice. I reached into my bag and pulled out the card Ms. Alvarado gave me and reread it. “Remember, “The reward isn’t as great without the struggle” I read out loud.
“What’s going on Drew? How’d the tournament go this weekend?” “It went well. I won my fourth section title, but I felt crappy.” “Yea you were telling me last time how it’s getting harder for you to make weight. Nonetheless, congrats.” “Thanks.” “I can tell something’s wrong. Talk to me. What’s bothering you?” “I don’t know. Now that I won Sections at 145, I’m definitely going to be in Brock’s weight for states.” “Yea and that’s what you wanted, right?”
“Yea it is. But, I don’t know, I’m just nervous. It has been such a struggle to make weight this season. Every day for four months I’ve been busting my ass and torturing myself to make this weight class. I have so much riding on this season. I have so much to lose. If I don’t win, it’s going to be devastating. It’s going to feel like I wasted all this time and effort to just lose again. And if I wrestle like I did this weekend, there is no way I’ll beat Brock. I just feel like cutting all this weight might be a mistake, especially considering that it’s affecting my grades and even my friends. I get so irritable throughout the week. I’m like a ticking time bomb.”
“When I was a freshman in college, I had so many things going on during finals that I felt like I was going to lose it. Between my gymnastics practices, the tons of reading, my physics problem sets, and my boyfriend, I felt like I couldn’t juggle everything at once. Something was going to give or I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I’ve always been very close with my Dad so I called him up for advice. What he told me will stay with me forever because it has helped me get through many tough times. He told me to relax and not get upset. ‘Keep your composure. If you lose your composure, you’ll lose everything. Just keep your nose to the grindstone because the reward isn’t as great without the struggle. I took what he said to heart and finished up the semester with great marks. The reward really was worth the struggle for me, and I know that it will be worth the struggle for you.”
“The reward isn’t as great without the struggle. Wow, I really like that.” “It’s a great quote isn’t it? You’ve wanted to wrestle Brock for four years. Just keep working hard Drew, the reward is in sight. As long as you stay mentally tough, I know you’ll be fine.” “Thanks a lot Alina. You always know the right thing to say.”
“The reward isn’t as great without the struggle”. I said it aloud again to myself and let it sink in. Here I was the night before the tournament with the opportunity to make my dream a reality almost within grasp. Alina’s advice had really helped me in the last two weeks. She had really become a special person to me and I realized how much of an effect she had on me that season. I didn’t know where my head would have been come the state tournament if I hadn’t had her as an outlet this season.
She had made sure to see me off before I left for the bus earlier that morning. “It’s Thursday so I guess I have to call you Ms. Alvarado today.” “I’ll let it slide today, but just this once,” she said as her lips widened into a smile. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve helped me with this season. I don’t think I would have been able to get this far if it wasn’t for you. Thanks again Alina.”
“It has been my pleasure Drew. You have taught me so much about yourself and this wonderful sport. I can see why you cherish it so much. I understand why it’s so important to you and this community.” She kissed me on the cheek as she slipped the envelope into my hand. “Good luck Drew. Bring it home.” “I will.”
I smiled as I reflected on the memory. The reward isn’t as great without the struggle, and I surely had struggled. “Let’s hope she is right”. I put the envelope back into my bag and threw my empty Vitamin Water bottle into the garbage. Tomorrow was a big day I need to get some sleep. Or at least attempt to.
* * * *
Brock came at me like a raging bull right out of the gate, clubbing my head hard and shooting a textbook “High-C”. He got in very deep and sat me to my butt, bringing the crowd to its feet in anticipation of the first takedown of the match. I managed to walk my feet out from underneath Brock and into a sprawl position. Brock still held onto my leg but he was in terrible position due to the pressure created from my defense .We scooted out of bounds and I was out of danger. As he got up Brock gave me a shove, obviously trying to intimidate me. The crowd seemed to notice it and starting raining boos onto the mat.
We were back on our feet and I knew that I needed to start working my offense. Brock continued to push hard into me, so I knew that my favorite Martin shrug would be open. Using his momentum as he pushed, I hit the shrug, causing Brock to step past me and expose his lead leg. In that split second I was able to hit a beautiful sweep single, bringing Brock’s leg up in the air to my hip so that he was balancing on one leg. Without hesitation, I kicked out the leg he was balancing on and covered him on the mat! The crowd ignited as the ref signaled two points! I could see my father jumping out of the corner of my eye.
Sinking a deep tight waist, I was able to break Fortino flat on the mat, and begin to work for a tilt. As I started to expose Brock’s back, he kicked hard, and his hips slipped over mine. This put me in terrible position and in danger of giving up a reversal and back points. However, I was able to use the momentum of his kick to roll across my back and arch my hips in the air in a back arch. Doing so bucked Brock off of me, allowing him to escape for one point, but more importantly saving me from what seemed like certain trouble. The crowd loved the “scrambling” that was taking place on the mat before them, and their applause was evidence.
