Of the 32 four-time state champs in state history, Moore was the ninth from Graham joining his coach Jeff Jordan, Jim Jordan, Bo and Micah Jordan and David Taylor among others.
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“It is an awesome feeling because I grew up watching those guys,” Moore said. “Bo and Mic were my idols and I looked at them like celebrities. They are great all around people because they are as great off the mat as they are on the mat and I hope little kids look up to me like that.”
Moore recorded a escape and takedown in the second period for a 3-0 lead and hung on to win the Division II title at 145 pounds as Bo and Micah watched from the stands.
“It’s weird because I grew up watching them win four and now they are watching me win mine,” Moore said. “It feels good every time and I loved every second of it. It hasn’t hit me that this is the last time I will wear the black and grey.”
Coach Jordan could tell both Moore and senior Rocky Jordan, who won his third title, were tight heading into the finals.
“Mitch told me before his match we have seen three guys in the last two years lose when going for their fourth and he didn’t want to be that guy,” Jeff Jordan said. “Rocky was really tight too because they are expected to win.”
Graham got also got titles from Tanner Jordan (113) and Joey Sanchez (152) to finish with 231 points and win its 18th straight title.
“You look at Tanner and Joey, they didn’t have state titles yet and they went out there and went after it,” Jeff Jordan said. “I told the guys this week that there are some of them who weren’t born yet when this streak began.”
Jordan’s third title – combined with four by father/coach Jeff, four by his uncle Jim, four each by brothers Bo and Micah and three each by cousins Ben and Isaac – was the 25th for the family. The Jordan family is 110-3 in state matches.
Jeff Jordan and his brother, Jim, were among the first four-time state champs. Jeff never imagined a run of 25 titles by the family never entered his mind.
“I never thought this would happen,” Jeff Jordan said. “But I make my living coaching wrestling and my boys liked to go to the room to hang out with dad and things just kind of fell into place.”
Valley View’s Stone Day kept Graham from adding another title, using a second period takedown to take a 3-0 lead in a 3-2 win over Falcons senior Gage Braun at 195.
Day had lost in overtime in the finals last year to Graham’s Kavan Sarver.
“I knew he was going to be the guy to beat,” Day said of Braun. “Last year after the finals, Coach Jordan said see you next year and I knew then.”
Day had beaten Braun in the finals at Valley View, but suffered his lone loss to him in the district finals.
“This just doesn’t seem real,” Day said. “Starting the journey as a freshman and not making it here and now winning it as a senior.. it is going to take awhile for it to sink in.”
Miami East senior Graham Shore wanted another shot at Genoa’s Julian Sanchez and he made the most of it.
Shore recorded two third-period takedowns to score a 4-2 in the D-III title match at 120. Shore had last to Sanchez in the state quarterfinals last year.
Shore, who will wrestle at the Air Force Academy, had no problems keeping his composure until his parents embraced him after the win.
“This feels awesome,” Shore added. “When you think about this before it happens, you never really know how it is going to feel.
“I knew I was just going to come out and let it all fly and have fun. I didn’t have anything to prove to anyone but myself.”
Troy Christian’s Ethan Turner defeated Genoa’s Oscar Sanchez 2-1 in overtime in the D-III title bout at 113. After escaping from the down position in the first 30-second OT period, Turner rode out Sanchez in the second OT period for the win.
Turner’s teammate, Jacob Edwards fell to three-time state champ Dyan D’Emilio of Genoa 7-0 in the 132 finals.
Eaton’s Wade Monebrake dropped a 14-4 decision to returning state champ Jordan Decatur of CVCA in the D-II finals at 132.
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