Post by Alumni on Feb 11, 2007 16:39:44 GMT -5
SCOTT OXARART
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
When 112-pound Damonte Ranch wrestler Jordan Oneal lost in the championship match at last year's 4A State Wrestling Championship, he was inspired to work harder this season.
Oneal committed himself to running and practicing more in the offseason and the work paid off Saturday night.
With about 90 second remaining in his match, Oneal got out of a hold and secured a 6-2 win over Mojave High's Jake Evans in the Nevada 4A State Wrestling Tournament at Spanish Springs High School.
"That was the best match of my life," Oneal, a junior, said. "This time around there was more on the line. Schools, grades and colleges mainly. I want to play for a university. Any D-I or D-II school that wants me. This is the biggest tournament of the year."
Damonte Ranch coach Kevin Carter said the win was an upset.
"I thought for him (Oneal) to come in and beat this kid, who was probably a little better than him coming into the match, was quite an accomplishment," Carter said. "I think it came down to more shear determination than technique and any other type of wrestling move. Because there was no one wrestling move that won that match -- it was shear will."
The 16-year-old Oneal left the match with a bloody lip caused by his braces, but the blood didn't represent the way the match progressed. Oneal held down Evans for the latter part of the match and after a takedown with about three seconds left in the second round, Oneal knew he was going to win.
Carter said that Evans had a better year and had beaten better opponents than Oneal, but the importance of the tournament made it a more competitive match.
"The one good thing about wrestling for a state title is that it comes down to one match and it doesn't matter who might be better on paper," Carter said.
The Mustangs had two wrestlers in finals and tied for the most represented team from the north with Galena.
Galena's Doug Del Porto bested Palo Verde's Glen Terrano for the 119-pound title.
Del Porto was in a similar position to Oneal having lost his finals match at last year's state tournament. After being tied at 4-4 with 52 seconds left after Terrano's point, Del Porto said he was thinking about avoiding another second-place finish.
The junior took down Terrano about 20 seconds later and held on for the win.
"I feel really good," Del Porto said. "I took second last year and I knew this year was my year. I didn't want to go into overtime and I'm glad I didn't."
The Southern Nevada schools dominated the participation in the championship matches with 20 wrestlers compared to the Northern Nevada's eight.
Even though the Southern Nevada high schools had more wrestlers in the finals, Carter said that the northern schools are starting to close the gap between talent.
"Well we know that Cimarron-Memorial and Mojave are going to be the teams to beat," he said. "But as long as we continue to use them as a measuring stick we will continue to progress and keep getting closer and closer to competing with those guys. I think then the north will continue to have good showings in the (state) tournament."
