Tabor Academy boys varsity wrestling team has seen its fair share of wins says coach Conan Leary but with a overall regular season record of 17-2, as well as placing in both the Class A and New England Tournaments, the team just keeps improving.

“The team has been strong for a number of years but really the past three years they have taken it to the next level,” Leary said.

Out of 48 schools competing in the New England Tournament, the Seawolves placed 5th overall.

“We went in not worrying about the scores,” he said. “We want our guys to wrestle at their best so we were pleasantly surprised by the outcome.”

In the Class A’s, the boys finished 3rd out of the 13 schools who competed.

Leary credits Tabor seniors Torin Zonfrelli, Jake Farias and Michael Edwards with their student-leadership roles as captains for the team.

“They bring a real positive energy and behavior to the team,” he said. “They’re great role models for the younger kids. We’re a family and we want to win for each other and for the success of the team. We help each other out.”

Leary, who coaches alongside Conor Bozzi and Frank Townsend, says the team’s secret to success has been their ability to control the action of the game.

“We pride ourselves to be in the best shape of any team we wrestle and being able to escape anyone,” he said. “If our guy is on the bottom or if they are taken down, we want to make sure no one holds us down. We want to take control of the match.”

Both tournaments saw improvement by the players Leary says.

Tabor junior Clayton Caliendo placed 4th in both the Class A’s and in the New England Tournament.

“His improvement from last year to this year has been unbelievable,” Leary said. “He’s probably going to emerge as one of the leaders next year.”

Niko Maguire, a junior, took 3rd place in the Class A’s. Freshman Dylan Genasci made it to the finals of the Class A’s in his first year of wrestling. Leary said he expects big things from freshman John Anderson who is in his second year with the sport and also had a great year.

In the past four years the team has accumulated an overall record of 67-8.

With the 2011-2012 season over, the team will say goodbye to 12 graduating seniors. Leary says he will look to the younger players to fill in those leadership roles.

“Basically we have a great group of guys that know how to maintain the positive attitude, sportsmanship and camaraderie we push for,” he said. “We expect the younger guys to pick it up and continue with it.”