The Lynn Wrestling team looks beyond his record

Lynn-Mante times you have to look beyond the WinLOSS record of a team in order to be successful.

In the case of Lynn's Co-OP wrestling team, which did not win a single meeting this year, head coach Dan Koziski said that there was still an important silver strip that defined the season positively.

“This year was a great success,” he said. “Many children had many individual victories in their meetings. Unfortunately, as a team, we lost meetings due to the lack of weight classes. But if we had filled these weight classes, there would have been more team victories. “

Assistant coach Frank Vieira said that he and the mayor of Lynn Jared Nicholson had started the Wrestling program at Marshall Middle School in 2018. The program was so successful that a high school team was founded in Lynn Tech and including classical and English a few years later.

“The idea was that my wrestler at Marshall went into the high school team,” said Vieira. “Unfortunately, before the high school program could really get on the way, Covid beat and both programs still breastfeeded until 2022, so that it was as if you started the program everywhere, but we start it. We were determined to bring the sport to Lynn and make it successful. “

With the arrival of Koziski, who replaced Tim King, he began to resume in 2023 after King resigned. The numbers were still very low with only three wrestlers in the team. Ironically, Koziski had no wrestling experience.

“I never wrestled at school, but Frank did it,” said Koziski. “My two boys wanted me to make karate and jiu-jitsu with them. I reluctantly did it and found that I was able to add other martial arts with wrestling. “

Vieira came to Kozinski as a co -trainer in 2024. The duo hit Paydirt almost immediately, with the squad from three to 25 athletes jumping. Omar Dejesus and Kayden Brazzo were appointed captains. Despite the addition of more than 20 new wrestlers, there were significant gaps in the lower weight classes.

“We were first class,” said Vieira. “We only filled the weight classes of 157 (pounds) and over it and left seven holes in the lower. With six points per game we reduced each game 42: 0, which means that we could never win. “

While winning was mathematically impossible, the children who have wrestle saw success.

“At our first meeting we took part in a quad in Triton. We won 19 of the 24 games we wrestled, ”said Vieira. “The children were hungry and bloomed to some amazing athletes.”

The interest in the program continued during the season. Oighth grade girls, Irene Delva and Irena Hildago, who participate in the discovery program at Lynn Tech, joined the team.

“You did great,” said Vieira. “You really learned and I expect both to really shine in the coming years.”

For the first time in the program history, Lynn competed in the Miaa Division 1 department.

“We did not take part last year because we only had three children and who had no good experience in the conference tournament there, so we decided to skip it,” said Koziski.

Pablo Maldonado (138), Dejesus (157), Danny Matos (165), Eric Ayala (175) and Alexandro Jean Louis (190) competed. Brazzo (285), who ended the season unbeaten in dual meets, was injured and Mezziiah Pena (215) was gone and could not compete.

“Each of our games was intense and right on the wire. No match was a sure thing and people noticed us. The Lawrence coach was impressed and asked Dan: “Where did you come from?” Said Vieira. “After the match, I reminded our wrestlers that this was division 1 and that they only stayed against the best of the best and nobody will ever take them easily. This is the team that Lynn brought to the map. “

Koziski said a large part of the loan for the growth of the program goes to Brazzo. He also screamed the Marblehead Swampscott team.

“Marblehead Swampscott helped us a lot. We took part in common practices last year and this year, ”said Koziski. “Thank you very much to the English senior Kayden. He recruited many children, so we will have a good core of young children next year. The children are obliged to add friends next year and they know what effects they have to fill the holes we have. I really think that the team is of great success for a year or two. “

Vieira said that the team's commitment to the program was exhibited in the sections. Ayala's 6: 5 defeat against Saugus' Evan Johnson said everything.

“Ayala had the match of his life,” said Vieira. “After the match, he said: 'This child was really good. I gave everything. 'I assured him that he did great and let him know how proud I was on him. He hugged me big, smiled and said: 'But I'll get him next year.' “