Coach Bob Anniballi’s wrestling team at Natick High finished its dual-meet season with a stunning 26-2 record and an 11-0 mark in the Bay State Conference (BSC), which gave the Redhawks their 22nd BSC championship in the last 23 years.
During Anniballi’s 24 years on the job, Natick has had 14 unbeaten seasons, and from 2003 to 2009, the Redhawks managed a 68-match winning streak in conference competition. There also have been 13 sectional crowns, one state title and three individual New England champions.
Talk about dynasties usually centers on teams that win three or four championships over a five or six-year span. Natick High School’s wrestling program, however, has taken that definition to a new level.
“We’re pleased with the tradition we’ve achieved, but wrestling is a humbling sport,’’ Anniballi said. “You can’t get complacent. I think season to season, and I have to keep changing because the sport is always evolving.’’
Anniballi, who wrestled at Natick High in the early 1980s, was a captain as a junior and senior and also a BSC all-star. He became an assistant coach from 1986-1990, then took the reins at Keefe Tech for two seasons before returning as head coach at Natick in 1993.
What makes the Redhawks’ wrestling program tick is the system employed by Anniballi. He labels it “identifiable and consistent.’’ Those words may be understating the case.
“Our system allows kids to assimilate quickly and find success early,’’ Anniballi said. “We’ve created expectations to win, and the kids have bought in. They’re very technically sound and they wrestle in a similar way.’’
The 2016-17 season has been another solid campaign. As Annibali said: “It’s impressive the way our team bonded and bounced back after losing a great wrestler like Gus Ramstrom. I’m proud of the season we’ve had so far, winning the BSC, the Division 2 State Dual Meet Tournament and the Division 2 Metro-Central Sectional.’’
The Division 2 sectionals concluded before the deadline for “Local Town Pages,” but the State, All-State and New England tourneys were still on tap. Natick hosted the sectional and finished first with 248 points. Ten wrestlers placed to advance to the States ,and four of them took home first-place honors. Two others could compete after qualifying as alternates.
The 10 who placed are: Jeff Marsh (second at 113), Jacob Opela (second at 126), Joe Castellino (second at 132), Ben Steenkamp (first at 138), Jeremy Su (second at 145), Alan Smith (second at 152), Kyle Bastarache (first at 160), Tim Ramstrom (second at 170), Matt Gastaldo (first at 182), and Josh Atwood (first at heavyweight). The two alternates are Anthony Graves (fifth at 106) and Ramathan Makayu (fifth at 220).
The following is a thumbnail look at Natick’s key contributors this year, their achievements and comments from Anniballi:
JACOB OPELA (126-pound junior) — Returning sectional finalist. Current record 33-11; started wrestling as a freshman and has worked very hard to make the varsity lineup as a sophomore. Has been a key the last two seasons. Won tournaments at Athol Invitational and Nashua N.H. Invitational.
JOE CASTELLINO (132-pound junior) — First year on varsity. Current record 31-12;
Won the Milford Tournament. Often finds a way to win matches when he’s losing. A steady competitor, he’s quietly had a quality season.
BEN STEENKAMP (138-pound senior) — Returning sectional champion; a captain whose record is 38-6; Won the Athol and Nashua Invitational. Fearless on the mat. Ben has anything but a conservative style. When Ben is wrestling, it’s going to be an entertaining match.
JEREMY SU (145-pound senior) — A captain, he’s a returning sectional champ who was fifth in the D-2 States; current record 40-4; First in the Athol and Nashua Tournaments; third at the prestigious Lowell Holiday Tournament (largest tournament in N.E., 77 teams). Was 2016 football captain. He’s solid from all positions and exceptionally explosive.
ALAN SMITH (152-pound senior) — Nashua Invitational champion; current record 38-9. Has the ability to score points in spurts.
KYLE BASTARACHE (160-pound senior) — Athol and Milford champ; current season record is 37-6. Excellent third-period wrestler who generally wrestles better as a match progresses.
TIM RAMSTROM (170-pound junior) — Returning sectional finalist, 2017 captain-elect in football; Athol champion; current record 41-8. Third-year starter who’s solid in his fundamentals. Quiet leader. Is able to keep his composure and stay focused in compromising situations during a match.
MATT GASTALDO (182-pound senior) — A captain, he was the Athol and Nashua Invitational champion; Current record is 37-5. Missed the entire season last year because of an injury in football. Still voted captain of football/wrestling. A starter since his freshman season; third in sectionals his sophomore year.
JOSH ATWOOD (285-pound freshman) — First-year wrestler has steadily progressed. First freshman to ever start on the line for Natick football team. Current record is 28-3. Big, very athletic and a quick learner.
GUS RAMSTROM (senior) — A captain, he entered the season as a returning sectional finalist. However, he finished the football season as the team MVP with a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff. Courageously wrestled a few matches to start the season and helped Natick defeat a strong Walpole squad in his first match of the year. Walpole is second in the Herget Division this year and that match decided the title. He eventually had surgery and currently is an assistant coach on the team.