Arlington's Ben Heizer Scores Dramatic Upsets, Finishes Second in National High School Wrestling Tournament; Only Texas Wrestler to Place At Meet

Business Wire, July 21, 1999

FARGO, N.D.--(BW SportsWire)--July 21, 1999--

Ben Heizer, a June graduate of Arlington, Texas Bowie High School, scored several dramatic upsets on his way to making the finals of the 178 lb. weight class at last night's National Junior Greco-Roman Championships in Fargo, N.D. This tournament is considered to be the ultimate wrestling meet for the nation's finest high-school wrestlers.

Heizer who placed an injury-riddled third in the 1999 Texas High School State Meet, finished second out of 81 wrestlers in his weight class and was the only Texas wrestler to finish in the top eight at any weight group. Going into the national tournament Heizer was unseeded and unheralded.

Heizer battled Justin Millard of Pennsylvania in his finals match, but narrowly lost 4-3. Heizer scored a two-point move with 5 seconds to go and was in position to win the match with a dramatic last-second turn when time ran out. Millard represented the United States team last year in the World Youth Games in Moscow, Russia, where he was one of only two Americans to place. Millard is considered one of the top high school-age wrestlers in America.

According to Frank Halloran, head coach of Team Texas, "Heizer's wrestling was simply fantastic. Ben showed all of us that if you want something bad enough you can make it happen. He was just unbelievable." Heizer has been working out all summer with renowned wrestling instructor and former Big-Ten champion Jack Zindell.

Heizer who has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Northern Illinois this fall is now entered in the National Junior Freestyle meet.

That part of the tournament starts Thursday.