Spartans' success immortalized

Steve LeBlanc, Milton Canadian Champion, 11/24/2017

The E.C. Drury High School wrestling team (1998-2010 era) pinned down a place in the Milton Sports Hall of Fame last Thursday.

While all of this year's inductees — as well as the inaugural class of 2016 — are extremely deserving of this honour, the Spartans' inclusion is especially meaningful for your modern-day Champion sports scribe.

No sooner did I land a full-time job at my hometown newspaper than E.C. Drury, led by Larry 'Mooch' Jaroslawski, began a championship dynasty unrivaled in the annals of Ontario high school wrestling.

I was privileged to be around to document an incredible 13 consecutive OFSAA team medal wins for the rather small local school — which under Mooch's leadership treated the individual sport of wrestling as a team endeavour.

Friends with a few Spartan grapplers in the mid- to late- '80s, I was well aware of how wrestling was the thing to do at Drury long before I started writing about them.

And by the time I did, their legacy was just about to be forged.

A co-captain during the Spartans' championship heyday, Rory McDonell eloquently spoke of the shrine that was the E.C. Drury wrestling room — which brought back vivid memories — and how being part of the team made him the man he is today.

Seeing how much the championship fraternity appreciated the Milton Sports Hall of Fame induction was another memorable moment in my sports reporting career — one I'm truly grateful for.

Jaroslawski said the induction will do his boys justice. I couldn't agree more.

Congrats guys!