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Best Dual Meet Ever?


bluechipper

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After last night's exciting dual match-up between #1 Brownsburg and #2 Perry Meridian, I had to mentally log it as one of the best dual meets I have ever witnessed (via Facebook Live; I'm sure the atmosphere in the gymnasium was 1000x better, but I still had chills and was excited.). With that being said, what are some of the best dual match-ups you have ever witnessed or experienced? A personal favorite of mine was the Perry Meridian and Penn match-up in 2015 at the IHSWCA State Duals. 33-32 was the final score with it coming down to the sixth criteria. It was an absolute frenzy. What are some of your favorite matches that you would consider some of the best ever?

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I wasn't at this one, but have read about it and talked to people that were. Back in the mid 90s New Castle and Shenandoah had a tight one going. I believe it all came down to the final match between New Castle's Jeremy Motl and Shenandoah's Scott Gross (runner up at 215 in 97). The atmosphere was so heated that the officials threw everyone in the gym out, including reporters, teachers, parents, etc. If I have the story correct - only the two wrestlers, their coaches, and the school principals were allowed in. I believe Motl won, but I'm not 100 percent positive on that.

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Mater Dei vs. Crown Point 2011 Team State - MD comes in as the big underdog and pulls off the upset. Great atmosphere

 

Mater Dei vs. Penn in the semifinals at IHSWCA Team State Duals 2014. MD wins weight lowest 7 weight classes, Penn wins the upper 7, with MD pulling out the win with more bonus points. I believe the final was 25-22.

 

Two of my favorites, but I had a son on both of those MD teams so I'm a little biased.

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This was just in the paper over the weekend in the "Remember When" section of the sports page.  1992 Indiana's Best.  3rd ranked MD takes on host and top ranked Lawrence North (with 4 kids that would win state later that year).  I believe LN was also ranked in the top 20 nationally at the time.  MD seals the victory with a win over Derrick Robinson at 189.  MD wins 27-21 to avenge a loss to LN the previous year by the exact same 27-21 score.  The 92 win also happened to be Goebel's 200th as a coach.

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I wasn't at this one, but have read about it and talked to people that were. Back in the mid 90s New Castle and Shenandoah had a tight one going. I believe it all came down to the final match between New Castle's Jeremy Motl and Shenandoah's Scott Gross (runner up at 215 in 97). The atmosphere was so heated that the officials threw everyone in the gym out, including reporters, teachers, parents, etc. If I have the story correct - only the two wrestlers, their coaches, and the school principals were allowed in. I believe Motl won, but I'm not 100 percent positive on that.

I think it was sectionalooking championship...NC was a that really good dual team too...the close actual dual was in 98 when they beat NC who ended up qualifying for team state iirc..

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As far as hype and crowd energy goes I'd have to say the MD/Evansville Central dual in the 92-93 season (I'm not positive on the year) at MD. The place was packed rabid fans on both sides and no love lost between the programs at the time. It was an electric environment going into that match, a fun time to be a little JV kid who got to wrestle infront of a full house. Another classic was the 94 Indiana's Best when MD squeeked by Belmont. I think it's safe to say that MD has had some barn burners over the years, it's amazing that Coaches Goebel and Helfrich are still breathing today after all they've been through.

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1986 Cathedral vs Delta @ IUPUI. Coach Rhodes took out a full page advertisement in the Indy Star showcasing the event. The Cathedral line-up complete with pictures of the wrestlers and a picture of the King himself in a tuxedo. Obviously, this was against IHSAA rules at the time, but those were the old days. 

 

Cathedral was the home team and elected to wrestle in reverse order. I can't remember any of the Delta wrestlers, but I am sure there was a Ginther and a Locke on that squad. It was a #1 vs #2 kind of dual. With Cathedral down 1 or 2 points going into the 98lb match, we left it up to a little know freshman, at the time, named Lance Ellis. I am pretty sure he threw his patented lateral, but I would need someone to clarify. Either way, he got the W and so did the Irish. The gym at IUPUI was absolutely jammed and the crowd was crazy. It felt like a bar fight without punches, but with plenty of vulgarity and energy. I was a little kid then, but it was a defining moment in my love of the sport. Cathedral wrestlers I can remember: Clevenger, Sean McGinley, Matt Moll, Gilbert Durham, Steve Troy, John Maio, Billy Terry, and Lance Ellis.  

 

80's Delta vs. Cathedral duals were the best.  

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I wasn't at this one, but have read about it and talked to people that were. Back in the mid 90s New Castle and Shenandoah had a tight one going. I believe it all came down to the final match between New Castle's Jeremy Motl and Shenandoah's Scott Gross (runner up at 215 in 97). The atmosphere was so heated that the officials threw everyone in the gym out, including reporters, teachers, parents, etc. If I have the story correct - only the two wrestlers, their coaches, and the school principals were allowed in. I believe Motl won, but I'm not 100 percent positive on that.

