Dedication takes Lavin to brink of states der=0 bgcolor=”#D0D0D0″> By tim morris Staff Writer E
JACKIE POLLACK
Pat Lavin of Howell High School made himself one of the District’s top wrestlers in just three years.
If anyone deserved to be wrestling at the Meadowlands last weekend, it was the Rebel senior. It’s had to imagine anyone putting in as much time as Lavin did to refine his art. Yet his remarkable story ended a couple of matches too soon in the quarterfinals of the Region VI tournament. Still, it hardly diminished what he accomplished in 1999-00.
Lavin did not come up through recreation feeder programs or middle school teams. Basketball was his sport of choice in the winter. But after being cut as a sophomore from the basketball team, he decided to give wrestling a try. That sophomore season he didn’t even have wrestling shoes. He continued to have doubts about wrestling, but was good enough as a junior to make the varsity. He went 11-9. Nothing to be ashamed of, but still a long way from the big time.
One year later, Lavin was big time. He went 26-2, was the winner of three tournaments including the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association District 21 championship and was one of the cornerstones of the Shore Conference A North Division champions. How did it all come about so quickly?
Dedication.
"I definitely put everything into wrestling," Lavin said. "I was really motivated. I didn’t want to stop working. I felt if I didn’t do all I could, I was cheating myself."
Over the summer, Lavin participated in wrestling tournaments. He was schooled at Elite Wrestling, Dover Township, which is run by Steve Rivera, a former Manalapan High School state champion and College of New Jersey national champion. He was going to Elite Wrestling during the season putting in two full workouts a night.
Lavin’s dedication impressed Rebel Coach John Gagliano and set an example for the younger Rebels to follow.
"We thought that Pat had potential," said Gagliano. "He’s tough and he’s strong. His work ethic, without a doubt, is the reason he’s succeeded. He’s an animal in the room. He runs every day and he works out at night. He’s improved so much in such a short period of time.
"He’s just a super kid and he’s been a great captain," added Gagliano.
Even Lavin is surprised at what he accomplished this year, winning the Neptune Classic, Westfield Tournament and District 21 titles while going through the regular season without a loss.
"I didn’t think that I’d do this much at all," he noted. "I felt good going into the season because of all that I had done during the summer. When I won in Neptune that gave me confidence that I could do more."
The dedication and work ethic that have been his trademarks can be attributed to Lavin’s appreciation for wrestling’s uniqueness.
"No other sport is like wrestling," he explained. "You’re out there by yourself.
"I may not have had the experience that many of my opponents had, but I knew that hard work could make up for that."
Besides his individual success, there was the reward of captaining a championship team. Howell was one of the Shore’s elite teams and the best in Monmouth County. They made the Shore Conference Tournament field and qualified for the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs where they reached the semifinals.
"It was a very rewarding season," noted Lavin. "We really jelled together as a team. After coming so close last year it was very special for the seniors to win it this year."
Lavin is now getting ready for the baseball season, but he hasn’t gotten away from wrestling. He was at the Meadowlands this weekend as the team captain to cheer on freshman Zach Cunliffe.
"To be there and do what he has done as a freshman is great," he said.
A year ago, wrestling in college would never have entered Lavin’s mind, but after this year’s success it’s something he would like to do and no doubt can.