Four young Oxford wrestlers earned awards for their mat prowess at the Mid-Michigan Wrestling Association League Finals. One award included a league championship at the MMWA level.
At the March 15 tournament, the Oxford team competed against 63 teams, scored 22 points and placed 29th overall.
In the 13-14-age division, Rocco Borg placed first in the 95-pound weight class. Not bad for a wrestler who was under the weather.
Liam Logan placed second in the division’s 155-pound class.
In the 7-8-age division, Sergio Borg (Rocco’s younger brother) placed third in the 55-pound class while Thomas Wandrie placed fourth in the 67-pound class.
The quartet thought they did well overall. Sergio, who turned 9 on March 17 but was still allowed to compete in the 7-8-age division, described the matches as ‘very tough and fun.?
Sergio attends Clear Lake Elementary School.
Thirteen-year-old Rocco, an eighth-grader at Oxford Middle School, said, ‘It was fun and hard. There were a lot of good wrestlers. I was sick, so I was happy I did so good and took first.?
Liam felt he did pretty good.
‘I had one tough match that I did, unfortunately, lose and I was pinned,? said the 14-year-old eighth-grader at OMS. ‘Overall, I’m proud of myself.?
Liam finished in first place at last year’s MMWA league finals while wrestling in the 11-12-age (he turned 13 between seasons) 133-pound weight class and had hoped for a repeat. But this year, it wasn’t meant to be.
‘I knew this year going into a higher weight class it would be more difficult,? he said. ?[Battlecats? Deonche Thomas] just kept beating me this year, and then he beat me when it mattered.?
Thomas, an eight-year-old second grader at St. Joseph Catholic School in Lake Orion, described the event as something he wanted to accomplish in his life.
‘The other two times I competed I made mistakes and never placed,? he said. ‘This time, I finally got to.?
All four boys also said they’d like to someday wrestle for Oxford High School.
‘Next year I’m going to wrestle for the high school, and I hope to make the varsity team,? Liam said. ‘If not, I’m just going to keep trying.?