Jay Borchel vs. Bobby Zane battling for a chance to reach their goal by becoming a 128lbs wrestling state champion. Both of them suffer through a long season of wrestling, dehydrations, and cutting weight. They both of them go to the state tournament undefeated and end up battling each other for a state title. ( )

I think this book was enjoyable to read because I related to the characters. I feel that if you wrestle you would enjoy reading this book. If you don’t wrestle it is a good opportunity to get incite on the life of a wrestler. I read this book because I wanted a book that I could relate to and enjoy reading.

Although I no-longer wrestle, this novel was a great display of how one must desire to be a champion. Martino is clearly an expert on the subject of high school sports, particularly wrestling, because he was able to show this through his knowledge of the many wrestling moves and the conditioning necessary to succeed in the sport. I am personally a fan of most sports books, but this is up there with some of the best I have ever read. ( )

This is the story of two high school senior wrestlers, each with his own story and each determined to win the state championships. The boys do not know each other, but through the author's use of alternating chapters, readers learn how their stories are actually quite similar.

Bobby is from an upper middle class family and his parents' marriage is falling apart. Ivan's mother died less than one year ago and his father has been very distant since then. Both boys struggle with these familial relationships and with romantic relationships.

In order to be successful wrestlers, they do horrible things to their bodies. The author is a former high school and collegiate wrestler and his experiences lend a great deal of credibility to the novel.

The book is set in New Jersey. There are a few cultural references to class differences, but not many. The plot is sometimes slow because the protagonist switches between Bobby and Ivan in every chapter. Mature topics include sex and references to bodily functions related to "cutting weight."

Highly recommended for middle school and high school libraries. ( )

Takes you inside the world of high school wrestling. ( )