Portsmouth Abbey School
285 Cory’s Lane, Portsmouth, RI 02871

1963 Portsmouth Priory Wrestling Team

Standing, Left to Right: Fisher, McCormick, Skae, Wright, Roy, Ray. Kneeling: Carroll, Hill, Lawton, Buckley, Cadley.
Absent: Maloney A., Solas, Comargo, Whidden

 

It would seem to be accepted practice to begin an article such as this with the words, “The wrestling team began practice with high hopes for the coming season…” However, it must be said at the risk of being original, that a mood os impend ending disaster pervaded the wrestling room on the occasion of the first practice. Most of the wrestlers Russ Buckley won de be we co the team not tie untied season due football injury.

Thus the team was to be largely composed of boys with little or no experience. All this Coach Lifrak and acting captain Cadley took stoically, and set about to making the best out of an unpromising situation. Through diligent practices and careful instruction the new wrestlers gradually became competent in the holds, and more important, confident in themselves. The newcomers Camargo, Frawley, Lawton, and Fisher were aided greatly by returning lettermen Maloney, Wright, McCormick, Cadley and Roy. The Squad was rounded out by Skae, and Whidden. In the season’s first match, the team was literally tied in knots as it received a baptism of fire at the hands of Roxbury Latin.
After the initial shock, the team went on to defeat Pomfret, Cranston, and Warren, finishing up with a reasonably successful team. The outstanding wrestlers proved to be Cadley and Skae; the most improved wrestlers were Whidden and, of course, Jim (the pin) Roy, who met with occasional success in his attempts to emulate the mighty Hamilton in whose footsteps he followed. The team’s sincere thanks go to Coach Lifrak, to whose excellent coaching it owes it’s success.
Doc BUCKLEY