There was a time when dual meets were a big thing in wrestling.
But major invitationals virtually every weekend, both in the state and out, in some instances have reduced dual meets to “no big deal” status.
The exception is when you have the state’s No. 1 team, in this instance Poway, battle two-time defending state champion Clovis Buchanan, which is No. 2, as they will Saturday in the San Joaquin Valley.
“This is fun, in some ways even more than the state meet,” is how Buchanan coach Troy Tirapelle put it. “One-on-one for who’s the best in the state. The state meet itself is three days of competition where other schools help determine the champion.
“In a dual meet, each team has one wrestler (in 14 different weight classes) and each person plays a part in who wins. It’s an hour and half, two hours, of excitement instead of three days, and the gym will be packed. Both duals and state have their own allure.”
This will be the third year the two teams have met, with Buchanan beating Poway prior to capturing the state championship each clash before.
This time, Poway is ranked No. 1 in the state after faring better in the National Dual Meet championship in Oklahoma and at the recent Doc Buchanan Tournament, considered the toughest tournament in the state.
Titans coach John Meyers is just as fired up as Tirapelle, maybe even more so.
“We go out searching for the top competition on a weekly basis,” said Meyers, whose team defeated Tucson Sunnyside, the No. 1 team in Arizona and (Poway is No. 4 in the U.S.), 47-15 last weekend. “Our competition is so tough when we have kids who are unbeaten, that’s not necessarily good. You need the competition to improve yourself.
“In a meet like this, you can’t hide. Every one of their kids, and ours, is a stud wrestler. There are no ‘gimmies.’
“It’s like having a Michael Jordan over some guy who is a flash in the pan and has one good game. You want the guy who scores 30 a game but look out for that other guy. Last week one of our wrestlers, ranked 14th in the state, beat No. 3.
“In a meet like this, guys show up and they’re all good wrestlers. You have to believe in yourself.”
Add to the mix that the meet is at Buchanan, where two years ago it was held on the football field to accommodate the huge crowd. This one will be staged in the gym.
“Our biggest meet is really against Clovis because we’re only four miles apart,” said Tirapelle, the 2018-19 National Boys Wrestling Coach of the Year. “I actually thought it was just a two-year home-and-home with Poway but when John called and asked about this year, we both wanted to keep it going.
“We have a string going — the last dual meet we’ve lost in California was in 2015. We’re riding a good wave and we need to rise to the occasion. They’re favored, which is something our guys aren’t used to.”
Meyers knows what to expect.
“The whole San Joaquin Valley (wrestling community) will be there,” said the Titans coach. “Whatever the gym holds — 2,000 or 2,500 — that’s how many people will be there. It’ll be packed for sure. This is a wrestling show in the most rabid wrestling area in the state.”
Looking at the potential matchups, according to CalGrappler, Poway has three of the state’s top-ranked wrestlers in freshman Arseni Kikiniou at 106, Paul Kelly at 138 and Angelo Posada at 175. Buchanan’s Joseph Toscano is No. 1 at 144.
Then come the real mind games.
Poway has a pair of second-ranked wrestlers (Edwin Sierra at 113 and Robert Platt at 215) but Buchanan has a No. 2 (Blake Woodward at 106) and four No. 3s.
Meyers doesn’t concern himself with the numbers.
“I don’t look at the rankings because I know No. 10 could beat No. 1. When you have six versus seven, either wrestler could win. Momentum is a key.”
And so, after ranking each weight division, CalGrappler makes Poway No. 1 with 238 points and Buchanan second at 218.
Yes, it figures to be that close — if not closer.
