Nate Tashjy
Staff Writer

It wasn’t until Mike Mizzoni’s freshman year of high school that his football coach, John Morris, talked Mike into wrestling. Ever since the moment Mizzoni walked onto the mat, he’s been growing into one of the most feared wrestlers in Massachusetts.

After missing last season due to back surgery, Mizzoni had to find a way to make it up into the heavyweight rankings. This year, he did just that by knocking off the number one heavyweight in the state from South Hadley, Troy Johnson, at the Big Red Tournament in Tyngsboro. Mizzoni spoke about what this win meant to him.

“It increased my drive to be the best. It also gave me the confidence to do what I want to do, and that’s win”

After this win, Mizzoni was moved to 8th in the state, while rival Zach Smerlas from Lincoln-Sudbury took the number 1 spot. At Lincoln Sudbury high school on December 31st, they wrestled, and with Mizzoni up 3-2 in the second period, Smerlas reversed him and pinned him.

Though this was one of Mizzoni’s toughest losses, he has a chance to redeem himself, because he will most likely see Smerlas in the DCL finals and in the State Tournament.

“I know I have a great group of teammates and coaches supporting me along the way to the top. Coach Matt “Big Tho” Tholander gives me a lot of advice as he was a heavyweight himself, along with coach Jamie Sennott… But I wouldn’t be anywhere I was today without the help of my old coaches Dave Shunamon and Dan Perry”.

Before facing Smerlas in the State Tournament, Mizzoni will have to win or place in the Division 1 North sectional tournament, which consists of strong teams such as Lowell, Methuen, Shawsheen Tech, Chelmsford, and others. However, Mizzoni will be well prepared. Mizzoni has a grueling workout routine, which keeps his body in prime physical condition.

“Every other day I will lift weights. One day will be upper body, and the next will be lower. Then I will practice, and break and lift, or will just continue on with practice to get me in better shape.”

Matt Tholander, second year coach of the team, had this to say about Mizzoni’s competition.

“Mizzoni is a great wrestler, and has potential to be a state champion. I believe his greatest competition will be in the DCL, with Smerlas from LS and Elvis Johnson from Weston. Our section, Division 1 North, is tough, but I don’t think he will have a problem winning that and proceeding to the state tournament”.

The next day, Westford Academy Wrestling had a Quad-Meet against Weston, Newton South, and Boston Latin. Mizzoni won all 3 of his matches on the day, including a first period pin on Elvin Johnson of Weston, who is seeded 10th in the state.

Students see Mizzoni in the halls and are instantly intimidated of his sheer size, but deep down, wrestlers see a different side of Mizzoni. Teammate Tim Chisholm showed his relationship with Mike as a teammate and as a friend.

“Mike, as angry as he seems on the outside, is a sweet, compassionate, caring person on the inside. He’s someone I can talk to with my problems. Whenever I want to talk I know he’s there for me, and we talk things out. He’s a senior leader for that, and it shows what kind of person he is”.

Though Mizzoni has been dominating on the mat, he is unsure if he will wrestle in college.

“It depends on how my football schedule is, I want to so we’ll just have to see what happens”.

After 4 years of hard work, Mizzoni realizes this is the last sport he will play for Westford Academy.

“I wanna go out with a bang. There has never recently been any wrestlers from Westford Academy who people take seriously, I want to be that guy who coaches look back on for an example of a great wrestler”.

Photo credits to Peacock Photography