Carter Starocci vs. Mekhi Lewis: 2022 NCAA wrestling championship final (174 lb.)

Рет қаралды 192,071

2 жыл бұрын

Carter Starocci of the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestles Mekhi Lewis of the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 174-pound championship match during the Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship held at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Starocci won to claim the 2022 NCAA wrestling championship match at 174 pounds.
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Пікірлер: 249

@j.armijomusic 2 жыл бұрын

Glad they got D.C on commentary. Makes collegiate wrestling feel more modern

@fmulder6564 9 ай бұрын

Except when they are talking about the match and DC starts rambling about their singlets. Funny how both the other announcers completely ignored him and changed the subject immediately.

@lexingtonconcord8751 2 жыл бұрын

Lewis, never hang your head over this Both of you were absolutely brilliant 👏🏻👏🏻

@jeffdarnell7942 2 жыл бұрын

They were. Great match, and I knew it would be!!

@JS45678 2 жыл бұрын

Match of the night, absolutely incredible.

@The495marauder 2 жыл бұрын

Which match?

@xenonmaster6668 2 жыл бұрын

@@The495marauder this one and it’s implied 💀

@ianshue2890 2 жыл бұрын

By all means best final of the night. Two National champions going at it. But I hate the new overtime rules. Don’t let the match be decided on riding time, let the boys wrestle and let them decide who’s the winner

@iangorsen9718 2 жыл бұрын

100% agree the way the match ended is B.S.

@jeffreygerard8953 Жыл бұрын

It’s totally ridiculous. Rules cater more toward referees and making sure they can beat traffic and eat at the table with their wives and kids.

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@jeffreygerard8953 If anything the rule should be that the first down who gets out the quickest wins automatically. So, if Mekhi got out in 19 seconds and Carter out in under 12, then Carter wins by time advantage alone. Or, they do it by whoever escapes first. So it would be more meaningful for the top guy to ride the bottom for the full 30 seconds. Easier said than done.

@jameshouchins9469 2 жыл бұрын

One of the most exciting low scoring matches I've ever watched! Great wrestling!

@mannygarcia759 2 жыл бұрын

Pulling for Lewis, but Carter had plenty of fuel in the tank. Penn State wrestlers train hard and in amazing shape. So glad Lewis continued to wrestle this year! Awesome match guys!

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

Nah, looking back at this, he was not scoring on Starocci at all that night. He's also 0-2 against him all-time so doesn't help. Starocci is also a beast at freestyle and Greco-Roman.

@HaircHair 2 жыл бұрын

One of the first people I ever practiced with when I started traveling for practice, Mekhi Lewis. Going a couple towns over I’d practice with him in Franklin, NJ. At the time I think I was actually in control. 10 years later, I am wrestling in my state regional semi-finals. Guess who? Mekhi Lewis. Though this time I was immediately put under pressure. I could not keep up with the movement, speed, power that was coming at me. I was almost completely helpless. I ended up cranking my ankle (as if it mattered anyway at that point) and pretty obviously lost. My career would come to an end after the next match, Mekhi would go on to win the state championship. I am so proud to know that someone I had wrestled with for years is now at the top of the game. Mekhi, you’ve worked for it and deserve it. If you happen to read this, let Mama Lewis know the Cooke family says hello and congrats being one of the best not only in the country but the world. You may not remember me, which is extremely understandable so maybe she can help you remember. Anyways, keep pushing and take it in the next big one. I anticipate more and more from you, so keep that head up and keep moving forward like you have been!

@Ivan-nd6qy 2 жыл бұрын

Drilled with him in my high school. Dude is an absolute unit.

@HaircHair 2 жыл бұрын

@@Ivan-nd6qy word up! I’m from Pway, maybe we saw eachother at some point across the mats lmao small world. But yes super unit, and great guy. Only hope the best for him and his family!

@ericcampbell6261 2 жыл бұрын

Carter musta been studying Mekhi tapes because he knew Mekhi likes to reattack. That's where he makes his money. And Carter was full throttle. An epic match.

@jomama969 Жыл бұрын

Lewis has always been like that all the way back to upsetting Marinelli and Vincenzo Joseph. That’s just his style.

