The Chardon High School wrestling team is looking strong and ready to go all out this 2013-14 season. Head coach Nick Salantino is getting the team prepared mentally and physical for this year’s season. The seniors this year, Matt Liggett, Nick Rocazella, Anthony Tilocco, and Marcus Znidarsic, are looking to lead the team to the promise land. The team’s lineup is as followed: Shane Scalli at 106 lbs., Dylan Strauser at 113 lbs., Anthony Tilocco at 120 lbs., Steve Grzsik at 126 lbs., Mike Connick at 132 lbs., Matt Liggett at 138 lbs., Jacob Eldridge at 145 lbs., Sam Rocazella at 152 lbs., Dalton Moses at 160 lbs., Nick Rocazella at 170 lbs., Dustin Clute at 182 lbs, Devin Johnson at 195 lbs, and lastly Marcus Zindarsic wrestling 220 lbs. The team is ready to go in every weight class they have.
This past week the toppers wrestled at the Lutheran West Tournament. The tournament was a team duals style tournament were your team wrestles another team and the team with the most points at the end of facing the other team wins. The points system works with a win for a team is worth 3 points. A major, when you beat your opponent by 8 points, is worth 4 points. Finally, a pin or a forfeit is worth 6 team points. The Hilltoppers faced LutheranWestHigh School in the finals for 1st and 2nd place. With Connick, Liggett, Sam Rocazella, and Tilocco all pinning their oppents, the toppers pulled together and beat the Luthern West Longhorns 28 to 46. The team took 1st out of 8 teams.
Senior Matt Liggett said after the win, “I knew after the way Mike and I pinned our opponents that we were going to win that trophy.”
Junior Mike Connick said, “It feels good to win the first tournament of the season!”
The team now has to take on ConneautHigh school at Conneaut on Thursday and then another tournament at Solon Friday and Saturday. Also the team has the tough Kenston Tournament coming up on the schedule.
Senior Anthony Tilocco says, “As a team and individually we need to bring all we have to these next couple of huge tournaments.” referring to the Solon and Kenton tournaments.
Freshman Sam Rocazella is leading the team so far this season in Takedowns. He has an incredible 14 takedowns in only 5 matches. His brother Nick said, “Its cool to have my brother on varsity with me.”
This week will be a hard one. The team is giving it their all for these tough matches coming up, but they will battle through it and will get ready for the showdown. Come out and help support the team as they take down the season.