Somers Trio Shines at the States

Scroll to end for all winter photos

On Thursday February 26, the Section One wrestling bus departed for the MVP Arena in Albany, and all aboard, Somers was well represented. TJ Mauro, Ethan Steuber and Ryan Ball have been together since 5th grade and went out doing justice to all the years of hard work.

Ball took sixth and both Steuber and Mauro finished in the top 12.

Mauro’s first time, the 190 pounder took in the relaxation of the ride, but on Friday morning, he was a bit unnerved by the jam packed crowd. “My first match it got to me,” the Tusker revealed, and the resulting loss brought a cold reality.

“I realized if I lose, my wrestling career is over,” he assured. So getting in sync, the Tusker pounder won his next two matches, and despite losing to open day two, the wrestler still felt accomplished.

Refusing to succumb after the opening, the way forward wasn’t just impeded by another kid with a higher seed, according to Mauro. “Every match at this tournament is a sectional championship match,” he clarified.

So a tough 2-0 match into the second period was no surprise. Up for grabs, Mauro tipped the scales for good. “I got a takedown, and he didn’t respond,” Mauro said of the 4-1 victory.

One down, Mauro knew the score. “I needed one more to get to tomorrow,” said Mauro.

Up 5-4 in the third, there was still plenty of work to do. “He escaped to make it 5-5, and in the last 30 seconds I got a takedown,” Mauro reported.

The senior didn’t just attribute the final three points to good technique, though. “Wanting it more in those last 30 seconds," he told himself, “this it, this is my career.”

Good enough, the hotel awaited for a chance to kick back. Not quite, the other dire demand of wrestling didn’t get a rest. “They give you an extra pound,” he lamented. “We got one pound.”

Mauro still had a decent meal from Chipotle, and any doubts were alleviated next door. “Ryan (Ball) had a scale, so I went to his room to weigh myself,” he said.

Well within the parameters for the next day, Mauro found that he still had plenty on his plate. “The kid just outwrestled me,” he said. “A major decision, that was the end.”

A finality that didn’t set in right away. “I hugged my coaches, and as I was walking off, it really hit me when I was taking off my singlet and shoes,” said Mauro.

The chance to reflect still shone brightly. “I’m sad that it’s over, but I’m happy with my performance. I did way better than I expected and went further than my seeding,” he said.

As for continuing as a wrestler, time holds the answer. “I’m taking a month off to see how much I miss it,” he said.

The decision has him winning either way. “I met a lot of great people and learned a lot,” asserted Mauro.

On the latter, he offered his knowledge for all the Somers wrestlers to come. “There’s going to be times when you don’t feel motivated. But if you stay disciplined, you’ll be successful,” Mauro assured.

The number nine seed had a similar take. “Cutting weight or doing extra reps, it’s not not something you want to do. But it feels good when you work through it, and it’s alway worth it,” said Ethan Steuber.

On day one after his first round bye, the 110 pounder definitely felt the difference. A double overtime victory, Steuber was certain a year’s worth of hard work allowed him to ride out the final 30 seconds. “I was better prepared,” the senior clarified.

The last week of work at Horace Greeley played a part too, but the gathering of section one’s best was more symbolic. “You made it, and everyone there had the highest honor in the area,” said Steuber.

The kickback on the bus wasn’t bad either. “We mostly joked around and had a good time,” he said.

Onto the hotel, his relaxation didn’t fall prey to his teammate’s angst, and that’s not just because the wrestler has been here before. “I’ve been pretty good at not letting moments become too big,” said the Tusker.

Just another match, Steuber added and then stuck to his guns. “I was going to wrestle to my strength. I wasn’t going to force something that wasn’t there,” he revealed.

The same went for his opponent. “We both wrestled really defensively,” said Steuber, and the dual strategy amounted to a 1-1 regulation tie.

One minute of overtime maintained the status quo, and the ensuing coin flip didn’t have Steuber worried. “I was ready to do either,” he asserted. “If I was down, I was going to get out, and if I was up, I was going to hold him down.”

Choice to his opponent, Steuber simply threw his weight around from the top. Strength and stamina, said the senior, “I held him down.”

Unfortunately, the quarterfinal match saw a lot less drama. “He caught me in the same move several times,” Steuber lamented the 17-1 loss.

Of course, before day two the one pound weight allowance rose to the fore. Running for an hour afterwards and not eating the rest of the night, Steuber took the rules in stride. “One pound, it’s better than nothing,” he joked.

Making due, the blood round awaited. “It was a good back and forth battle,” he said

Going 8-5 to his Section 4 opponent, the short end wasn’t just about the score. “If I had a little more time, I win the match,” Steuber reasoned.

Not to be, there was no bitterness coming off. “I was really grateful for all of the good things I had in my career,” he reflected.

They weren’t just self contained to the mat either. “All the hard work,” said the future engineering student, “you get what you put into it, and as an honor student, it related very well.”

Finally, Ryan Ball completed the trifecta for Somers and first reveled in the ride. “Not every school has three wrestlers qualify - so it was fun having my Somers teammates with me on the ride up to Albany. TJ, Ethan, and I grew up on the youth wrestling circuit since we were five years old,” said the 138 pounder.

His fourth trip, he didn’t medal the first two times, and a mental shift emerged. “Changing my mindset to winning states instead of winning the section was the key to my success,” said the sixth place finisher.

Two years in a row, he got a bye in the first round, and a familiar face awaited. “I’ve grown up wrestling with Shane at Empire. His Dad, John Degl has been coaching me at the club the past 13 years now,” said Ball.

No secrets between the two, Ball knew it would be a tough match, and the 6-5 loss left the wrestler reeling. “My Dad had to give me a hard pep talk. He got into me pretty good about my legacy, the last time people would get to see me compete and what they would remember about how I picked myself up or stayed defeated,” recalled Ball.

The Tusker then looked up at the rest of his family for inspiration. “There was no giving up. Win or go home. That is the moment it clicked,” he said.

Now reset, Caleb Brown from Monroe Woodbury was next. “I knew if I could stop his offense, and find the right angle for my attacks, I would get to my offense in the top position, where I feel I am at my best,” he explained.

The strategy worked against Brown, and he dialed it up again for Trey LeChase. “I knew once I got the take down and got my boots in on him I had him,” said Ball.

Another win, the numbers were even better. “I was defeating the 3rd seed and getting my 200th win in the same match,” Ball said.

But again, he had help his lineage. “I had just lost my grandfather Paul Ball a few weeks earlier, and when I needed to dig deep, I looked up and Pop was there for me,” said Ball.

Ball would end up in a wrestle back for 5th place and was forced to settle for 6th. A 17-2 loss to Louden Elliot, he took solace in not giving in. “It was much better than losing twice and going home to end your high school career,” he assured.

His father’s words also helped placate the original goal of winning the states. ““You make plans, and God laughs,” Ball conveyed.

Of course, the wrestler took in the sights one last time. “I was so happy and emotional. I looked around the arena I took it all in. I pointed to my family and all my supporters in the stands and then ran to my coaches and my Dad to give everyone a hug,” he beamed.

A sentiment that was in line with the larger lesson. “I realize it is not all about winning. It is that feeling I get when I have achieved something bigger than myself as I witness the cheers from coaches, teammates and family who encouraged and supported me along the way. These lessons are what I will take with me as I head off to college, hopeful and excited about my future,” concluded the future Castleton College Criminal Justice Major.

Click image for all winter sports photos

Wrestling Video