@gerardogonzalez6668 2 жыл бұрын

Not 100% on the rules, but Lewis lost because starocci had 16 more seconds of riding time? Seems like a bad way to decide a winner, why not just keep adding periods until one can takedown the other or can’t escape?

@dominicsmith743 2 жыл бұрын

It sounds like you just asked why there aren't unlimited overtimes until someone scores. At least from my understanding. Well there is a limited amount of TV time, other matches, and a limited amount of time they can use the arena. With how many overtime matches there are in this tournament every year, it would take way too long. Especially if refs are reluctant to call stalling. That would prolong the match even more. Then wrestlers would be even less willing to take any risks.

@dillonmackay683 2 жыл бұрын

@@dominicsmith743 old ot rules are better, Top and bottom if Top guy keeps bottom guy down he wins if Bottom guy escapes he wins

@craigwhitaker6397 2 жыл бұрын

If you like to ride the edges and wait until you have an opportunity to score, it will eventually bite you in the ... unless you're RBY

@dominicsmith743 2 жыл бұрын

@@dillonmackay683I'm not defending the current rules. I'm just saying that unlimited amount of overtimes wouldn't be the greatest idea.

@aidenjaxhernandez 2 жыл бұрын

@@craigwhitaker6397 lmfao! Agree that's how RBY does it

@scottg6754 2 жыл бұрын

Great match. The best of the finals. I wanted Lewis but felt privileged to watch two guys wrestle so hard and so well.

@Warpig350 2 жыл бұрын

Carter Starocci is amazing

@wesker19908 2 жыл бұрын

The possibilities of having a 2 parent home and a blessed upbringing in a safe neighborhood

@npierce14 Жыл бұрын

Not true I had both and my dad was monster I would’ve done better without him

@wesker19908 Жыл бұрын

@@npierce14 obviously I mean 2 great parents...

@jordanbanks6655 Жыл бұрын

It has its advantages but no guarantees

@tylerdeal6664 2 жыл бұрын

3:56 I have no idea what the ref was doing to miss that takedown. What a battle, best final of the evening.

@gordonmathis8170 2 жыл бұрын

It was not a take down. Lewis's knee touched the mat just before his foot came down in bounds causing him to be out of bounds.

@anthonymorton9299 2 жыл бұрын

@@gordonmathis8170 His foot does not have to be down… It was still up in the air but inbounds over the mat… His foot was in balance the whole time

@adezii1397 2 жыл бұрын

@@gordonmathis8170 his foot needs to be in the cylinder not on the mat

@judokaMike 2 жыл бұрын

@@gordonmathis8170 this isn't football. Any part of the body is within the circle, you are still in bounds.

@npierce14 2 жыл бұрын

@@gordonmathis8170 invest in some glasses mate

@georgesealy4706 2 жыл бұрын

One heck of a match. Can't get any closer than that. Both of those guys are tremendous athletes.

@MrGuanYu1 2 жыл бұрын

Kudos to Mekhi for digging deep to almost pull it off given that he was very obviously completely gassed going into OT. A lot of people break at that point but he powered through and almost came away with the W. Nothing to hang his head over with that effort.

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

Nah, looking back at this, he was not scoring on Starocci at all that night. He's also 0-2 against him all-time.

@drewanderson2401 5 ай бұрын

@@zaynes5094 he quite literally was the first to score?....

@jamalama5548 Жыл бұрын

So proud of Mekhi. He is a fine young man raised in a good family. The new rules suck. Mekhi will be back for sure and win another championship.

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

Not if Starocci and a bunch of other guys got something to say about it.

@jeffglanstein4489 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent match. Both wrestlers showed their worth.

@anjelluna4150 2 жыл бұрын

this is one of those matches where you want both wrestlers to win

@Aesir47 2 жыл бұрын

This may be the only time I've said Starocci looks like the smaller guy

@jlstock_1 Жыл бұрын

Both Carter Starocci and Coach Tony Robie are from Erie PA

@jordanpowell228 Жыл бұрын

Having the champ champ dc calling these matches is brilliant. His enthusiasm for wrestling and mma is so infectious. And what a match! High iq wrestling

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

This, looking back now with NCAAs coming quick for 2023, I think we could certainly be seeing this rematch in a few weeks. And it could very well be Mekhi Lewis getting his get-back against Starocci. But it could very well be that Starocci is fully prepared for him.

