DOOLITTLE’S DREAMS PUT ON HOLD
Lynx 113-pounder less than one second from gold
DES MOINES — Everyone takes one second for granted many seconds of the day.
It’s human nature and no one will worry for even a, well, second about it.
But Webster City sophomore Drake Doolittle felt the full impact of what can happen — or, in his case, can’t happen — in the amount of time it takes to snap your fingers on championship Saturday night of the traditional state tournament inside Wells Fargo Arena.
One second, maybe even less, was all that separated him from exhilaration; from jumping into the arms of Lynx head coach Chad Hisler and finally realizing that dreams can come true.
One …
Clawing back from a three-point deficit in the final 30 seconds of his Class 2A 113-pound championship match against Albia’s Aden Reeves, Doolittle scored on a reversal to get within a point and then hit a tilt that could have given him the lead. The referee gave Doolittle a one count, but not the two he needed to collect the two near-fall points that would’ve put the gold around his neck.
“You just feel bad for Drake because you know how hard he’s worked,” a subdued Hisler said just moments after Reeves survived, 8-7, to win his first state title. “He’s the kid that does everything right; the way he prepares, the way he works in the (practice) room, the way he works in the classroom, just everything. He’s the total package and to see him come that close, it’s tough.”
Both explosive grapplers were bronze medalists in 2016, Reeves at 106 pounds and Doolittle at 113. They took the mat with a combined record of 94-3 and the six minutes of action lived up to the pre-match hype.
Reeves (52-1), ranked third, exploded early with a pair of takedowns in the initial 30 seconds of the first period to seize command. Quickly down 4-2, Doolittle (43-3) answered with a takedown of his own coming out of a scramble in which he had Reeves’ shoulders on the mat briefly. But the Albia sophomore was able to escape with just 12 seconds remaining to take a 5-4 lead into the second period.
“(Reeves is) obviously good and anything can happen, but he surprised us a little bit on our feet,” Hisler said. “Letting him get away in the last (12) seconds, that was tough.”
Reeves showed his talent on top and rode Doolittle for the full two minutes of the second. He added an escape early in the third to take a 6-4 lead and then got in on Doolittle’s legs for a third time to push the advantage to 8-4. Reeves’ lead dwindled to 8-5 on a stalling point.
“The kid’s tough,” Reeves told a group of reporters as he attempted to catch his breath afterwards. “I have so much respect for Drake. He’s a tough kid. But I knew I could get to his legs.”
Doolittle, who rocked a 1980’s Lynx singlet for the occasion, declined to speak after the match. Hisler says the loss will sting for some time, but he has no doubt it will only make his standout stronger for future runs at gold.
“We obviously haven’t seen the last of Drake,” Hisler said. “This is going to be tough to swallow, but he’ll bounce back and we’ll see a lot more good things from him.”
Doolittle became the 14th WCHS wrestler to make the state championship round with a pair of dominant victories on Friday. He hit a quick five-point headlock in the opening minute of his quarterfinal clash with Ashton Meyers of Keokuk and the rout was on. Doolittle turned Meyers twice more in the second period en route to a 14-2 major decision win.
Monticello’s Chase Luensman felt what it was like to be tilted by Doolittle in the first period of their semifinal match. Doolittle added a reversal and takedown in the third to secure an 8-2 victory.
But there was no celebration after his hand was raised. Not even a smile.
“Sure, I’m happy I won the match, but that match is over and I’m on to the next one,” Doolittle said after beating Luensman. “I’ve just got to keep pushing forward.”
In his three bouts leading up to the finals, Doolittle outscored his foes 36-5. He led his opener against Estherville-Lincoln Central’s Jason Peta 14-1 before he ended it by pin on Thursday.
Reeves reached the main event by fending off top-ranked Eric Faught of Clear Lake, 5-4, in the semifinals.