Article on Austin McCloskey, Justin Kieffer situation

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http://thecouriertimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=258292

 

The right thing to do

Wrestler puts ethics ahead of sure victory

 

Jeremy Hines

Sports Editor

 

Saturday's New Castle semistate was loaded with drama. A No. 1-ranked wrestler was almost disqualified, a mammoth upset took place (Cody Phillips, the No. 3-ranked 112 pounder in the nation lost) and four New Castle wrestlers advanced to the state tournament.

 

Security had to be called onto the floor on more than one occasion during the day. One wrestler's mother was escorted off the mat. Wrestlers, coaches and fans vehemently argued calls. Such is the nature of the beast when it comes to semistate wrestling. So much is at stake, especially in the first two rounds when it's lose once and you're done.

 

But the most interesting story of the day belonged to a Western Boone freshman that by all accounts could have been awarded a victory over the No. 2-ranked 135 pounder in the state.

 

Austin McCloskey, a semistate qualifying freshman from Western Boone, had the dubious task of going up against Roncalli's undefeated senior Justin Kieffer in the opening round.

 

As soon as action began, Kieffer shot in at McCloskey's legs and lifted him up into the air. Kieffer then slammed McCloskey back to the mat in a way that he never intended to do, directly on McCloskey's head. McCloskey was hurt, and it was evident that he would not be able to continue wrestling.

 

Since it is illegal to slam an opponent on his head, McCloskey could have been awarded the victory. In wrestling, if a competitor performs an illegal move that results in the opponent being injured and not able to finish the match, the wrestler that is injured is awarded the victory.

 

A similar situation happened to New Castle's Eli Alafogianis a few years ago at the Richmond regional. Alafogianis performed a move that was deemed illegal, and the Milan kid he was wrestling milked it for all it was worth. The Milan kid acted like he couldn't possibly finish the match. Alafogianis was disqualified and later the Milan kid had no trouble climbing to the podium to receive his second-place ribbon.

 

Luckily for Alafogianis that loss didn't hurt him. He had already qualified for semistate. Big Greek, as people around New Castle call him, eventually placed third in state.

 

The McCloskey incident was in the first round of semistate. If he chose to injury default because of the slam, Kieffer's hopes for a state title would have ended right there. Kieffer, a senior, would have just wrestled his last high school match.

 

That's not what McCloskey wanted. If he was going to be given a victory over such a high-profile wrestler, he wanted to earn it on the mat, not on a legality that was the result of an accident.

 

McCloskey, his parents and Western Boone coach Adam Logue decided to default the match, which is basically withdrawing from the competition. That allowed Kieffer to be awarded the victory and advance to the next round. Kieffer eventually won the semistate. He is currently 40-0.

 

"What that kid (McCloskey) did was amazing," Roncalli coach Lance Ellis said. "I can't say enough about how much of a class act they were in the way they handled it. A lot of people wouldn't have done what they did. That could have been the end of Justin's high school career."

 

Logue said it was a decision based on ethics.

 

"You preach all season about integrity, doing the right thing and brotherhood," Logue said. "We really try to work on that. When it comes down to it, you have to put your money where your mouth is. At that point, it was the right thing to do."

 

McCloskey wanted to continue wrestling.

 

"I've been taught all my life not to quit at anything," McCloskey said. "But coach and my dad told me that I couldn't go back out there."

 

Ellis called McCloskey's dad Sunday evening to find out if he was recovering from the injury. The Roncalli coach said if there was anything they could do to help McCloskey out they'd be glad to.

 

McCloskey did have one, slightly unusual request. He wanted the Kieffer brothers (Justin, Joe and Josh) to come to Western Boone and wrestle with him after the state finals. He is hoping to learn from the older Kieffers. The Kieffers have agreed to do so.

 

"In order to be the best you have to beat the best," McCloskey said. "I want to learn from them. Justin Kieffer has a chance at winning state. He is a senior and this is his last year. I have three more years to leave my mark. It was only right not taking away his chance at this. I will be at state rooting for him to win it."

 

McCloskey's season ended Saturday, short of his ultimate goal of winning a state title. But in this me-first world it's refreshing to know that some people still look out for others. Austin McCloskey, you have earned yourself a whole bunch of new fans for your actions Saturday.

 

Jeremy Hines is the sports editor of The Courier-Times.