2011 Provincial Championship

Haven't been blogging much this month due to the fact that I've been spending every free moment training for the 2011 Provincial Championship (which were yesterday).  The tournament went well and I was able to stick to my basic game plan (Secure take down with Tai Otoshi or a leg sweep, get side control, look for submission, move to scarf hold, look for submission, move to N-S, look for submission).  I made it to the finals.  My last match went something like this:
- Opponent pulls guard, I manage to stuff their leg as they're doing it so that his right leg is stuck under me, and the left leg is wrapped behind me.
- I put my head down towards the mat on the side of the left leg, push my left hand onto his right knee, and use my right hand to pin his hips to the mat.  Then I bring my right leg back (keeping hims low) and pass to side control.
- In side control we battle for a bit, and I'm trying to work his right arm up higher so that his elbow's off the mat.  I move back and forth between regular side control and scarf hold, and the whole time he is battling me for my right arm underhook.  I threatened and nearly got an arm lock on his right arm with my legs (while in scarfhold), but he saw it at the last second and managed to get free.
- Finally, he bridges and frames and I have my hips up too high . . . losing side control.  There's a bit of a scramble and I end up in his guard.
- Opponent puts on the pressure threatens a couple of sweeps.  I get distracted and too loose (elbows not tight enough).
- With less than a minute left the opponent grabs one of my arms and pops on a triangle.  I panic my mind blanks for a second and I don't posture up enough.  The triangle sinks in and I have to tap.

Ah well, going to focus on drilling a few triangle escapes until they're second nature.  I'm also going to really focus on keeping tighter (elbows in) and better posture.  Can't be unhappy with the silver though, and it was awesome that I could stick to my game plan.  Our team seemed to be doing pretty well, I saw a bunch of guys win medals in different categories . . . so that's cool.  Time to go and eat my way back to 190lbs!