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You are here: Home / Archives for 2021-22 Coverage

Girls’ hoop cruises into Sweet 16

March 5, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is moving on.


Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa is no stranger to playoff basketball.

He was an assistant coach on the W-H boys’ team when it won back-to-back Div. 2 South Sectional titles in 2016 and ’17.

It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about what it takes to survive and advance in March.

“As a coach, you’re always worried about how teams are going to start games in the tournament, especially the first round,” Costa said.

And while he may not have been pushing the panic button after No. 28 Longmeadow netted the first basket of the game last night against the fifth-seeded Panthers — that sense of worry was still there.

But those fears adapted slowly as the Panthers (19-2) pumped in the next 16 points to take a commanding lead and never looked back en route to a 52-23 victory over the Lancers (9-13) in the Div. 2 Round of 32. 

“Once they saw the first one go in they kind of relaxed,” Costa said. “I just told them to embrace the moment.”

No one embraced the moment more than their three senior captains: Lauren Dunn, Abby Martin and Meg Stone.

Martin finished the night with a game-high 23 points and 10 boards. Thirteen of those points came in the first half as the Panthers opened up a 27-9 lead at the break.

“She just does what Abby does,” Costa said. “She just impacts the game in so many different ways. She had the hot hand tonight.”

Martin had the hot hand from beyond the arc, but Meg Stone had the hot hands below. She finished the night with 11 rebounds — 6 offensive. The Panthers ripped down 23 offensive rebounds as a team. Dunn had four of those offensive rebounds to go along with 10 points. 

“They’re senior captains, they don’t want to go home,” Costa said. “They’re going to play extremely hard when they’re out there. We were relentless on the glass on our end, the offensive end, which was able to get us some extra possessions that helped us.”

The Panthers will host the winner of today’s No. 12 Newburyport (18-2) and No. 21 Sheppard Hill (16-6) in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. 

“We’re going to need that type of effort the rest of the way,” Costa said. “We’ll see what happens on Tuesday.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Longmeadow Girls' Basketball, Mike Costa, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Basketball

Cheer wins 29th straight Patriot League title

February 24, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The cheer team poses after its win. / Courtesy photo

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleading team won its 29th Patriot League title in a row.


Kayla Crawford won seven Patriot League titles on the mat at Whitman-Hanson Regional High. 

Now the 2012 grad has one as a coach. 

Last Thursday, Feb. 17, the Panthers captured their 29th straight Patriot League title at Duxbury High School. 

“It 100 percent feels better to win as a coach,” Crawford said. “The competition is much tougher now than it was back then. I’m so proud of the girls for hitting their best routine of the season thus far and winning the title again. The girls have been working so hard to keep the streak going.”

Crawford took over the reins of the Panthers in December after Alyssa Pietrasik stepped down because she’s expecting a child. 

“Alyssa has been very helpful getting me adjusted to the coaching position,” Crawford said. “She has kept everything very organized which has made my transition very smooth. She has been very supportive all while giving me space to bond and build my own relationship with the team.”

Next up for W-H is the South regional championship on Sunday, March 6 at Bellingham High. 

“Our goal moving forward is to increase some difficulty in our routine and clean up the little things so our performance is sparkling clean,” Crawford said. 

The Panthers’ rosters consists of: Tiffany Joyce (captain), Brooke Balfe (captain), Leah Cataldo, Emily Diehl, Sheridan Ewell, Isabella Furtado, Bridget Iannone, Sophia Kearns, Jessica LaBonte, Melissa Murray and Kara Sheehan. 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Kayla Crawford, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Cheerleading

Lussier twins advance to All-States 

February 24, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Freshmen twins Charlie and Cooper Lussier have advanced to All-States for wrestling.


The Lussier twins are moving on — to All-States, that is. 

Charlie (106 pounds) and Cooper (152) placed fifth and fourth, respectively, in their weight class to keep their tournament runs alive. 

“The Lussier boys never cease to amaze me as I often overlook the fact that they are still just freshmen,” said W-H head coach Gary Rabinovitz. 

