Young Mr. Cokeley is correct. He's too young to remember when the Federation issued a rule interpretation in its Winter Quarterly that addressed this very situation as taunting. That interpretation followed the adoption of the new rule, at that time, against all forms of taunting. The taunting rule is at least 10 years old. The "intentionally letting them off their back" as a taunting call was fairly common following that NFHS interpretative guidance. The call has waned some over the years as older officials have forgotten it and the newer ones don't know it existed. I remember it well because I was taken to the table during the first year that interpretation came out for not calling it correctly....

There is a specific reference in the rule or case book that says releasing your opponent to his FEET to then take him back down is allowed and is not considered taunting. However, that is not meant to cover releasing him from a near fall situation. That was covered in the interpretation as well. You can question whether its really much of a distinction, but it has a basis in, and the support of, the rules and the NFHS interpretations.

Officials can control this type of taunting by simply telling the offensive wrestler that he cannot do that again after he obviously let's the kid off his back. When this happens the offensive wrestler is always a far superior, stronger, wrestler and its obvious he's just playing with his opponent and can pin him at any moment. Telling him to finish it up is just preventative officiating.

R. Ford