Warriors pull away from Wildcats late, take on Melrose Wednesday for league title
EVAN GOURVILLE, a junior (right), posted a victory by pin at the 160 weight class in Wakefield’s meet against Wilmington. The Warriors tamed the Wildcats, 54-27, to pull to within one win of a Middlesex League Freedom division championship. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
WAKEFIELD — There was a change and time and place, but the Wakefield Memorial High wrestling team got in its Middlesex League Freedom division meet against Wilmington on Saturday morning at the Charbonneau Field House. The Warriors are now one victory away from winning the M.L. Freedom division title as they took down the Wildcats, 54-27.
Wakefield increased its league record to 3-0 and its overall record to 11-8. The Warriors host Melrose in their final league dual meet on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Charbonneau Field House. A Wakefield win will result in the Warriors being crowned the league champs.
The Wilmington meet was originally scheduled to be part of a quad-meet against Pentucket and Saugus at Pentucket Regional High School on Saturday. But with Saturday’s snowstorm, the quad-meet was cancelled. The Warriors will attempt to make up their meet against Penetucket at some point.
The Warriors accepted forfeits at the 106 and 113 weight classes. Jack Spicer, a sophomore, and Shannon Drager, a junior, got a pair of easy victories to put Wakefield in front, 12-0.
Evan McGuire, a junior, pinned Josh Fitzler at 36 seconds of the 120 match to give the Warriors an 18-0 advantage.
But Wilmington came back and won the next three weight classes to tie the score at 18-18.
Fox Maxwell accepted a forfeit for Wilmington at 126 before freshmen Ryan Smith and Jake Goodchild both lost by pin at the 132 and 138 bouts. Smith was defeated by Alex Ripizani at 1:20 and Goodchild was beaten by Pat Carroll at 1:59.
At 145, Ben Piercy, a sophomore, won by fall over Darin LeBlanc at 4:34.
Senior Dan Bertini was then pinned by Sam Jennings at 1:40 of the 152 contest.
The Warriors took a 30-24 lead when junior Evan Gourville pinned Noah Shanning at 26 seconds.
Wilmington earned its final three points as senior tri-captain Ryan Cunningham dropped a 3-0 decision to Wildcat wrestler Andy Lesperance.
With the score 30-27, Wakefield scored the final 24 points of the meet in the final four weight classes to pull away.
At 182, senior Matt Yirrell pinned Tyler Ward at 47 seconds.
David Piracini, a senior, accepted a forfeit at 195.
Senior tri-captains Dan Wensley and Alex Kane both posted victories by pin at the 220 and 285 matches. Wensley beat Jim Carroll at 1:31 of the 195 bout and Kane defeated Bryan Metcalfe at 4:46 of the 285 contest.
