Wrestling Wrecks Competition at Home
One! The referee slammed the mat. Two! Senior and co-captain Tyler Morris held his opponent’s shoulders to the ground. Three! The Exeter bench went wild as Morris beat his competitor in an astonishing 20 seconds.
His victory was one of the many impressive matches Big Red’s varsity wrestling team had against Deerfield, Hyde and Andover in a home game on Saturday. The final scores against the opposing teams were 74-6, 78-6 and 42-29, respectively.
Last season, Big Red beat out the same rival schools in a similar fashion. As a result, prep Jonathan Jeun noted that the team was in high spirits going in. “We were confident because they’re usually not such good teams,” he said.
That being said, senior and co-captain Ethan Rosenthal stressed that hard work went into such a commanding performance. “We are a really lighthearted team, but we expect you to do the work,” Rosenthal said.
For those experiencing high school competition for the first time, this match was a glimpse at the upcoming season. “These first couple of weeks in high school wrestling have been harder than any middle school season,” prep Chris MacArthur said.
This victory was made possible by Big Red’s domination over all weight classes. “We excel in every weight class,” Jeun said. “Unlike other teams that have all their best wrestlers in the same classes, we can compete from 106 all the way to 220.”
Though their days at the Academy number few, new wrestlers have also enhanced the team. “We have a younger team than last year so we are doing as expected,” Rosethal noted. “Nate Puchalski did well; he really showed up. He made a name for himself, showed he can do the work.”
Jeun also deserved some commendation.“He went against some hammers and pulled through,” Rosenthal said.
Jeun highlighted that upper Christian Petry excelled in the 106-pound weight class. “Petry wrestled a weight class above him and was really quick on his feet to secure the win,” he said.
Another impressive performance came from Morris. Rosenthal and Jeun both mentioned Morris, who he beat all his competitors in the first period, as a standout teammate. Morris scored one of his wins in the first 30 seconds.
Lower Matt Indelicarto’s performance further stunned his teammates. “Matt had one of the last matches and beat someone who was third in the country and Andover’s captain to seal the match and give us a win,” Jeun said.
Jeun highlighted that the close-knit team dynamic will carry Big Red to future victories. “Everyone gets along on the team,” he said. “It’s a fun, supportive atmosphere. It’s competitive, but we also know how to have fun.”
This Saturday, Big Red will face Brooks and Northfield Mount Hermon at a dual meet at Tabor. The team hopes to carry their positive energy through the rest of the season—and all the way to the championship.