By Kim J. Harmon

MILFORD – Man, it doesn’t get any more perfect than this.

Just one week after suffering a devastating loss in the 130-pound finals of the South-West Conference tournament Newtown High School junior Nick “The Cat” Feola had the opportunity – on a much bigger stage – to redeem himself.

And redeem himself he did.

Feola defeated Mark Reher of Jonathan Law, 8-6, to capture the CIAC Class L 130-pound state wrestling championship and exact his pound of flesh for the 4-2 defeat he suffered at the hands of Reher in the SWC 130-pound finals.

No, it doesn’t get any more perfect than that.

“I owe that win to the coaches,” said Feola.

Feola had beaten Reher at a tournament earlier in the season, but in the SWC 130-pound finals, Reher slapped a wicked leg lock on Feola and basically rode the Newtown wrestler for six minutes on his way to the 4-2 win.

It was a tough loss for Feola, but he learned a valuable lesson.

“I think I was a little high on myself,” said Feola, “and he got ready for me. In the finals, I thought it was mine. I thought I wouldn’t be stopped. But (Reher) was prepared.”

The coaching staff also learned a few things and in the seven days between the SWC and CIAC Class L finals, they studied those things because everyone knew – like they knew that the sun would come up in the morning – that those two would meet again.

“We decided that Nicky was best on his feet,” explained head coach Alan Potter, “and that takedowns would be the way he would win this match. The strategy was critical, because at the SWCs (Reher) confined Nicky with his legs and tied him up.”

The idea of staying out from underneath Reher was so prevalent that Feola allowed Reher up four times when Feola had position, which allowed Reher to score one point for the escape. Two of those let ups even put Reher ahead in the match.

“Man, that’s tough,” said coach Potter. “It’s tough to tell a kid to let another kid up when it gives the other kid the lead.”

But the strategy – which Feola said he “borrowed” from his former teammate, James Monroe – did not back fire . . . although Reher attempted to use the strategy which won him the SWC title against Feola.

“I practiced legs all week,” said Feola, “and I knew I would have to stay on my feet. That’s where I’m at my best.”

But Reher got the first take down of the match for a 2-0 lead and then rode Feola for the remainder of the period.

“I thought, ‘oh no!’ ” said Feola.

Reher deferred at the start of the second period and Feola chose neutral, both wrestlers beginning on their feet. Feola quickly undercut Reher and took him down to the mat to tie the score, 2-2, but since he was worried about Reher gaining the reversal (two points) and the position he let Reher up, leaving Feola in a 3-2 hole.

But the strategy worked. Feola – who said, “I felt very confident on my feet” – nailed another takedown to grab a 4-3 lead, then let Reher up again to tie the score at 4-4. At the start of the third period, Reher took the down position, hoping to score two on a reversal or at least one on an escape.

Reher got that one point when Feola let him up, putting Feola in a 5-4 hole. But – like he did before – Feola nailed another takedown for a 6-5 lead and then attempted to ride Reher for the rest of the period. He only managed that for about a minute.

And then it got good.

With about 10 seconds left, Reher escaped to even the score at 6-6. And then with three seconds left in the period, Reher tried to get under Feola but Feola turned it around and used a fireman-like grab on Reher to nail another takedown and earn the dramatic 8-6 win.

With the sound of the horn, Feola leapt to his feet, tossed his head gear, and jumped into the arms of coach Potter.

“The goal of every wrestler is to try and be a state champion,” said coach Potter. “After (Nick) lost to Reher, I felt – leading up to the Class Ls – that it might have been the best thing that could have happened to him because we knew he would face (Reher) again. It was just a great day for Nick.”

It was also a great year (which continues this weekend at the CIAC State Open) for a guy who made a dramatic leap forward in just one season – not only in ability (going from a personal record of 25-9 as a sophomore to 38-2 as a junior) but also in attitude.

“I grew up,” said Feola. “I looked at it and figured that wrestling was one of those things I was good at and that I needed to take it seriously. The job of captain comes with a lot of maturity, too, and with James (Monroe), Paul (Giarratano), Brian (Tomasulo) and Steve (McCulloch) gone it was time for me to step out of the shadows.”

Since winning the state championship was his ultimate goal, Feola will take a bit of a more relaxed – but no less serious – look at the CIAC State Open this weekend.

“I’m just going to go out and have some fun,” he said. “I’m still going to work my butt of and I think I have a good shot (and an Open title).”