State Taking Notice of Unbeaten Farmington Wrestlers

Anybody in search of a template for high school team sports need go no further than the Farmington High wrestling team.

Eric Misko came to FHS as a director of sports medicine with a proficient background in the sport. He can rightfully be anointed as the godfather of Plainville wrestling after posting a 97-15 record and gaining statewide recognition from 1988-90.

FHS wrestling was plodding along in the mid-1990s when Misko became co-coach with Chris Potter in 1998. He’s had just one losing team (2001) and strung together four 20-win seasons over the last five heading into this year. Little can happen to prevent another.

State recognition came slowly for Farmington but the list of believers grows by the week. The Indians are ranked seventh in the latest Norwich Bulletin Coaches’ Poll, right up there with traditional wrestling schools like Bristol Central, Bristol Eastern, Danbury, Ledyard, Windham and Southington.

“It’s nice that people are recognizing that we’re having a good season but we’re always trying to work toward the end of the season, to finish high in the states,” Misko said. “People have seen us a little bit more and it helps to come out with some big wins out of the gate.”

Farmington (8-0) used its talent-laced, experienced depth to overpower Conard on Wednesday, 46-18, in its first CCC West match of the season. Defending league champion Southington and Newington loom as chief opposition for the Indians, who finished second to Southington last year.

The Indians followed that up with a strong showing at the Bristol Central Invitational, finishing second behind fourth-ranked Ledyard and outpacing such strong teams as Central and Bristol Eastern. Ten Farmington wrestlers were placewinners (top 6 in weight class) and two – Tim Orrell and Garret Hastings – won championships.

“We’ve got a good group,” Misko said. “They’re working hard, they have some goals set and they’re trying to reach them.”

The primary requisite for wrestling success is filling each of the 14 weight classes. An empty weight class equates to forfeiting six points at every dual meet. It's haunted Farmington in the past, but interest is soaring and the competition in Farmington’s practice room is intense. Intensity in practice manifests itself in convincing victories like the one over Conard.

Farmington is particularly strong from the lower weights through the middle weights. From Orrell through Paigo, the wrestlers displayed a commitment to fitness and a dedication to the technique taught by Misko and veteran assistant Mike Daniels.

“Our numbers are there and we have solid groups,” Misko said. “Our kids are committed to be good as a group.

Misko said he has the resources to patch up a hole at 220 moving forward.

“My dad asks me every year how we’re going to be and I told him this year we were going to be pretty good. He said, ‘I’ve never heard you say that about any team before.’ He knew that we were going to be pretty good if I’m saying it.”

Suhre, Natale, Hastings and Paigo beat their Conard counterparts by fall. Sticca won by major decision. Orrell, Berlandy, Pacheco and Marquis won hard-fought decisions. Rigney won by forfeit. Simanskis put up a good challenge before defending Class L champion Johnny Bello pinned him late in the second period.

“Berlandy’s been fantastic,” Misko said. “He won our tournament (Indian Classic on Dec. 17), he’s undefeated and he’s learning how to get better every day. He’s really solid. He’s been such a bright spot.

“Coming into the season, I knew we could be good and I thought we could be really good if people like him start to be great. That’s happened.”

Strauss, perhaps Farmington’s best wrestler, lost by decision to State Open champion and New England Tournament placewinner Lucas Muntz.

“Overall we wrestled well,” Misko said. “I was happy with Brandon Marquis. [Athletic Conard heavyweight Dominic Spaulding] gave him some fits but he kept his composure and was still able to execute some technique.

“Pacheco had a good match [against Chieftains three-sport star Ricky Cotton]. I don’t know if he thought he was going to win that going into it and we had to work him through it and make him realize he’s a good wrestler.”

The team’s balance is exquisite, a characteristic that leaves Farmington quite capable of winning its first state championship at the Class L’s come the weekend of Feb. 17-18.

“They’re so balanced, a lot of hard-working kids and they’ve been together for awhile,” Conard coach Chris Glowacki said. “They’re a very big force. It’s going to be a great match with Southington.

“Sticca, Hastings, Natale. They all wrestled last year and it was the same result as last year.”

Natale cited a relaxed atmosphere in the practice room as key for the team’s growth.

“We’re intense when we need to be but we’re all there for each other,” he said. “We’re all calm. We work hard in the room, come out here and keep the same mindset.”

He praised the work of Daniels and Misko, particularly since Farmington does not have a youth program.

“We don’t have the feeder program and that’s what helps other towns,” Natale said. “Bristol has the Gladiator program. They produce so many wrestlers. Southington has one. Newington has one. They have kids coming in ready to wrestle.

“In Farmington, technically you can say that our freshman year is the feeder program.”

The establishment of a youth program, Misko said, would further qualify Farmington as “a wrestling town.”

“We’re having success. We’ve had a lot of state champs. The kids are excited and dedicated,” Misko said. “It certainly can be [better]. Getting a good youth program going would be the next step.”

And the town’s sports fans seem to be noticing. There were few seats available in the FHS auxiliary gym for the Conard match.

“A lot of onlookers who weren’t the usual wrestling fans came out to see what’s going on with this team,” Misko said.

The first CCC West crown and an undefeated season are possible. A few state champions could be crowned and the Indians should be in the mix for a Class L team title. Sounds like a move into the main gym soon may be necessary as the town’s more inquisitive sports fans become more and more intrigued.

Here is the Farmington lineup complete with weight classes, year in school and records prior to Bristol Central Invitational: 106 – Tim Orrell (sr., 11-0); 113 – Eric Suhre (sr., 11-0); 120 – George Sticca (jr., 6-1); 126 – Matt Natale (sr., 11-1); 132 – Garrett Hastings (jr., 11-1); 138 – Ryan Rigney (soph., 11-0); 145 – James Paigo (sr., 9-2); 152 – Dovydas Simanskis (soph., 6-1); 160 – Tyler Strauss (sr., 10-1); 170 – Mike Berlandy (jr., 11-0); 182 – Harry Pacheco (soph., 9-2); 195 – Tom Stevens (jr., 9-2); 220 – currently vacant; 285 – Brandon Marquis (jr., 10-1).