The Basics of Scoring High School Wrestling Matches

 

Wrestling pic
Wrestling
Image: youthtoday.org

Kenny Torres is a Los Alamitos educator with more than 24 years of teaching experience. Over the course of his career he has taught math, science, and physical education in the Long Beach and Los Alamitos unified school districts, as well as The Education Corps Charter School. Kenny Torres is also a skilled athletics coach. He was named Orange County Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2002.

During a high school wrestling match, individuals can score points in five different ways. An escape, scored when a wrestler escapes or reclaims a neutral position from an opponent who has them on the mat, is worth one point. Takedowns and reversals are both worth two points and are scored when an individual brings an opponent to the mat or moves from underneath an opponent to assume a position of control.

A near fall, or near pin, is worth either two or three points, depending on the scenario. A near fall occurs when an individual’s shoulders are held flat to the mat or within four inches of the mat, when one shoulder touches the mat and the other shoulder lays at no more than a 45 degree angle to the mat, or when an opponent is put into a high bridge submission on both elbows. A near fall of at least two seconds yields two points, while a near pin that lasts five seconds is valued at three points.

Finally, wrestlers may be penalized points for a variety of reasons. Illegal holds and technical violations are the most common reasons for point penalties, with additional penalties including unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct. The first two transgressions result in a single point penalty, while a third penalty costs two points. A fourth penalty, or a flagrant misconduct penalty at any point in the match, results in an automatic ejection.

Leave a comment