En route to the state championships, Ben Garnett has lost only two wrestling matches – but the Joseph High School senior admits that it’s the mishaps, not the victories, which tend to stick out.

The last defeat – the memory still prickles Garnett – occurred Jan. 5 at the Jo-Hi Invitational Jan. 5, when he dropped a 13-12 decision to Ted Shaw of much bigger Baker High School (Class 4A). The previous month, in a tournament at Baker, Garnett bested Shaw. Dueling again in the 215-pound weight class’ semifinals at Jo-Hi, Garnett appeared to be in command, although the score was tied 12-12 with almost a minute left in the final period. But after finding he was unable to roll Shaw over for a finishing move, Garnett loosened his grip, rose to his feet and gave his opponent the escape point that decided the match.

Afterwards, a furious Garnett shook his head. Eye-to-eye with Shaw – as coaches, teammates and the crowd were screaming – he lost track of the points and figured, at worst, the match would go to overtime. “You’ve got to know the score,” Garnett regretted.

Concerned with the approaching Class 2A-1A State Championships (Feb. 14-16 in Portland), Joseph head coach Ray Hickman called former associate Matt McDowell to help prepare Garnett. Hickman started as an assistant to McDowell (Wallowa High, Class of 1991), who was with the Joseph program from 1995 to 2004. During that time, a pair of wrestlers, Kyle Couch and Tyson Shirley, won three state titles. The team won district crowns three years in a row (2002-04). Prior to coaching, McDowell – his right ear marred with wrestling’s common “cauliflower ear” – won two national titles wrestling at Southern Oregon University.

During the past two weeks, McDowell drove to Joseph from his ranch in Enterprise to teach Garnett. Part of the challenge has been weak opponents in the district. Often, Garnett finishes his victory in the first period. Then, along comes someone not so easy, like Shaw. “It was his first really tough match of the season,” McDowell said. “He told me that it got him off-kilter; he started doing stuff in a panic mode.”

In a rematch Feb. 2 at the Pine Eagle Tournament, Garnett beat Shaw for the 215 first-place medal.

Last year, Garnett ended with a third-place ranking in the state. With the 2008 state championship meet approaching, and knowing equally strong wrestlers from outside the northeast will be standing in his way, Garnett confessed, “I don’t think I’m quite ready.” His only other loss this season came to Ryan Hake of Lowell High School. Garnett beat Hake at the 2007 finals.

Hickman scrimmaged Garnett, but the more sizeable McDowell was a better match to the 215 class – though it would be hard to characterize Hickman as undersized. Standing five-foot-six and weighing 170 pounds, Hickman is an award-winning power lifter, capable of raising a pair of Ben Garnetts. But when Garnett tried executing a lot of moves, like lifting a 215-pound opponent on a takedown, McDowell was a better fit. “He’s helping me a lot,” Garnett said. “I need to work on my technique and get into shape. It helps that Matt’s heavier than Ray.”

After coasting through weekly tournaments the first two months of the season, Garnett is gearing up for the season finale with exhausting practices. Garnett talked about being weak in his maneuvering from the neutral, upright position, so McDowell armed him with multiple techniques to level the opposition: takedowns, setups for takedowns and shots to either leg. They rehearsed moves repeatedly.

“This is called grooming a state champion,” said Dougie Hickman, Ray’s father and a regular at practices and meets. “After this, it’s gonna be a relief to go to the state championships.”

Contact reporter Hector del Castillo at 426-4567, or e-mail hdelcastillo@wallowa.com.