adding physical Strength does not equate to weight gain so unmute that point.
I am relaying information from someone close to the program. Vic has beat almost everyone in front of him (except the duke kid who beat him easy) but none of those guys were even in the top 35 he beat and most of those match scores were close.
anyways All I was implying was the expectation that myself and some close to the program had of him coming in and taking over 149 and being a super star has simmered. I like Vic and the coaches love him and with development and work ethic he may be a multi time all American. The good thing is time is on his side but the competition for 149-157 spots (which I’m sure he doesn’t care about) is a major hurdle he will have to get over.
We can agree to disagree on the 'adding strength' / adding weight.
As per Victor: I have been watching him since he was in 7th grade. Against quality wrestlers, he typically does not ever win by major, and most matches are close - in score. But, as per my previous post, he usually dictates the match and the close (box) score does not tell the story.
He wins matches in the same way that Vincenzo Jospeh did, and Luke Pletcher did (except Luke's senior year when he let it loose).... he is always in the right position, perfect technique, has impenetrable defense, and doesnt make any mistakes. (Just like Vincenzo did at Penn State and Luke did at Ohio State for years.) Think back on Vincenzo's career- can you recall a takedown he gave up via leg attack? I cant. Victor was the same in high school, and thus far this year during his redshirt year.
Last year, in the sectionals-districts-states he beat everyone by tech or pin, till the semifinals at state (when he went up against a kid now at Edinboro, then the St Eds kid in the finals) where he went back into the above formula of impenetrable defense/perfect technique and position and dictating the action.
When Victor loses, its usually by one of four means:
(a) the opponent was just on a different level than him. This has not been the case too often over his career.
(b) he has double boot in, and gives up a reversal. When this occurs, he usually ends up belly down and doesnt have time to get to base then get the escape, and then loses a 1 point match. This happened vs in high school vs Reyna, Herrara-Rondon, and Dover. Same issue each loss. He was riding with double boots, got reversed and ended up belly down on mat and just simply did not have the time to work to base, then work for escape and the 1 point swing (for the reversal, rather than if he would have just given up an escape/ or got reversed then he got escape) turned out to be the difference.
(c) got thrown at the end of a match, while holding a lead. This had happened twice in freestyle (Picklo and at Euros)
(d) the opponent is very long. Tall guys have given him fits - the first time they meet. Victor almost always wins the rematch tho.
Finesilver, this year, was a combination of (a) and (d). FS is a top 4 guy this year, and no shame in that loss. I didnt like the first stall call, which put Victor in a bind, when trying to ride (and subsequent 2nd stall call), but I am a bit biased.
As per (b) above, it will be fixed the more he works with Perry and masters the double boot ride.
