By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

FOREST GROVE, Ore.–  Needing some points quickly down 6-4 to Sprague’s Dane McKinney, McKay’s Andy Rubio needed to make a move, and quick with under a minute to go in the third round.

His teammates, cheering by his matside.  The crowd going nuts, some for the Royal Scot wrestler, others for the Olympian grappler.

On the opposite side of the mat and stopping the prep work for his next wrestler, you saw McKay Head Coach Troy Thomas hopping down the gym yelling with his assistant coaches at Rubio at what to do.

Somehow, someway Rubio tied it up and forced overtime in the 160 pound match with McKinney, six-all.

The atmosphere was tense.  McKay hasn’t had a District Winner in many of years.  Assistant Coach Tyler Thomas only finished Runner-Up at Districts in his successful wrestling career during his McKay wrestling days.

All that was needed was one point.  A reversal could do it, but both wrestlers wanted a takedown.

When the whistle blew, it was game time again and was Rubio who got that point to end the match.

As insanity erupted in the basketball gym at Forest Grove High School, a tearful Rubio hugged McKinney as Rubio’s teammates swarmed him as he got off the mat.  Even a few North Salem wrestlers came up to congratulate the junior as emotions ran wild for Rubio.

“It feels amazing,” Rubio said trying to put to words his thoughts.  “I’ve always wanted this.  I just feel amazing, there’s no words to explain it I’m speechless.

“I want to thank everyone that believed in me, I didn’t believe in myself.  Times at practice when I thought, I couldn’t go no more…Adam (Dryden) kept pushing me every day.  My coaches, they believed in me.  How can’t I do it without all that love and support from them.”

His teammate, Adam Dryden, had to regain focus for his match at 170 pounds versus Sprague’s Spencer Nofzinger.  But struggle to duplicate the same in his Championship bout as he finished Runner-Up in the 170-pound bracket.

Dryden, the second and final member of the McKay team to advance to the State Tournament, is excited to get back to work to get this taste out of his mouth.

“I can’t wait to get back to practice and get back to work Monday,” he said.  “I don’t have any excuses, I’m proud of my team.  I just have to come back to practice Monday.”

The Scots were close to having a third as first-year, freshman wrestler David Rubio found himself battling in the third-place match in the 145 pound bracket.

Though the frosh lost to McNary’s Wyatt Kesler, Rubio said that it lit a fire underneath him for the future.

“There’s a drive there,” said Rubio.  “I’ll come back stronger, work my butt off so this won’t happen next year, try to get first.”

For Troy Thomas, the head coach was proud how his team worked their tails off and how Rubio and Dryden set prime examples for their teams.

“Andy Rubio and Adam Dryden are prime examples of hard work and dedication resulting in the fruits of your labor,” said Dryden.  “Andy Rubio with a District Title, Adam Dryden with a Runner-up.  Those boys work they’re asses off and they really showed today.  They’re motors kept running, they both had great tournaments.

“And David Rubio, placing fourth here really showed the future of the program.”