VWHS wrestling team hands out awards

The Van Wert High School wrestling team concluded its season with a potluck banquet in the Van Wert High School-Middle School commons on Friday, March 18. The coaches took turns speaking about each wrestler, from freshmen through juniors.

When it was time to recognize the senior grapplers, all the coaches paid tributes to the two “who left their mark” on the Van Wert wrestling program: Cory Hirschy and Connor Massillo. They spoke about their favorite memories and highlighted both wresters’ many accomplishments throughout this season and their careers. Both were two-year team captains and four-year lettermen.

Massillo placed first at both the Hamilton Township Invitational and the Clinton-Massie Invitational.  He placed third at the Greater Miami Valley Holiday Tournament, went 4-1 at the Fairborn Duals and was undefeated in the Middletown Duals. His WBL record was 8-1. He had 109 takedowns and 17 falls this season before a shoulder injury ended his season after the last WBL dual match. In his four years at VWHS, he had 22 tournament places, nine tournament championships, was the 2009 and 2010 WBL champion; was the 2008, 2009, and 2010 sectional champion; was a district qualifier and placer in 2008, 2009, and 2010.  He wrestled in the state tournament in 2009 and 2010, placing eighth his junior year.

Massillo holds the freshman win record at 36 and was a scholar athlete in 2010. He was a three-time Lima Area Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star wrestler and a 2010 Greater Toledo Area Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star selection.

He earned 30 Cougar awards, 484 takedowns and 57 falls in his career and his four-year record was 144 wins and 24 losses, which is the all time best record in Van Wert wrestling history.

Hirschy was runner-up at the Hamilton Township Invitational and Clinton-Massie Invitational. He placed fifth at the Greater Miami Valley Holiday Tournament, and fourth at Dublin Scioto, where he had to default due to a knee injury. He was undefeated at the Middletown Duals and was 4-1 at Fairborn. His WBL season record was 9-0 and he was a WBL champion in 2009 and 2011 and a sectional champion this year. He was a three-time district qualifier and placed sixth at districts this year. He was a Lima Area Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Wrestler in 2009 and 2011. He had 20 tournament places and three tournament titles.  He earned 12 Cougar awards during his career and has the fourth all-time best career record with 111 wins and 53 losses. He set, and holds, the new VWHS career pin record with 75, 29 of those earned this year, and is a three-time VWHS scholar athlete and a 2011 Lima area scholar athlete.

Also recognized was senior trainer Ericca Lehman, who has been with the team two years, along with trainer Madelyn Blackmore.

Three special awards were presented:  Cory Hirschy was chosen as the Most Valuable Wrestler, Colton Royer received the Most Improved Wrestler award, and Daniel Thompson was voted by his peers as the Cougar of the Year.

There were seven scholar athletes and 12 varsity letter winners.