SKWCBOOMER - It was a great match as many are - that much is true. There are close calls, questionable calls and also blown calls. I take nothing away from the SS wrestler but in all my years associated with the sport (as a participant, kids coach, HS coach, official and spectator) I have never seen a worse call or non-call than that one. In the tie-breaker of an overtime match to have two wrestlers on their feet facing each other (one with a bear-hug that is slipping away and the other working to finish their already neutral seperation) to call a stalemate at that juncture with 7 seconds remaining is horrible, horrible officiating. I have never seen that call made in over 35 years associated with the sport. Also, if you only knew this refs. history with Derby you might understand the frustration spilling over to anger. Location is not an issue here as this duel could have taken place in East Germany and with this particular official 99 of 100 questionable calls will not go in Derby's favor. Sadly enough this particular biased official seems to enjoy robbing those kids of a hard earned victory. It's really a disgrace to the sport to watch. Most good officials (and there are many) aren't even noticed throughout their work - but this one seems to seek the spotlight and thinks it's all about him. Just watch how much he loves giving warnings to coaches at the scorer's table - and he gives a lot of them because his calls are questioned all the time. If you were matside then perhaps you saw this official smiling as he was being booed (typical of him). Again, the SS kid is a good kid, a great wrestler and wrestled a great match. But even among the competitive friendly chirping going on between the SS and Derby fans in the stands - 1 of the SS parents looked over and stated - in all honesty - that should have been an escape point for Derby. Props to him for noting that as he must understand the sport much more than the official. Match is over, water is under the bridge - but these kids know when that official is on the mat they have to work extra hard to defeat two opponents. I don't post often and I'm not a banter junkie on here but I had to weigh-in on this one. Best wishes to SS the rest of the way. As for this official - he should have retired about three years ago.
