2/6/2020
Landmark's varsity wrestling team swept both the Eastern Independent League (EIL) regular season Dual Meet Championship and the end-of-season EIL Tournament.
The team secured the EIL season championship with a 9–1 league record and an overall mark of 18–4. On February 5, the team traveled to Portsmouth Abbey in Portsmouth, R.I., for the EIL Tournament, departing the school at 6:30 a.m. for a long drive in traffic, weigh-ins, breakfast, and meetings before the competitions began at noon.
Landmark captured the tournament championship in convincing fashion with a total score of 171 points. Concord Academy followed with 154.5 and Portsmouth Abbey notched 153 points to round out the top three. Landmark sent seven wrestlers to the championship round including: John Simpson '20, Josiah Castellucci '21, Evan Kane '21, August Reid '20, George Athanasiadis '21, Aidan Warren '22, and Rudy Wurlitzer '22. David Delpico '21, Mario Cocuzzo '22 and Gavin Goddard '23 all advanced to the consolation round, gaining valuable points for the Vikings. Makayla Carrafiello '21 won her weight class in the first-ever EIL girls' wrestling competition. Landmark's coaches, Nate Efinger, Bruce Miller, and Dave Hammond were named EIL Coaches of the Year.
GIRLS COMPETE FOR THE FIRST TIME
The season marked another milestone: it was the first time female athletes have competed on the varsity wrestling team. In addition to Carrafiello, Layla Tsay '21 and Sophia Vasil '23were members of the squad.
"To see our three girls progress so well throughout the season was an especially gratifying experience," said Landmark Athletic Director Brook Sumner. "Our three female athletes brought a passion for learning and improving and fit in seamlessly. They were fantastic additions to this great team."
"We've been fortunate to have seen some very talented wrestling teams over the years at Landmark, but this group stands out for their incredible support of one another," said Sumner. "This is a team that genuinely shares in the excitement and happiness of their teammate's successes and accomplishments. It's been really terrific to watch this culture develop and it's a credit to the coaching staff and the team's leadership."
Landmark last swept the Dual Meet and Tournament Championships in 2012. The wrestling program has won a total of nine EIL Dual Meet Championships since 1993 and 13 EIL Tournament Championships since 1989.
