CHS wrestlers take 5th in Kick-off Tournament

The Canton High School wrestling team opened the 2010 season on a high note, taking fifth place at the Oliver Ames Kick Off-Tournament in Easton on Saturday. The tournament represented the Bulldogs’ first action since the retirement of legendary coach Tom Bartosek, who established the program in 1992. New head coach Ryan Cafelle, a former CHS student and wrestler, takes the reins from Coach Bartosek.

This was also the first year that the Canton matmen have opened their season in tournament play. Cafelle called the tournament, which was stocked with bigger schools and larger teams, a “great opportunity to improve against better competition.” Southeastern Regional Vocational School took first place in the tournament, followed by Mansfield in second, Andover in third, and OA in fourth. Canton, Carver, and Middleborough were the only Division 3 teams in the tournament, as all other entrants were Division 2 or higher.

Tournament rules stipulate that each team may carry up to 28 wrestlers, or two per weight class. The Bulldogs came in with only 14. Still, the Canton grapplers battled valiantly and achieved impressive results, including two individual tournament championships. Freshman Chris Sullivan took the crown for the 105 pound weight class, going 4-0 with four pins, and senior captain Kevin Connolly went 3-0 and took top honors in the 115 pound class.

Junior David Rosenberg registered a second place finish in the 125 pound weight class, while senior John McCabe took third place among 160 pounders. Canton also had two fourth-place finishers in the tournament: senior Quamine Heraldo and sophomore Ian Mills, wrestling at 145 and 112 pounds, respectively.

Despite graduating 11 seniors from last year’s team and being hit by the injury bug early, Coach Cafelle still has high expectations for his squad.

“We have holes in the lineup, we’re dealing with injuries, but our aspirations are high,” Cafelle said. “We look to be a very strong tournament team this year, and also contend for the Hockomock title. I was impressed with how our guys fought and battled in this tournament.”

Cafelle looks to impart some of his former coach’s teachings to the first-ever group of Canton wrestlers who will call someone other than Bartosek their coach.

“Tom Bartosek was a mentor to me when I was a wrestler at Canton High, and while I served as a volunteer coach,” Cafelle said. “Coach Bartosek built the program from the bottom up. You don’t replace a man like that. I hope to take some of his ideas and apply the things he taught me, and continue the winning tradition here.”

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=1337

Posted by Danny Joseph on Dec 16 2010. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.