Eight grapplers place at D3 North Sectional Tournament

 

By DAN TOMASELLO

TEWKSBURY — The Lynnfield-North Reading co-op wrestling team finished fifth in the Division 3 North Sectional Tournament at Tewksbury Memorial High School on Feb. 10.

LNR concluded the 13-team tournament with 149 points. Eight wrestlers placed during the tournament.

Senior Gavin Iby was crowned champion of the 144 lb. weight class after going 3-0 in the tournament. He pinned a North Middlesex grappler at 1:18 during the quarterfinals. He defeated a Wakefield wrestler by fall at 3:21 in the semifinals. Iby defeated a Tewksbury wrestler by a 6-1 decision during the finals.

“Gavin has now won the Anthony Lisitano, Cohasset, CAL/NEC and Division 2 North Sectional Tournaments this season,” said Stone.

Freshman Nathan Barstow placed second in the 106 lb. weight class after concluding the tournament with a 3-1 record. He pinned a Nashoba Valley Tech wrestler at 41 seconds in the Round of 16. He brought a Danvers grappler to the ground at 47 seconds in the quarterfinals. He defeated a Gloucester wrestler by a 9-4 decision in the semifinals. Barstow lost to a Tewksbury wrestler, who was the tournament’s number one seed, by an 18-1 decision in the finals.

“Being a freshman in a sectional final is quite an accomplishment,” said Stone. “Nathan has now placed in all five tournaments this season.”

Freshman Jakob Hulett finished second in the 113 lb. weight class after concluding the tournament with a 3-1 record. He pinned a Danvers grappler at 33 seconds in the Round of 16. He defeated a North Middlesex wrestler by fall at 11 seconds during the quarterfinals. He defeated a Wakefield grappler, who was the second seed in the tournament, by a 6-2 decision in the semifinals. Hulett was pinned by a Tewksbury wrestler, who was the number one seed in the tournament, at 19 seconds during the finals.

“It was great having another freshman in a sectional final,” said Stone about Hulett’s performance on the mat.

Captain James Fodera finished second in the 190 lb. weight class after going 2-1 in the tournament. He pinned a Wakefield wrestler at 3:06 in the quarterfinals. He defeated a Pentucket grappler by fall at 1:55 during the semifinals. A Gloucester grappler pinned Fodera at 3:54 in the finals.

“The two of them were also in the finals at the CAL/NEC Tournament, and could very well face each other in the Division 2 State Finals,” said Stone. “James has been in five consecutive finals this season. He won the Anthony Lisitano, Pentucket and Cohasset Tournaments while being the runner-up at the last two.”

Captain David Glynn placed fourth in the 138 lb. weight class after finishing the tournament with a 2-2 record. He finished fifth during last year’s tournament.

Junior Cam Arya finished fourth in the 150 lb. weight class after concluding the tournament with a 2-2 record. He placed sixth in last year’s Division 3 North Sectional Tournament.

Sophomore Dylan Mathews placed fifth in the 285 lb. weight after finishing the tournament with a 3-2 record. This year was the first time Mathews competed in the Division 3 North Sectional Tournament.

Sophomore Zack Morse finished sixth in the 215 lb. weight class after compiling a 2-3 record in the tournament.

Freshman Sam Bird (120 lbs.) and senior Matt Howell (157 lbs.) also won matches during the Division 3 North Sectional Tournament and earned team points, but they were unable to place.

Stone praised the Black and Gold’s performance during the tournament.

“Last year, we finished 11th out of 13 teams, scored 73 points and had five wrestlers place,” said Black and Gold head coach Craig Stone. “The improvement from last year is way beyond expectations. Placing in the top four of your weight class earns you a trip to the Division 2 State Tournament this weekend at Wakefield Memorial High School. Fifth place is an alternate and could wrestle if there is an opening in the weight class. Wrestling will start at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16 and continues through Saturday, Feb. 17. Hopefully, the excitement and enthusiasm the program has created this season will continue to snowball next season as well. Having a successful dual meet season, and tournament season is every coach and wrestler’s goal.”

Defeats Wilmington

The Black and Gold defeated Wilmington 54-30 in the final dual meet of the 2023-2024 season on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

“LNR finishes the season with a winning dual meet record of 13-11-1,” said Stone. “Our last winning season was in 2020, when our record was 17-15. We did not have a program in 2021 due to COVID. We went 0-23 during the 2021-2022 season when we only had eight wrestlers on the team. During the 2022-2023 season, we were 1-22, only had 13 wrestlers and forfeited five weight classes each dual meet. This year, we have 19 wrestlers and only forfeited one weight class.”

Arya (144 lbs.) pinned his opponent at 1:10. Iby (150 lbs.) won his match by fall at 1:27. Fodera (190 lbs.) brought his counterpart to the ground at 2:28. Sophomore Jack Cuddy (175 lbs.) pinned his opponent at 2:42.

Barstow (106 lbs.), Bird (113 lbs.), Morse (215 lbs.) and freshman Jason Kouyoumdjian (120 lbs.) won their respective matches by forfeit.

“I am so excited for the wrestlers that have hung in there over the past three years,” said Stone. “To turn the program around like this is a credit to their persistence, talent, daily improvement and the recruitment of other teammates.”

CAL/NEC JV Tournament

LNR competed in the Cape Ann League/Northeastern Conference JV Tournament at Triton Regional High School on Feb. 5.

Jack Cuddy finished first in the 165 lb. weight after concluding the tournament with a 3-0 record. Morse placed first in the 215 lb. weight class after finishing the tournament with a 3-0 record. Mathews finished first in the 285 lb. weight class after going 2-0 during the tournament.

Ryan Labb placed third in the 190 lb. weight class after concluding the tournament with a 3-1 record. Oliver Ventolieri finished second in the 190 lb. weight class after going 2-1 during the tournament. Freshmen Zack Inafuku (106 lbs.) and Ephram Donahue (138 lbs.) both won matches, but were unable to place in the CAL/NEC Tournament.

Stone noted that over 100 wrestlers participated at the CAL/NEC Tournament.

“It was a great opportunity for our first-year and second-year wrestlers to compete against similar experience opponents,” said Stone. “There were many times during the year they had to step in against a more experience opponent to fill a weight class during a varsity dual meet. This competition gives them a better idea of how they have progressed during the season.”

Upcoming meet

The Black and Gold will compete in the Division 2 State Tournament on Friday, Feb. 16 and Saturday, Feb. 17 at Wakefield Memorial High School.