When Chris Waslaske gets on the mat to wrestle at the All-State Tournament on Friday, he will attempt to make history for the Athol High School wrestling program.
Fresh off the program’s second ever Divisional State Championship, Waslaske seeks to become the first ever All-State champion for the Red Raiders.
“I am just going to go out there and do what I do,” Waslaske said.
Waslaske is the No. 1 seed in the 182-pound bracket for Athol.
“Right now the bracket looks good to me,” Waslaske said. “I am ready. I am trying to keep weight on.”
Other wrestlers in Waslaske’s bracket include Luis Munoz of Springfield-Central, Mike Yirrell of Wakefield, Dylan Burke of Taconic and Spencer Fetrow of Holliston.
Waslaske hasn’t seen Munoz, and he is a potential match up in the quarterfinals.
“The bottom side of the bracket is going to be tough, Waslaske said. “It’s loaded. I have seen almost all of them.”
Waslaske beat Fetrow in the sectional final and then Burke in the divisional state final.
“Every single match will be tough,” Athol coach Brandon Jeffrey said. “There is no poor competition. These are high end athletes.”
The Athol wrestling program dates back to 1987, according to Jeffrey.
Allyn French from Dracut is another wrestler to watch. Waslaske beat French at the Quabbin Duels 3-1 in overtime.
“He was one of my tougher matches,” Waslaske said.
The tournament features wrestlers from all over the state from all divisions. It starts on Friday at St. John’s Prep in Danvers.
Mahar has two qualifiers in the All-State tournament in Jon Mahony and Peter Tattan.
Mahony wrestles at 113 pounds, and Tattan will compete in the 170-pound weight class.
As of practice at Mahar Regional on Thursday night, Tattan had not looked at a bracket.
“It doesn’t really matter to me going into an All-State tournament,” Tattan said. “Everyone there is so good. It doesn’t really matter who you wrestle it’s about the attitude you bring.”
Mahony is set to wrestle Greg Spero from Division II Central Catholic.
Tattan will wrestle Alstair Poole, from Newton North which is a Division I school.
“It’s obviously different because I don’t wrestle D-1 that often,” Tattan said. “But I think the competition is just as even. We have some people who were at the D-3 tournament that can win All-States.”
Tattan is heading into his first All-State tournament with confidence.
“I’ve never been one to get nervous going into tournaments,” Tattan said. “I just have fun with it. Just try to keep a good attitude.”
Frontier Regional’s Nate Austin is in the 195-pound bracket and will wrestle Dean Pacini from Oliver Ames in the first round.