Charlie went 4-2 on the weekend with three pins, while Cooper went 3-2 and also racked up three pins of his own. Their combined record on the season is 66-8. 

The All-State Tournament will take place this Friday and Saturday at Game On Fitchburg. W-H has never had an All-State champion. 

“Both Charlie and Cooper will continue to work harder this week than they did last week to prepare for the All-State Tournament, you can be sure of that,” Rabinovitz said. 

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Gary Rabinovitz, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Wrestling

The wait is over: Girls’ basketball wins first league title since 2010

February 18, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Senior captain Lauren Dunn celebrates with her teammates after cutting down the net. / Photo by: Nate Rollins

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball program has secured the Patriot League Keenan Division title.


The current Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball seniors were in kindergarten the last time the program had won a league title.

That was 12 years ago.

They ended that drought last night on senior night.

Backed by a dominant defensive effort and offensive contributions from all over the roster, the Panthers cruised past Plymouth North, 55-31, to earn their first Patriot League Keenan Division crown since 2010.

“It feels so amazing,” said senior captain Abby Martin. “I’ve never been happier in my life.”

Said senior captain Lauren Dunn: “We’ve been so close the past couple of years and we finally got it. I’m so happy.”

Senior Kristina Tsiantoulas (10 points) — in her game action back from a torn ACL — got the Panthers rolling early against Plymouth North — the defending league champion — scoring the first four points of the evening to help W-H (17-2, 14-2 Patriot League) build a 23-5 advantage after one.

Freshman Lillie MacKinnon (10 points) nailed a three right before the halftime buzzer to push the Panthers’ lead to 35-16 at the break.

That cushion swelled to 24 at the end of the third quarter and they kept their foot on the gas the rest of the game.

Girls basketball wins first league title since 2010 with a 55-31 win over PN pic.twitter.com/5gECuh8LKx

— Bob Rodgers (@WHathletics) February 18, 2022

“They’ve wanted this,” said third-year W-H head coach Mike Costa, who owns a 41-13 record since taking the helm. “They know how close they were to getting this last year. I’m extremely proud.”

Senior Rosie MacKinnon paced the Panthers with 11 points and eight rebounds. Senior captain Meg Stone chipped in eight points and corralled six boards in the win.

“Everything we’ve done for the past three years with [coach] Costa all came together,” Stone said. 

W-H is back in action on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. when it takes on Belmont at St. Mary’s (Lynn) to open the Spartan Classic.

“This is great but we still feel like we have a long way to go,” Costa said. “We feel like we have as good a chance as anybody to compete for Division 2.”

Said all three senior captains in unison: “We’re not done yet.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Abby Martin, Lauren Dunn, Mike Costa, Patriot League Keenan Division Girls' Basketball Title, Plymouth North Girls' Basketball, Plymouth North High, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Basketball

8 wrestlers heading to states

February 17, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

It’s been 20 years since Ben Dineen captured the state title at 171 pounds. 

He’s the last Whitman-Hanson Regional High wrestler to be named a state champion. 

This year, the Panthers will have plenty of chances to snap that drought. 

That’s because they’re sending eight wrestlers to compete in the Division 2 state tournament, which will take place this Friday and Saturday at Game On in Fitchburg. They’ll also bring two alternates. 

“I am beyond ecstatic to be bringing eight wrestlers to the 2022 D2 state wrestling championships,” said W-H head coach Gary Rabinovitz.

Those eight are: freshman Charlie Lussier (106 pounds), sophomore Austin Gamber (126), junior Aidan Guiliani (132), junior Braden Kain (138), senior captain Pat Collett (145), freshman Cooper Lussier (152), senior captain Rocco Ruffini (220) and junior Maddox Colclough (285). Freshman Christian Grimaldi and junior Rocco Hanaphy (160) will serve as alternates.