@tommy3268 2 жыл бұрын

This was a very very good match!

@russellmullins1508 2 жыл бұрын

I love it struck it has that dog game and he always keeps coming and he just simply finds a way to win it’s beautiful

@Vincentovich89 2 жыл бұрын

Wrestling Aaron Brooks in practice every day certainly helped...

@larrywilcox5282 2 жыл бұрын

"Wrestling Aaron Brooks in practice every day certainly helped..." %1000 true!

@npierce14 2 жыл бұрын

Example of two super elite guys very close in skill but overtime was made to find a winner even in weird circumstances such as 15 seconds of riding time

@payton9815 2 жыл бұрын

They did it for women's basketball because everyone is so interested in that

@npierce14 2 жыл бұрын

@@payton9815 what?

@payton9815 2 жыл бұрын

@@npierce14 all season long overtime was decided by points not time. So they changed it for women's basketball

@zekegaeta9169 Жыл бұрын

This was the match of the night. Absolutely epic. Can’t wait to see these two go at it one more time. Only thing I want to see different are the OT rules. Seems like a bad way to determine the outcome of a highly contested match

@gordonramsayd2651 2 жыл бұрын

Starocci might be the first 5x NCAA champion in history

@holdencawffle626 Жыл бұрын

How?

@gordonramsayd2651 Жыл бұрын

@@holdencawffle626 because he has an extra year of eligibility because of the covid season

@larrywilcox5282 2 жыл бұрын

15 seconds?! I am not feeling this new rule. I was very happy to see both make it to the finals. Starocci is awesome. So is Lewis. Being from NJ, I leaned heavy for Lewis. However, the edge goes to Starocci. The best workout wrestlers in the country are in the room with Starocci! Their match was the best of the night. Mr. Mekhi Lewis hold your head high. Congrats to Mr. Carter Starocci!

@DiogenesLantern 2 жыл бұрын

It eventually gets to this. Martinez beat Nolf in B1G, in Nolf's freshman year, after 6 OT sessions by a few seconds riding time. They have now simply reduced the pair of 1-minute neutrals to one two minute sessions, and the two riding sessions to one. I like this much better than the coin flip and one 30-second session.

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@DiogenesLantern And then we know what happened after IMar bumped up to 165, Nolf would go on to be untouchable in the 157 class and IMar, well he'd lose the upset of the season to Joseph.

@williammitchell9510 2 жыл бұрын

Lewis will always have my respect

@tractioncontroloff9796 2 жыл бұрын

DC is the best man for the job!

@brettjern3264 2 жыл бұрын

When they're this good and close in competition you sure hate to see either lose.

@larrywilcox5282 2 жыл бұрын

"When they're this good and close in competition you sure hate to see either lose..." So true.

@Sam-tg6ee 2 жыл бұрын

@@larrywilcox5282 why didn’t you just say so true? His comment is right there

@chrissantiago7643 Жыл бұрын

Hate to see it man but they gave it all they had ❤ fireworks ncca is all about the upsets

@joeygavadeels2784 Жыл бұрын

Hard-fought battle by both. WOW!

@trekaychris6263 2 жыл бұрын

WOW! Starocci and his brother looks just like their DAD!

@holdencawffle626 Жыл бұрын

Not at all

@vistatrista7 2 жыл бұрын

Good job, Mekhi! 👏

@mistam80 Жыл бұрын

Match reminds me of the freestyle match with Tony Davis vs Jamill Kelly. Both great bouts!

@ChevelleMan317 2 жыл бұрын

Great guys

@christianmiguel9818 2 жыл бұрын

great match

@carlthompson7930 2 жыл бұрын

Dc please do more amateur play by play

@Its._.david._.19 2 жыл бұрын

“Best match award, is the 174-pound match between Carter Starocci of Penn State and Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech”

@michaelswick4251 2 жыл бұрын

Starocci scored on the escape first. That’s why he had choice.

