He Did It

Last week I wrote about my son starting his first high school postseason run at 121. I also wrote about pacing behind the bleachers like a lunatic.

Both things happened.

The District Tournament

My son went on an absolute tear through the district bracket. He wrestled with a composure that, frankly, I did not know a freshman possessed. Match after match, he looked like he belonged — because he does.

He made it all the way to the district finals. Second place. District runner-up as a freshman at 121.

The kid who beat him in the finals? Very good. Like, very good. The kind of wrestler where you watch the match and think “yeah, that kid’s been here before.” No shame in that loss. You tip your cap, shake hands, and move on. That’s wrestling.

What It Means

Second place at districts means one very important thing: he’s moving on to regionals this weekend.

The road to Hershey is still alive.

As a freshman.

Let me say that again because I’m still processing it — my freshman is wrestling in the regional tournament this weekend with a shot at making it to the state championships at the GIANT Center.

The View From the Bleachers

I’ll be honest, there’s a moment in tournament wrestling — usually right before the finals — where you realize your kid has already exceeded every reasonable expectation, and anything from here is gravy. Districts was that moment. He’d already punched his ticket to regionals before the finals match even started.

But then the finals happen, and you want it for him anyway. You always want it. And when it doesn’t go his way, you watch him walk off the mat, and you can see him already thinking about what’s next. Not sulking. Processing. That’s the mentality.

Regionals

This weekend the bracket gets tighter, the competition gets stiffer, and the stakes get higher. The top finishers at regionals advance to the PIAA State Championships in Hershey on March 5-7.

I have no expectations. I have no predictions. I have a freshman who’s already done more than anyone expected, and a tournament bracket that doesn’t care about expectations anyway.

Let’s keep wrestling. 😄