Pay attention to both Charlie Lussier and Guiliani. After going a perfect 29-0 during the regular season, Charlie Lussier will look to rebound from his first loss of the winter, which he suffered at last weekend’s South Sectionals. Meanwhile at 132 pounds, Guiliani looks to keep it rolling after capturing first place at sectionals, the only Panther to hit the top of the podium on the day.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Gary Rabinovitz, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Wrestling

W-H boys’ basketball captain Vallancourt bounces back from cancer

January 13, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Ryan Vallancourt has scored in double-digits in six of the Panthers’ first seven games. / Photo by: Sue Moss

After a bout with cancer over the offseason, Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball senior captain Ryan Vallancourt is grateful to be back on the court.


Ryan Vallancourt was going up for a routine layup during a summer league game this past July when life took an unexpected turn for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball captain. 

“I just felt, not like a shock, but a tingle throughout my body,” Vallancourt explained. “It was right in my balls, so I was like, ‘What the hell?’”

He felt a lump in the area the next day, so he texted his mom, who works in the emergency room at South Shore Hospital. He went down for an ultrasound and blood work. The next stop was Boston Children’s Hospital later that night for the results. 

“I had testicular cancer,” Vallancourt said. “I was shocked and I was scared, for sure. You never think it’s going to be you at 18. That became a bigger than basketball moment for me. I just remember the guy told me and I remember leaning my head back like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ I kind of broke down from there. It was a tough night for sure.”

For Vallancourt, life went from perfect to unknown in an instance. 

“Thirty five-game winning streak, at that point, best team in the state, only captain of the team, your life is going great right into college admissions time, you’re feeling good and then the next thing you know you’re a cancer patient at Dana-Farber,” said Vallancourt, Patriot League All-Star last season.

He underwent surgery the following Monday. Then in September he began chemotherapy, which lasted until mid-October. 

“That was tough — I’m not gonna lie,” Vallancourt said. “It was pretty intense chemo. I was on like three different kinds, I missed almost like the first month of senior year, which was tough for sure.” 

Despite bouncing in and out of the hospital, Vallancourt wasn’t about to be kept off the court. After all, it was the only place he could find peace and solace from the rigorous grind of chemotherapy.

“I was playing on the weekends during our AAU tournaments and that meant the world to me,” he said. “I just wanted to be with the guys. But honestly, the nights just being at the high school getting shots up in an empty gym was the best therapy I could have had, honestly. Just knowing I was going to get through it and keep that positive mindset. I would just say being in the gym made me forget about everything, honestly.”

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

W-H boys’ basketball head coach Bob Rodgers was in constant contact with his captain throughout the process. Rodgers said the conversations shed even more of a light on Vallancourt’s character and leadership off the court. 

“He would be texting me in the middle of his chemotherapy telling me how bad he felt for the little kids he saw going through it,” Rodgers said. “In my mind I’m thinking, ‘Wow, this kid is battling it himself and what he’s caring about the most is what he’s seeing other people do.’ It just says a lot about who he is and that he thinks about others first — and that’s what makes him a special leader.”

Not only did he feel bad for the children going through chemotherapy, but he took action. During the football season this past fall, Vallancourt organized a pediatric cancer night fundraiser. He and a few of his teammates helped raise $750 to buy gifts and essentials for the children at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

“Seeing all those kids in there, I wanted to do something that would raise awareness and make other people get checked and be more cautious about it,” Vallancourt said. “That night (fundraiser) really meant a lot to me.” 

BACK TO BASKETBALL 

Vallancourt has that same unselfish mindset on the court. 

“If you watch him in practice, he is trying to make everyone around him better,” Rodgers said. “He spends so much of his time trying to make them better and so much of his time trying to make our team better.”

Vallancourt’s teammates agree. 

“Ryan’s leadership is a special thing,” said junior Cole Champingie, one of eight first-year varsity players under Vallancourt’s watch this season. “He really helped me coming up this past year. I had no confidence in my game and felt out of place, but he boosted my spirits all the way up through tryouts and pushed me to get better in every workout we did and every practice.”

Vallancourt has also helped first-year varsity player, sophomore Evan Yakavonis, expand his game. 

“I would say Ryan is a terrific leader,” Yakavonis said. “I have learned so much from him on the court and off the court. He has helped me become a better defender by instructing me on what I could do better and showing me how to do it.”

Vallancourt’s work ethic is what rubbed off the most on sophomore Cian ÓBroin , also in his first year on varsity. 