@jsaxton128 2 жыл бұрын

These new ot rules are just as bad as the NFL's ot rules

@Mindyobidnessfr 2 жыл бұрын

It should at least be different rules for the big tournaments cuz that is a terrible way to lose a final smh

@jsaxton128 2 жыл бұрын

@@Mindyobidnessfr personally, I think it should just be sudden victory until some scores but SV then ride out (excluding riding time) til someone takes the lead should be the way to go

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@jsaxton128 That was what it was, they should have it like that old one, but that takes too much time and there were 2 other matches that had to be done as well. Can't just let them keep going. So, they decided to make it more serious than it already is by making them have the Riding Time advantage for one wrestler, meaning that they had to have Lewis get a clean reversal or takedown to win it.

@jsaxton128 Жыл бұрын

@@zaynes5094 lol, yea I know what Mekhi had to do, and really, you could let them keep going, the match isn’t gonna last forever

@youarerightboss 2 жыл бұрын

WE ARE PENN STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONS! 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🏆🤼

@HuntGuy101 2 жыл бұрын

16:18 DC caught slippin

@samsonmanna9017 2 жыл бұрын

I didn't catch that the first time

@evanoconnor3781 2 жыл бұрын

What happened

@dubstepgamer04 2 жыл бұрын

I thought I was the only one that caught that lol

@GRiP1700 2 жыл бұрын

Sounded like he was going to say "finals"

@HuntGuy101 2 жыл бұрын

To clear it up: he said they’ve won so many f*cking finals

@ikenna1299 2 жыл бұрын

this was crazy 🔥

@marclou4228 2 жыл бұрын

This was a fun one

@karlmanning2603 Жыл бұрын

Congrats to Starocci, but props to Lewis. Wrestling can be such a tough sport.

@jeffdarnell7942 2 жыл бұрын

Carter was wrestling to win at the end of the match. Lewis was trying not to lose at the end..

@zaynes5094 2 жыл бұрын

@Jeff Darnell That’s a great way of putting it, but man Starocci was my dark horse from last season and he still won it last year.

@holdencawffle626 2 жыл бұрын

You don't know that to a certainty

@npierce14 2 жыл бұрын

Yea he gassed out and when he. Does that his counterattack becomes deadliest but he knew carter was aware of that and was in a way baiting him and he didn’t have energy to do anything else in the off-season he needs to work on conditioning and find better training partners it’s absurd the amount of talent carter gets to roll around with and even more absurd how good Lewis is with not even a quarter of the Talent to train with

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@npierce14 Looking back now, months later, and just a few weeks before the NCAAS, I think Carter's deal should be get your takedown against Lewis early and do not let him back up. Do the same thing that Aaron Brooks did and Max Dean. Get your takedowns early, keep him down and ride him out until you've got a serious lead in riding time. He just couldn't keep Lewis down because Lewis is that strong. I still think Starocci would win the rematch, and I wasn't wrong, but NCAAs is very different.

@PeterpanSyndrome_ 2 жыл бұрын

Great match. Seems like a strange way to win/lose something so important.

@jamesbailey9386 2 жыл бұрын

Great match ! With better conditioning I believe Lewis would have won, was gassing toward end of third period, it is a long hard tournament, they both gave all they had.

@npierce14 2 жыл бұрын

What hurts him is carter was way better guys to train and roll around with at practice for Christ sakes look at nittany lion wrestling club guys he has as well u got all time greats in that club that didn’t even wrestle for PSU who does Lewis really have you know? They even said ina interview. Cael rolls Around with carter and Aaron brooks at practice that’s elite 4 TIME NCAA CHAMP coaching ya know

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@npierce14 Lol. But seriously I do think Mekhi really couldn't have actually gotten one on Starocci. Starocci was much better on his feet, on top, and on getting out from bottom. He was also obviously watching film on Lewis.

@letsssgooo4618 2 жыл бұрын

The future of usa 79kgs right here. Guess they’d both have to go 86 in Olympic years.

