Keystone Games Wrestling 2011

Over the past few weeks I have been getting multiple emails from the Keystone State Games wrestling because Michael wrestled in that tournament last year. I noticed they had an Open Masters division for 35 years and older and was contemplating entering. I asked Michael if he wanted to wrestle and told him that I would wrestle if he did, and he said "sure." It was a good day of wrestling for us both. Michael had 4 matches - he won his first match 8-2, the 2nd match he lost, the 3rd match he pinned his opponent, and the 4th match he lost. Because it was a round robin format, he took a 3rd place. I just wanted him to have fun and he did.

Since I was in the "old man" division, my first match didn't happen until about 5 hours into the tournament. I felt pretty good and won my first match by a technical fall. A tech-fall is when you win by 15 points. The final score of the match was 17-2. My second match was a bit tougher and I ended up losing 4-1. My 3rd match was pretty good and I finished winning 3-2 for a second place win. Michael and I were very pleased with the results of the day. I told him how proud I was of him and he told me the same. A good father/son bonding day. Here are the videos from all of our matches:

2011 ICWL Championship Tournament

We had a tough one yesterday at the ICWL Open Championship tournament to finish out the season. Michael wrestled very well and I am proud of the how well he did this season. I knew it would be challenging for Michael as every opponent in this tournament has at least two years experience. There were 15 kids in his bracket and Mike won his first two matches, the first by points and the second by a pin. In his third match he ran up against the top seeded kid who he had wrestled earlier this season and last year and had lost both times to him. Each time he had wrestled him the boy pinned Michael. This match was much better, as Mike lost 13-5. He is definitely improving, but after that loss his head just wasn't in it and he lost his fourth match unimpressively to a kid I think he could beat on a good day. all in all he had a great 2011 season and I am so proud of him. Here are the videos from the matches:

Wrestling Tri-Meet Conestoga and Wissahickon

A good day of wrestling for Michael today at the Conestoga Wissahickon Pottsgrove tri-meet. Michael lost his first match 7-2 and then came back with two very nice wins by decision. Tomorrow is the Souderton Novice Tournament. Michael took third place there last year - stay tuned....Matches from today below:

3 Wins at the Wrestling Tri-Meet

Another great day of wrestling for Michael and the Pottsgrove Wrestling Club. We wrestled against my home town school, Neshaminy, along with Upper Moreland. Michael had 3 matches today and won all 3. His first bout ended with a decisive 12-4 victory and the next 2 he won by pins. His first match was pretty tough - the second was against a girl who put up a good fight and the third he really hit his stride and pinned quickly. The rest of the team did fantastic. It was a long day but Michael did great and was very happy with his wins. Videos of the matches below:

1st Place at the 2010 Pottsgrove Wrestling Takedown Tournament

Michael had another great day of wrestling yesterday with an impressive first place finish and no takedowns were scored against him. It was the 7th annual Pottsgrove Takedown Tournament and he had 5 kids including himself in the 45lb Pee Wee division. It's run as a round robin tourney, so he had to wrestle all 4 opponents. The first 2 he wrestled are actually on his team and are both first year wrestlers, so he quickly won those. The last 2 kids were second year wrestlers like Michael and he also beat them soundly. His final match was against a kid he had wrestled a few times last year and they always had a good battle. I am so proud of how he is doing and I hope he keeps it up over the coming years. We have another tournament tomorrow hosted by the Pottsgrove Wrestling Club - The 2011 Pottsgrove Holiday Wrestling Tournament. The videos from the tournament are below:

Tuply Tournament - 2nd Place

Michael had another great day of wrestling. He pinned his first 2 opponents and ended up losing the championship bout taking a solid second place in the 28th Annual Tulpehocken Elementary Wrestling Tournament. I ordered him a new singlet last week and it came just in time for this tourn. His record for the season is now 21-8 with 10 pins. Not bad for his first season of wrestling and the fact that he is only 5 years old :)

Here are the videos from the tournament:

Match 1:

Match 2:

Match 3

Great day of wrestling

Michael has just been getting better and better each week. Last weekend he was unfortunately sick and missed a tri-meet and a tournament - well, he certainly made up for it today. In his first match, he used the half-nelson and one on one wrist control I have been going over with him and pinned the kid in the first period. His second match was a bit tougher but he did amazingly well and won 9-8. A good day of wrestling. He is excited to add a 5th safety pin to his hat signifying each of the pins he's gotten.

