Competing at 120 pounds this season, Marist junior Colin Phelan is taking the mat with a ton of confidence.
He’s feeling strong physically and mentally and is looking to push the pace each match.
And after battling through an injury-plagued sophomore season, he’s just glad to be feeling like himself.
Phelan won a 13-4 major decision over Brother Rice senior Logan Connors on Jan. 15 to put host Marist up for good en route to aa 39-25 rivalry win.
“Feeling good, it definitely brings the stress out of my matches,” Phelan said. “It really clears my mind. I go out there with an open mind and try to score some points. I’m feeling awesome physically and am excited to be on the mat and wrestle as many matches as I can.”
Other RedHawk winners included seniors Jack Watson (285, fall), Tommy Fidler (150, technical fall), Joe Bronske (132, decision) and Dylan Weber (126, fall); juniors Ethan Sonne (157, major decision) and Elio Gil (106, fall) and freshman Axel Rodriguez (138, fall).
The Pulaski Road rivalry win had some extra juice on senior night.
“These senior guys have mentored me since freshman year,” Phelan said. “They brought me in with open arms. They’ve been here four years and worked their butts off. They deserve that win, and it’s always good to beat Brother Rice.”
Phelan, a three-year varsity wrestler, competed at 106 as a freshman and 113 as a sophomore.
Last year, he battled through a knee injury and suffered a concussion late in the season.
A year later, Phelan has put the injury woes behind him.
“I came back for junior year ready to make a name for myself,” Phelan said. “My coaches push me to score a lot of points and have fun. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
In a back-and-forth dual with the Crusaders, Marist found itself in a 23-21 hole with five matches to go.
In stepped Phelan at 120 to turn the tide and put the RedHawks up for good.
He won an action-packed, physical match with Connors.
“I’m a high-adrenaline guy,” Phelan said. “I want to go out there, have fun and get the crowd into the match. When I see the score on the scoreboard, I’m slapping my legs to get my body ready, score a lot of points and do the best I can for the team.”
Weber, Bronske and Rodriguez followed with three straight wins as Marist sealed the victory.
Weber isn’t usually in the RedHawks’ lineup. But earning the senior night start, he loved the chance to help close things out.
“It’s the Battle of Pulaski. It’s a great feeling,” Weber said. “It’s neighborhood guys battling against each other. Getting a win for the team, it lifts everybody up and gets the rest of the team going.”
Marist graduated a dominant senior class from last season, including two-time state champ Will Denny (North Carolina State), state champ Ricky Ericksen (Ohio) and three-time medalist Michael Esteban (Michigan State).
With new faces joining the lineup and some familiar faces embracing bigger roles, the lineup continues to come together with the postseason around the corner.
“We’re working hard every day and getting better,” Weber said. “Some teams are flat-lining right now. We’re elevating every day. We work hard, keep a positive attitude and elevate each other. It’s good motivation.”