@Aesir47 2 жыл бұрын

Cael is terrifying. "I'm hunting again next year."

@BlackConnection337 2 жыл бұрын

Wow what a war.

@Gymthingz 2 жыл бұрын

Carter can be our first 5 timer.

@bowsonlyhuntingcompany2020 Жыл бұрын

OT rideout rules need to change. No more BS riding time.

@BoricuaMMA. Жыл бұрын

They are gonna be in the finals for 2 years against each other

@stephenmoist623 2 жыл бұрын

Carter will be a World Champion too. Seen him practice several times and he is outstanding and makes everyone else better too. Young man is unreal !!!!

@cadenanderson645 2 жыл бұрын

I didnt understand what was wrong with the overtime before. The winner shouldnt be decided by 7 seconds of riding time like we saw so many times this tournament. Were there really that many complaints about overtime like it was too long or something?

@thebestmike Жыл бұрын

When stamina becomes the deciding factor

@mas2526 2 жыл бұрын

Great match between two fine young men 🙏🏾💪🏾🙏🏾

@haruthegr8t256 2 жыл бұрын

that kinda looked like locked hands at the end but what a battle

@kevingeorge9727 2 ай бұрын

Two tough hombres.

@jaymerge9997 2 жыл бұрын

NASTY SNAP

@jamescraig1343 Жыл бұрын

Why don't you show college wrestling on tv u show everything but college wrestling open up one of those BTN channels for wrestling

@vinmartinez3659 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Carter. One of the best!

@MvrzThaArtist_ 2 жыл бұрын

Bro was deff in bounds smh

@m1xabl3 2 жыл бұрын

I don’t understand why Lewis didn’t choose neutral and go for a takedown. He was going to have to anyways so he might as well have.

@jwin814 2 жыл бұрын

When? SV OT? you cant choose neutral.

@xenonmaster6668 2 жыл бұрын

@@jwin814 in college you can and you mean the tiebreakers

@jwin814 2 жыл бұрын

@@xenonmaster6668 Yes in Tie breakers you cannot choose Neutral is what i was trying to say

@m1xabl3 2 жыл бұрын

@@jwin814 I meant in the third, he would’ve had to go for the takedown anyways, and I think it would’ve worked out better for him

@jwin814 2 жыл бұрын

@@m1xabl3 it was tied 2 to 2, one escape and Lewis has the upper hand at 3-2, down was the correct choice

@MvrzThaArtist_ 2 жыл бұрын

It’s about who got more heart frfr

@jeffdarnell7942 2 жыл бұрын

Clear takedown by Lewis.

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

Jeff Darnell Doesn't matter when he still lost in OT.

@jordanyousefi6747 2 жыл бұрын

Why not an ultimate ride out?

@tropicalterrarium1742 2 жыл бұрын

Riding time to decide an ncaa finals? Come on

@sams9732 2 жыл бұрын

Overtime rules needs to change/ or should be co/champs

@nicksimone4786 2 жыл бұрын

Stalled at the end

@bartcampbell1730 2 жыл бұрын

I hope you mean Lewis

@mspionage1743 Жыл бұрын

Definitely a TD at 4:15

@jacobsorge3632 Жыл бұрын

Funny I went to high school with starocci, a year or two under me.

@dnative93 Жыл бұрын

Lewis won. Refs miss some calls

@aintdatsnipes177 Жыл бұрын

That might be the worst call in the history of college wrestling.

@samuelkelly7513 2 жыл бұрын

RT rule is a dumb way to decide a final but Carter was the better wrestler anyway

@dominicsmith743 2 жыл бұрын

True he did push the pace and Lewis was playing the edge. Plus the only points he could score were counters to takedown attempts initiated by Starocci. Other than escapes.

@larrywilcox5282 2 жыл бұрын

Carter was better condition. Both were great. However, this new OT rule sucks!

@xenonmaster6668 2 жыл бұрын

@@larrywilcox5282 yes. Yes it does

@drewanderson2401 5 ай бұрын

still 0 clue how starroci got to decide first position completely changes that match. Mekhi scored first... how does he not get to decide?

