Wrestling: In a quiet accomplishment, McElligott pins down milestone win at Triton
By Kevin Doyle
Sports editor
The 100th career win came with little fanfare when Triton routed Needham, 54-13, on the way to a third-place finish in the Commonwealth Cup Tournament two weekends ago.
Flying under the radar screen, you see, is something seventh-year coach Shawn McElligott ” whose overall record now stands at 107-27-1 ” prefers to do.
“I just didn’t tell anyone about it (the 100th win) and my athletic director (Elizabeth McAndrews) wasn’t very pleased when she found out, “McElligott, 30, said with a chuckle. “I’m just pretty happy to accomplish something like this. I saw how much it meant to some of my mentors like (former Triton football coach) Ron Corcoran. It’s something you strive for quietly.”
As far as this current crop of Vikings is concerned, win No. 108 would hold far more immediate significance if it were to occur tomorrow night in North Andover when the Vikings (18-1 overall; 4-0 Cape Ann League) and Scarlet Knights (22-0; 4-0) meet in a battle of unbeaten heavyweights. The match will, in all likelihood, determine the CAL champion for the third consecutive year.
Triton pinned down the crown two years ago in North Andover while the Scarlet Knights executed a reversal last season in Byfield.
McElligott is a 1993 graduate of Triton, where he starred in both football and wrestling and amassed 78 career wins on the mat as a three-year varsity regular. He played football at Norwich, graduating in 1997 with a degree in history, and took over the Vikings’ wrestling program prior to the 1998 season.
He said that being a teacher-coach in the school and the natural lure of wrestling for football players have been primary factors in his success.
“Being in the school as a teacher, along with being the jayvee football coach, have both been important. A large percentage of our wrestlers are football players. When I get them, they have no idea what the sport is all about. But, football players respond to coaching and they are naturally aggressive. You can pretty much coach them on the fly, “McElligott said.
Triton’s junior high is housed under the same roof as the high school and McElligott could use seventh- and eighth-graders in the program under Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) guidelines. Instead, he established an intramural program designed to introduce the sport.
“For the last two years we’ve been getting kids who are interested in the sport together once a week for an hour and teaching them the basics, “he said.
The bedrock of McElligott’s philosophy is a well-orchestrated practice routine which rarely wavers.
“One of the biggest things is for every kid on the team to learn the very basic takedowns, the basic escape and a basic pinning combination. We drill on it every day until they get it. The first hour of every practice is the same thing every day. I don’t even have to be in the room and the kids know ‘OK, we have to do this next’, “McElligott said.
The purpose?
“When they get into matches, I want them making moves without even thinking about it. I want them anticipating and reacting, not thinking, “he said.
McElligott will often allow his senior captains to run conditioning drills.
“I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to win then you need to have senior leadership. But, if you want that leadership, you also have to give the seniors the responsibility, “said McElligott.
It is also a given that, in the interest of developing depth and a true sense of team, McElligott will utilize more than the 14 designated starters, especially in a multi-team tournament setting.
“That way everyone feels like they’re part of the team. I will use everyone, as many as 20 kids, to try and get a win and all the kids know that. Everyone gets experience, we practice better and we become a better team because of it, “he said.
McElligott knows the Vikings have their hands full against North Andover, the State’s third-ranked team. The Scarlet Knights boast three reigning league champions and six State level placers from last year’s team and are coached by regional legend Dave Castricone, who has more than 500 career wins. Castricone coached at Triton in the 1980s before moving to North Andover.
“I’ve always respected Dave and his teams. I like his style. It’s no nonsense. They’re tough and they come right after you. One of our goals each year is to win a title and I tell my kids that if you don’t beat North Andover, you will not be a league champion, “McElligott said.
The Vikings have been led this season by their senior captains Diego Zarba (130 pounds), Carl Busta (135), Ross Capolupo (140) and Aaron Bernstein (189). Talented juniors Billy Blanchette (152, 23-1 record) and Noah Miller (160, 22-3) anchor the middle of the lineup and career 100-match winner Mike Seale (119) has been a force.
“A lot of our success goes to our seniors. A lot of them have been backups for two or three years and they learned to work hard, how to be a good teammate and how to win, “said McElligott, who graduated eight starters and five State placers from last year’s 23-1 squad.
“(Against North Andover) we have to come in and be willing to compete and be extremely tough and see what happens, “he said.
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