West Virginia's Big 3
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:50 pm
West Virginia has three regular season 32+ bracketed tournaments. The Winner’s Choice, The OVAC and the WSAZ. We shall call these tournaments “The Big 3”.
Given information:
1. The OVAC is a conference tournament.
2. The OVAC and the WSAZ typically fall on the same weekend.
3. Many wrestling fans feel that strength of schedule makes champions. “IRON SHARPENS IRON” is the word on the street.
4. Some specific state finalists missed competing in one of the Big 3, but their school did indeed compete.
In review of the 2019 West Virginia State Tournament finals, here is a summary of the finalists and the corresponding “Big 3” tournament their school participated in.
Winner’s Choice = WC
OVAC = O
WSAZ = Z
Attended none of the Big 3 = NA
106: AAA: WC VS NA AA/A: Z VS WC&Z
113: AAA: O VS O AA/A: WC&Z VS Z
120: AAA: O VS WC AA/A: Z VS WC&Z
126: AAA: Z VS WC AA/A: Z VS Z
132: AAA: Z VS O&WC AA/A: WC&Z VS Z
138: AAA: O VS WC AA/A: O VS Z
145: AAA: O VS O AA/A: O VS Z
152: AAA: WC VS O AA/A: Z VS NA
160: AAA: O VS WC AA/A: WC VS WC
170: AAA: Z VS WC AA/A: NA VS NA
182: AAA: O VS Z&WC AA/A: WC&Z VS WC
195: AAA: NA VS WC&Z AA/A: Z VS Z
220: AAA: O VS O AA/A: O VS Z
285: AAA: O VS WC&Z AA/A: WC VS NA
Summary of the data:
1. Regarding all state finalists, the following schools competed in both The Winner’s Choice and the WSAZ in back to back weekends: East Fairmont, Oak Hill and Cabell Midland. University competed in The Winner’s Choice and the OVAC in back to back weekends.
2. Our population for this exercise will be 65. 14 weight classes x 2 State Tournaments x 2 finalists = 56. 9 wrestlers competed in two of the Big 3. 56 + 9 = 65.
3. 20 of the state finalists had their school compete in The Winner’s Choice, or 30.77%
4. 23 of the state finalists had their school compete in The WSAZ, or 35.38%
5. 16 or the state finalists had their school compete in the OVAC, or 24.62%
6. 6 of the state finalists did not have their school compete in any of the Big 3, or 9.23%
7. Regarding the 6 finalists that are not scheduled at one of the Big 3, all six are from region 2 schools. Hampshire and Martinsburg in AAA and Braxton County and Moorefield in AA/A. Braxton County holds their own invitational tournament on the same weekend as The Winner’s Choice.
8. The finalists are broken down by classification as follows:
a. 17 AA/A finalists compete in the WSAZ
b. 13 AAA finalists compete in the OVAC
c. 11 AAA finalists compete in The Winner’s Choice
d. 9 AA/A finalists compete in The Winner’s Choice
e. 6 AAA finalists compete in the WSAZ
f. 4 AA/A finalists did not compete in any of the Big 3
g. 3 AA/A finalists compete in the OVAC
h. 2 AAA finalists did not compete in any of the Big 3
Of course the above is just a snap shot using one season. We already know that this dynamic will change in 2020 with Parkersburg South competing in both the OVAC and the WSAZ.
Based on the above, the data supports that “iron sharpens iron” whereas 59 of the 65 finalists did indeed compete in one of the Big 3 tournaments.
Another point to note is that the highest group is 17 AA/A state finalists competed in the WSAZ. For those that think a “small school” wrestler cannot compete at the WSAZ, rethink that please. To expand, Single A Greenbrier West finished 9th and Single A Wirt County finished 11th in the WSAZ team standings.
A final detail that surfaced is that WV only had 3 AA/A state finalists that competed in the OVAC. All three wrestle year round for a wrestling club that competes in folkstyle. All three are planning to wrestle in college.
Enjoy!!
Given information:
1. The OVAC is a conference tournament.
2. The OVAC and the WSAZ typically fall on the same weekend.
3. Many wrestling fans feel that strength of schedule makes champions. “IRON SHARPENS IRON” is the word on the street.
4. Some specific state finalists missed competing in one of the Big 3, but their school did indeed compete.
In review of the 2019 West Virginia State Tournament finals, here is a summary of the finalists and the corresponding “Big 3” tournament their school participated in.
Winner’s Choice = WC
OVAC = O
WSAZ = Z
Attended none of the Big 3 = NA
106: AAA: WC VS NA AA/A: Z VS WC&Z
113: AAA: O VS O AA/A: WC&Z VS Z
120: AAA: O VS WC AA/A: Z VS WC&Z
126: AAA: Z VS WC AA/A: Z VS Z
132: AAA: Z VS O&WC AA/A: WC&Z VS Z
138: AAA: O VS WC AA/A: O VS Z
145: AAA: O VS O AA/A: O VS Z
152: AAA: WC VS O AA/A: Z VS NA
160: AAA: O VS WC AA/A: WC VS WC
170: AAA: Z VS WC AA/A: NA VS NA
182: AAA: O VS Z&WC AA/A: WC&Z VS WC
195: AAA: NA VS WC&Z AA/A: Z VS Z
220: AAA: O VS O AA/A: O VS Z
285: AAA: O VS WC&Z AA/A: WC VS NA
Summary of the data:
1. Regarding all state finalists, the following schools competed in both The Winner’s Choice and the WSAZ in back to back weekends: East Fairmont, Oak Hill and Cabell Midland. University competed in The Winner’s Choice and the OVAC in back to back weekends.
2. Our population for this exercise will be 65. 14 weight classes x 2 State Tournaments x 2 finalists = 56. 9 wrestlers competed in two of the Big 3. 56 + 9 = 65.
3. 20 of the state finalists had their school compete in The Winner’s Choice, or 30.77%
4. 23 of the state finalists had their school compete in The WSAZ, or 35.38%
5. 16 or the state finalists had their school compete in the OVAC, or 24.62%
6. 6 of the state finalists did not have their school compete in any of the Big 3, or 9.23%
7. Regarding the 6 finalists that are not scheduled at one of the Big 3, all six are from region 2 schools. Hampshire and Martinsburg in AAA and Braxton County and Moorefield in AA/A. Braxton County holds their own invitational tournament on the same weekend as The Winner’s Choice.
8. The finalists are broken down by classification as follows:
a. 17 AA/A finalists compete in the WSAZ
b. 13 AAA finalists compete in the OVAC
c. 11 AAA finalists compete in The Winner’s Choice
d. 9 AA/A finalists compete in The Winner’s Choice
e. 6 AAA finalists compete in the WSAZ
f. 4 AA/A finalists did not compete in any of the Big 3
g. 3 AA/A finalists compete in the OVAC
h. 2 AAA finalists did not compete in any of the Big 3
Of course the above is just a snap shot using one season. We already know that this dynamic will change in 2020 with Parkersburg South competing in both the OVAC and the WSAZ.
Based on the above, the data supports that “iron sharpens iron” whereas 59 of the 65 finalists did indeed compete in one of the Big 3 tournaments.
Another point to note is that the highest group is 17 AA/A state finalists competed in the WSAZ. For those that think a “small school” wrestler cannot compete at the WSAZ, rethink that please. To expand, Single A Greenbrier West finished 9th and Single A Wirt County finished 11th in the WSAZ team standings.
A final detail that surfaced is that WV only had 3 AA/A state finalists that competed in the OVAC. All three wrestle year round for a wrestling club that competes in folkstyle. All three are planning to wrestle in college.
Enjoy!!