@mr.rhinehart410 Жыл бұрын

Is that DC

@johnthouin7080 2 жыл бұрын

Such a dumb overtime win condition

@jackgabriel2678 2 жыл бұрын

Damn

@adezii1397 2 жыл бұрын

Kinda funny the flowrestling comments are all crying stalling from starocci abd its a stark difference in these comments guess everybody that follows flo are penn st haters

@natemartinez2745 2 жыл бұрын

They’re pathetic lol. I don’t know how they can cry stalling in any of these matches outside of the final 10 seconds (which every wrestler at this stage does when they have the lead).

@adezii1397 2 жыл бұрын

@@natemartinez2745 EXACTLY especially if you have no warnings why wouldnt you run in the last 10

@matthurford9363 3 ай бұрын

Nick Lee is not from North Carolina

@dijonMesanko Жыл бұрын

not a fan of the riding time rule at the end.

@tahoeclay 2 жыл бұрын

“I know I’m a better wrestler” Class

@kolewinfield6048 2 жыл бұрын

He’s a dog

@chriscline6805 2 жыл бұрын

It's called CONFIDENCE! He knew he was the better wrestler!

@jouskehigaskita8835 2 жыл бұрын

He's barely the better wrestler considering he only beat him by a point

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@jouskehigaskita8835 Commenting to you again, doesn't matter how much you beat the other guy either by pin, tech, or 1 point. And now he's beat him twice and it was close as well in that matchup. 5-3 with riding time. Lewis really needs to just learn to get his endurance up for that push at the end. Problem is, Starocci is just getting better and better. He's pretty much untouchable this season.

@ThanksStJoseph 2 жыл бұрын

Barn BURNER!!!!

@youarerightboss 2 жыл бұрын

The better man and wrestler won, Starocci PSU

@foemane3199 2 жыл бұрын

not a fan of this rule. 15 seconds of riding time shouldnt decide a match especially one like this

@larrywilcox5282 2 жыл бұрын

I agree.

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

@@larrywilcox5282 Well I hated the old rule too. Too much resting on the bottom man to be able to escape and get out. Lewis should've gotten out sooner so that they could've gotten back to it. One snap takedown does not decide a match either. Starocci stayed with him and stayed pressing Lewis back and neutralized his fakes and re-shots he loves to do. Starocci is 17-0 right now and is unlikely to lose at the Big 10s, but if he does drop one, it won't matter. He's the 1 seed. Lewis is the 3rd seed. PSU also has 9 other guys who are beasts at their classes. All 9 are ranked in the top 15 btw. This is looking like another title for PSU wrestling.

@von8298 2 жыл бұрын

So i actually count four very big mistakes by the ref. ALL against Lewis. Lewis I thought no doubt was the better wrestler..two missed escapes. Missed locked hands. And a MAJOR mistake allowing carter the decision in OT.

@natemartinez2745 2 жыл бұрын

Lol you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about. Starocci scored first with the escape at the beginning of the 2nd period

@taylucas3939 Жыл бұрын

If Lewis doesn’t gas out he wins 100%

@zaynes5094 Жыл бұрын

Everyone saying that. Simply not true. Starocci is just that good defensively. He's just simply that good. He knew Lewis would want to do reshoots and he wasn't biting on anything.

@robertpalatsky5017 2 жыл бұрын

I hate this rule. Wish they'd just let them wrestle until someone gets a takedown or atleast not use riding time to determine a winner.

@MvrzThaArtist_ 2 жыл бұрын

Chain WRESTLING

@aelfazzani 2 жыл бұрын

Am I the only one that thinks they should keep wrestling till someone is decided? Losing to 15 secs riding time is weak. Let the men wrestle till one physically can’t period

@jacobwilson7030 2 жыл бұрын

Lewis looked like he was about 30 seconds away from that

@russelstephan6342 2 жыл бұрын

The commentary sounds salty.

@prestonbelk4367 2 жыл бұрын

The rules are so ass in wrestling , that’s why no one watches it even 75% people who fucking wrestle themselves don’t even watch the garbage . It needs to switched up at least for the national smd conference tourneys