At Tabor Academy, sports picked up again in full swing; all teams prepared to buckle down and shake off the Winter Break rust. Some teams had to play as early as Wednesday, the first official day of school for Tabor.
On Saturday, January 7, Tabor Academy Wrestling prepared itself for a quad meet, three straight matches against Thayer Academy, Loomis Chaffee, and Hyde Connecticut School. Against Thayer, the Seawolves quickly picked up the pace; besides a couple of unfortunate hiccups, Tabor shook off its cobwebs and dominated Thayer, 64 to 12.
The second match of the meet was promised to be Tabor’s most challenging; Loomis Chaffee and Tabor have gone back and forth consistently over the years, trading close wins and losses. Last year, Tabor and Loomis were tied at the final bout, 30 to 30, when Tabor sophomore Clayton Caliendo pinned his opponent to give the Seawolves the win. This year, the meeting was not nearly as close. Beginning with Clayton at 126 lbs, the Seawolves jumped out to a lead and didn’t look back. All three captains earned a win for the team and Tabor Academy won all but two bouts. Freshmen Dylan Genasci Smith, Aldair Vivar, and John Anderson all won great matches, with John closing out a 61 to 12 Tabor victory. Tabor’s only two losses came from rough opponents against Patrick Montolio from Plymouth and Kiernan Reynolds, who once again volunteered to wrestle above his weight, from Marion. Both wrestled incredibly well and fought, just as much as the rest of the team, with immense heart and pride. After such an intense match, Tabor faced a depleted Hyde squad and won with confidence, 72 to 12.
Tabor Wrestling enjoyed winning three matches, but the coaches were just as proud of the team’s attitude as they were of the wins. After the match, Coach Leary said, “We went out there, wrestled our guts out against a great team, and I loved it.”
Both Coach Leary and Coach Bozzi praised Tabor Wrestling’s never-say-die style and their policy of outworking their opponents. The Seawolves’ fans really showed up loud and proud in the wrestling room on Saturday; their presence definitely contributed to the team’s excitement and intensity. Tabor Academy Wrestling now has a record of 7 and 2; on Wednesday, they leave for St. Sebastian’s School. Their next home meet is next Saturday against Tilton School, Worcester Academy, Wilbraham and Monson Academy, and Williston Northampton School.
By Jacob Farias