The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
M-E joined by 4 schools
Wrestlers from Hamilton, Madison, Stockbridge Valley, Clinton join LeBlanc’s squad
MORRISVILLE >> This fall, athletes from Morrisville-Eaton and Hamilton competed on the field together in boys soccer, field hockey and football.
This winter, wrestlers from the two schools will again be on the same team, with a lot more com- pany.
Wrestlers from Madison, Stockbridge Valley and Clinton will join coach Duane LeBlanc’s M-E team for the 2013-14 season.
“If somebody wants to wrestle, I’m a firm believer that we’ll give them that opportunity,” said LeBlanc during practice Friday.
The five schools are the most LeBlanc has ever had athletes
come from to wrestle. When he began in 2000, M-E had wrestlers from Hamilton and Stockbridge Valley in the program. Madison joined four years ago and Trevor Simzer joins the team from Clinton this season after previously wrestling at VernonVerona-Sherrill.
“I know most of the kids,” said Simzer of his new teammates. “I’ve wrestled against them since I was little.”
Many of the wrestlers know each other very well. Some have been on the team for several years and others have faced off against each other in different sports throughout their careers.
“We all pretty much get along,” said Madison junior Brett Lewis. “Playing against them you want to beat them to the ground. Playing with them you’ve got to set it aside and wait until you can have at it again.”
However, LeBlanc said his wrestlers get along very well during the winter season while they’re teammates, noting the biggest problem he has is finding a time when everyone is available to practice. Stockbridge Valley sophomore Zach Burke said it does take time for the wrestlers from the different schools to learn each others tendencies, strengths and weaknesses.
“It’s different, not bad,” said M-E senior Wyatt Morris.
“It’s fun getting to know all these guys and becoming close, like a family.”