Westfield Takes Fifth at State Wrestling Tournament

Westfield wrestling coach Chuck Hoskins is dead serious when he says 2010-11 was a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs.

The fifth-in-the-state Bulldogs.

“We graduated all those seniors,” he said, alluding to the team’s third place finish a year ago. “[This year] they exceeded our expectations. I think performance-wise, our guys that wrestled here got the most out of their ability.”

Westfield qualified eight for the state meet, hosted by Robinson, the team that edged the Bulldogs for the Northern Region title.

David Aiello (103-pounds), Brett Campbell (112), Derek Arnold (125), Steven Aiello (130), Beau Donahue (140), Nick Lehman (145), Jacob Deleon (215) and Tyler Deleon (Heavyweight) put together a solid weekend in Fairfax. Donahue, a sophomore, earned the state title, while Campbell won the third-place match.

“This didn’t happen overnight,” Hoskins said of his champion, who came from behind to beat Jacob King of Forest Park 7-3. “He’s a phenomenal young man.”

The key will be to make sure Donahue, who said he intends to tip the scales closer to 150 pounds next year, doesn’t let up in his training.

“Our scheduling has to be really tough. We have to work hard in the offseason with the other guys so they can raise their level and help push him,” Hoskins said.

After earning a title, Donahue says he’ll do just about whatever Hoskins asks of him, since so far, it’s paid dividends. But he also knows there’s no trick to being the best in the state.

“One of our mottos this year has been ‘there’s no secret sauce,’” he said. “It’s just hard work and believing in yourself.”

Hoskins, however, has a trick up his sleeve. It’s called “aiming high.”

“Austin [Fallon] last year became our first two-time [state champ], so one of the things to motivate Beau is for him to [try] to be our first three-timer,” he said.

Campbell, who attained his preseason goal of making the state’s top-three, said it wasn’t easy to win two straight matches after losing earlier Saturday to the eventual champion in the semifinals.

“It’s just about mental stability, keeping your head into it,” he said, explaining that he tried to use the loss as a motivator to wrestle his way back to third place.

Hoskins heaped praise upon the Rams, who not only won their first state tournament in 26 years and earned the Northern Region some well-needed statewide respect, but also put on a good show.

“They did a tremendous job. They did it right,” he said with a smile. “They all know wrestling here, it was wrestling friendly. … I hope they have it here until I retire.”