Jayson Ness’s 2010 NCAA finals victory was so impressive that ESPN SportsCenter made it the top play immediately after he won. Iowa’s Dan Dennis led 4-2 with less than 10 seconds left when the University of Minnesota star scored a takedown and two near-fall points for a 6-4 win.
Ness finished the season undefeated and was a four-time All-American and 2010 NCAA champion, including three wins on the season over his Hawkeye rival. Dennis finished the season 22-4 and was a two-time All-American, placing seventh in 2009, before making the 2016 Olympic team.
“I was thinking, ‘I’m winning,’ and then I tried stalling,” Dennis said during a Trackwrestling story about the loss. “That doesn’t work well for me. I’m not tactful or slick enough to buy a lot of time — and he’s a relentless wrestler, as well. Hats off to him, obviously.
"It was something that I was focused on and in tune for 95 percent of that match, and you need the whole 100 percent to win it. I didn’t have that in that match, and he capitalized on it.”
Jayson Ness At The NCAA Championships
The bout exemplified the importance of wrestling until the final whistle and showcased the sport’s deep father-son bond. Jayson found his father, Jay (hence the name Jayson - aka Jay’s son), in the stands after the match for a tearful (and joyful) celebration.
A key lesson comes from Ness’s 2008 NCAA finals loss to Indiana’s Angel Escobedo. In that match, he faced a nearly identical scenario to the one he encountered in 2010. Ness was down 5-3 with less than 10 seconds remaining and attempted a lateral drop, but Escobedo countered, scoring a two-point takedown followed by three near-fall points.
Attempting a late lateral drop and losing is why Ness won a title two years later. He built a never-say-die mentality that eventually led to an NCAA title.
Sure, a 5-3 loss (had he not gone for the throw) looks much better than 10-3, but that 10-3 loss is why Ness eventually earned a 6-4 NCAA win (because he went for it). Had Ness not gone for it against Dennis, he’d have lost by a respectable 4-2 score.
So, pick your stat line.
2008: lose 5-3 and finish second
2010: lose 4-2 and finish second
2008: lose 10-3 and finish second
2010: win 6-4 and finish first
Watch both NCAA finals matches below.