Cape Henry wrestling launched the 2019 winter season with significant momentum, looking to a dedicated core of veteran athletes to guide a deep roster. This week’s Athlete of the Week, Colby Kassir, has stepped into the role of veteran leadership, and his years of dedication and persistence are paying off for the Dolphins early in the season.

Since joining the Cape Henry community as a freshman, Colby has accumulated 47 victories for the Varsity Wrestling program, including a 2nd place finish in the TCIS tournament as a sophomore last season. To kick off the 2019 season, Colby found his motivation to compete after finishing 3rd in the Cape Henry Invitational. The motivation to win was apparent as Colby dominated the competition at the VISAA Invitational, finishing 1st in the 170-pound weight class. Kassir followed his 1st place finish, with an impressive 2nd place finish in the Norfolk Academy Invitational featuring a handful of Hampton Roads’ top programs.

“Colby is physically maturing quickly, and he has become very strong and athletic in a short period of time,” Head Coach Jack Effner said of Colby Kassir. “ Wrestling is also very important to him, as he has competed for most of his life by going to camps, clinics, and clubs.”

The years of competing on the mats are paying off in a big way this season. Colby brought his season record to 11-4, and career win total to 58, after this past week’s Liberty Christian Invitational. Kassir entered the tournament as the #7 seed and proceeded to knock out the #2 seed in the quarterfinal by an 18-7 major decision. Colby followed his quarterfinal win by defeating the #3 seed, 6-5, in the tightly contested semifinal matchup. Colby ultimately fell in the championship round to the #1 seed, but Kassir captured the 2nd place finish for the Dolphins, marking the highest finish for Cape Henry on Saturday.

Coach Effner continued to describe what makes Colby successful on the mats, “He has a really good set-up with leg attacks to both sides of the body. His defense is good, and he has multiple upper body throws he counts on. Colby is also very competitive, and he wants to win badly in every match.”

Colby is currently the #2 rank at the 170-pound weight class in the TCIS. He owns the #5 rank in VISAA rankings, and coach Effner believes he can continue to improve his rankings with the right training and the right mindset.

“His mat wrestling is solid and continues to improve. When he learns to simplify his matches consistently, Colby will be tough to beat,” Coach Effner finished of Colby.

The Dolphins finished the fourth week of competition this past week, including the first conference victory of the season. Varsity Wrestling is now set to travel to North Hampton for the Fred Diem Invitational on Friday and Saturday, where Colby and the rest of the Varsity Wrestling program look to bring home a first-place finish.