A Champion For The Ages Lawrence Stakes Claim As Idaho’s Best Ever

Jared Lawrence’s high school wrestling career ended Saturday afternoon the way it started: victorious, with his hand raised in the center of the mat.

The Sandpoint senior captured a fourth straight title, finishing undefeated at 133-0 overall, 39-0 this season. Lawrence did it in typical dominating fashion, scoring a technical fall early in the third period against Meridian senior Jeremy Dolman in the 135-pound class before a crowd of 7,000 at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena.

What will be Lawrence’s place in state history? How about best ever.

Just one other A-1 wrestler was undefeated in four years, and Lawrence collected 10 more wins than he.

“That will stay in the record books for a while,” said Lawrence’s brother, Brett, himself a four-time state champ, by telephone from Minneapolis. “That would be in a lot of states’ record books.”

Brett Lawrence, a redshirt freshman at the University of Minnesota, who posted a 123-5 prep record, wanted to be in Pocatello for his brother’s final matches. But practice and schoolwork wouldn’t allow it.

He’ll be able to watch his brother’s final feats on video. Parents Tom and Debbie Lawrence have all their sons’ matches recorded on video.

And Jared and Brett will have plenty of time to reminisce when Jared joins his brother at Minnesota in the fall.

Back to the future

While the wins have run together for his parents, Jared remembers his first match as a freshman.

It was at a tournament in Ronan, Mont., and Lawrence, unseeded, drew the No. 1 seed at 103 pounds.

“I was real nervous about it,” Lawrence recalled. “I ended up beating him like 9-2.”

Lawrence started his career against the toughest competition and hasn’t ducked anyone since.

A wrestler doesn’t compete at the Reno Tournament of Champions, for example, and expect to take on chopped liver. Lawrence won championships at Reno his sophomore and senior years. Sandpoint couldn’t attend last year because of severe winter flooding.

Lawrence also became the first four-time champ in the 26-year history of the Tri-State Tournament.

“One of the impressive things about Jared’s (final) season is the lack of pressure he exhibited,” Sandpoint coach Eric Langley said. “He never came across as being tense or uptight.”

Langley was more intense and uptight, having taken over for longtime coach Dan Taylor, who resigned to follow his son, Zac, in his final season at Minnesota. Dan Taylor drove to Pocatello to watch Lawrence’s final matches.

“I just didn’t want to screw anything up,” Langley said. “It’s refreshing that at the top of the top is a kid who is very classy. He’s not a jerk. Winning is what he’s all about.”

The only points Lawrence allowed this season were by escapes, and 99 percent of those were when he cut loose opponents to score more takedowns.

His closest match this year came in the quarterfinals at Reno, a 9-3 decision.

“Jared was trying for a pin, but the kid kept balling up on him,” Langley said. “We probably should have just done catch and release with him.”

What a ride

It’s been a tough week for Jared’s parents knowing their youngest child’s season was coming to an end. The emotions of the past four seasons have flooded their thoughts.

But there they were Saturday night on the top row of the south end bleachers. Tom, a family doctor, video camera in hand, and Debbie, a homemaker, watched in their usual stoic manner as their son pummeled his final foe.

“As I look back, this year has gone incredibly fast,” Tom said. “We’ve been counting down the final things - the last Tri-State, the last home dual, the last dual. …”

The last state tourney.

“I remember taking the boys to their first wrestling practice,” Tom said of the youth program that would become the feeder program to the high school. Brett was in third grade, Jared in first.

“They liked it from the very first day,” Tom said.

Tom wrestled two years in high school at Flathead in Kalispell, Mont. The only reason he turned out for the sport as a junior was because he was cut in basketball.

“I went to state two years, but I wasn’t nearly as successful as the boys,” Tom said. “I don’t even remember my record.”

Family ties

Tom and Debbie have much to be proud of. Yes, their sons have a combined eight state titles, but there are many other things they will cherish, too.

Like the fact both sons carried 4.0 grade-point averages and were good citizens and very sociable.

On the mat, though, making friends wasn’t top priority.

“Both kids have very good work ethics,” Tom said. “Jared’s game was not a waiting game. He was very offensive. That became more apparent last year.”

Debbie said she tried to begin preparing for this week more than a month ago.

“It’s been hard because there have been so many milestones along the way,” she said. “Tri-State was very emotional.”

Debbie recalled a fond memory of the first year the boys wrestled.

“It was a little kids tournament in Chewelah and Brett lost and Jared won,” she said. “Jared looked at me and said, ‘Make them do it over, make them do it over.’ Jared was more crushed than Brett was. Brett’s loses were always difficult for Jared.”

Ask Jared Lawrence who the best wrestler is in his family and he doesn’t hesitate answering.

“Brett’s the best,” said Jared, who counts his brother as his best friend. “I can’t beat him.”

Brett is two years older, but is 3 inches shorter than Jared. Brett wrestled at 118, though he comfortably carries about 145 pounds out of season.

“Those days are numbered,” Brett said of his ability to handle Jared. “When he gets here and gets as strong as me, things will even up real fast. It won’t take a full year of college. We’ll probably be having some good goes by Christmas.”

The final match

Dolman knew he didn’t have a chance Saturday. But he didn’t take a dive. He worked as hard as he could like many of Lawrence’s victims.

“He really kicked my butt; he’s a great wrestler,” Dolman said, smiling. “It’s a great honor to be able to wrestle him.”

Dolman’s coach also praised Lawrence.

“He’s got to be right near the top, if not the top,” Meridian coach Kelly Bartlett said of Lawrence’s place in history. “A lot of people don’t realize all the work he’s put in. For most people it takes quite a bit of talent and some luck. Jared’s done it all with talent.”

Lawrence knew he wasn’t going to be pushed at state. A couple of wrestlers went up or down a weight to avoid him. The quality was down.

But Lawrence finished wrestling perhaps his best ever, winning his three matches before the final by pin.

“He really could have let down coming into the tournament because of the lack of quality,” Langley said. “But he didn’t let down for a minute. That’s the best I’ve ever seen him (the last three years).”

Lawrence said his career accomplishments haven’t sunk in yet. He even admitted having butterflies prior to his final match.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words,” Lawrence said. “It’ll probably hit me in a few days. When it hits me I know I’ll probably be emotional and shed a few tears.”

Lawrence wrote the conclusive chapter of his career Saturday. It’s a quick and impressive read - like most of his matches.

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This sidebar appeared with the story: THE LAWRENCE RESUME 4 state titles 133-0 (best in state history) 39-0 this season (best season mark) 4 Tri-State titles (two Outstanding Wrestler honors) 2 Reno titles