By AREFIN MOHIUDDIN
As a whole, the Malden High School wrestling team may not have had the best regular season, ending the season with a losing record.
Those lost meets can be attributed to the fact that Malden is not able to fill up every weight class, and thus those vacancies hinder them from staying competitive in a lot of dual meets. The team’s success cannot be looked at through their record though, as they boast a handful of very competent and excellent individuals, such as senior captain Rufus Arraheffege, and many of these individuals are hoping to be able to perform well enough at sectionals that they will then be able to move onto states.
The team had numerous losses, including Triton, Beverly, and Cambridge. Even with their limited number of wrestlers, the team was still able to pull out wins again Waltham, Malden Catholic, Belmont, and rival Everett. The season, from a pure record standpoint, was rough, though there was plenty to be appreciative of within those victories, especially seeing how some of the individuals on the team had been able to execute. In addition to Arraheffege, juniors Jean Gedeon and Nidal Hishmel hold the best individual records among the team, and these three are also the ones expected to make noise as they progress into the postseason. While these three had higher expectations than most, it does did not mean everyone else did not have a fair shot at advancing to states as well.
To make the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament, one must first go through the sectional tournament. This tournament solely determines who makes it to states. Everyone is divided by their respective weight class, and the top four finishers in each weight class then move on to the State Tournament. If one is able to advance past States, they move on to New Englands, and then eventually get a shot at Nationals. Everyone who is on the varsity squad is automatically in the sectional tournament, and from there they start their postseason run. Once in the sectional tournament, they control their own destiny. The sectional tournament was held on Feb.16, 2013, and Arraheffege was the only one who was able to place 1st at sectionals, and make the state tournament. Arrageffege was able to then place 2nd at the state tournament, and then advance to place 6th at the all state tournament. Arrageffege will take part in the New England’s tournament on the weekend of March, 2, 2013, and he has already qualified for the national tournament in April, in Virginia. He hopes to advance until he is the last one left.
