Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Triumphs over St. Paul’s and Governor’s
By: Beverly Oleka
On Dec. 15, the boys’ varsity wrestling team bested St. Paul's School and Governor’s Academy with dominating scores of 51-25 and 66-15, respectively. Despite losing their competitive season last year, the team is making significant progress. The team is led by senior captains Zander Galli and Matthew Indelicarto.
The team wrestled hard to come out on top. “The varsity game was electric, and came out with some strong power,” senior Dean Hall recalled. “The matches were intense and well-fought, but Exeter had a strong sense of confidence behind us. Governor's Academy was an easier opponent while St. Pauls was a much tougher struggle.”
The match was some of the players’ first matches. “I will admit I was a bit intimidated at first, but that feeling dissipated the second I got on the mat,” lower Alex Rosen said. “Watching everyone wrestle was amazing. There's a sort of camaraderie in cheering-on your teammates that you rarely get anywhere else. It was an incredible experience. The anticipation, excitement, and adrenaline all built up.”
Upper Nate Puchalski agreed. “The matches were both fun and competitive. All the guys had each other’s backs, hyping each other up before individual matches and motivating them during. It was great to see the new guys wrestle their first matches. Their performance showed that they’ve been working hard in the wrestling room.”
The coaches were also very pleased with the team’s great win. Boys’ varsity wrestling team head coach David Hudson commented on the team’s hard work and ability to produce in high fashion. “We are a fairly young team and the competitive experience is critical for us to develop as a team. Our wrestlers are working hard, and both the coaches and athletes feel good about where we are heading into the new year.”
Hall was proud of what he and his teammates achieved. “I went 2-0 in the first session, with two pins on within 30 seconds. Nate had one of the best battles I have ever seen,” Hall said.
Hudson reflected fondly on the competition as a whole. “We learned about the things we need to work on. We have worked hard focusing on fundamentals. It was also the first time I had a chance to see most of our wrestlers compete at the varsity level,” Hudson said.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the wrestling room and working hard to get better and build on the momentum we had going into the break,” Hudson added.
