SCMAT begins a nine part series looking at the Greatest State Duals Finals in South Carolina wrestling history.

This is Part 1 of our series, which will be our Introduction to the criteria for ranking the Greatest Finals.

After the last two years of dramatic, thrilling 5A State Duals Finals, SCMAT started contemplating all the matches over the last 31 years ... and which Finals were the Greatest?

SCMAT evaluated 31 years of State Duals, 97 Finals matches and many photos to refresh memories.

Here is the breakdown, with the number of Finals matches:
5A State Duals Finals - 7
4A State Duals Finals - 31
3A State Duals Finals - 30
2A-1A State Duals Finals - 17
2A State Duals Finals - 6
1A State Duals Finals - 6
Total - 97

We applied one criteria that we felt could reach a smaller list to get to the Greatest Final:

The State Duals Final had to "come down to the last weight class to determine the winner".

We ended up with 19 matches (20% out of the 97) that met the one criteria above.

Here is some trivia from those 19 matches:
Six of the matches had the winning point differential as 2 points or less.
Five of the matches had both Final's teams win an even 7 weight classes each.
Four of the matches had both Final's teams score less than 30 points each.
Four of the matches saw the last three weight classes won by the team champs (and one of those had the last four weight classes win).
Three of the matches came in the first 16 years of State Duals Finals with the other sixteen matches being in the last 15 years.
Two of the matches were won by criteria.

Since SCMAT has been in the gym for almost every one of the State Duals Finals matches, we decided there were elements of uniqueness about the most dramatic finishes.

We applied three more criteria - the State Duals Final had to "be a come from behind win occurring in the last weight class of the match" or "a tiebreaker criteria win". And, "the last weight class had to be wrestled (not forfeited)."

We ended up with 8 matches (8% out of the 97) that met all the criteria above.

Here are the 11 matches that were close to being the Greatest Finals, but did not make the Elite Eight after we added the last three criteria:

2023 5A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Fort Mill 34, Summerville 32
2021 2A-1A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Crescent 37, Bamberg-Ehrhardt 32
2019 2A-1A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Bamberg-Ehrhardt 39, North Central 31
2018 2A-1A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Bamberg-Ehrhardt 44, Liberty 33
2017 3A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - West-Oak 34, Battery Creek 24
2015 2A-1A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Battery Creek 36, Liberty 31
2014 4A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Rock Hill 28, Summerville 23
2009 4A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Rock Hill 28, Fort Dorchester 24
2007 4A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Fort Dorchester 31, Hillcrest 22
1998 4A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Summerville 38, Rock Hill 29
1994 3A State Duals Final (boxscore at link) - Battery Creek 37, Eastside 27

NOTE - there have been many Quarter-Final and Semi-Final matches in State Duals that have been as memorable as the Finals, but for the sake of this article series we are only considering State Finals when the trophy goes home with the winner.

This nine-part series will continue in the days and weeks ahead with ranking the Elite Eight Greatest Finals.

If you notice a correction, addition or just want to comment to these historical articles, please send a reply to scmat@hotmail.com

thanks,

Mark Buford