They never get it right.
Never.
But Monday at Stony Brook University, the Section XI Division I wrestling coaches got it right: Chris Iorio was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler.They did not give it to Ryan Patrovich, who pinned his way to the title at 152. He did not deserve it. It was a good, but not great weight class.
They did not give it to Alton Lucas, who teched or pinned almost everyone all year, except Patrovich, Dave Butler, and then Emman Sarwari in the finals of counties. He dominated a weak weight class just like he will do in two weeks at states.
They did not give it to Dave Ingram, who undeservingly won the League III MOW the week earlier. 135 was extremely week.
They did not give it to Oschmann or Piccirillo or Magnani or Sullivan, all of whom won as expected.
Barone, Scott, Ferber, and Wade were not most outstanding despite their great performances. They were not the worthy of MOW.
So that left only four people who deserved it.
Given, it is likely that none of the three non-winners were even second in the confidential voting as the coaches rarely vote for the right candidate, but let us assume that the coaches used their senses and limited it down to these four guys: Tyler Mashkow at 103, Chris Iorio at 125, Greg Holmes at 145, and Jeremy Pellot at 275.
#2 Tyler Mashkow beat #1 Peppy Cabrera 4-3 in the finals at 103 after dominating himself through to the finals. As well, he represented runaway champion Islip, which shattered Bay Shore’s tournament record score by more than 40 points. Islip had 276.5.
#1 Greg Holmes won a tough 145 by beating #2 Mike Rudden of Islip 5-2 in a highly anticipated matchup. This was, of course, after disposing of his previous opponents. He represented Longwood, which finished fourth with 105.5 points, 4.5 points behind second place Half Hollow Hills East.
Possibly the most competitive bracket was heavyweight (275), where #1 (#3 seed) Jeremy Pellot of defending county and state champion Huntington defeated #2 Dillon Yanson of Northport 3-2 in 2OT. But Pellot avoided some of his challenges (as did Yanson) when #5 Christian Wintons upset #4 (#1) Ken Kennedy of Sachem North, the defending state finalist, in the quarterfinals. But Pellot did not deserve Most Outstanding Wrestler, as he was not that “Outstanding.”
And that left us with 125, the toughest weight class in the county. #1 (#3 seed) Chris Lahn, the Lindenhurst senior, #2 (#1 seed) Chris Iorio, the Sachem North junior, #3 (#4 seed) Jimmy Kaden, the Walt Whitman sophmore, and #4 (#2 seed) Greg Schollmeyer, the Deer Park senior, all could have won the county. Only one could. Name almost any other section, and those other three could have won it.
In the finals, Chris Iorio, off of his 9-0 domination of Jim Kaden, faced off against Chris Lahn, off of his 11-7 struggle against Schollmeyer. It could have gone either way, but Iorio beat the senior 8-6. Schollmeyer took third and Kaden got upset by Commack’s Fennell and took fifth.
Iorio deserved Most Outstanding Wrestler.
He won the toughest weight class. Period.
It should not go to the guy who gets the most pins in the least time in a weak weight class (Ryan Patrovich). It should not go to the best wrestler on the best team (Tyler Mashkow).
It should go to the wrestler who won the toughest weight class wrestling the toughest.
For once, they got it right.
They went 1/6 in the league tornaments in finding the deserving MOW, but they went 1/1 in the Division 1 counties.
Mashkow won Champion of Champions, voted on by the 15 champions. Patrovich won most pins, least time (4 in 5:27).
But the greatest individual honor, Most Outstanding Wrestler, the most honest honor, Most Outstanding Wrestler, and the most outstanding honor, Most Outstanding Wrestler, all went to Chris Iorio.
For once they got it right.
Don’t expect it to happen again.
