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SPENCER, Iowa | Rather than accept a sure victory on Thursday night, Amed Castro-Chavez, of Estherville-Lincoln Central High School, chose defeat.

In doing so, he honored his late opponent, Austin Roberts, of Spencer High School.

With the wrestling dual between Spencer and Estherville-Lincoln Central still in its early stages at Spencer Field House, Castro-Chavez stood behind Dan Hewitt, the Midgets' coach. The two of them suspected Spencer might not have a 220-pound wrestler for this match, as Roberts so solidly filled that spot in the lineup before his death on Dec. 19.

Roberts had won 14 matches to start his senior campaign, one that ended when he collapsed during the championship bout in the Spencer Tiger Invitational. He died a couple of hours later at Spencer Hospital.

Castro-Chavez was wrestling on the mat adjacent to Roberts' match that awful day. Castro-Chavez had lost to Roberts earlier in the season.