Participating in a holiday wrestling tournament, according to Donovan Catholic High School coach Steve Glawson, will be quite helpful in the development of a young team.
On Dec. 27, Donovan Catholic competed in the Holmdel Holiday Tournament, which had a field of 13 schools.
Donovan Catholic emerged with a sixth-place finish with 62 points.
Luke Barlet, a junior, was the lone champion for Donovan Catholic when he placed first at heavyweight.
Donovan Catholic received two third-place finishers in senior Dan Post at 160 pounds and sophomore Nick Digiantomasso at 113 pounds.
“This is a young team. We lost a lot of good wrestlers from last season. If we get on the right track, we will be pretty strong for the next three to four years,” Glawson said.
He said he sees his team’s strength in the lineup coming from the upper weights and lower weights.
“Participating in this tournament early on in the season helps some of these young wrestlers who have never wrestled before,” Glawson said.
He said he is optimistic with the program’s direction.
“Moving forward I want this team to not be afraid. I’d rather have them shoot a takedown and miss it than not shoot at all. So we will try to inspire that in them,” Glawson said.
Donovan Catholic is a program on the rise. It has has compiled 27 victories over in the last two seasons, a total that surpassed the amount of victories the Grifffins compiled from 2011 through 2016.
Glawson said that Barlet is a wrestler who never stops.
“I was his grade school wrestling coach. He brings a confidence with him. A lot of the guys he faces are much bigger than him. It truly inspires this team,” Glawson said.
“I think I did good today. There are definitely things I need to work on, but overall I think my performance was good today,” Barlet said after he won the title at Holmdel.
He said he thinks this year’s team looks tough.
“We have got some young guys. As soon as we get our transfers juniors Dominic Tancredi and Chris Gallegos, I think we will be a real powerhouse,” Barlet said.
He said he sees himself working throughout this season to do something good to get his name on the wall.
“ I need to improve pulling the trigger, I need to also get conditioning up I am a little out of breathe now. I am excited for this season and ready to have fun,” Barlet said.
