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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mack Plows ‘Em Under Post Falls Senior A Heavyweight Among Lightweight Wrestlers

Al Mack is out to extend his ownership of the lightest weight class in the A-1 wrestling ranks to three years this winter.

If he does, Mack will become Post Falls High’s first three-time state champion.

“I’d love to be known in the school for a long time as a great athlete,” Mack said. Mack will gladly accept his place in history among North Idaho wrestlers as second-best in the Class of 1998. At the head of the class is Sandpoint senior Jared Lawrence, who’s seeking a fourth state title and an undefeated career.

Lawrence and Mack were at the same weight as freshmen at 103. Mack was a state qualifier that year when Lawrence manhandled the state field. While Lawrence moved up the weight ladder each year, Mack grew but not enough to warrant a change.

“I finally grew enough to wrestle against him in seventh- and eighth-grade before high school,” said Mack, who like Lawrence got his start in the sport in the third grade. “I always knew he was going to be a great wrestler. He’s ended up being the best in Idaho - ever.”

Mack’s done just fine by himself.

One of a handful of his goals is to go undefeated. It’s attainable if he can get through the first few weeks of the season. He’ll wrestle up a weight (112) until early January.

With a 78-23 record, Mack will undoubtedly reach the 100-win milestone, and he has an outside shot at the school mark for career wins (113).

And there’s one other goal, more a matter of pride than anything else. He’d like to be seeded No. 1 at his weight at state.

Mack was seeded fourth as a sophomore, when he captured gold, and third last year.

He should have been top-seeded last year, but Mack had a brain cramp midway in the season when he lost to Meridian’s Joseph Corral at the Clearwater Classic in Lewiston.

“He got a takedown in the final seconds,” Mack said. “I wasn’t mentally ready for him. I knew (after the loss) that I had to work a lot harder than I had been.”

Mack’s coach, Dennis Amende, thought the loss was a product of a poor performance at the University High tournament a week earlier.

“It was the worst I had seen Al wrestle. He looked horrible,” Amende said of the U-Hi tourney. “He was tentative. He was doing the things he can do well, but he wasn’t taking any chances.”

Mack avenged the loss to Corral in a big way at state, scoring a major decision in the semifinals. He calls that match the highlight of his career.

His style is aggressive, taking advantage of his quickness to score on his feet.

“He came back in the semifinals and flat out schooled (Corral),” Amende said. “When it comes crunch time Al is always the first going to the table and always competes. He’s the front-runner this year. Everybody is chasing Al. He will do what he needs to do to get it done.” Amende believes one of the biggest challenges facing Mack isn’t winning a state title. It’s posting an unbeaten record.

“Something Al has had problems with is mental breakdowns,” Amende said. “But his mental breakdowns have never defined his season. Last year it got him focused. I still think it was a fluke that (Corral) beat Al. He didn’t get beat by what the kid did, but by what Al failed to do.”

Amende knows Mack’s toughest opponent won’t be wearing a singlet.

“Complacency - just like last year,” Amende said.

Amende senses Mack is ready to pin his mental opponent.

“My assistant coaches have commented to me about it and I agree. We’ve seen more tenacity in Al than ever before,” Amende said. “He’s focused. His aspirations are high. He’s ready to take it to another level.”

And to ultimately stand tallest among the sport’s smallest.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Road to state The top three placers in each weight at the A-1, A-2 and A-3 state-qualifying tournaments advance to state, which will be held Feb. 26-28 at Pocatello.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Road to state The top three placers in each weight at the A-1, A-2 and A-3 state-qualifying tournaments advance to state, which will be held Feb. 26-28 at Pocatello.