Bring It On: No. 4 Lehigh vs. No. 1 Cowboys
Lehigh hosts top-ranked Oklahoma State Saturday
Feb. 11, 2005
By Patrick Thornton The Brown and White
BETHLEHEM, PA (U-WIRE) — Sunday night is the biggest event in the history of mankind – at least in the United States of America. The Revolutionary War is a mere footnote in history compared to the epic strife about to take place on the very soil on which I write.
A battle so epic even Odin would be proud and Cupid will shed tears before his big day. The 30 Years War didn’t brew as long as this one.
It’s this simple: No. 1 Oklahoma State University vs. No. 4 Lehigh University, two juggernauts wrestling in one small arena.
If Stabler Arena is still standing by midnight, demand your money back. Don’t worry though; disappointment isn’t in the cards.
The mighty Mountain Hawks of Old South Mountain entered the season the No. 2 foe in all the land. Midseason mishaps have reduced them to No. 4, but rankings are a mere formality in the grand scheme of things. Everything but No. 1 is for losers and junior Troy Letters and company don’t want to be known as losers.
The rough-riding Cowboys are making the long journey to the big-city lights of South Bethlehem and they are ready to bring it. The Roman Empire has nothing on them. Since the dawn of man, the Cowboys have dominated the wrestling scene. Two straight national titles is a mere pittance to them.
In case history has escaped you, Lehigh is one of the most storied wrestling programs in America. It should be clear now that Oklahoma State is the program. Everyone else is just second-string sissies.
The courageous and stout Hawks almost struck victory on Jan. 21 in the 2005th year of our lady. Alas, they lost a heartbreaker, 20-16. Of course, almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
However, there is one small problem.
The knights of justice are missing their King Arthur. Senior all-galaxy Jon Trenge is currently on a suspension. Will he return? No one knows. Without him, Lehigh is an 18-wheeler without an engine.
With him, Lehigh has a chance of plowing through that brick wall. If the honorable and valiant Hawks put the pedal to the metal and give it their all, even the greats can fall.
After all, a bunch of farmers with pitch forks beat a bunch of gentlemen in red coats.
Perhaps, the biggest moral booster will be the sight of Trenge coming out of that tunnel surrounded by the fog of war as he looks off into the sunset to say goodbye to his inhibitions.
He’ll slowly walk to the ring as spectators stand stunned, the Cowboys look mortal and his teammates are filled with pride and inspiration.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe he won’t wrestle. That just means the epic about to consume us will become the biggest David and Goliath story ever. And the only David anyone will ever talk about from Bethlehem won’t be a king, but the greatest wrestling team in all the land.
If you don’t have tickets for the Sunday night, then make sure you watch it on TV.
Do you really want to miss the greatest story ever to be told?y
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