NORTH-SOUTH ALL-STAR WRESTLING : Gayer Outlasts Tapia for Small Consolation

It had a loose format, complete with play-by-play public address announcing during matches, but Canyon’s David Gayer took the North-South all-star wrestling meet quite seriously Friday night at Savanna High.

Gayer provided the highlight of the meet, which featured the county’s best seniors, when he upset Zac Tapia, the 135-pound State champion from San Clemente.

In an intense match, Gayer topped Tapia, 6-4, in overtime.

The victory came a few weeks late for Gayer. He lost to Tapia in overtime in this season’s Southern Section championship match. Tapia then went on to win the State title; Gayer didn’t even place at the State meet.

“He won when it counts,” said Gayer, who also lost to Tapia in the Southern Section title match in 1992. “This doesn’t mean anything. He’s the State champ. I’m the guy who won an all-star match. He’s everything.”

Tapia didn’t exactly feel like Mr. Everything following the match. In fact, it took a good 10 minutes before he cracked a smile.

“You know, I’m just thinking that this was an all-star match. I was trying to do my best, but I didn’t take it as serious as I should have, I guess,” said Tapia, who was 53-1 this past season. “I would rather have been in his position than mine. I had nothing to prove. He had a lot to go for.

“I’m thinking, ‘Big deal, I lost.’ But no one likes losing.”

Tapia figures to be more prepared April 2 when he is wrestling in the National High School Championships in Pittsburgh. A good showing there could go far in attracting interest from college recruiters.

Tapia hopes to attend either Arizona State or New Mexico State next season; Gayer said he will probably go to a Division II school. But because neither school has offered Tapia a scholarship, he said he might also end up at a Division II school. That could mean another meeting down the road with Gayer.

“He’s been fun wrestling,” Tapia said. “I’m glad we’re done.”

Tapia wasn’t the only wrestler who had problems getting mentally up for the meet, which was won by the South, 31-25.

“After State, this is hard to come back to,” said Irvine’s Loc Pham, who defeated Santa Ana’s Oscar Orellana, 12-2, in a 112-pound match. “I placed seventh at State. I didn’t want to come here and lose to someone who didn’t qualify for State. But it’s hard to be focused.”