Hudson Hawks wrestle with depth, experience
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Hudson - It's been a few years in the making, but coach Aaron Polansky's Hudson High grapplers have made the transition from wrestling team to wrestling program.

The biggest evidence of that was the Hawks' victory over Milford last month. Not only did the match drip with postseason intensity, its outcome - a 35-26 victory for Hudson - could go a long way in determining the Mid- Wachusett League's regularseason champion.

The Hawks came of age with the win by rallying from a 26-20 deficit with three matches left to capture the overall win and the bragging rights that go along with it.

"We knew things were really going to have to go our way if we were to beat them," Polansky said, "and while it took a while, [we] finally did."

Milford took its shortlived, six-point lead following the 171-pound weight class match, the Scarlet Hawk senior captain Nick D'Antonio besting Hudson's senior captain Greg Tanny by a 4-2 score.

Senior Matt Schwall pulled Hudson into a 26-26 tie with Milford when he won his 189-pound match, pinning Jake Brucato with a minute left in the third period.

Hudson took a 32-26 lead in the next match, when Hiago Fontoura followed Schwall's pin with one of his own at 215. Milford needed a pin in the heavyweight match wrestled by Devin Callahan, but Hudson instead iced the win, Jordan Ware doing the honors with a 4-3 defeat of Callahan.

Hudson entered competition this week with a 13-5 record.

A week after he helped the Hawks beat the Scarlet Hawks, Ware notched his 100th career win during Hudson's sweep of a quad-match with Holliston, Watertown and Canton.

Ware, wrestling in the 215-pound weight class, was 2-0 during the quad-match. Hudson wrestlers who were 3-0 during the event included Anthony Domenicucci (at 103 pounds), Derek Jordan (125), Jared Ware (145), Ethan Cecelya (152), Tanny (171), Schwall (189) and Fontoura (heavyweight).

Tanny, like Jordan Ware, recently reached the 100-career victory plateau.

The Hawks' success this season has been rooted in the return of a very successful core of senior wrestlers from last season including many of the grapplers previously mentioned, most notably Tanny, a sectional finalist last year, Jordan Ware and Schwall, but also Pat Ogilvie, who won the section title at 130 pounds last season.

Juniors who have helped complement the core have been Domenicucci and Mike Moulis, and sophomores Jimmy Dowling, Jared Ware, Steve McNaughton and Fontoura.

"Having so much returning experience allowed us some flexibility in our approach to the season and to matches," Polansky said. "The kids have been working really hard in practices, both individually and in team-building exercises, but in matches we're trying to stress doing the best you can, but do so by going out and having fun."

Polansky said the diversity of the team makes it difficult for opponents to prepare for meets with Hudson.

"They all bring something diff erent to the mat," Polansky said. "Because they have some experience, though, they all know their role, what's expected and what their focus should be."