By Kyle Cape-Lindelin
How can you tell who is the most manly man in Villa Maria Hall's Strongman Competition?
Have them carry two of the smallest Villa residents in kilts, of course.
This was one of the four competitions that Villa residents competing in this year's Strongman competition had to go through last Sunday. The champion was eventually decided in what had been a tight battle through the mud and rainy conditions.
Sophomore Mike Pacholec brought home the honor of being the strongest man in Villa, placing no lower than second in every match.
"I had to work out three days a week to get here," Pacholec said. "I was very impressed with my competitors. We all worked hard, even though it was raining. I had to give 110 percent no matter what."
Participants first had to test each others strength in the Cinder Block competition. This competition had each contestant lift two 10 pound cinder blocks up to their shoulders, the winner being whoever held them longest.
Pacholec took first, freshmen PJ Marcello took second and TJ Breysse grabbed third place.
The next competition was the Truck Push. The participants had to push a Ford F-250, weighing about three tons, in neutral for 50 feet and whoever could make it the fastest would be crowned victor.
This battle came down to seconds as Breysse took home the honors with an 18 second time. Pacholec and sophomore Michael Navarrete tied for second with 19 seconds.
Marcello grabbed third place with 20 seconds, while freshmen David Bauders and Greg Brady finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
"I really pushed myself hard while pushing that truck, my whole body was shaking," Breysse said following his victory.
After pushing a huge truck, participants then tried their hand at the Log Tossing competition, which involved the contestants seeing how far each could throw a 30 pound log.
Pacholec took first in the Log Toss, at a distance of 10 feet. Navarrete came in close second, tossing it about eight feet. Marcello grabbed third place, just missing Navarrete's mark.
This competition ultimately came down to form as Pacholec and Navarrete tried muscling the log as best they could at close range, which was the most successful strategy. Others didn't fair well with a running start.
The final competition came down to the Wee Villian Carry. This gave the contestants the chance to carry two smaller Villa resident volunteers on their back for 20 feet back-and-forth.
Whoever got both men across the finish line fastest won. This competition again came down to form.
Pacholec won first place, carrying each man on a shoulder and getting them across the finish line in only ten seconds. Marcello took second with 13 seconds focusing on speed to get men across the line.
Navarrete came in third with 15 seconds while getting extra cheers for going shirtless.
The final tally had Pacholec at first place with a strong cushion. Marcello came in second because of his consistent success in all the competitions, while Navarrete came in third after strong showings in the Log Toss, Wee Villian Carry and the Truck Push. Breysse finished in fourth place while Bauders came in fifth. Brady finished sixth, while getting the biggest cheer from the crowd for his effort because he was the smallest of the competitors.
Even though Marcello didn't get the top honor, he was still optimistic about his performance.
"First the worst, second the best, you know?" Marcello said.
After the competition, contestants and observers were welcome at a barbeque that raised $125 for the dorm. The barbeque also allowed the Villa men and observers a chance to rest following the grueling battle.
Navarrete, who also helped organize the competition, thought the event was a success despite the rainy weather.
"I thought it was a great turnout, it was pretty fun and entertaining," he said. "We raised more money than we thought we would while seeing more people come out than we thought we would, so I hope we can match it or build on it for next year."
