Publication: The East Hampton Press & The Southampton Press
By Cailin RileyThe end of Dan McClure’s high school wrestling career played out in bittersweet fashion at the New York State Division I Championships at the Times Union Center in Albany on Saturday.
The Westhampton Beach senior went into the tournament riding the high of winning his first Suffolk County championship, taking the title at 182 pounds in convincing fashion, and capping an incredible transformation for a wrestler who came into his junior year without any varsity dual meet wins. At states, there was one standout in the 182-pound bracket—top seed and defending champ Kevin Parker of Shenendehowa (Section II-Capital District)—but Westhampton Beach head coach Paul Bass believed that the rest of the field was evenly matched, and believed that McClure could go toe-to-toe with anyone.
But an All-State finish was not in the cards for McClure, as he went 0-2.
McClure, who was unseeded, got off to a shaky start in his first-round match with fourth-seeded senior Tommy Mackay of Elmira, (Section IV-Southern Tier), getting taken down and put to his back within the first 20 seconds to fall behind 5-0. McClure managed to close the gap to a 7-4 deficit later, but couldn’t get much closer, ultimately dropping a 9-5 decision. McClure finished the match with an impressive throw, putting Mackay on his back, but it came with just one second left, and so was essentially meaningless.
Unlike at counties, there are full wrestlebacks at states, so McClure wasn’t done yet. In the next match, McClure took on junior Simon Chee of Benjamin Cardozo (Private), and was in a much closer match. The score was knotted at 2-2, but Chee took a lead he would not give up with a minute left in the final period when McClure was given a caution for a third time, for starting before the whistle, resulting in a point for Chee. McClure elected to give Chee a free escape after that, putting Chee up 4-2, but putting both wrestlers back on their feet, a situation where McClure had a better chance to score points, hopefully a takedown that would have tied the match. But Chee remained elusive and scored points of his own, with the score ending at 6-3 in his favor.
“I feel like I went in a little timid and obviously it cost me,” McClure said. “I guess it was the nerves being there for the first time.”
McClure said he felt less nervous in the second match, but still struggled to pick up the intensity.
“I was just lethargic and unexplosive,” he said. “It was very disappointing to me, because I expected to have a better run. But that’s something this sport keeps teaching you over and over. You can do everything right, eat right, lift hard, practice hard, and sometimes things just don’t go your way. But the best part about it is that life goes on, and the best you can do is pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep heading forward.”
Bass admitted that he too was disappointed that McClure did not earn All-State status or even pick up a victory at states. But he said that overall, what McClure accomplished in two years was impressive, considering he was not on anyone’s radar—even his own coach’s—as a sophomore.
“I think he made the most out of the last two years of his high school wrestling career,” Bass said. “Before that, he wasn’t really focused. But he bought in for two years, and to be a county champ is pretty neat. I still think he’s an All-State caliber kid, but he just didn’t have a good tournament. But if you look at what he accomplished in the last two years, it’s really not normal.”
McClure is hoping to continue his wrestling career at the next level, and has drawn interest from several colleges, although he says right now that Ithaca College is his top choice.
“I would love to wrestle in college,” he said. “I just love the sport so much; I love the grind, I love practicing.”
The Westhampton Beach senior went into the tournament riding the high of winning his first Suffolk County championship, taking the title at 182 pounds in convincing fashion, and capping an incredible transformation for a wrestler who came into his junior year without any varsity dual meet wins. At states, there was one standout in the 182-pound bracket—top seed and defending champ Kevin Parker of Shenendehowa (Section II-Capital District)—but Westhampton Beach head coach Paul Bass believed that the rest of the field was evenly matched, and believed that McClure could go toe-to-toe with anyone.
But an All-State finish was not in the cards for McClure, as he went 0-2.
McClure, who was unseeded, got off to a shaky start in his first-round match with fourth-seeded senior Tommy Mackay of Elmira, (Section IV-Southern Tier), getting taken down and put to his back within the first 20 seconds to fall behind 5-0. McClure managed to close the gap to a 7-4 deficit later, but couldn’t get much closer, ultimately dropping a 9-5 decision. McClure finished the match with an impressive throw, putting Mackay on his back, but it came with just one second left, and so was essentially meaningless.
Unlike at counties, there are full wrestlebacks at states, so McClure wasn’t done yet. In the next match, McClure took on junior Simon Chee of Benjamin Cardozo (Private), and was in a much closer match. The score was knotted at 2-2, but Chee took a lead he would not give up with a minute left in the final period when McClure was given a caution for a third time, for starting before the whistle, resulting in a point for Chee. McClure elected to give Chee a free escape after that, putting Chee up 4-2, but putting both wrestlers back on their feet, a situation where McClure had a better chance to score points, hopefully a takedown that would have tied the match. But Chee remained elusive and scored points of his own, with the score ending at 6-3 in his favor.
“I feel like I went in a little timid and obviously it cost me,” McClure said. “I guess it was the nerves being there for the first time.”
McClure said he felt less nervous in the second match, but still struggled to pick up the intensity.
“I was just lethargic and unexplosive,” he said. “It was very disappointing to me, because I expected to have a better run. But that’s something this sport keeps teaching you over and over. You can do everything right, eat right, lift hard, practice hard, and sometimes things just don’t go your way. But the best part about it is that life goes on, and the best you can do is pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep heading forward.”
Bass admitted that he too was disappointed that McClure did not earn All-State status or even pick up a victory at states. But he said that overall, what McClure accomplished in two years was impressive, considering he was not on anyone’s radar—even his own coach’s—as a sophomore.
“I think he made the most out of the last two years of his high school wrestling career,” Bass said. “Before that, he wasn’t really focused. But he bought in for two years, and to be a county champ is pretty neat. I still think he’s an All-State caliber kid, but he just didn’t have a good tournament. But if you look at what he accomplished in the last two years, it’s really not normal.”
McClure is hoping to continue his wrestling career at the next level, and has drawn interest from several colleges, although he says right now that Ithaca College is his top choice.
“I would love to wrestle in college,” he said. “I just love the sport so much; I love the grind, I love practicing.”
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