New Haven Independent

The scene was East Rock Magnet School’s gym, Wednesday afternoon. Carlos and other members of the citywide high schools’ joint wresting team had a home match against Amity.

Carlos, a Hyde Leadership Academy freshman, is in his first year on the team. He has found himself facing older, bigger opponents.

He’s not alone. The 15-member New Haven squad has seven freshmen like Carlos and three sophomores. They often face wrestlers with more years in the ring. They’ve learned to face the challenge with a combination of heart and techniques like hand control.

His coaches call Carlos “the little warrior.” They tell him that at 125 pounds he has the heart of a bull. He said he doesn’t quite understand what they mean. But he showed what they meant during the match.

Carlos leaned back against his opponent, Amity senior Chris Tedesco. Tedesco was in a position to end the match right there. But Carlos did not let him get enough angle on him. Instead, hands and forearms locked, they did a strenuous dance out of bounds. The match resumed.

“When he reaches, you shoot!” yelled New Haven Coach Chris De Block midway in the first period as two dozen fans looked on. Such encouraging words are permitted from the coaches on the sidelines. With so many young wrestlers, De Block does a lot of positive shouting.

Carlos tried to follow the coach’s instructions. Tedesco evaded several attempted take down moves. He fiddled with his ear protectors.

“Don’t worry about the headgear! First move wins,” De Block continued to shout from his position at the corner of the mat.

As the second period started, Tedesco tried to reach up at Carlos.

“If he reaches [up], shoot under him,” the coach shouted.

Several times Carlos’s speed kept the more experienced Tedesco from upending him.
After the first two-minute period, Carlos was holding his own, though the score was two to seven for Tedesco.

Carlos fended off several more hand grips that might have resulted in a take-down against him. Still, Tedesco did prevail and pinned Carlos.

“You wrestled good,” said Assistant Coach Mike Zurlo when Carlos came off the mat. Against stiff competition, Carlos wrestled a solid period and a half, showing guts and growing knowledge of the use of the hands and balance in gaining advantage.

De Block complimented him too. He added that Carlos needs to shore up his defense and learn more about where to be on the mat.

“Every match we’re getting better,” said De Block said.

At the team’s last home match, against Jonathan Law High School of Milford, Carlos had noted with a touch of exasperation that he was always going up against kids who were older. In Wednesday’s contest against Tedesco, any sense of age handicap wasn’t evident.

“He’s not as nervous to wrestle any more, he’s not scared, he knows what to expect,” Coach De Block observed. “He doesn’t give up. He’s very tough.”

That he lost the bout didn’t stress Carlos or the coach. It was a learning experience.

The age of your opponent doesn’t matter, Carlos concluded: “What matters is technique and a little strength, and speed.”

A third of the way through the season, Carlos’s record is now 4 and 12.

Against Fairfield Prep next week, Carlos said the coaches were working with him “to learn how to balance my speed, so I can have more stamina at the end of the match.”

In other words, “I want to kick the other guy’s butt next time.”

Team Round-up

Although Amity beat the New Haven team soundly, New Haven Captain Tito Slaughter continued his winning ways.

In the 189-pound category he won handily and remains ranked first in the state and only one of two wrestlers who is undefeated.

McKale Mullen, Omar Sanchez, and Jimmy Sanchez had good matches. Erick Mead debuted as the team’s varsity heavyweight at 285 pounds. He wrestled a brawny opponent even in the first period, but was called for illegal hand holds in the second. With just seconds left in the third period he was pinned. He said the coaches were pleased with his stamina and performance, as he was. Coach De Block said Erick might have done better had he brought his asthma inhaler with him!

In the best news, Jose Garcia was back practicing with the team after sustaining a sprained neck, lower back, and leg in the match against Law before Christmas. De Block was at pains to point out that “in this sport injuries don’t happen very often.” Garcia’s was a “freak” event.

Jose said the injury had unleashed “the lion” inside him. “I’m going to come back next week and explode through my opponents.”

Previous coverage of New Haven’s high school wrestling team:

Home Opener Ends With A Hush
Wrestlers: This Year We’ll Win