Oct. 31, 2006
It has been brought to my attention that many people are skeptical about understanding the scoring of collegiate wrestling matches. If you fall into this category, then hopefully this chronicle will help you.
To begin this free and brief online course, lets break down the match. Each match consists of three regulation periods. The first period is three minutes, and the second and third periods are two minutes. A regulation match lasts seven minutes, unless the score is tied. In this case, like every other sport, there is overtime.
Every match begins in the neutral position with both wrestlers standing in their stance ready to wrestle. After the match begins, each wrestler can earn points through executing moves that score as follows: Takedown = 2 points, Reversal = 2 points, Escape = 1 point. If a wrestler gets his opponent on his back, the referee will immediately begin to count once there has been back exposure past 90 degrees. If the referee counts between two and four seconds before the wrestler gets off his back, the controlling wrestler is awarded 2 points near fall. Also called back-points, if the referee should reach a five count, the controlling wrestler is awarded 3 points. If at any time a wrestler's shoulder blades touch the mat simultaneously for slightly over a second, the controlling opponent earns a pin and the match is over.
Riding time is accumulated when a wrestler is in the top position and controls his opponent. If the bottom wrestler escapes, riding time will stop. If the wrestler gets a reversal, riding time will count down in reverse in the other wrestler's favor. If by the conclusion of the match, a wrestler has gained one or more minutes of riding time, then he is awarded one additional point to his final score. As I mentioned above, if the match is tied at the end of regulation time, there will be overtime. Overtime consists of one minute in the neutral position--with both wrestlers facing each other in their stance. If neither wrestler scores a takedown, then each wrestler has 30 seconds starting in the bottom position. During this time, riding time continues and becomes more of a factor. The overtime process I have explained continues until there is a victor. What you thought was going to be a seven-minute match might end up a 10 to 15 minute match. The longest match I've wrestled in college was 9 minutes at the NCAA national tournament. All I remember from that match was being exhausted. I would tell my legs to move, but they didn't obey. In the end, it all didn't seem so bad because I came out the victor.
After the conclusion of each match in dual meet competition, team scoring is as follows:
3 team points = Wrestler wins match by no more than seven points
4 team points = Major decision--Wrestler wins match between eight and 14 points
5 team points = Technical Fall--Wrestler wins match by 15 points
6 team points = Wrestler earns a pin
The more matches you watch, the more you will understand what constitutes as a takedown, reversal, escape, near fall, etc. If you struggle understanding how scoring works, all is not lost. If worse comes to worst, cheer when you hear the other Illini fans cheer! Our season begins with intra-squad wrestle-offs this Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall.
