Frank Speziale Photo

OXFORD – A weekend filled with wrestling, another successful year at the annual kick-off tournament for the 2016-2017 season – Clyde Cole in Oxford gave fans, coaches and wrestlers alike a show this past weekend when 17 teams sent the best they had to compete for the 15 champion titles up for grabs.

Back in his hometown of Oxford was four time state champion J.P O'Connor. O'Connor was recognized and given a plaque stating his many accomplishments in the sport of wrestling including being a five time Section IV champion, four time state champion, and a one time NCAA champion in 2010. Not only was O'Connor given a plaque to commemorate the first time he had been back to the Clyde Cole tournament since his days as a Blackhawk, but O'Connor was further recognized with a life-size mural which was being painted throughout the weekend by local artist and Oxford grad, Ryan Warner. Stay tuned for a further writeup in The Evening Sun on the mural, J.P O'Connor and Ryan Warner.

O'Connor was witness to a 17 team tournament, present this past weekend in the Blackhawk gymnasium. However, it was not a local team that took the team title instead it was Queensbury who stole the crown – despite only crowning two champions on the weekend, at 138 and 145 pounds– for a team score of 243.5.