Athlete of the Week is South Side wrestler Kyle Mosher
South Side's Kyle Mosher on top against MacArthur's Christian Dougherty last February. Credit: Howard Schnapp
You won’t find many wrestlers with the experience that Kyle Mosher has.
The South Side senior is a two-time Nassau champion and has placed in the county tournament five times. He’s also found himself on the podium four times at the state tournament but has yet to reach a state final.
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You won’t find many wrestlers with the experience that Kyle Mosher has.
The South Side senior is a two-time Nassau champion and has placed in the county tournament five times. He’s also found himself on the podium four times at the state tournament but has yet to reach a state final.
If the form he showed Friday at the Massapequa Holiday Tournament is any indication then this could be the year Mosher ends the season with his hand raised.
Mosher won four matches, including three technical falls, and pinned defending county champion JD Moore of Division in the final to win the 160-pound bracket, earning him Newsday’s Athlete of the week honors.
“It’s a great feeling to win a tournament as tough as this one,” Mosher said. “I’ve come here before and every year I’ve had a tough opponent in the finals. You always know you’re going to have the best competition.”
Mosher secured the pin in the final just 18 seconds into the second round after jumping out to a 2-0 lead over Moore, who he often trains with at their club.
“It’s definitely a challenge going up against someone you know well, especially when you’re friends,” he said. “We’ve wrestled in the room countless times. It’s tough to get out there and go against a friend but it’s something you have to do. You can’t be friends on the mat.”
Mosher thinks the improvements he’s made on his feet will be the key to securing that elusive state title.
“In the past on my feet I’ve been pretty limited in my moves,” he said. “This year I’m really trying to spread it out and taking a lot more shots and trying to transition from high school to college style is really what I’m focusing on.”
He also had first-round pins in both of South Side/East Rockaway’s dual meets before the Christmas break and has found a home at 160 pounds after deciding cutting weight to 152 wasn’t beneficial.
“That’s been very helpful,” he said. “I went 152 for the Super 32 earlier this year and it was a very tough cut. I didn’t have the stamina that I feel like I have at 160. I’m giving up a little muscle but I’m gaining back speed and stamina.”
Which is important because Mosher always finds himself wrestling deep into the postseason.