There are lots of ways to remember the legacy that Cary High wrestling coach Jerry Winterton now leaves behind after stepping down on Tuesday.

You can remember the 643 wins. Or maybe the fact that he won 97 percent of the time he was at Cary.

Or 19 state championships.

These mind-boggling numbers go on and on.

But I'll remember the manner in which he won them all - with class and humility.

The Imps would have just gotten through blasting a team - something like 60-12 - and no matter how I phrased the question, he'd take time to complement his hapless opponents:

"They've got a real good team."

"A lot of those matches were close and could have gone either way."

"They just had a few guys hurt."

There was something refreshing and graceful about how he handled those blowout wins. He was gracious to a fault.

Any credit he did accept, he directed straight to the wrestlers themselves.

But that was the way he wanted things to be. All about the wrestlers, not about him.

He also repeatedly praised John Sanderson, from whom Winterton inherited the program. Nevermind that it was 29 years ago.

Winterton had certainly done something right since then, but he'd never be the one to say it.

At the end of every season, he'd talk about how many good wrestlers he'd lose to graduation. How it'd be hard to repeat the success over the past couple of months for another year.

Then the next year they'd come back and go undefeated all over again.

No quote was more Jerry-like than this week when he said: "I think a younger guy could do better."

It'll be hard to top his wins.

Even harder to match his humility.

We'll miss you, coach.