Harboring high hopes for the season, the Walpole High School Wrestling team welcomed in the 2011-2012 winter sports season with hard work and dedication. The team tied 39 to 39 with Norwood in the Mustang’s newly renovated gymnasium at their match last Wednesday, December 14, and pulled out two wins at the Quad on Saturday, December 17. Coached by Devin Pacelli and Matt Holubesko, and captained by senior Cam Benoit, the team certainly earns every pin, tech, and win they achieve, enduring brutal practices almost every day and competing in anywhere from one to three matches a week. Each member of the team endures the stresses of staying in shape, making weight for competitions, and grueling practices almost every day, devoting time, energy, and dedication in the hopes that when they face their opponent on the musty foam mat they will come out the victor.

Last Wednesday, the wrestling team showed up ready to fight against the Mustangs in the Norwood gymnasium as they circled the mats, warming up for the tough night that lingered ahead. The match was headed off with a pin by freshman Nicholas Glover, putting Walpole on track for victory. Varsity captain senior Cam Benoit also claimed victory, along with senior Marvin Jean Simon, who brought the night to an end and helped Walpole tie Norwood with a pin. While the result was a tie, the team wrestled very well and certainly proved themselves a worthy opponent for Norwood wrestlers.

Only three days after tying against Norwood, the team hit the mats yet again for a Quad on Saturday, December 17th. The Quad proceeded through the morning until about noon, each wrestler facing three matches with wrestlers from three different teams. Although Walpole suffered a disappointing loss against Hingham, Walpole pulled out two wins against the other two teams participating in the Quad, with everyone wrestling tough. Coach Matt Holubesko commented that “[We] are a young team,” and while the wrestling team definitely has room to grow and improve, the talent and potential displayed by each wrestler, as well as the devotion of the coaches to the kids and the sport, show that Walpole High School can expect nothing short of a great season for the wrestling team. The next face off will be on Thursday, December 22, when the Rebels will hit the mats against Framingham.