The Lehigh Valley lost a wrestling legend last week with the passing of former Bethlehem Catholic coach Tony Iasiello.

Iasiello, 72, was buried on Monday and the heavyweights of the sport all came to pay respects to a man that has given so much, not only to Bethlehem Catholic, but to the sport of wrestling and the Lehigh Valley.

Iasiello coached at Becahi for 38 years and won 408 matches, as well as crowning nine PIAA state champions, but the true testament of Iasiello's work lays in how he helped promote the sport not only locally, but across the state and around the country.

Current Becahi head coach Jeff Karam took over the program in 2007 but knew Iasiello ever since he was a youth wrestler and into his high school and coaching career.

When Karam took over the reigns at BC, Iasiello was the first one to congratulate him.

"Tony was a great man and an ambassador for the sport of wrestling," Karam said. "It wasn't just about Bethlehem Catholic with him. It was about the whole community. When I was hired here, Tony was the first phone call I got. I never wanted to let him down. I don't know how many people there will ever be like him. He truly was giant in the sport."

If there's one man that was more synonymous to Bethlehem Catholic than baseball coach Mike Grasso, it was Tony Iasiello. Grasso and Iasiello were eight years apart in age, but both have spent the bulk of their lives as Golden Hawks.

Grasso spoke fondly of Iasiello, knowing that he'll never be replaced.

"TI's heart was bigger than the entire city of Bethlehem," Grasso said. "What's he's done for the community and the Lehigh Valley will be unmatched. I knew Tony for 40 years and it was a priceless gift to have been his friend."

Grasso recalled a story of being at a wrestling tournament in the coal region years ago when Iasiello was still the coach at Becahi.

Grasso's father was in attendance and wanted to meet Iasiello. Grasso brought his friend up to the stands where his father was sitting and introduced the two.

"Tony told my dad to come and sit with him," he said. "He said that as long as you're in the building, you can always come and sit with him. Tony was just great man. We lost a giant in the Lehigh Valley. The world would be a better place if we had more Tony's."