“He’s helped me get better as a player because looking at how much work he puts in on and off the court it shows what I need to strive for,” ÓBroin said. “Sometimes when I was in the gym getting a workout in I would see Ryan come in and do simple shooting drills, all while doing chemotherapy, just to continue working.”

Now cancer-free, Vallancourt has developed a new perspective on basketball following his recent bout. 

“It has made me appreciate the time I have on the court and go that much harder,” Vallancourt said. “Just going to practice, like a Wednesday night practice, some kids may be like, ‘Ah, I got practice.’ But for me, you never know when it’s going to be your last day on the court. It could have been for me if I didn’t get it checked out.”

So far this season, Vallancourt has picked up where he left off last winter (scored 16 points in the Patriot Cup final against Hingham). He pumped in double-digits in six of the Panthers’ first seven games — in which they’re 5-2 — highlighted by a 25-point outing on Tuesday against Hanover, a 19-point outburst against Cypress Creek (Florida) and a 15-point performance against Silver Lake. He and the Panthers are scheduled to be back in action Friday, Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. on the road against Marshfield. 

“This season means the world to me,” Vallancourt said. “I’ve been looking forward to this my whole life — going to the camps when I was younger and working my way up from junior varsity to a lower varsity guy and to now here.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Bob Rodgers, Cian O'Broin, Cole Champingie, Evan Yakavonis, Feature/Profile, Ryan Vallancourt, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Basketball

Borgen, Manning & Melia the ‘driving force’ behind girls’ soccer’s title run

January 6, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Four years ago, Olivia Borgen, Nora Manning and Ava Melia cracked the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team as freshmen. 

They made an immediate impact. 

Borgen and Manning netted eight goals apiece, which was good for second on the team. Melia was a standout on the back line. 

Four years later, they depart as the senior captains of the program’s first-ever state title. 

“They were the driving force, in a sense that they’ve experienced some big games,” said W-H head coach David Floeck. “We didn’t have the state tournament the year prior but they had the experience from their freshman and sophomore years of playing in a state tournament, so their leadership on and off the field was really invaluable for us. They were definitely the engine that made us go — those three.” 

The state championship game is a perfect example. 

The Panthers looked down and out as they trailed a Silver Lake team — that had shut them out in both of their previous two meetings — 1-0 late in the second half. 

Olivia Borgen, despite being in a walking boot with a sprained right ankle until she boarded the bus, provided the spark with the equalizer in the 69th minute. 

Shortly thereafter, Manning made perhaps the play of the game when she drew a foul on the Silver Lake keeper in the box.

Enter Melia. She rocketed home the penalty kick for a 2-1 W-H lead. 

Manning followed it up with a goal of her own to add some insurance. 

“Liv and Ava are my best friends and it is so special to me that I got the chance to spend some of the best years of my life with them,” said Manning, who netted 12 goals and dished out 15 assists. “Playing with them these past four years has been amazing. I’m going to miss playing with [them] more than anything and I still can’t believe it’s all over.”

Added Borgen, a back-to-back All-New England selection, who scored a team-high 23 goals with 14 assists: “It’s so special to have shared this journey with them. From tiny little freshman trying to fit in on the team to senior captains leading our team to a state championship, it feels unreal.”

Said Melia, a two-time EMass first-teamer: “To make varsity together as timid, young freshman to later make it all the way as captains and state champions is amazing.”

Borgen and Melia are no stranger to lifting hardware. Back in 2017, they won the National Championship together with their South Shore Select club team. 

“Sharing that with her has given us an amazing relationship,” Melia said. 

The three will head their separate ways next year to continue their soccer careers. Borgen will play at Penn State, Manning is heading to Stonehill College and Melia is going to Bryant University. 

“They led the way with their energy level and how much it mattered,” Floeck said. “They were really committed to try and bring a state championship to the school.” 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Ava Melia, David Floeck, Feature/Profile, Nora Manning, Olivia Borgen, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Soccer

Boys’ hockey wins a pair in Week 4

January 6, 2022 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Make it two straight wins for the W-H boys’ hockey team. 

