Did Louden place or even make it to State as a Jr? If not, it kind of makes it ridiculous that a mediocre wrestler would have his sights on the defending state champ.
Loudens goal should have been to make it to state and place. He should have been targeting the best returning wrestler at 178 or 190.
There was a line in the movie that stated that he made the state quarter finals as a first year wrestler, and I assume that was his junior year. Other lines in the movie made me think that Louden and his father just moved to that area. It looked like the climactic match was only a dual meet between his HS and Shute's.
shareThe State Tournament at that time in Washington was a 16 man single elimination bracket. If you lost first round, you were done. If you lost in the quarterfinals, the opponent that beat you had to win in the semi-finals in order for you to advance. The third place match, was wrestled by then the two semi-final losers. The fifth place match was wrestled by the wrestlers beat in the quarterfinals by the two finalist.
So my guess is that Louden's opponent that beat him in the quarterfinals must have lost in the semis. I imagine had he placed, he'd have said it.