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I don't think it's been mentioned, but can we take a moment to give some attention to Robert Shockey and Nick Giompalo?

Shockey, entering the tournament with a pretty bad injury, yet battling through to help his team secure a team championship, all the while knowing that winning an individual state championship was going to very difficult to do against someone like Giompalo.

And then Giampalo holding off on doing anything to put pressure on Shockey's bad leg. I saw him, several times, reach back to grab the leg, only to let it go and move on to something else.

I know the match was very one sided and wasn't the wrestling chess match that it could have been, but it was awesome to see the sportsmanship and respect towards each other.

Brian

He showed heart and Class!

Shockey showed a lot of heart the whole tournament. He struggled greatly with his knee in the semi final. No one would have blamed him if he didn’t wrestle the finals match. I’m sure the CM wrestler appreciated getting to have a finals match instead of receiving a forfeit.

Agree 100%

This is indicative of the coaching both these young men received as well. To compete with the injury that Shockey had took incredible willpower and grit and I am sure he wanted to wrestle that finals match. Kudos to him for his courage and to his coaches for allowing him to try albeit with not much chance of success. On the other side, the class and skill of Giampolo was also something to behold. To defeat a wrestler of Shockey’s caliber while at the same time taking special care not to further injure him was quite a feat. Imagine wrestling for a state title but not being able to use all your options in scrambles, etc. by self declaring a body part “off limits.” Giampolo’s coaches deserve a nod too for having the health and welfare of the opposition as top priority instead of the “Sweep the leg, Johnny!” mentality. This match was a demonstration of much that is to be admired in our sport and both wrestlers and staffs should be commended!

I noticed Mr. Giompalo helped Mr Shockey as they were stepping down from the awards podium.

No disrespect to other sports, but I think we see this type of character and sportsmanship more often in wrestling than in any other sport. Wrestlers know what other wrestlers go through to get to the top and I think it gives them a measure of respect for each other that doesn't show up as often as in other sports.

Kudos to Mr. Shockey for his heart and grit in finishing 2nd in spite of his injury. I have no doubt that he earned it.
Kudos to Mr. Giompalo for showing the type of class and character of a true champions.

Shockey just transferred to Cabell Midland. If this transfer was already in the works, perhaps it helps explain the extra sportsmanship

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