After it was knocked out of the Cashman Tournament by Rockland on Monday, Dec. 27, the Panthers bounced back with a shut out win over Rockland, 4-0, in the consolation game Wednesday, which it followed up with a 2-1 victory over Pembroke on Saturday. 

“We haven’t had the best start that we wanted,” said W-H head coach Rob Peters. “We had a lot of guys returning and we’d like to be a little better than where we’re at. The Silver Lake game, we just didn’t show up, didn’t have a great game and they answered the bell against Rockland and they answered the bell against Pembroke.”

Senior captain Erik Dean (29 saves) and the Panthers (3-2-1) killed a pair of late power plays to stave off the Titans.

Pembroke got on the board first just 2:40 in with a power-play goal before W-H junior Joe Culley knotted the score at 1-1 with 43.1 seconds remaining in the first period. Sophomore Luke Tropeano and junior Matt Solari picked up the assists. 

The trio then hooked up again with 10:37 left in the second when Culley once again took a feed from Tropeano and Solari and flicked it home for his second of the game and a 2-1 Panthers lead. 

“We’re getting our game going, we’re getting going in stride,” Peters said. “We’re going to keep moving and keep getting better every day.”

Elsewhere around W-H: 


Boys’ basketball (4-2) was in Florida for the Avon Park Tournament. Bob Rodgers’ club tipped off the tourney with a 58-57 victory over Haines City (Florida) on Monday, Dec. 27. Junior Cole Champingie led the way with 15 points, while senior captain Ryan Vallancourt tossed in 13. … On Tuesday, senior Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder registered a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as W-H fell to Cypress Creek (Florida), 71-66, in the second round. Vallancourt scored 19 points in the loss. … The Panthers capped their trip on a high note Wednesday with a dominating 68-27 victory over Hardee County. Vallancourt netted a team-high 13 points in the win. 

Girls’ basketball (6-0) couldn’t have asked for a better trip to Daytona Beach. On Tuesday, Dec. 28, the Panthers opened the Father Lopez Shootout with a 60-22 win over Episcopal School of Jacksonville (Florida). Senior captain Lauren Dunn drained four triples en route to an 18-point outing to pace W-H. … On Wednesday, all 10 Panthers scored in a 69-41 route of The Master’s Academy (Florida). Senior Anna Stone pumped in a game-high 16 points in the victory. … On Thursday, it was the other Stone twin — captain Meg Stone — who netted 16 points as the Panthers wrapped up their trip down south with a 64-21 win over the host, Father Lopez. 

Girls’ hockey (2-3) opened the week with a 3-2 loss to Billerica/Chelmsford on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Senior Caitlin Dilley and junior captain Shea Kelleher each had a goal and an assist. … The co-op bounced back for 5-4 overtime win over Canton on Thursday. Senior Lily Ulvila netted the winner. …. Then on Saturday, Kelleher netted a hat trick, but WH/SL fell to Hanover, 4-3.

Boys’ indoor track on Wednesday, Dec. 29, saw a pair of seniors — Jake Caterer and Nathan Tassey — qualify for the All-State Championship. Caterer did it with a 19-foot-6 long jump, while Tassey posted a time of 10:12.7 in the 2-mile run to qualify.

Girls’ indoor track was also back in action Wednesday, Dec. 29. The highlight? Senior captain Myah Kamperides ran the mile in 5:42.0 to qualify for the All-State Championship. She had already qualified in the 600-meter run and 2-mile run.

Wrestling (6-1) downed Cohasset, 55-24, on Tuesday, Dec. 28. Winners for the Panthers were: freshman Charlie Lussier (106 pounds via pin in 1:19), senior Joe Boss (113; forfeit), sophomore Graham McInnis (120 via pin in 4:29), classmate Austin Gamber (126 via pin in 1:51), junior Aidan Guiliani (132; 2-0), fellow junior Braden Kain (138; 8-0), freshman Cooper Lussier (152 via pin in 1:06), junior Rocco Hanaphy (160 via pin in :42), senior captain Rocco Ruffini (220 via pin in :37) and junior Maddox Colclough (285 via pin in 3:05).

