Chagrin Falls' senior Michael Moissis and junior Hunter Blair are having great seasons for their Tigers wresting team.
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Chagrin Falls’ senior Michael Moissis and junior Hunter Blair are having great seasons for their Tigers wresting team.
Utilizing their signature moves, the cradle and the surfboard, Moissis and Blair continued their successes Jan. 19 while hosting a tri-match for St. Ignatius and Shaker.
Moissis, winning both his bouts in the 165-pound weight class, gained a decision against St. Ignatius and a quick pin in the Shaker contest.
In analyzing his performance, Moissis noted the importance of a strong mental game.
“I went in it with a strong head,” he said. “I knew that I had a good chance, but I didn’t want to get too confident.
“I knew I had to give it everything I got. That’s really how it went for me. I had a good head throughout the entire way.”
Blair also won both of his matches, gaining a forfeit against St. Ignatius and a pin against Shaker.
After the Shaker match, Blair discussed his strategy and how the bout unfolded.
“I think it was (the strategy) just pull him down on his back, get double bars, and just roll him from there,” Blair said. “When I got the first surfboard on him, I was struggling to get him on his back. But the second time, when I took top, I got that pin pretty easily because he was pretty much broken down.”
Moissis and Blair also discussed the season’s progression and what they are looking forward to as they move toward the post season.
“It’s going very good. I think I am about 16-5 this year,” Moissis said. “You know, as a senior, I feel very confident with my matches now. I am very happy.
“I can go for sectionals, maybe up to districts — that would be pretty nice.”
“It’s been alright,” Blair said. “I think it is going pretty good. I look forward to going a lot further than I did last year, hopefully qualifying for districts and possibly even states.”
Chagrin Falls Wrestling Coach Peter Cimoroni is excited and enthusiastic about the season for Moissis and Blair. In addition, Cimoroni is proud of the excellent example the pair provide to the underclassman. This is very important, since 14 of the 19 wrestlers on the Tigers team are freshman.
“They’re both leaders, they’re both in double-digits in wins, almost 20 match victories, and both of them are hard workers,” Cimoroni said. “Never miss practice, and they really embody what we are trying to coach. They’re fighters, and they’re also just good people.”
Cimoroni also looks forward to watching Blair and Moissis throughout the postseason.
“More surfboards from Hunter and more cradles from Michael — those are they’re signature moves,” he said. “We’re looking for big things from them, and hoping to get them into districts, and then who knows.”
Also victorious in the tri-match for the Tigers were Jay McGinnis and Owen Stull, who won both of their matches.
The Tigers return to the mat Jan. 26 with a tri-match against NDCL and University.
