Past and current members of Mt. Hope High School wrestling program, specifically, and the larger community, as a whole, gathered for a very special evening Wednesday, Jan. 29, to initiate what is expected to be the beginning of a new tradition in memory of the late teacher and coach Brian Latessa.

Latessa, who passed away suddenly in the summer of 2024, was the leader of the Mt. Hope wrestling program for the better part of a decade beginning in the mid-2000s. He was also a revered member of the school faculty, in the business/communications department.

Last Wednesday, a packed house jammed into Fitzgerald Gymnasium as the Huskies hosted their long-time rival Barrington for the first Brian Latessa Scholarship Night, raising some $2,000 to start a fund in his name to be directed to a Mt. Hope High wrestler in pursuit of further study.

"It was a beautiful tribute to Brian, a beloved father, educator and coach. I only knew Brian for a year, but we quickly became friends, bonding over our shared New Jersey roots and passion for Mt. Hope wrestling. I loved seeing different wrestlers from various generations share stories with one another and compare their team to the current one," current MHHS wrestling mentor Ryan Fazzi said of the event.

Latessa was born in Pennsylvania, later spending a meaningful portion of his academic journey in the Garden State, of which Fazzi is a native and a graduate from Rutgers University.

Adding to the excellence of the evening for the locals, the Huskies easily defeated the visiting Eagles, 53-22, in their Division I match and being the first to claim the "Pineapple Trophy" given now and in the future to the victorious side on Latessa Scholarship Night.

Guests last Wednesday were provided traditional leis and t-shirts adorned with palm trees and a caricature of Latessa wearing a floral shirt, recollecting his well-known affinity of the beach lifestyle.

"It was all about celebrating a great educator and coach who gave a lot of himself over the years to Mt. Hope and its students," Bristol Warren Regional School District Athletic Director Christy Belisle said the night. "The family needed a platform to help promote their wrestling scholarship and get it off the ground. We saw (the event) as an opportunity to honor the legacy of a good man and mentor to many." 

Belisle continued, "Many of the alumni wrestlers were present, some All-Americans, All-New Englanders, All-Staters and members of the 100 win club, all to pay tribute to Coach Latessa for a life well lived and give a final thank you to a man that was once at the helm of the Huskies grapplers. And of course to win the 'Pineapple' scholarship night trophy against our rivals Barrington."

As Belisle noted, dozens of Mt. Hope High wrestlers who were tutored by Latessa and others he befriended during his time at the school were on hand for the event as were his wife Monique, sisters Beth and Tina, brother Robert, like Brian an esteemed wrestling coach, his daughter Domenique and her wife Sheridan along with sons Ben and Luke, who was coached by his dad and became an All-State performer for the Huskies.

Said Monique of the reaction the family has garnered last week and since her husband's passing, "As a family we witnessed something truly special. The outpouring of love and support from this community is a testament to the incredible person Brian was. He impacted so many individuals whether on the mat, in the classroom or just being in his presence. And seeing everyone here reminds us just how deeply his spirit and legacy lives on. 

MHHS and wrestling alum Doug Sampson was one of the featured speakers on the evening, expressing hos his former coach "changed his life" while "guiding him from a troubled path to success."

Sampson and Latessa stayed in close contact until the latter's death. Sampson remains close to the program as an assistant to Fazzi, who said the former "plays a vital role in keeping Mt. Hope wrestling strong and sharing the lessons Brian taught him."

The current crop of Huskies have gleaned plenty from their coaches and it continues to shows in their results. The locals improved to 5-3 in the D-I standings with the team triumph.

Mt. Hope spotted Barrington the first match of the night before Michael Bouchard (by pin in 1 minute, 45 seconds at 113 pounds), Bryce Brown (13-10, 120) and Eli Francis (pin, 5:45, 126) put the Huskies ahead for what proved keeps, 15-6.

The Eagles got six points back with a pin, but Ethan Martel (Tech Fall, 19-2, 138) and Kyle McCarthy (6-2, 144) added eight more to Mt. Hope's leading total, 23-12.

The Huskies later took command of the match in the middle and heavy weights. Matthew Thibaudeau (pin, 1:33, 157), Nick Rogers (pin, 1:33, 165), L.J. Pacheco (pin, 1:03, 175), Colin Maloney (forfeit) and Ben Martel (pin, 1:33, 285) closed out the evening with six-point wins for the locals.

"Our kids performed well and I want to highlight two performances from my freshmen, Bryce and Eli," Fazzi said of the Mt. Hope's effort against the Eagles. "Bryce battled a tough opponent, showing signs of a breakthrough in his season. He's so athletic and tough. He has everything he needs to be an excellent wrestler. Eli remains undefeated in D-I (matches) and continues to impress coaches. If Eli keeps progressing at this rate, he’ll be a top contender at states. We're going to continue marching forward. We put a strong foundation in this season and now we’re starting to go over finer details. I think we’re one of the best teams in Rhode Island, but we need to prove that at the state tournament in a few weeks."

Before the Huskies wind their 2024-25 Division I regular season and begin their championship tournament slate, the locals continue to take part in non-league events, including a quad-meet Saturday, Feb. 1, in Shrewsbury, Mass., hosted by regional power Saint John's High School with other guests Wellesley and Montachusett Regional Voc.

Mt. Hope then has a massive in-state showdown when the Huskies host reigning state and regional champ Ponaganset along with Hope on Wednesday night, Feb. 5, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

— East Bay Media Group and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.