By Patrick Newell

Sun Sports Editor

pnewell@evesun.com

A year ago we resurrected our Evening Sun all-star wrestling team. Unlike other sports where your postseason awards are determined by season-long performances, our primary criteria in assessing the most worthy athlete in each weight class is the season-ending results in the most significant tournaments – sectionals and the state tournament.

Often, wrestlers match up during regular season tournaments or a dual meet. One wrestler may have the upper hand in the initial head-to-head competition. At the end of the season, though, that wrestler who was bested when the stakes were lower, rises above his conqueror to produce the better finish when it matters most. We have at least one top pick this year who did just that rising above his seed and past the young man he lost to during the regular season.

The top wrestlers in each weight class shook out with relative ease this year as 11 area wrestlers qualified for the state tournament in nine different weight classes. Not only that, 13 of 15 weight classes yielded at least a first, second or third in sectional competition. Summing up: The quality of wrestling in Chenango County was not too shabby, and five of our six schools are represented on this year’s all-star team.

The wrestlers named to our all-star team are listed by weight class beginning at 96 pounds, and ascending to the 285-pound division.

Joe Nelson, fr., Oxford 96 pounds