“Miraculous Moves”: Wrestler Wins First JHS State Title In 21 Years

Fares Alkurdasi used grit and maybe a bit of magic to capture the 175-pound state 8A title with a dramatic 4-1 overtime decision in the finals. With all other matches complete, all eyes in the Greensboro Coliseum were on Alkurdasi and his opponent as they finished three periods locked in a 1-1 bout.

Fares Alkurdasi winning the 8A state title

“When it looked like he was about to lose with thirty seconds left, he made some gutsy/miraculous moves to defend from his opponent and take an attack (score a takedown) of his own that won it at the last second,” reports coach Micah Marcin. “It was absolutely electric!”

Alkurdasi hugging his coaches

Marcin added that Alkurdasi had about 20 family members in the stands who celebrated. “Two of them ripped their shirts off and were going nuts. The whole stadium was clapping and cheering, so it was a surreal moment.”

Alkurdasi wrote on Instagram, “I dreamed of thismoment for the past four years, put everything I had into it and it paid off.” He thanked his coaches for guiding him, pushing him and helping to develop his style on the mat.

Alkurdasi after winning the 8A state title

Marcin said Alkurdasi deserves much of the credit. “I've never met a single kid or adult with the type of work ethic Fares displayed over his four years at Jordan…He changed the whole outlook of our program.”