It's that time of year when the best of the best compete for a state wrestling title in New Jersey. Every year I recall my experience competing with the state's best.
It was my junior year and since I lost in the Region 2 final, I had to wrestle on Wednesday night in the preliminary bouts. Coincidentally, that was the same day I was to take my road test for my driver's license and I'll be damned if I was going to wait a whole other two weeks to taste the sweet freedom one can only experience behind the wheel. So when it came time to schedule my test, I took the first one I could. Coming from a family of over achievers (which is a euphemism for taking on way too much shit). It was this family trait that caused me to play 2 division 1 sports in college AND take 2 math classes my first semester which didn't exactly put me on the Dean's list...
Sucked out, beat up from the long season and a complete bundle of nerves, my mom and I took my Dad's 1984 Trans Am (screaming chicken on the hood and all) down to DMV.
I pull up and my mom exits the car leaving the seat in a position that fit her 5" tall frame. Enter the man that held my freedom of the road fate on his clipboard. All 5'6 and 235 pounds of him with a belly that would rival any sumo. The poor guy gets in the car and his knees were somewhere north of his ears, I swear to God he was gasping for air as he tried to locate the seat adjustment which of course was under the front of his seat. I only had a few seconds to help him adjust the seat before he passed out so I reached down, between his legs, trying to avoid any and all body contact, and pulled the seat adjustment. A wave of relief came over his face as he snapped back to position. After his complexion turned a normal color, he gathered himself and told me to proceed. My foot was literally shaking side to side while I went through my test. Needless to say, I passed. One down, one more to go.
The tournament was surreal, my first match was against a tough kid from High Point. After double overtime I was declared the winner. On Friday I had two tough bouts that I won by a score of 5 to 3. I was in the zone. Heading into the semi final, I was feeling pretty good.
That night I needed my rest and I had to make weight the next day so it was pretty low key. For some bizarre reason, I thought I could work on my application essay for Annapolis (remember that over achieving trait). I think I wrote a paragraph and set it on the dresser in the hotel room. Now, I'm sure this is the same all over the country, if you're not wrestling in the tournament, it is one big party. Coaches and wrestlers reunite in a bachelor party type atmosphere to drink, swap stories and get into the kind of trouble that should only be reserved for shore leave.
I was rooming with my 23 year old brother Phil and Paul, a life-long friend and our 108-pounder, who was knocked out of the tournament earlier. He, one of our assistant coaches and long time friend and former state champ, Guy, went out to partake in that nights debauchery.
I was alone, watched some TV and finally went to sleep. At some time in the night, Paul and Phil returned feeling the full effects of the evening. They settled into bed and I went back too sleep. Some time later I awoke to see one of them (you know who you are) prepare to relieve himself on the nightstand. The only thing I could get out was "NO!!". At first, it appeared that my warning worked as he staggered toward the bathroom. But that wasn't the case. He stopped half way and finished his business on the dresser, right on my Annapolis essay. Needless to say I considered that my rough draft and left it for dead. I should point out here that payback are a bitch when years later I got a little payback in what is known as the New Year's Eve incident of 1986.
The next day I still wrestled well, losing to the Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament and placing fourth after a double over time consolation bout. Little did I know that would be the last of my high school career since I would sustain a season ending injury during the state final football game. Suffice to say, I wouldn't trade it for the world, that time in the state tournament always brings a smile to my face and ff my kid ever makes it to the state tournament, I'm making damn sure I room with him.
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