By Ed Piper
Jack Long, three days after celebrating his Senior Night, won third place at 218 pounds in the long-historied City Conference Championships at Lincoln High Sat., Feb. 1.
Long, who received a forfeit in the dual meet against Madison Jan. 29 but hasn't wrestled in competition since December due to injury and illness, pinned Parker Adamson of Cathedral Catholic in 34 seconds in the consolation semifinals, then held Kearny's Aiden Harvey's shoulders to the mat for three seconds in the final in 30 seconds.
The quiet, hulking senior, who starred for the Viking football team at outside linebacker the past three years, was on a roll of three pins in four bouts, starting with Harvey the first time in the championship bracket. That match lasted 1:42, an eon for Jack on this day of quick pins.
Long met his match in the championship semis against Ryan Stadtherr (pronounced "Stoddard" without the "d" by the football announcer), a running back and nemesis from the Scripps Ranch football team who led his team to the Eastern League title this year, defeating La Jolla at home on the way, 19-15.
Stadtherr beat Jack by fall in 1:12, sending him to the consolation bracket.
