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The wrestling captains from left: Junior Owen Hamilton, senior Gunner Basak and junior Aidan Soukaloun. Photo by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
Good turnout for revitalized program
There are a lot of things to be concerned with when you are a high school wrestler.
Weight has to be kept in check, moves have to be worked on, and, at Woodstock Academy, you have to be at school at 5:30 a.m. to practice.
So far, no complaints.
“It’s a little tough at the start of practice but after they warm up, they’ve done a really good job with all the moves that I have been teaching. The energy has been phenomenal,” coach Cahan Quinn said.
Woodstock has about 22 athletes out for the second year of the program which just returned to competition a year ago.
“We’re missing a 215 (pound wrestler), are unsure of 190 and 106 and 113. Those are tough weight classes to fill,” Quinn said.
Tri-captain and one of just two seniors on the team, Gunner Basak, said the relative newness of the program has attracted athletes.
The program does begin the season with a little momentum.
Basak said the team learned a lot from a year ago especially at the very end of the season.
That’s when senior Lucas Theriaque did the unexpected.
The 14th seed in the 165-pound weight class in Class M made it all the way to the championship match and was just nipped by top seed Matt Gish, 3-2, in the final.
“I was his training partner throughout last season and he taught me pretty much everything I know. It’s the little details that you can’t get from someone who has to coach an entire team. It was a one-on-one partnership that we really developed and it has helped me a lot,” Basak said.
Things have changed a little.
For Quinn, a former Woodstock wrestler, it’s a little more individual.
Last year, the Centaurs practiced early and often with the Putnam High team which Quinn said helped him a lot.
Basak is one of just three seniors on the team.
Ayden Angel-Ouimette also returns while Will Papineau will make his wrestling debut in his final year of eligibility.
Juniors Owen Hamilton and Aidan Soukaloun will also serve as captains.
Other juniors include the only female wrestler, Olivia DiGregorio, who may go down a couple of weight classes this season.
Andrew Landreville and newcomer Quan Sangasy are the other two juniors with sophomores Jake Henderson and Jaiden Bowers and freshman Colby Deary expected to pitch in.
One thing that the Centaurs did not accomplish --- they did not win a dual match in 12 meets last year.
They will compete in Div. II this season but that includes the likes of Killingly, Windham, Waterford and Ledyard, all of whom have had some pretty good wrestling teams in the past.
“It would be nice to win a meet this year but, at the end of the day, I care more about the growth of the kids,” Quinn said.
The schedule includes a match on Christmas Eve morning in Killingly.
The Centaurs open the season on Dec. 18 at home against Bacon Academy.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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