Dave Horning

The Only Thing Dave Horning

Will two combatants in a hard-fought wrestling match overcome their differences and uncover what really matters?




With the score tied at 9, and only 26 seconds left, will Bobby McCoy complete his escape and take the lead, or will Jackie James put Bobby on his back and seal the victory? For both teenagers, winning the high school wrestling match is crucial. Bobby needs the victory to show his demanding father that he is tough, and thereby secure his future; Jackie needs to impress the college football coaches in the stands that he is a winner who deserves a full-ride athletic scholarship.




The stakes could not be higher for either Bobby or Jackie. Will they do whatever it takes to win? At this moment, winning is . . . THE ONLY THING . . . that matters.




But after the match, an unexpected conversation changes everything.




Join Bobby, his teammates, and Jackie as they navigate their way through life in February of 1971 in Columbus, Ohio. Against a backdrop of enveloping historical events, including the Vietnam draft, school segregation, and other issues of the day, they discover the only thing that really matters.