Post by Wiltz on Feb 5, 2007 11:42:09 GMT -5
Friday, February 2, 2007
Moore on a mission
By Andy Hamilton
Prep wrestling notebook
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The West High wrestlers were filing out of the locker room on their way to practice Wednesday afternoon when the nation's top-ranked 125-pounder was searching for a headgear.
Turned out Nate Moore left his at home, and coach Mark Reiland wanted to know why he didn't just leave it at school in the first place.
"I like to draw stuff on it," Moore said, as he tried on a spare headgear that looked like it didn't fit right.
"You've got issues," Reiland deadpanned.
Truth be told, Moore's opponents are the ones with issues. Major issues.
Not only is Moore one of the nation's most skilled wrestlers, he's on a mission to finish this season the way he thought his last two should've been completed -- undefeated.
Moore improved to 34-0 by picking up a forfeit Thursday against Cedar Rapids Kennedy. He has 19 pins this season and an extensive collection of forfeits, major decisions and technical falls. But perhaps just as telling as all of the matches that were never close are two victories he claimed by decision.
Moore bumped up to 130 on Jan. 6 and won a 9-5 decision against Oak Park's (Mo.) Scott O'Donnell, who was ranked 10th in the country at the time. A week later, Providence (Ill.) Catholic's John Starzyk, then the nation's second-ranked 130-pounder, put a 122-match winning streak on the line by cutting down to 125 for a shot at Moore at a tournament in Geneseo, Ill.
"I respect that a lot," Moore said. "There was no reason for him to come down. He had nothing to prove, and that's what you've got to respect him for. But I wasn't disappointed that he did come down."
Especially after he beat Starzyk.
Moore scored three takedowns to win a 6-2 decision, avenging a loss to Starzyk last year by the same score at the same tournament.
"After the match, I was more excited than I've been in a while," Moore said. "I knew he was a real good kid, and (with) all the talk about him and me wrestling, I was definitely up for that match; I wanted to beat him."
Even before the victory against Starzyk, Amateur Wrestling News already had launched Moore to the top of its national rankings at 125.
"It was kind of neat, I thought," said Moore, who won Cadet folkstyle and Greco-Roman national titles and finished second in freestyle last summer. "You can't really go around and be like, 'Yeah, I'm ranked No. 1 in the country.' But it is kind of cool. It doesn't really mean anything until you have an undefeated season and pretty much dominate everybody, but by the same token it's nice to be recognized like that."
Moore can shred opponents with his blend of strength and speed, but his best asset might be his ability to chain several moves together. Oftentimes, an overmatched opponent is reacting to Moore's first move when he's several steps ahead.
"A lot of it's the amount of time he's put in over the years," Reiland said. "He's got a lot of technique in his arsenal. He's done it so much and he's worked at it so much. I don't want to say he's perfected it, but he's as close as most high school kids get."
This is why Moore likely will be a high priority for college recruiters this summer. He said he would like to stay in Iowa. The workout room in his house is lined with Iowa wrestling posters, and Moore said he hopes his college career continues across town.
For now, though, Moore's mind is set on capping this season with a state title. He has 111 victories in 114 high school matches, but two of those defeats came in the state finals.
There was the stunning 11-8 loss to Waverly-Shell Rock's Mark Ballweg in the 103-pound final two years ago when Moore got reversed to his back with four seconds remaining between him and a state title. Then there was last year's 6-4 defeat at 119 against Des Moines Roosevelt's James Nicholson, which came a day after Moore torched two-time state champion Russell Weakley of Fort Madison in the semifinals.
"I'm not sure if there's a common thread or not," Reiland said. "We've been trying to search for that and I don't know that there's really one thing we can put our finger on."
Moore said he didn't feel like his usual self last year in the finals and "felt like I was one step behind."
Moore and Reiland wonder if past weigh-in rules may have played a part in his Saturday-night sluggishness. Finalists were allowed to weigh in Friday after the semifinals in 2005 and Saturday morning last year. They'll step on the scales two hours before the start of the championship round this year, allowing the finalists to follow a familiar routine.
Reiland said Moore is even better this year. Better with his positioning. Better at going out and dominating. And better at doing it.
Perhaps one reason is because Moore has been looking at the clock on his high school career and realizes time is quickly ticking away. He said his concentration level is greater this season, and his odds of finishing on top probably are, too.
Two of the top early-season challengers at 125 have moved down to 119, and there doesn't appear to be another Ballweg or Nicholson in sight.
"A lot of it's attitude," Reiland said. "We've got to maintain that attitude all the way through the state tournament. He believes he's better than a lot of these kids.
In order to finish the season the way he wants this year, Moore says he has to "go out not thinking it's the state title and wrestle the way I wrestle and just take every match the same."
If that happens, Moore's opponents have major issues.
Said Reiland: "If he treats it like any other match, it's going to be an ugly match in the state finals because most of his matches are done in a hurry."
Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or ahamilton@press-citizen.com.
