CLARION, Pa. (EYT/D9) — When Mason Gourley stepped inside the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State University in mid-July, he was struck by the enormity of it.
Thirty mats were spread out on the floor for the U.S. Marine Corps 16u Junior National Wrestling Championships.
The 18,000-seat arena in Fargo, N.D., was bustling with activity and Gourley, a Clarion Area junior, was ready to take on some of the best freestyle wrestlers in the country.
“It was definitely different,” Gourley said. “It was just kind of an honor going out there and competing against the best.”
(Pictured above, Clarion junior wrestler Mason Gourley)
Gourley fared well in his first taste of what is considered the biggest freestyle wrestling event in the United States, going 4-2 in the 170-pound weight class of the Cadet Division, which had 128 wrestlers in the bracket. His finished in the top 16, one win away from All-American status.
“There was a high level of competition, especially as the matches went into the semifinals and finals,” Gourley said. “The top kids in the country were wrestling, kids who are going to the top colleges. That was cool.
“I really wanted to get All-American,” he added. “But I lost in the blood round.”
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That was one of the rare lopsided losses Gourley has suffered in his career.
Gourley is 56-16 in his two years on the mat so far at Clarion. Only two of those losses have come by fall.
He was 32-7 as a sophomore with a second straight runner-up finish in District 9. His seven losses came by a combined 16 points.
“All my losses were close this year,” Gourley said. “I never got dominated at all.”
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It’s Gourley who wants to do the dominating.
That’s what he’s striving to do more of as he entered his third high school season on the mat at Clarion.
When he’s not grappling on high school mats, Gourley is busy all year round wrestling in other disciplines, like freestyle.
Gourley shined at the event like the one in Fargo because freestyle wrestling’s emphasis is more on throw and pin instead of controlling an opponent like at the prep level.
Gourley is on his feet more in freestyle, which is by far his strength.
“I like that compared to folkstyle,” he said. “I like to be in a neutral position a lot better.”
Gourley recorded wins of 11-9, 12-0 (tech fall), 6-5 and 16-11 in Fargo.
He lost a tough 8-5 decision to Dominic Dotson, a state champion from California, in his second match and fell in his final bout by a major decision of 15-5, to Luke Hoag from Minnesota, who placed eighth.
There were 7,134 wrestlers from 49 states (Mississippi has only had varsity wrestling in high school for two years and didn’t send a competitor to Fargo) at the week-long event that went from July 15 through July 22.
“That atmosphere was definitely a bonus,” Gourley said. “I went out there because I really like freestyle wrestling and I qualified, so it was a really good experience.”
Gourley qualified by placing third at the Pennsylvania State Freestyle Tournament in May in Reading.
Gourley actually qualified last year, too, but didn’t go.
“We were going on vacation,” he said, “and I was 15.”
Gourley’s goal now is to improve enough to take a big leap in his junior season for the Bobcats.
That means being better at scoring point on top.
Many of his decisions have been tight in his career, including losses in the District 9 tournament which have resulted to two second-place finishes.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s hard,” Gourley said of placing second two years in a row. “But I wrestle year round. I put a lot of work into it and it’ll pay off. I finished second again, but I beat a lot more better kids this year.
“On top is where I struggle,” he added. “Kids always get out and I’m never scoring points. That’s where you open up matches. If I focus on my top game so I can get some points on top, they won’t have a chance at the end. Some of my matches this year were like 3-1, 3-2.”
That means Gourley is already hard at work.
“A lot of drilling and new techniques,” he said. “It’s all about repetition and getting a feel for it.”
Gourley believes if he can get better at controlling his opponents and scoring points in the top position, he can take his wrestling to an entirely new level.
A district championship level.
A state title level.
“That’s the goal,” Gourley said. “That’s what I say and that’s what my coaches say. I was disappointed I came up short this season, but I have two more years.”
Gourley has also been helped by a growing wrestling program at Clarion.
“Our program has improved a lot,” he said. “Three years ago, the year before I came in, there were like four kids on the team. It’s motivating for everyone just to see the team success.”
Gourley is no stranger to the mats.
He started grappling when he was just in kindergarten.
“I have like 12 years in already,” he said, chuckling.
What keeps him coming back is the uniqueness of wrestling.
It isn’t for the timid.
“It’s different than every other sport, just the conditioning and everything,” Gourley said. “I just like it because it’s an individual sport. I know the work I put in is what I’m going to get out of it.”
Clarion Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
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