For all the success the Patriots enjoyed, head coach Brian Leggett was named the OVAC Bill Van Horne Coach of the Year Monday night inside WesBanco Arena during the annual Banquet of Champions.

“This award is a direct reflection on the investment so many great people make to our program. From our top-notch coaching staff, that I rely on heavily, to our wrestlers and their supportive families, to our school administration and community who rally around our team and this amazing sport of wrestling,” Leggett stressed.

“Seasons like what these young men accomplished don’t happen by chance. They have been putting in work for years and it shows,” he added. “We are building something special here at Wheeling Park High School and we aim to keep this momentum rolling.

“Thank you to the OVAC. I have been around a lot of wrestling organizations and I have never seen a conference like this at any level,” Leggett continued. “Our wrestlers dream about walking out for their OVAC finals match and standing on top of that podium. The OVAC tournament is so special to each one of them.”

In his fourth year at the helm of the Patriots, Leggett returned Wheeling Park to its glory days.

With a lineup full of talent, Wheeling Park, which was state runnerup in 2021, rolled through the West Virginia Class AAA regional with an astounding 277.5 points. En route to that total, the Patriots qualified 13 of their 14 individuals to the state tournament.

In Huntington, the Patriots didn’t slow down inside Mountain Health Arena. They produced five state champions and had nine total placers. It resulted in 207.5 points, which was a run-away winner for the state title, which was the seventh in school history, but first since 2006.

Before entering the postseason, Park flexed its muscles locally, too. Leggett’s squad won the overall title at the OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Championship and then claimed the 5A title in the OVAC Bill Hingardner Dual Championships.

They also finished undefeated in the prestigious Park Duals in December, claiming the title for the first time since 2007.

Many people didn’t know what Leggett was going through off the mat as his wife, Lindsay, was going through a battle with cancer even before the season began.

“I would like to dedicate this award to my wife. When she got her cancer diagnosis last fall my first instinct was that I needed to take a step back from wrestling to be there for her and our family. When I brought it up to her she told me ‘absolutely not!’ “I am so thankful for her and grateful for the way our wrestling community has supported her in her fight. She is a true inspiration.”

In addition to Leggett, other finalists for the award included D.J. Butler (Barnesville baseball), Dan Ifft (Dover football), Holly Pettit (Cameron girls basketball) and Lou “Scooter” Tolzda (Union Local girls basketball).