Tomorrow is the 20th annual Intercounty Wrestling League First Year True Novice Championship at Methacton High School. Videos to come...Wish him luck!

Match 1

Match 2

Souderton Wrestling Tournament

Great day today at the Souderton Wrestling tournament. Michael had his best day of wrestling yet. He took 3rd place and came home with a very nice trophy that he was super excited to show. His first match he pinned the kid pretty quickly. His second match was a bit tougher against a kid he had wrestled back at the Pottsgrove Takedown Tournament back in December and at the Pottsgrove Holiday Tournament in January - he's had a very close match with this boy every time and this was definitely his best- he was winning most of the match and the kid took him down with just a few seconds left in the third period forcing an overtime. In overtime he got taken down and had to move to the consolation bracket. In the consolation semi-finals he tech-falled his opponent (a tech fall means they stop the match because you are winning by 15 points). Then in the consolation finals he pinned his opponent in the first period for a 3rd place finish. The kid who beat him in overtime ended up taking first in the tournament. All in all a great day.

Here are the videos of each match:

First Match:

Second Match:

Consolation Semi-finals:

Consolation Finals:

Wrestling Tri-Meet at Downingtown

Michael had another meet today at Downingtown. The first match was super close and for 5 minutes in the middle of it, the ref had to work out the correct score which ended up being a tie between Mike and his opponent (I think we got very lucky as the score may have been correct). Mike ended up winning 13-12 with the kid almost reversing at the very end - saved by the bell - very close.



His second match was not as close. He got caught and pinned. I think if he wrestled this kid first it would have been much closer...Oh well.

Daniel Boone Wrestling Tournament - Michael Takes 2nd

Today (January 16th, 2010) Michael wrestled in the Daniel Boone Blazer Mat Club Novice Tournament and took 2nd place. He received his first trophy ever and wrestled extremely well. It was a very long day at 9 hours - we got there at 8:15am and didn't leave until after 5pm - but his DS and the occasional wrestling match made the day go quickly.

He won his first two matches putting him into the finals for first or second place. The boy he wrestled in the finals was about a head taller and caught him for a pin. Michael was disappointed that he lost the finals but was very excited to get a nice trophy. We are very proud. Check out the videos full screen for the best view.

Match 1 (he actually wrestled this boy before in the holiday tournament and just barely won the last time)

Semi-Final Match

Final Match - For 1st or 2nd Place

Michael receive's his first trophy - he is very proud

Wrestling at Drexel Hill Middle School - Tri-Meet 1-9-2010

Michael had a tri-meet today at Drexel Hill Middle School. We were up at 6am for breakfast and the 45 minute drive to Delaware County. He wrestled in 3 matches - won the first 2 and lost the third. In the first, he pinned his opponent very quickly - his first pin ever :)

The second match was much closer and he won 7-4. It was tied with only seconds to go and he got an escape and takedown for the win. The third match he got caught early and could not get off his back and was unfortunately pinned. All in all a very good day. We are proud.

Here are the videos - watch full screen for the best resolution:

Match 1


Match 2


Match 3

Pottsgrove Takedown Tournament

Michael's first wrestling tournament ever - The Pottstgrove Takedown Tournament - December 30th, 2009. Michael weighed in this morning at 39.8 pounds and wrestled the 45lb class...He took 3rd place -wrestled 4 matches - won 2 lost 2. Here are the videos: