Hawks hang on as Rock South reclaims Unity Cup
Schedulers for Suburban One League ESOL) wrestling certainly know how to start a season with a bang. Pit two powerhouse archrivals against each other in an opening tussle and let the sSDUNs fly.
True to its billing, the aecember NN match-up between Council oock South and Co North proved an exciting affair that went GRwn WR WKH finDO EuzzHU. Each team sought possession of the cherished Unity Cup and the accompanying neighborhood bragging rights. Equally important, both teams wanted to set a tone for the new campaign.
oobbie Fasciocco, Co South’s N06-pound sophomore, tried to keep the match in perspective. After DOO, WKLs Ls MusW WKH fiUsW RI many bouts. “We tried to take it as if it was just another meet. Obviously it’s important because we’re such rivals but you can’t think of it that way. You have to go out and do what you always do.”
The work-as-usual attitude demanded that the relatively inexperienced grappler stay calm. “You have to get focused on what you are going to do and who your opponent is. Before a match, I try to get sweating a little bit. You can’t go out there cold or you won’t wrestle well.”
oobbie’s task was compounded by the fact that KH wDs IuOfiOOLnJ D OLIHlong dream, wrestling for the fabled dolden Hawks. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to wrestle for South. They have had a lot of state champs over the years. I was really nervous and excited because this was my fiUsW GuDO PHHW.”
When oobbie stepped on the mat, the Hawks had built up a slight lead. North’s Mike oodemacher started the scoring, taking a T-N decision over South’s Emeka Enogwe. The boys in blue and gold quickly reversed that lead when a decision by Tom Shaaltiel, a pin by Ben henis, and a forfeit victory by P.g. SteinPHWz SuW WKH HDwNs Rn top by a N5-3 score. hyle Thorp, a 285 pounder for the Indians, narrowed the margin to N5-6 when he defeated South’s heavyweight Thaison Nguyen.
The meet was still up for grabs as the lightweights took center stage. oobbie assumed his normal match strategy for his bout with 7RP 0DWDUDzzR. “YRu DOways have to go for a big win and a pin. I was up by 6-0. I came around and tried to pin him. I took him down twice and that was pretty important. Most of my back-points came off of a mixer I threw in at the end as I tried to pin him.”
oobbie’s 8-2 win extended the Hawks’ lead to N8-6. Nick Palmer followed suit with a technical fall over Wesley Olsen. aan Martoccio added six more points to South’s total when he pinned Mike geronis.
The early 29-6 score looked ominous but not absolute. The Hawks would claim victory in only one of the remaining six matches — DyODn 6FKwDUWz’s GHFLsion in his N32-pound bout. The three points proved decisive as Tim Ambacher, Sean Yoder, gohn autrow, Tyler helly, and Chris aavis all claimed victory in their bouts for North.
The effort put forth by the last of the Indian grapplers to take the mat was not enough as South prevailed, 32-2T. For oobbie, the key to the Hawks’ conquest was effort and team awareness.
“We all stayed focused and cheered on our teammates. hids not giving up major decisions and keeping the match close really
counted.”
For South, the win not only avenged last year’s loss to North but gave warning that this year’s Hawk ensemble is a potent group. “It felt great. It was eye- opening for the rest of the district. gust because we’re young and inexperienced doesn’t mean anything. We JDLnHG D lRW RI FRnfiGHnFH DV a team.”
A nHwly-FRnfiGHnW SRuWK wrestling squad is a terrifying concept for the rest of WKH S2L. CRDFK BUDG SLlimperi’s charges can now take sight on their usual goal which according to Robbie “is always to make it to states as a team. Individually, we always want to make states.”
The vanquishing of Rock North and reclaiming the Unity Cup certainly is an LPSRUWDnW fiUVW VWHS GRwn the Keystone yellow brick road.