Nobody’s going to be jumping off the top rope, nobody’s getting choke slammed through a table, and nobody is getting hit with a steel chair. This isn’t the wrestling you grew up on; this is the real deal. The Georgetown-Ipswich wrestling team is preparing for a big year. The squad lost many valuable wrestlers from the Class of 2015. Constantine Galanis is one that comes to mind. Constantine is one of the greatest wrestlers in Georgetown-Ipswich history. He set records in many categories and won a high number of matches for the team. One thing you might not know about wrestling is that it is a team sport just like any other. The matches might be one on one but the real work is put in during practice. This is where the men are separated from the boys.

As New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick says, “next man up.” That is the mindset the team is entering the season with. It’s time for the returning wrestlers to show what they are made of. Senior captain Carsten Uekert-Laplante is extremely excited for the upcoming season. He’s never been in a leadership role like this before in his life and tells the Tiger Transcript that he cannot wait for the season to start. Carsten started wrestling his freshman year of high school and has stuck with it while others have given up. “Wrestling is not easy; for some reason wrestling gets a rep as being easy.  It might be because of that stuff you see on TV, but in reality it is the exact opposite,” Carsten told the Tiger Transcript. He also told the Tiger Transcript, “The team has been putting in a lot of work over the off season. Our returning wrestlers are going to be ready for the season, and I can’t wait to see what we can do.” Last season Carsten qualified for regionals, but he was eliminated in the first round. It was his first time being there, and he’s ready to get back. “I got that taste of real success last year, and I’m going to go for it again this year,” Carsten also said.

The Tiger Transcript also met with Carsten’s father, Paul Laplante. Paul goes to almost all of Carsten’s wrestling meets and is very impressed by how far his son has come. Paul told the Tiger Transcript, “I have seen how much work Carsten has put in this off season, and I think he’s ready to have a big year.”

The Georgetown-Ipswich wrestling team opens up the season at Georgetown High School on December 14, 2015.

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