Matthew Moore’s roller-coaster ride to redemption won’t be complete until he wins an epic, heavyweight rematch.
Think Ali-Frazier.
Moore’s chance arrives Saturday night when the Mesa Ridge senior tangles with Montrose senior Dmarian Lopez in the Class 4A, 285-pound finals of the 2023 CHSAA state wrestling tournament.
Moore, who’s headed to a college wrestling career at Nebraska, pinned Falcon High senior Jeremiah Sandiford at 2:47 in Friday night’s semifinals. Lopez pinned Palmer Ridge sophomore Court Towns just 48 seconds into the other semifinal.
Last year, Lopez upset Moore, 9-7, in a thrilling match to claim the 285-pound gold medal. Moore, a state champion as a sophomore and a runner-up as a freshman, entered that title match ranked No. 6 in the nation.
Despite compiling a 44-0 record this season, with only two matches going the distance, Lopez entered the state tournament as the second seed behind Moore, who is 39-2 and suffered his only losses in the finals of two prestigious national tournaments — the Doc Buchanan Invitational Wrestling Tournament in Clovis, Calif. and the Walsh Jesuit Ironman wrestling tournament in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
“I have to go in there and immediately try to impose my will,” Moore said, sporting a bright-red “Huskers Wrestling” sweatshirt after his win in the quarterfinals. “If I sit around and wait, it doesn’t work.”
Lopez’s approach will be a simple one Saturday night.
“I’m excited,” said Lopez, who is still weighing college offers. “It’s the same thing as last year, just going out and wrestling my match. Stay in control and wrestle my match. I need to stay in position and I can’t make mistakes against him.”
Lopez said he’s a better, faster wrestler now than was a year ago.
“I know I’m better on my feet,” he said.
Moore’s competitive philosophy is an interesting one.
“I love wrestling because it’s so much fun,” he said.
But talking about his loss in the championship match as a freshman and as a junior, Moore said: “They both hurt just as bad. A loss is a loss. It’s not about winning, it’s about who hates losing more.”
And the sting of losing to Lopez last year has never gone away.
“From the moment we walked off the mat last year it’s been a driving force for him,” said Mesa Ridge coach Tyler Herbst.
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