They danced in the dark.
Payson wrestlers watched from the shadows as teammate Caleb Osier took the mat under the spotlight with everything on the line.
The Longhorns led visiting Snowflake 40-36 and needed Osier to simply avoid losing by pin, technical fall or a major decision, the latter of which would have left the match tied and led to tiebreaker criteria to decide the winner.
But the Payson High senior didn’t want his team to win because he simply didn’t lose too badly.
He wanted to win on a night when the school honored him and the seven other members of the wrestling team on senior night. The seniors were recognized in a ceremony before the Snowflake match.
Osier trailed late in the match but he scored a takedown then a pin with 1:32 remaining to secure a 46-36 team win and send his teammates into a frenzy.
Several teammates lifted the heavyweight on their shoulders and carried him out of the arena.
Payson beat San Tan Foothills 55-15 earlier in the night.
Seven Longhorns went 2-0 on the night. That group included Gage Palace at 120 pounds, Lucas Lee (126), Bert Scheer (132), Henry Winston (144), Sal Sellis (175), Jimmy Johnson (190) and Osier (285).
Payson won at eight of the 14 weights against Snowflake, with six of the victories coming by pin and earning the maximum six points.
Payson jumped out to a 24-6 lead after five weights thanks to pins from Hunter Bramlet (113), Palace, Lee and Scheer following a forfeit loss at 106. The Longhorns led 30-12 after Snowflake’s Troy Kinlicheenie won by pin at 138 and Winston won for Payson by forfeit. Kinlicheenie finished third in the state last season.
But the Lobos won three consecutive weights by pin to tie it 30-30 with four weights remaining.
Payson won three of them, with Sellis getting a pin and Johnson a major decision before Devin Kinlicheenie won by pin at 215 to keep his unbeaten record intact and give the Lobos a shot to snatch the team victory.
Braden LaDuke tried to get the pin and steal the team triumph, but Osier had another idea in the rematch of a battle LaDuke won by decision in Snowflake earlier this season.
“It feels really good I won that match but we won the dual,” Osier said. “It was a great feeling. He beat me by two points last time we wrestled (at SF this season), so I was excited to see him again.”
It couldn’t have gone any better for Osier and his classmates.
“It’s a perfect senior night for me,” he said. “All of us seniors we grew up together since third grade. I’ve known Sal and Jimmy since IPS was a school, so I’ve been with them since day one, pretty much. We wrestled our best and I’m happy with everyone. I’m just happy about tonight.”
The victory just gives the 2022 state qualifier more fuel for what’s ahead.
“My goal is to get as far as I can and go to state and this gave me more gas in my tank to go,” Osier said.
Fortunately, he’ll get to wrestle for one of the four state qualifying positions at 285 at the Div. 3 Section 2 Tournament at Wilson Dome on Saturday, Feb. 11, where he could face LaDuke again. The state tournament for all divisions is February 16-18 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
Sellis
Sellis went over and offered Johnson some words of motivation after Sellis’ win as Johnson was checking in for his bout.
“I told him, ‘Let’s go, you only get one senior night,’” Sellis said.
Sellis, Johnson and Osier wrestle each other in practice, which is a big benefit to Sellis when he takes on guys in his weight class.
“It’s really cool,” Sellis said, “Those are my two drill partners. So, what we’re putting in every day at practice is what we’re getting out on the mat (in matches). I feel better getting under (lighter guys at my weight) because they’re not all heavy lifting them up.”
The two-time state qualifier is looking to go out with his first state medal.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “I’m probably going to be pretty high on the state podium. I just want to win it or place high.”
He loved the atmosphere with an estimated 200 spectators sounding much louder in the dome, one of the loudest venues in the state.
“It wasn’t really emotional, but kind of exciting,” Sellis said. “We’re kind of moving on in life. I’ve only got a few weeks left with these guys.
“I really like wrestling here. I like being under the light. It brings different energy in the matches. It’s loud.”
Tim Van Horn this weekend
It was Payson’s only home dual action of the season following the cancellation of two earlier matches. However, the Longhorns will host the section tournament and this weekend’s annual Tim Van Horn Invitational on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28.
