Jack is state wrestler of the year for 2nd straight season
SOUTHINGTON, March 23 – For just the second time, one wrestler has been named state wrestler of the year in back-to-back seasons. Danbury High senior Kevin Jack was recognized in balloting by coaches at the Connecticut High School Coaches Association’s annual All-State banquet Sunday at the AquaTurf Restaurant.
Newtown, which won the its first-ever state championship, was recognized as the state’s team of the year.
Southington’s Zach Maxwell was recognized as Scholar Athlete of the year with a $500 scholarship from the ABMA Foundation in Meriden, an organization that recognizes the heroic effort of the late Alberta Baumgart to fight breast cancer.
Wrestlers that won State Open, Class LL, Class L, Class M and Class S championships were honored along with nine senior wrestlers earning Academic All-State honors.
Jack went 43-1 this season and won the Class LL title for the third time, the State Open title for a third time and the New England championship for the second consecutive year. He is one of nine Connecticut wrestlers with multiple New England titles.
The only other wrestler to win state wrestler of the year award twice was Danbury’s Charlie Costanzo in 2009 and 2010.
With three finalists and two individual champions, Newtown outlasted Xavier by six points to win its first state championship in the Class LL tournament. Danbury took third. “We feel like a family and a team,” Newtown coach Chris Bray told the Danbury News Times at the meet. “It’s not like a bunch of individuals. Everybody’s effort counts in this and these guys work together really well.”
Maxwell (32-3) became the first Southington High wrestler to win back-to-back State Open championships. He also won his second straight Class LL title.
The criteria for Academic All-State was changed this year. It was awarded to seniors in good standing at their schools and members of the All-State team in wrestling. Candidates also needed to score at least 1,800 on the SAT and/or at least 26 on the ACT.
