2012-13 Results and Media Coverage
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It’s never too early to consider the possibilities of what could lie ahead in the state championship wrestling meet in February at the Pontchartrain Center. Defending Division I champion Brother Martin won’t openly talk about it yet, but there is plenty of optimism circulating through the school about the upcoming season.
The Crusaders began their season with two resounding duel-meet victories over Ehret (86-22) and Thomas Jefferson (79-30). Both gave the Crusaders an opportunity to gain valuable, early season experience while getting some early matches under their belts.
“Many of the guys who wrestled in these two matches were our second-team guys and our full varsity will compete this weekend in the Mandeville Open,” Brother Martin coach Robbie Dautrive said. “It was important for us to get out there and get some matches against some other opponents. We have a lot of accomplished wrestlers back this year, and basically, we want to pace them and have them peak at the right time. If that happens, I think good things will happen for us.”
After winning the state championship in the 106-pound class last season, Paul Klein has moved up to a 120-pounds. The team also welcomes back others who placed near the top of their weight classes, including Tyler Robinson, Dominic Cazaban, Devin LeBlanc, Ross Brister, and Daniel Albrecht.
One of the competitors drawing praise in the 170-pound class was Albrecht, who began with a 15-6 major decision over John Ehret’s Blaze D’Aquin and finished with a pin of Thomas Jefferson’s Vincent Acosta.
Daniel Bruza accomplished a similar feat in the 145-pound class, first edging Ehret’s Devon Harris, and then pinning Thomas Jefferson’s Ryan Vedros.
In the first dual against Ehret, Stephon Foster prevented the Crusaders from getting a sweep by edging out Austin Meyn in the 126-pound class with a narrow, 5-3 decision. Last season in the Division I state tournament, Foster, competing at 120 pounds, reached the quarterfinals before falling to Rummel’s Rick Lacava.
The coaching staff feels it could be a good year for Foster, a senior.
“It boiled down to conditioning and desire to keep going,” Ehret coach Daniel LaFleur said. “Stephon is very tough and has been doing this a long time, and really wants to win this year. A huge aspect is his mental toughness which makes him hard to beat.”