We were back on our feet with 45 seconds to go in the first period. I circled to my right off the whistle, avoiding the bull’s initial charge, before shooting in on his legs with a sweep single. Brock sprawled hard, punishing me for touching his leg with his tremendous hip pressure and causing me to lose my grip on his leg. He used the opportunity to spin left and switch to his front head lock. I tried to defend the hold but Brock was very good in this position. In a bowling motion spun me forcefully to his left, allowing him to shoot in deeply on my legs. I tried to scoot my hips away, but he was in great position and was able to secure two points.
Wrestling with a sense of urgency, I exploded up to my feet with fifteen seconds left in the first. Brock followed me to my feet, and to prevent me from escaping he lowered his level and dropped to a single leg. I was balancing on one leg and I knew I needed the escape. As Brock went to kick out my leg I jumped explosively off of it and did a complete front flip, freeing my leg and earning one point
. The crowd went ballistic and even Brock looked astonished for a second. “Atta boy Drew!” screamed my father from my corner as the period ended. Lots of action and a 3-3 deadlock in the first two minutes of wrestling; there was never a dull moment when Brock and I butted heads on the mat.
I won the coin flip and elected to defer my choice until the third period. Brock immediately chose neutral and we were back on our feet. I knew Brock was going to charge in at me off the whistle, so when he did I shot a “blast double” and drove through him like a football tackle. The combination of his strong legs and low center of gravity enabled Brock to withstand the force of my shot, affording him enough time to secure over-unders. As I drove through him, Brock back-arched and twisted the core of his body to the left while he simultaneously punched across his body with the under-hook. Using my momentum as I drove him to the mat combined with his powerful and explosive hips and back, Brock launched me off my feet and sent me flying through the air straight onto my back. The crowd was dazzled, and I was dumbfounded.
Tolden immediately awarded a two-point takedown and dropped to the mat to start counting back points. I was in BIG trouble. It was early in the second period and I was fighting to not get pinned. Immediately realizing I was on my back and in grave danger, I began to back-arch to fight to my stomach. But Brock smelled victory and was putting a ton of pressure on me, looking to secure the pin. The “Strong Island” crowd was cheering ecstatically, waiting for its prodigy to “stick” me and clinch his fourth state title.
When you’re on your back it feels like an eternity. Time seems to slow down, and you feel like you’ve been taken out of reality. You feel helpless; and you are because no one is going to come out onto the mat and save you. It’s up to you to fight off your back. I could hear the roar of 9,000 wrestling fans; it was swirling around my ears as if it was trapped within my headgear. I remember thinking “This could be it. This is how I’m going to end my career.” My wrestler’s mentality kicked back in.
“Don’t relax. If you relax, you’re going to get stuck,” I kept thinking to myself. Screaming loudly, I was able to back-arch and flip over to my stomach and out of danger.
Tolden awarded Brock three back points, sinking me into an 8-3 deficit. I Looked up at the scoreboard and realized I had been on my back for over a minute. There was 35 seconds left in the period and I needed an escape to get back into this match, but as I fought off my back Brock was able to sink in an arm-bar on my right side.
This was trouble because it was rare that Brock didn’t pin you if he was able to sink a bar. Brock was running the bar viciously, with no regard for my shoulder, but there was no way in hell that I was going to let him turn me again. Staying off your back is an attitude. Gritting my teeth, I pressured back into Brock so that he couldn’t turn me. With ten seconds left in the period his strength was becoming too much. With another surge of power he turned me to my back, and Tolden began counting again. “One. Tw… No two! No two!” yelled Tolden as he waved off the points. The buzzer rang just before he could count to two, robbing Brock of two back-points.
I was livid. I could not believe that I was in such a hole, and I was even angrier that Fortino turned me at the end of the period. When you’re down by five to a wrestler like Fortino the match is pretty much over. There is a very slim chance that any wrestler would be able to close the gap, but then again, those wrestlers aren’t me. I was not about to back down and submit to him no matter how many points I was down by. I was the most dangerous wrestler in the top position in the state.
I didn’t see the crowd. I didn’t see my father. The only thing I could see was a flashback of Brock double legging me to the mat in my loss to him freshman year. I was not about to relive that day, and thinking about it reignited the fire in my heart. It was my choice in the third period. Brock didn’t even have to wait for me to say “Top”; he just went down into referee’s position. If there was any chance that I could win the match, this was the position I’d do it in. The fire was ablaze in my eyes, and I had no doubt I was about to tear Brock apart.
