Youth Wrestlers Take Home Hardware at State Championships

A group of local youth wrestlers in Mighty Mite, grades K-1, and the Bantam Division, grades 2-3, wrestled in the State Championships on Sunday Feb. 12, with all the wrestlers posting excellent performances on the mat.

Ryan Cote, Ben Koobatian, Joey Mastroianni and Cooper Curtis all wrestled in the tournament. Mastroianni, 8, of Southbury, and Curtis, 8, of Oxford, came in second place in their weight classes.

Mastroianni beat a Stamford wrestler 8-4, suffering only one loss to the eventual champion to take home his second place trophy in the 47-pound weight class.

Curtis also posted several wins on his way to a silver medal, beating a young wrestler from Derby 17-4 for his place on the podium in the 51-pound weight class.

“All of the boys wrestled tough and gave it their 110 percent,” said head coach, Geoffrey Hayden. “All exhibited good sportsmanship, win or lose.  They again have done our program and our communities proud.  Congratulations to all the boys for having the courage to step on the mat, alone, and give it their all.”

All of the wrestlers are members of the Pomperaug/Oxford Panthers, a youth wrestling organization that practices at Pomperaug High School.