by Leo Charlebois
Wrestling is an intense single combat competition in which two athletes battle trying to win by either pinning their opponent on their back or scoring more points through scoring moves like takedowns. The wrestling team is a large part of NAHS culture, clinching various Hockomock titles, including one this past year.
Although being the Hockomock title defenders comes with a lot of pressure, captains Nick Gould and Brandon Graveline believe the team will have an even better season than before. Nothing less than another state championship is expected from this team, a title they have claimed since 2012.
The wrestling team also wants to gain more wins for their coach’s legacy. This past 2015 season, head coach Wayne Griffin earned his impressive 300th dual meet victory along with winning the Division 2 dual meet championship. His excellence in coaching is not only highly valued, but also widely appreciated by his team.
When asked about Coach Griffin, captain Nick Gould said, “Coach Griffin has been my coach for a while now. In fact, he actually has coached my whole high school career along with my middle school Kryptonite wrestling team. He has taught me a lot about wrestling and I believe he is one of the best Hockomock coaches around.”
Coach Griffin’s precise coaching over practices and getting his athletes to take good care of themselves off the mat is just one of the reasons why the team has experienced such a large amount of success in the past few years.
Another person who is extremely excited about having the opportunity to add to the NAHS Hockomock title banner this year is captain Brandon Graveline. When asked about his hopes for the upcoming season, Graveline said, “I am personally looking to best my season results from last year. My goals are to remain in my current weight class of 134 pounds and get at least one more win and also add another pin. Hopefully to help my team win the championship again.”
The First Launch 