Off the whistle I stopped his first move and broke him flat. When Brock started to build his base, an opportunity for my notorious cross-face cradle presented itself. Brock’s short body was no match for my lanky yet strong arms, and I easily locked my hands. I started to push into him to try and bull him over to his back, but he pushed back into me to prevent me from bulling him over. When he did, I rolled him through the other way to his back!
I could hear Tolden counting as I held Brock there. He was bucking and kicking his legs, fighting desperately to get off his back. It worked. I was only able to get a four count, good for only two back points. The score was now 8-5; I still had some work to do.
After Brock broke out of the cradle, he relaxed for a second or two before he felt my forearm across his nose again. Working like a madman, I wrenched his head towards his knee and was able to lock up another cradle. Brock was tougher to turn this time; he did not want to be put on his back again. Fighting hard on the edge of the outer circle, he started to go over, but he pushed hard into me and we sailed out of bounds.
Brock sat there for a second obviously shell-shocked. It had been three years since he was last put on his back; and the last person to do it was me. As I got up I looked into my corner. “Let’s go buddy, do it again. Stop his first move.” Pointing to his chest he said, “Heart, son, heart.” Dad’s faith had never wavered in me, and I wasn’t about to let either of us down.
The building was shaking. People could not believe that I had just cradled Brock so easily, and they were eager to see me turn him again! After Brock was set, I got on top. Brock exploded to his feet off the whistle, but I was able to secure his wrist. He was oblivious to the danger he was in. I immediately hit a standing tilt and caught him in my lap with his back clearly exposed. The roll through tilt is tight when you hit it on the mat, but when it is hit from the feet it is MUCH tighter. Brock could not kick. Brock could not move. Tolden counted to five and awarded me three back points. I had done the unthinkable. I had tied the score at 8-8, and there was only 30 seconds left on the clock.
I could not let Brock escape. If I did, he would win the match. Brock was shocked, but only momentarily. As I let him off his back, he was able to break the grip I had on his wrist and control my hand. He stood up to his feet and was in great position to earn an escape. Sensing the danger, I dropped to a single and cleanly returned him to the mat, but Brock shot right back up to his feet as soon as he landed. As Brock was cutting away, I stayed close, desperately trying to keep him from escaping. He cut quickly and managed to get free, instantly dropping to a single leg takedown. Tolden awarded him for the escape, putting him up 9-8.
There was ten seconds left on the clock, and Brock was in on my leg. “Leave it all on the mat” I thought. I had only one option. I sunk a deep whizzer and bent Brock forward hard to break his position, setting up a move that he could not be expecting. As he straightened his back to regain good position, I executed the unorthodox move. Brock fell right to his butt and rocked backwards to his back, unable to move because of the hold I had him trapped in. Brock’s back was clearly exposed and Tolden awarded me two points for the takedown and began to count back-points. Brock struggled to get free, but the buzzer rang. Tolden awarded me two back points to make the final score 12-9.
Ecstasy. Pure ecstasy. Chills ran down my back, goose bumps covered every inch of my skin. I threw my head back and spread my arms wide, flexing as I roared triumphantly. I sprinted to my corner and jumped into my father’s arms. “I am so proud of you son”, he whispered in my ear. Brock was on his back, his hands covering his face in disbelief. My father put me down, and I walked to the center of the mat where Tolden was waiting. “That was the most incredible comeback I have ever witnessed in my entire life. Way to leave it all on the mat champ. Congratulations.”
After a few more seconds Brock got up and slowly walked to the center of the mat. “Great match” he said as he shook my hand. Tolden raised my arm and I finally got to look at the crowd. Every single person was on his feet, applauding, not only for me, but Brock as well. The match had lived up to its hype and grandeur. As Tolden walked away, I stayed in the middle of the mat, both arms in the air and four fingers spread wide on each hand. Four fingers for four state titles. I ran over to Brock’s corner to shake Coach Giani’s hand before taking off towards the stands. Leaping the barrier I sprinted up the stairs to where my mother was waiting for my embrace. “My Drew! I’m so proud of you, my Drew!” Mascara stained her cheeks as she wiped her tears. She held me close before we were swallowed up by a swarm of red and white shirts as my teammates and fans congratulated me.
Shortly afterward were the award ceremony and podium pictures. As I climbed to the top of the podium, I made sure to shake everyone of my competitors’ hands. I bent over so the gold medal could be put around my neck and I smiled brightly as I held my bracket. Looking over at the mat where I had just made history, my smile grew broader. I wasn’t smiling because I had won the match and gotten my vengeance. I was smiling because I could confidently say that I ended my high school career the way I had always dreamed I would; I had left it all on the mat.

- Marc Zurla