No Looking Back Cheney’S Falor Aims For Mat Classic

Cheney wrestler Blake Falor is no stranger to pain.

There’s the pain he experienced last year after breaking two ribs while practicing with a teammate.

There was the pain of watching Hanford’s Mike Schwegel win state last year while his own injury contributed to an early exit.

There’s the pain Falor has endured this year by running 100 sets of stairs daily to become better prepared.

“He absolutely despises the stairs,” said Blackhawks coach Aaron Mason. “It takes a lot of work. It’s 25 minutes of tough aerobic activity, but Blake is the only heavyweight I’ve had who will do that.”

No pain, no gain.

A healthy and conditioned Falor has defeated Schwegel on successive weekends to qualify for his third straight State 3A Mat Classic state tournament this weekend in Tacoma.

Both Mason and his charge hope that it can come down to the two again for the state title.

The 240-pound Blackhawks senior moved to Cheney from Chehalis near the end of his eighth grade year when his mother was promoted to manage a restaurant in Spokane.

Falor and his future coach hooked up initially on the baseball field. Mason, he said, believed in him before he even started wrestling.

“You could see right away he was an athlete,” said Mason. “He had hand-eye coordination, balance and was very observant. He can pick things apart and analyze.”

He was also the American Legion baseball player who one summer hit a tape-measure home run well up on the Cheney High School roof, then allowed that earlier he’d hit one even higher.

But he said he’s giving up baseball because a sore arm prevents him from pitching.

“I used to be really good at it, but I threw my arm out and if I couldn’t pitch anymore, I’m not going to play baseball any more,” he said. “Pitching is what I love to do.”

That, says his coach, is the kind of person Falor is. When he makes up his mind to do something, he sticks to it.

Falor stuck three years in football, first in the offensive line, then at linebacker and tight end, earning all-league honors as a junior.

He placed seventh in state as a sophomore 275-pound wrestler. Last year, prior to regionals, he broke his ribs while teaching a throw to state-qualifying teammate Joe Wulsczynski.

“He went to run it and landed on me,” said Falor.

He didn’t tell his coaches or his parents the severity of his injury, preferring to wrestle. Falor was second to Schwegel in regionals after having beaten him the week before. But he went out at state in three matches.

“I couldn’t stand up straight and couldn’t really move like I usually do,” he said. “People could do more stuff on me.”

Watching Schwegel win state has been a factor that drives Falor this year.

Falor and Schwegel have met eight times over their careers with Falor winning five. He has compiled a 35-3 overall record as a senior. One loss is to Schwegel, another to Lakeside High 2A state finalist and repeat qualifier Chad Charbonneau.

What his practice sessions have taught him is the value of aggressiveness, mental preparation and confidence. He’s continued to work at perfecting the details that could win him a state medal.

“Blake’s not a typical heavyweight,” said Mason. “He’s a big kid with great athletic ability. It’s rewarding to see things come together. I hope and pray that he can put it together for one more weekend.”