Editor’s note: Today is part two of our story on Oxford Academy graduate J.P. O’Connor, who is now training for a spot on the U.S. Olympic wrestling team.

BOSTON – As J.P. O’Connor was finishing off his high school career at Oxford Academy, Kyle Dake of Lansing was just starting to make his mark on the state scene. O’Connor, as a senior in 2006, blasted the competition on his way to the 145-pound Division One state title. Dake, meanwhile, placed third as a freshman in his first New York State meet, and he went on to win a pair of Division Two state titles.

History repeated itself in the 2010 the NCAA Division One wrestling tournament at Omaha, Neb. O’Connor, a senior, was already a three-time all-American, yet a national title still escaped him. O’Connor would ultimately win the 157-pound title, and it came two matches after Dake made the biggest of splashes winning the 141-pound national crown as a true freshman.

“Sometimes people forget what a true freshman means,” O’Connor said. “A lot of guys will redshirt (sit out a year) if they need it or they’re not physically ready. For a 17- or 18-year-old kid to go wrestle with guys 22 and 23 years old... a performance like that was amazing.”

Less than two weeks ago, Dake was back in the national tournament as the number four seed at 149 pounds. O’Connor watched Dake’s dominant display in which he gave up just one point the entire tournament, and that point was a disputed penalty issued by the referee in the finals. “I’m not even counting that point,” O’Connor said. “Not only did Kyle win, he dominated everyone.”