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Destination domination: Allen wins another district title, set to host regionals
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
There were changes galore in high school wrestling this season.
Not longer after removing a weight class, the UIL split the classifications this year, altered the teams in Allen's district and doubled the number of regional qualifiers.
But for all those changes, the Eagles remained a constant as they continued their decade-long dominance at the district meet by winning 13-of-14 weight classes, advancing all their wrestlers to the regional tournament and capturing the 8-5A Championship.
"The kids really wrestled well and won a lot of close matches," said Jerry Best, Allen head coach. "I think that's a credit to our schedule and all the tough matches these guys have had throughout the season."
But that tough schedule could have also lent itself to a district letdown.
"That is something we discussed, but I think the guys understood that this was still a qualifier," Best said. "We tell them to wrestle every match like it's the state championship and they did what they needed to in order to get to regionals."
The Eagles advanced all 14 starters to the finals with the lone loss coming during a state-ranked showdown at 106 pounds as McKinney Boyd's Alex Minor defeated Allen's Howard Smith, 8-5.
"It was a tough match," said Minor, who was named Most Outstanding Wrestler for the lower weight classes, "but I knew it would be a battle the whole way."
Allen's individual titles rolled in from there with Gabe Torres (113), Mason Smout (120) and Kerry Hall (126) all winning decisions by at least three points. The margin was a bit tighter for John McCabe (132) as his finals bout with Plano's Austin Krieger went to overtime. Tied at 1-1, Krieger narrowly avoided a takedown early in extra time.
"I thought I had the two points," McCabe said. "But when I looked down he was still on his knees and had his base."
McCabe got his takedown shortly thereafter for the 3-1 win.
"This is a great feeling," McCabe said. "Especially when you win in overtime, it fires you up to work even harder going forward."
McCabe and Krieger wasn't the only close final of the day between Plano and Allen.
The other came at 182 and may have been the most controversial bout of the afternoon as Allen's Matt Meyer defeated Plano's Michael Kubik, 6-3. Kubik scored early points off an escape and reversal, but Meyer eventually went back in front, 6-3. Controversy arose at that point due to a disputed leg lock. The ensuing argument between Best and the referee, which forced the official rule book to be brought out and cost Allen a team point, delayed the match for five minutes and had Plano fans calling foul.
"I'm not sure if this was his intent, but coach Best's challenge definitely allowed his wrestler to get his air back," said Jay Pryor, Plano head coach. "And it killed our momentum in process."
Between McCabe and Meyer came Allen's most dominant run as Daniel Cartagena (138), A.J. Hinkle (145), Oliver Pierce (152) and Bo Nickal (160) all scored pinfalls.
Hinkle set his pin up following a standing granby.
"I think I wrestled how I'm capable of today," Hinkle said. "I felt good with my shots, I just had to finish them."
Hinkle accomplished that feat with four takedowns, a scenario that played itself out time and again in Allen's finals.
"We run a lot of high-intensity drills in practice and we never let up," Best said. "I think that is one of the things that helps so much with our conditioning and it also lends itself to those early attacks."
Early was the operative word for Pierce and Hinkle. Pierce won his bracket with three straight pins in a total of 2:13 while Nickal did the same in 2:14 en route to being named MOP of the upper weight classes.
"I thought I wrestled well," Nickal said. "I was able to stay offensive and was good on leg attacks."
Nickal also heeded the advice about wrestling each match like a state final.
"You never know what could happen, so you've gotta get up for every match," he said. "No matter what you think is going to happen, you still have to go out there and wrestle."
Additional district titles were procured by Tracey Eitel (170), Nick Cobb (195), Stone Drulman (220) and Garrett Esparza (heavyweight), all of whom won decisions by at least four points. The win was the fourth at the district level for Cobb, who is trying to become just the second grappler in UIL history to win four individual state championships.
That quest continues Friday and Saturday as Allen hosts the regional tournament for a seventh time.
"Wrestling at home is always nice," Best said. "It gives us a better chance to recover and this event also helps us raise money for all the out-of-state tournaments we schedule."
The Region II Championships commence at 9 a.m. Friday with the finals set for 4 p.m. Saturday. The top four from each weight advance to state, which is Feb. 21-23 at the Delco Center in Austin.
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