Marion's head coach Chad Adkins won the Regional Coach of the Year, while Dillon Wildin was awarded Outstanding Wrestler.
Quite easily the most enjoyable and exciting match to watch at this regional was the finals matchup of Dillon Wildin of Marion versus Nick Hockett of Cherryvale at 145. Both of these wrestlers executed some excellent scramble sequences and showed some flashy technique. Wildin came out for vengeance it appeared after losing to Hockett earlier in the year at Halstead. During one point Wildin was deep on a single leg and Hockett funked out with a jump kick. Wildin worked a very nice Russian series to a slick single leg later in the match. But Hockett kept coming back with scrambles to a set out that would catch Wildin for some back points. Eventually this tactic hurt Hockett as he gave up some vital backpoints in the third. Final score was 10-9 with Wildin coming out the victor. Upon getting his 1st place medal Wildin hoisted his baby girl in one arm and bracket in the other. This has to be the first time something like this has happened. I really think both of these wrestlers are going to have an influence on the finals at Hays and at least one if not both will be going for a championship next Saturday night. I think that both of these wrestlers have plenty of upside and would make excellent additions on any of the state's college programs.
While Wildin was very deserving of the Outstanding Wrestler, I'm curious how many coaches filled out their sheets and didn't even give any consideration to a returning state finalist and this year's regional champion at heavyweight, Cody Huffman of Douglass. He had a pretty tight finals match with Dakota Denny of Caney Valley, but hardly any coaches were left in the gym which tells me they filled out their sheets without putting a little more thought into the process. I realize that weather was a factor for many teams leaving early, but Outstanding Wrestler is one of those awards where a little thought should be put into it. Not to mention the only top ranked wrestler in the tournament had a technical fall in his finals match, Nick Thibault of Halstead, which had to make the voting process at least a little tougher.
There were some very suspect calls made by the officiating crew during the finals. The most glaring was during the 130 final between Ky Biddle of Central Burden and Alex Thibault of Halstead. In the 2nd period Biddle was in on a low single. He sat with it on the mat for roughly a three or four count with no warning for stalling or stalemate, this was while Thibault was still standing and defending. Then when Biddle picked the single up to work a finish the match was abruptly stopped for a stalemate. I just don't understand the ruling there no stalemate is called when Biddle is on the mat but as soon as he goes for a finish it gets stopped.
In the next finals match at 135 between Yoder of Hillsboro and Mayfield of Eureka there was an awkward call made on a leg scissor from neutral. Mayfield was deep on a single leg and Yoder figure-foured the head from neutral which is illegal. The match was not stopped for 5 to 10 seconds. They stopped the match and gave a technical violation point to Mayfield for scissor from neutral. Then the scoreboard read 3-0 Mayfield. This meant the referee awarded Mayfield with a takedown when no control had been gained and a technical violation point. Then the ruling was changed and it was just a takedown for Mayfield. I don't understand the ghost takedown on a technical violation and then subtraction of a violation point.
Neither of these calls had an effect on the outcome of the match, but they could have. I hope the coaches in this regional took note and try to curb bad calls like this by not voting for those referees for future regional and state tournaments.
Overall it was a well run tournament besides the somewhat bland finals music mix. Just think Jock Jams Light. This is just a suggestion, but I'd recommend 80s montage style music. Think Rocky and Vision Quest. I really liked that the finals were filmed and posted on a projector to help view from a different angle. They also broadcast the tournament on a local TV station. Marion has to have one of the finest gymnasiums of any 321A school. They even let kids go swimming in the adjoined community pool to help keep them from running the halls. Congratulations to Marion High School on your first regional wrestling championship. It was not that long ago that you were a co-op with cross county rival Hillsboro.
