Harold Nichols coached the same way. He supposedly had a philosophy that if you have a good reversal and a pinning combination you could give up the first takedown and still outscore them 4 or 5 to 2. His teams spent a lot of time practicing on the mat. Maybe that's where Gable developed his thought process?

Didn't Pyle get the first takedown against Drennan down in the 2002 state semis? Maybe even a five point move to start the match? Drennan won, despite that.

First takedowns are important, but in no way guarantee a win.