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February 9, 2008
6:26:34 PM
Entry #: 2591295
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Calvert Hall's 119-pound Nik Gialamas (left) won his fourth clash with St. Mary's Kenneth Green, 8-4, to even their series at 2-2 and earn a berth into the second MIAA title-bout of his career.
COUNTER ATTACK: Calver Hall's 119-pound Nik Gialamas (right) scored this takedown in the final nine seconds of Saturday's MIAA semifinal to secure an 8-4 victory over St. Mary's Kenneth Green. With the win, Gialamas earned a berth into the finals opposite defending champ Nick Schenk of McDonogh.by Lem Satterfield
Calvert Hall's Nik Gialamas never could get the memory of his last match -- a most devastating loss -- with St. Mary's Kenneth Green out of his mind.
Gialamas led by four points entering the second period, where the wily freshman mounted a comeback that ended with Gialamas' back being pinned to the mat by Green for the second straight time.
What galled and perhaps baffled Gialamas even more is that fact that the senior had dominated Green during their initial meeting.
That one ended with the Calvert Hall wrestler's hand being raised following a first-period pin over Green.
"That last time, I was winning, and he rolled me," Gialamas said of last month's loss, which was preceded by a 45-second setback to Green in December.
"The thing I kept thinking about was his rolls," Gialamas said. "I just didn't want that to let that happen again."
Gialamas made good on his opportunity during Saturday's semifinal matchup opposite Green in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament.
Gialamas took an 8-4 decision that earned him a berth in the finals opposite defending champ Nick Schenk of McDonogh.
Gialamas -- whose brother, Bill (112), made the finals for the first time -- returned to the championship for the first time since his sophomore year, when he was a runner-up to Mount St. Joseph's Austin Clouse.
Gialamas set the tone against Green on Saturday, with a takedown for a 2-0 lead. Then, with the bout tied at 2-2, Gialamas reversed Green to go ahead 4-2.
With Green attempting to get back into the match, Gialamas took advantage of his aggression by out-scoring him, 4-2, in the third period --securing a takedown in the final nine seconds.
But the overall key to the match was Gialamas, from time-to-time, immobilizing Green's leg while riding from the top position.
"This time, I just kept track of his leg so he couldn't do his rolls," Gialamas said. "I wrestled a lot smarter this time, and that's what won the match for me, I think."
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