The 2-timer that Mat beat as a freshman was JB Harding from Norton. I saw their first match of the year at the Hoxie Invitational in one of the early rounds. I can't remember if Gilliland was an 8-seed & met up with him first round or if he was a 4- or 5-seed and wrestled him in the semis. But I do remember it was a 1-2 point match (4-2 or 4-3??). That was the first time I had seen Mat wrestle, and I remember being impressed that he definitely wasn't intimidated wrestling a 2x state champ in his first high school match. Mat lost to JB at least 2 more times that year before he finally beat him in the state finals.

Norton & Hoxie is always a big rivalry. But JB gained a lot of respect that night because he took it pretty well considering he hadn't lost for a couple of years.