2012-13 Results and Media Coverage
Brother Martin in prime position to defend Division I state wrestling title
Mike Strom, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, October 30, 2012 12:27 p.m.
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Paul Klein, top, at 106 pounds won Brother Martin's only individual state title as a freshman last year. - (Courtesy of Brother Martin) |
“Every match counts.’’
Such was the perspective of Brother Martin wrestling en route to winning
a Division I state championship in February.
It again will serve as Brother Martin’s mantra as wrestling season kicks
off this week with the Crusaders determined to defend their team title
in 2012-13.
“When you look back on it, you realize how close it was,’’ Brother
Martin Coach Robbie Dauterive said, referencing his squad’s scoring
total of 283.0 points that proved four points better than Baton
Rouge-Catholic and nine more than then-reigning state champion Rummel. “You realize how every match counts. Our entire team is a firm believer in that. Every single point matters.’’
How else does one explain Brother Martin’s remarkable feat of producing
just one individual state champion, while capturing the program’s 13th
state title.
It was a freshman at that, Paul Klein at 106 pounds, who earned the
Crusaders’ lone gold medal. |
Paced by Klein, all 14 Brother Martin wrestlers who competed in the state
tournament scored at least nine points and 12 placed among the top six finishers
in their respective weight classes. The two who did not came within one victory
of a top-six finish.
Eight of the 12 that placed, including Klein, return this season to lead
Martin’s bid to repeat.
Seven of those eight are seniors, with Dominic Casadaban and Kyle Delaune being
state Runners-Up at 120 and 170 pounds, Tyler Robertson and Ross Brister each
third at 126 and 285, Devin Leblanc fourth at 138, and Logan Labry and Daniel
Albrecht sixth at 132 and 160.
“We’ve got a really strong team coming back,’’ Dauterive said. “Of the guys we
have back, six of the eight already have placed twice at state and one of the
two who did not (Klein) was only because he was a freshman. The guys who are
stepping into the lineup are very talented. More than a couple of them could
have placed at the state tournament. They just had to wait their turn.’’
Baton Rouge-Catholic projects to be Brother Martin’s stiffest challenger in
Division I, while Jesuit, St. Paul’s and Rummel all are expected to be in
contention again when the state championships return to the PontchartrainCenter
on Feb. 15-16. Jesuit and St. Paul’s finished fourth and fifth in last year’s
championships with team totals of 234.5 and 228 points.
Rummel senior Matt Calcote, a 2012 champion at 113 pounds, is back in pursuit of
his third state crown. Connor Campo and David Englehardt of St. Paul’s are
reigning champions at 126 and 138 pounds.
In Division II, Holy Cross was a distant runner-up to Teurlings Catholic, 277.0
to 249.0. The Tigers return one state champion in senior Alex Nicosia at 113
pounds and a state runner-up in sophomore George Benoit at 120.
In Division III, De La Salle junior Alex Martin is a returning state champion at
152 pounds.
John Curtis and Thomas Jefferson finished second and third respectively in the
Division III team championship race with 216.0 and 210 points behind Brusly’s
winning total of 251.0.
John Curtis returns two state Runners-Up in seniors Joseph Spadaro at 138 and
Spencer Lemoine at 285, while Jefferson returns three state Runners-Up in
seniors Todd Tidwell at 106, Brent Matherne at 145 and Austin Davis at 160
