Brother Martin wrestles in Tennessee, caps busy weekend for area schools

Pat Mashburn, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, December 03, 2012 1:22 p.m.

Brother Martin traveled to Germantown for the Blackhorse Tournament and came away with second place, scoring 302.5 points, behind champion Christian Brothers (323).

The Crusaders placed seven wrestlers in the finals out of 14 weight classes, netting four titles.

Weight class champions included Austin Meyn (126-pound); Dominic Casadaban (138-pound); Tyler Robertson (145); and Devin LeBlanc (160-pound) while finishing second were Paul Klein (120-pound); Daniel Albrecht (170-pound); and Kyle Delaune (182-pound).

“We wrestled about as well as we were capable,” said Brother Martin coach Robbie Dauterive. “It’s tough to lose when you place 13 in the top four and score 300-plus points, but I have to give credit to Christian Brothers. They are extremely talented and deserved to win.”

In the 138-pound class, Jesuit's Andrew Russo gets the advantage over Noah Greer of Fontainebleau in the Stanley Rauch-Shaw Duals. - (Pat Mashburn, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Road to perfection: Last season, Connor Campo of St. Paul’s finished the 2011-12 season as one of two competitors undefeated against Louisiana competition, finishing with the state title in the 138-pound title at the state championships.

Campo is well aware of the lofty expectations entering his senior season, and many of those aspirations come from within. The idea of being a marked man doesn’t seem to phase him or alter his approach.

“I know people will be trying to get at me,” said Campo. “I’ve just got to take it one match at a time and continue to improve on conditioning and technique.”

There are other responsibilities that come along with being the top-ranked wrestler in the All-New Orleans area individual rankings in the 138-pound class.

“Connor is our team leader,” said St. Paul’s coach Craig Kettleson. “He sets the tone in practices and during matches, and the leadership he provides is invaluable.”

Referee’s Corner: It was a good season last year for Paul Ulfers after being named the top referee during the state championships at the Pontchartrain Center in Feburary. Having been officiating for many years, there is a valuable piece of advice for those who are in their first season on the varsity level.

“The wrestlers need to report to the table ready to compete,” Ulfers said. “That means, have all of your equipment in place and ready to go. If it doesn’t happen, that wrestler risks having some kind of consequence that could hurt himself as well as the team.”

The penalty can be at the discretion of the official, but many will address the issue with coaches prior to the start of a match.

Referee’s Corner (Part II): The Greater New Orleans Wrestling Officials Association (GNOWOA) is looking for new members. Candidates should have some wrestling background or experience as well as a strong desire to uphold and maintain the strong traditions of the wrestling community while earning money. Interested individuals should contact President Jerry Schmidt at (504) 813-9372 or email Gerald.Schmidt@spr.doe.gov.

“Many longtime officials like myself have kids now wrestling and we want to ease back our workload just to be parents and cheer on our kids.”

Upcoming Meets: Dec. 7-8, Rummel-Sam Sara Invitational; Dec. 8, Northshore Panther Duals; Dec. 21-22, Brother Martin-Trey Culotta Invitational; Dec. 28-29, Deep South Bayou Duals at Baton Rouge Centroplex