INDIANAPOLIS — Christian White sat at a crossroads on Saturday afternoon.
After losing a heartbreaking quarterfinals match by decision 4-3 during the IHSAA wrestling state finals in Indianapolis, the New Palestine junior had two choices.
He could either pick himself up and move on or the two-time state qualifier could let the setback at Bankers Life Fieldhouse hold him back.
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He chose the former.
White rebounded with back-to-back decisions to place fifth at 120 pounds, earning his first career state medal.
“I lost a close one early in the morning. It was a 50-50 match. If I wrestled him again, it could have easily been a different outcome, but I wanted to finish as high as I could,” White said. “Fifth was the highest I could finish.”
In the morning’s quarterfinals, the possibility of third-place or higher existed through nearly six minutes.
White (37-5), who was ranked seventh in the state by IndianaMat, was tied with Wheeler’s third-ranked Giovanni Diaz (42-2) entering the third period 2-2. After a scoreless first period, both wrestlers exchanged reversals in the second, but Diaz made his move in the final period to move on and eventually place third.
“We knew (Diaz) was tough going in, and he’s been excited about that potential matchup all week,” New Palestine head coach Alex Johns said. “It came down to the last period, and he cut us, and he got the late takedown, but that’s how it goes. The kid is a senior and he’s been here before.”
So has White, and he took advantage in his first Saturday at state after falling on opening night last year. But, it wasn’t easy.
In the consolation round, White fell behind 5-0 and suffered a shoulder injury against Churubusco’s Dominic Heath (35-4). Able to grit through the discomfort, White rallied with seven points capped by a late takedown and nearfall in the third period to win by decision 7-6.
“I didn’t want to be in the seventh-place match. So I came back,” White said. “I was losing and got injured. Took some time, but I came back down 5-0 and won 7-6. That match led me into the (consolation finals).”
Against Evansville Mater Dei’s Alec Freeman (40-4), who was ranked fifth in the state, White won by decision 3-1 to secure his placement.
“I feel like that match could have been even more in my favor, but I wasn’t 100 percent, but I got the job done, and that’s all that matters,” White said. “The next stop is being under the lights. That’s the goal. My brother did it. He got sixth his junior year and came back (the next year) and got first. It’s my turn to get first.”
Johns believes anything is possible for White, who progressed into a state-place winner after only his first go-around at state and returns next year as one of two in the tournament’s top five that isn’t graduating following this season.
“He wrestled really well this weekend. In our last two matches, we beat two semistate champs. One from Fort Wayne and one from Evansville, so taking third at our semistate, the two guys ahead of him wrestled for the title,” Johns said. “So, we did our job. This is a new experience for him, wrestling Saturday, and he has one more year left. One more chance.”
