The team outcome was all but predetermined, yet Soddy-Daisy wrestling fans jammed the home stands Thursday for their Trojans’ match with District 5-AAA rival Ooltewah.
Soddy-Daisy won 74-0.
The fans were there to see an anticipated upper-weight battle between the Owls’ Victor Bednarski, the state’s top-ranked 220-pounder, and their own Ty Boeck, the versatile football player who manned positions at quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receiver, linebacker and punter this past fall.
This was a meeting of returning state medalists, the senior Bednarski third at 220 pounds and the junior Boeck a sixth-place finisher at 182. Boeck rallied three times and finally pulled out a 9-8 victory with a takedown in the final 20 seconds.
“It’s an awesome feeling, beating the No. 1 wrestler in the state. I was nervous before the match. I felt like I could take him to the deep end of the pool and drain him,” said Boeck, who now stands 18-0. “He’s the strongest guy I’ve ever wrestled, without a doubt.”