*Express weekly roundups include scores from Sunday to Sunday. 

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Pembroke High, Pembroke High Boys' Hockey, Rob Peters, Sports, Weekly Roundup, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Hockey

Wrestling sweeps in W-H’s Week 3

December 30, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High wrestling team is making some noise. 

On Thursday, Dec. 23, the Panthers swept a tri-meet against Quincy/North Quincy (54-21) and Boston College High (52-30) to improve to 5-1 on the season. Freshman Charlie Lussier (106 pounds), senior Joe Boss (113), sophomore Austin Gamber (126), junior Aidan Guiliani (132) and freshman Cooper Lussier (152) all won both of their matches by pin. Juniors Braden Kain (138) and Rocco Hanaphy (160), senior captain Rocco Ruffini (220) and junior Maddox Colclough (285) also went 2-0 on the day. 

Elsewhere around W-H:


Boys’ basketball (2-1) received a game-high 31 points from senior Amari Jamison and rolled past Hanover, 72-53, on Tuesday, Dec. 21. 

Girls’ basketball (3-0) remained perfect with a 53-34 triumph over Hanover on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Senior captain Lauren Dunn canned six threes en route to a 20-point night to lead the way. 

Boys’ hockey (1-1-1) rallied back from a 2-0 deficit but ended up falling 4-3 in overtime to Plymouth North on Wednesday, Dec. 22. The Panthers’ goals were provided by sophomore Billy Morgan, junior Joe Culley and senior Bobby Hunter. 

Girls’ hockey (1-1) fell to Hingham, 4-1, on Wednesday, Dec. 22. Junior captain Shea Kelleher had the co-op’s lone goal. 

*Express weekly roundups include scores from Sunday to Sunday. 

Filed Under: More News Left, News Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Sports, Weekly Roundup, Whitman-Hanson Regional High

Season Preview: Exciting season in store for wrestling team

December 16, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Freshman Charlie Lussier. / Courtesy photo

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High wrestling team is expecting to be “highly competitive” this season.


There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Whitman-Hanson Regional High wrestling team this winter. 

Why, you ask?

“I believe we can fill all 14 weight classes before we get to January,” said sixth-year head coach Gary Rabinovitz. 

That has been problem that has hindered the Panthers’ ability to add to the win column in the past. 

“By doing this with a majority of quality wrestlers the results will be very positive,” Rabinovitz said. 

W-H returns just five wrestlers from last spring’s season, in which they went 6-7. Senior captains Pat Collett and Rocco Ruffini are two of them. 

Collett is in his second year as a captain and his fourth as a starter. He will compete at 145 pounds. 

“Pat brings a great deal of passion to our program and realizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” Rabinovitz said.

Ruffini wrestles in the 220-pound weight class. 

“Rocco has really grown as a leader over the past three years and we are looking not only at his vocal leadership but also his technical abilities,” Rabinovitz said. 

Senior Joe Boss (113 pounds) and juniors Maddox Colclough (285) and Aidan Guiliani (132) are also back. Junior Braden Kain is also reruns at 138 pounds after taking last spring off for baseball. 

“All four of these wrestlers wrestle hard every day and believe in their abilities,” Rabinovitz said.

The Panthers also have three newcomers with five to six years of wrestling experience in freshman twins Charlie (106) and Cooper Lussier (152) and sophomore Austin Gamber (126). Gamber came to W-H from North Carolina. 

“I expect that our upperclassmen will help these young men to mold the future of Whitman-Hanson wrestling,” Rabinovitz said. “I truly believe that we have the chemistry to be highly competitive this season and going forward.”

W-H, which opened its season with a clean sweep over Durfeee (64-12), Cambridge Rindge & Latin (44-30) and Sandwich (45-12), is back on the mat Saturday, Dec. 18 at the Sandwich Early Bird tournament.

“We need to wrestle smart and learn both from our success and failures,” Rabinovitz said. “It is going to be a very exciting season, I can guarantee that.” 

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Gary Rabinovitz, Season Preview, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Wrestling

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