The Best Who's #1 Matches Ever: Year-By-Year
The Best Who's #1 Matches Ever: Year-By-Year
With Who's #1 turning six this year, we wanted to give you our favorite match from each of the previous five years of WNO.
In just under a month, the sixth annual Who's #1 returns to the campus of Lehigh University. Held in the storied Snake Pit, WNO has become a destination event for wrestling fans, and participating has become a goal of every high school wrestler in America.
Over the past five years, we've seen some of the best high school wrestlers put on a show at the beginning of each October. We went back through the archives and chose the "best" match from each one, be it for the match itself, the stakes involved, or the athletes competing.
Make sure you don't miss this year's edition, which will be held on Sunday, October 7th. If you do, you might miss out on the kind of incredible match like the ones below.
2013: Jason Nolf 10-5 over Joey McKenna (138)
This match gets a slight bump as these two have gone on to accomplish incredible things, with Nolf looking to become a four-time NCAA finalist with three titles, and McKenna being a two-time All-American with two age level world medals who wrestled in Final X this summer. The offensive firestorm Nolf came to be was on full display, but not without some nerve-wracking moments beforehand. Rumor has it that Nolf didn't score a single point at Young Guns practice the week leading up to the event, which goes to show how sometimes the greats need time to workshop their craft before putting it on display for the world to see.
2014: Larry Early 7-5 SV over Joe Smith (150)
Who can forget that moment right after the match in Grace Hall, when Early began counting out his three wins over Smith, one in each style? Early had beaten Smith 6-5 the year before in freestyle in Akron, then teched the Oklahoman 13-2 at Junior Greco Duals a few months before WNO. Just like in the other two matches, Smith took the lead, in this case 5-2 at the start of the second period, before Early fought his way back. On an absolutely loaded card, this one was a cut above the rest.
2015: Gable Steveson 5-4 over Jordan Wood (220)
It was at this point that we realized the future of heavyweight in Division 1 was going to be more exciting than at any time before in history. Steveson had beaten Wood in Akron that summer en route to his first Cadet world team - and first Cadet world title - so the rematch had to happen in Bethlehem. Gable embraced the heel role, shushing the crowd after taking out Wood, who had already committed to Lehigh. Two years later, they would meet again in the finals of the U.S. Open and World Team Trials when Steveson made the Junior world team.
2016: Jordan Decatur 8-7 over Gavin Teasdale (120)
The self-proclaimed "greatest mind in wrestling," Willie Saylor hit the nail on the head in 2016. He wanted to start the show off with a bang, and this one did. Decatur delivered the signature upset of the night, staving off a furious comeback by the Pennsylvania boy. Had the Ohio State commit not had to pull out of last year's card with an injury, he and Teasdale would have combined for seven appearances at this event. Decatur, and his twin brother Jacob, will both be wrestling in this year's event.
2017: Kurt McHenry 8-7 over Malik Heinselman (113)
Did McHenry get a rolling start on the winning takedown? Maybe, but some of the greatest matches of all-time have been marred by controversy. With Heinselman going to Ohio State and McHenry committed to Michigan, we might get treated to this one several more times during their college careers. This year, McHenry will be wrestling at WNO once again, taking on Fargo champ Eric Barnett of Wisconsin, another future Big Ten rival.
BONUS - 2014: Mark Hall 10-2 over Anthony Valencia (170)
Come on, you think we'd do a WNO list and NOT include this match? It wasn't just for the #1 spot at 170, it was for the unofficial pound-for-pound crown in high school at the time. The year before, Valencia beat Hall at the Freak Show, and Hall wanted revenge. He also wanted to prove he was the undisputed #1, saying in the press conference before hand:
"It's never good to be in second place. In someone's eyes I'm second place right now, and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth."
Hall proceeded to major Valencia, going upper body, turning him, and using the college out of bounds rules to secure one of the smartest takedowns I've ever seen.
WNO 2018 Match Order
138: JoJo Aragona (NJ) vs Gabe Tagg (OH)
138: Keegan O'Toole (WI) vs Jaden Abas (CA)
120: Kurt McHenry (VA) vs Eric Barnett (WI)
152: Andrew Alirez (CO) vs Jace Luchau (CA)
160: Brevin Balmeceda (FL) vs Alex Facundo (MI)
152: Macey Kilty (WI) vs Kennedy Blades (IL)
106: Richard Figueroa II (CA) vs Jacob Decatur (OH)
182: Abe Assad (IL) vs Devin Winston (MO)
113: Greg Diakomihalis (NY) vs Jakason Burks (NE)
170: Julian Ramirez (FL) vs Carson Kharchla (OH)
132: Josh Saunders (MO) vs Jordan Decatur (OH)
138: Aragona or Tagg vs O'Toole or Abas