This was in the Sectional..not a Dual Meet.  The Sectional score was not close, but things did deterioate very quickly in this match due to a official that was extremely poor for everine all day long.  With about 30 seconds left he penalized Gross for stalling which would have DQed him because of other penalties on the chart.  When he figured out what he had done he did not say that he was taking it off.  Instead he claimed he never made the call.  Gross was ahead by 1 or 2 points with about 5 seconds left.  When the referee blew his whistle Jeremy charged to try to get a takedown.  The gym was loud and the buzzer was hard to hear, but the Official should havehas a clue that the match was over.  He let it go probably 5-10 seconds past the buzzer.  We got a takedown but it was clearly after the buzzer.  Before the Official stopped them Grosses brother came out of the stands to the mat.  People from the stands and benches poored onto the mat.  It took awhile for order to be restored.  When thigns got sorted out the people in charge decided to clear the gym before the heavyweights wrestled.  The only people whio were supposed tostay were the scorers. timrers, school Officials, the Official, and the two heavyweights.  It took awhile, but they cleared the gym, except there were two people sitting in the bleachers.  They happened to be my Mom and Dad.  I saw Shenandoahs AD go to them and have a conversation then motion for the Sheriff's deputy, who was working that day, to come up there.  There was another short conversationa and then the AD and the Deputy returned to the floor and we finnished the Sectional.  Later, I found out that the AD had told my DAd that everyone needed to leave the gym, but my Dad told him that he had paid his money and that he was staying.  The AD said that he would have to have the Deputy remove them if they did not leave (my Mom wanted to go, but she stayed with my Dad).  My Dad repeated his earlier statement (quite calmly according to my Mom).  The AD motioned for the Deputy and told the Deputy that he needed to remove my Mom and Dad from the gym.  My Dad looked at the Deputy and told him that he was not going anywhere.  The AD looked at the Deputy and the Deputy told the AD, "This is Mr. Peckinpaugh he can stay."  They left my Mom and Dad alone to watch the heavyweight match which they had paid to watch. 

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Bellmont vs. Yorktown at team regional in like '09... was a great dual. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I'm pretty sure Bellmont needed to win the last two matches by extra points to win the dual, and both matches were either supposed to be close, or Yorktown slight favorites.  Either way Busse pinned Castner in the last match to get the Bellmont win.  That was probably the best duel that I have seen.

 

Another fun match, probably not the best ever, but exciting none the less, was Busco vs AC in the team state finals in 14.  Came down to the last match, the kids stormed the mat.  The next weekend at Adams Central we wrestled again for the championship at the Adams Central Super Duels.  That match was the most intense match i've coached in at a run of the mill 5-way, it was really close again, and the fans were super into it.

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I'm sure Coach Peck could write a book of stories like that, he's been around the block a couple times.

He has a chapter about him putting the legs in on me the night before SS in 02' in front of every pretty athletic girl in school at the time..It was down on the mats in plain site for all too enjoy.I still can't stand up straight...I officially know something tougher than ice skating up hill..

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I would have to agree with Delta Cathedral dual in 1984 and 1986.  Delta won in the last match in 1984, 1986, Cathedral won in the last match.  I still have both on tape and it was electric at IUPUI.  In 1984, Delta put in a kid named Jeff Beall to wrestle in Ginther's place to wrestle a State Q/placer I believe and pinned him in the first minute.  Jeff was the only JV kid who I believe at one point was ranked in the top 3 as a JV wrestler, unfortunately he wrestled behind John Ginther and Ron Riggin, both State Champions. John Ginther was moved up to wrestle Mean Gene Boyd and beat him by 12.  Riggin was moved to HWT to wrestle State placer/champion Clevenger and beat him to win the dual.

 

1986.  I still remember the dozens of dead flowers Rhodes sent to our house and the dozen of dead roses sent to my Mother saying this was your funeral.  He was right, they did win that year.  It is all in fun, and I always enjoyed the "show."  I even remember my own Grandfather lighting up a cigarette in 1986 before my match in the gym and them telling him he could not smoke.  I think he told them, "just try and take it."  This is what made the sport exciting.  I am sure McGinley, Ellis, and the others would say the same thing.

 

Troy Patton


Delta/Cathedral Just to follow up, I am sure some of the old guys like me could tell you, but I think attendance was well over 3,400 for both of those meets as people were sitting on the floor, standing in the hallways, while many more were turned away.

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1986 Cathedral vs Delta @ IUPUI. Coach Rhodes took out a full page advertisement in the Indy Star showcasing the event. The Cathedral line-up complete with pictures of the wrestlers and a picture of the King himself in a tuxedo. Obviously, this was against IHSAA rules at the time, but those were the old days.

 

Cathedral was the home team and elected to wrestle in reverse order. I can't remember any of the Delta wrestlers, but I am sure there was a Ginther and a Locke on that squad. It was a #1 vs #2 kind of dual. With Cathedral down 1 or 2 points going into the 98lb match, we left it up to a little know freshman, at the time, named Lance Ellis. I am pretty sure he threw his patented lateral, but I would need someone to clarify. Either way, he got the W and so did the Irish. The gym at IUPUI was absolutely jammed and the crowd was crazy. It felt like a bar fight without punches, but with plenty of vulgarity and energy. I was a little kid then, but it was a defining moment in my love of the sport. Cathedral wrestlers I can remember: Clevenger, Sean McGinley, Matt Moll, Gilbert Durham, Steve Troy, John Maio, Billy Terry, and Lance Ellis.

 

80's Delta vs. Cathedral duals were the best.

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