Moore on a mission
By Andy Hamilton
Prep wrestling notebook
Post comment
Reader services
E-mail this story...
Print this story...
Subscribe to newsletter...
Comment on this story...
Email us
Subscribe to newspaper...
ADVERTISEMENT
The West High wrestlers were filing out of the locker room on their way to practice Wednesday afternoon when the nation's top-ranked 125-pounder was searching for a headgear.
Turned out Nate Moore left his at home, and coach Mark Reiland wanted to know why he didn't just leave it at school in the first place.
"I like to draw stuff on it," Moore said, as he tried on a spare headgear that looked like it didn't fit right.
"You've got issues," Reiland deadpanned.
Truth be told, Moore's opponents are the ones with issues. Major issues.
Not only is Moore one of the nation's most skilled wrestlers, he's on a mission to finish this season the way he thought his last two should've been completed -- undefeated.
Moore improved to 34-0 by picking up a forfeit Thursday against Cedar Rapids Kennedy. He has 19 pins this season and an extensive collection of forfeits, major decisions and technical falls. But perhaps just as telling as all of the matches that were never close are two victories he claimed by decision.
Moore bumped up to 130 on Jan. 6 and won a 9-5 decision against Oak Park's (Mo.) Scott O'Donnell, who was ranked 10th in the country at the time. A week later, Providence (Ill.) Catholic's John Starzyk, then the nation's second-ranked 130-pounder, put a 122-match winning streak on the line by cutting down to 125 for a shot at Moore at a tournament in Geneseo, Ill.
"I respect that a lot," Moore said. "There was no reason for him to come down. He had nothing to prove, and that's what you've got to respect him for. But I wasn't disappointed that he did come down."
Especially after he beat Starzyk.
Moore scored three takedowns to win a 6-2 decision, avenging a loss to Starzyk last year by the same score at the same tournament.
"After the match, I was more excited than I've been in a while," Moore said. "I knew he was a real good kid, and (with) all the talk about him and me wrestling, I was definitely up for that match; I wanted to beat him."
Even before the victory against Starzyk, Amateur Wrestling News already had launched Moore to the top of its national rankings at 125.
"It was kind of neat, I thought," said Moore, who won Cadet folkstyle and Greco-Roman national titles and finished second in freestyle last summer. "You can't really go around and be like, 'Yeah, I'm ranked No. 1 in the country.' But it is kind of cool. It doesn't really mean anything until you have an undefeated season and pretty much dominate everybody, but by the same token it's nice to be recognized like that."
Moore can shred opponents with his blend of strength and speed, but his best asset might be his ability to chain several moves together. Oftentimes, an overmatched opponent is reacting to Moore's first move when he's several steps ahead.
"A lot of it's the amount of time he's put in over the years," Reiland said. "He's got a lot of technique in his arsenal. He's done it so much and he's worked at it so much. I don't want to say he's perfected it, but he's as close as most high school kids get."
This is why Moore likely will be a high priority for college recruiters this summer. He said he would like to stay in Iowa. The workout room in his house is lined with Iowa wrestling posters, and Moore said he hopes his college career continues across town.
For now, though, Moore's mind is set on capping this season with a state title. He has 111 victories in 114 high school matches, but two of those defeats came in the state finals.
There was the stunning 11-8 loss to Waverly-Shell Rock's Mark Ballweg in the 103-pound final two years ago when Moore got reversed to his back with four seconds remaining between him and a state title. Then there was last year's 6-4 defeat at 119 against Des Moines Roosevelt's James Nicholson, which came a day after Moore torched two-time state champion Russell Weakley of Fort Madison in the semifinals.
"I'm not sure if there's a common thread or not," Reiland said. "We've been trying to search for that and I don't know that there's really one thing we can put our finger on."
Moore said he didn't feel like his usual self last year in the finals and "felt like I was one step behind."
Moore and Reiland wonder if past weigh-in rules may have played a part in his Saturday-night sluggishness. Finalists were allowed to weigh in Friday after the semifinals in 2005 and Saturday morning last year. They'll step on the scales two hours before the start of the championship round this year, allowing the finalists to follow a familiar routine.
Reiland said Moore is even better this year. Better with his positioning. Better at going out and dominating. And better at doing it.
Perhaps one reason is because Moore has been looking at the clock on his high school career and realizes time is quickly ticking away. He said his concentration level is greater this season, and his odds of finishing on top probably are, too.
Two of the top early-season challengers at 125 have moved down to 119, and there doesn't appear to be another Ballweg or Nicholson in sight.
"A lot of it's attitude," Reiland said. "We've got to maintain that attitude all the way through the state tournament. He believes he's better than a lot of these kids.
In order to finish the season the way he wants this year, Moore says he has to "go out not thinking it's the state title and wrestle the way I wrestle and just take every match the same."
If that happens, Moore's opponents have major issues.
Said Reiland: "If he treats it like any other match, it's going to be an ugly match in the state finals because most of his matches are done in a hurry."
Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or ahamilton@press-citizen.com.