Published in the December 20, 2019 edition.
By RYAN MARSH
WAKEFIELD — Wrestling season is finally upon us as Wakefield Warrior wrestling opened up the season with a home match against Andover on Wednesday.
Head coach Ross Ickes, who has been at the helm for 24 years, again has his team looking to compete at the highest levels. The reigning Division 3 North champions were looking to start the season hot with a win, but could not finish the job. The Warriors started the match up 26-0, but a losing streak caused it to get closer and closer until the Golden Warriors won it 37-29.
The match began with sophomore Ana Valdevino wrestling in the 106-pound spot. Valdevino is a returning varsity player, who held the spot last year. Valdevino was looking ready for her match and secured Wakefield some points to start off the meet. Valdevino won by forfeit of her opponent, which gave Wakefield a 6-0 lead.
Next up was freshman Tommy Grover. Grover, a freshman, was given the start at the 113-pound spot leading to a high-pressure situation in his first experience of varsity wrestling. Grover flashed signs of potential, controlling his opponent and eventually pinning him in 1:46. Wakefield now increased their lead to 12-0.
A returning junior, Luke Fitzgerald was the next grappler for the Warriors. Fitzgerald is an experienced returning player who held the 113-pound spot last year. Fitzgerald looked very strong to start the match and carried the momentum onward as he slammed his opponent to the ground, and later escaped a hold. The match was going well but ended in a decision with Fitzgerald winning 6-0 and adding three points to the Wakefield lead.
Jameson O’Callahan was set to take the stage after Fitzgerald. O’Callahan is a junior who started on varsity last year for the Warriors. O’Callahan was sharp in his match, quickly jumping on his opponent and using his quickness to overwhelm and pin him in 58 seconds. Wakefield now had a 21-0 lead.
With a huge lead, the Warriors were still pressing for more. Luke Hopkins, a junior wrestling in the 132-pound weight class, began approaching the mat. Hopkins was ready, and was jumpy to start. The match went back-and-forth, with Hopkins dominating for most of the battle. Eventually, Hopkins won with a major decision win 13-0.
Wakefield then began to slip into a losing streak. Nolawi Gerawork was next and lost by pin in 58 seconds. Gerawork was holding off until a bad step caused him to get trapped.
Captain Brock Johnson, the only returning captain from last season, was the following wrestler. The match was competitive, with Johnson starting off strong, but eventually going on the bottom, he was unable to recover. Johnson lost by decision, 5-2.
Matthew Cunningham, a junior who was a key part of Wakefield’s success last season, was looking to get the momentum back to the Warrior side. Cunningham’s opponent got off to a hot start and the match sprawled all over the mat, but Cunningham was forcefully pinned in 3:44. The Warrior lead was now shriveled to 26-12.
Even as the Andover wrestlers began to gain momentum, the Warriors were not ready to give it up. Joao Valdevino, another key junior, was looking to grab the momentum from Andover and give it back to Wakefield. Valdevino used his quickness and agility to scare his opponent, but could not finish the job as he lost by decision, 8-3.
Jimmy Grover, Kenny Tran, and Luke Ickes all wrestled after Valdevino. Grover started strong, but the momentum quickly changed as he lost by decision, 14-6. Tran, whose season was ended last year due to a dislocated shoulder, was flipped onto his back early in his match. An odd fall combined with the weight of his opponent caused a scary sight as he reinjured his shoulder. Tran was forced to leave the match, which caused Andover to take the lead, 28-26. Ickes was called upon by his father to try to regain the lead and he looked strong in a back-and-forth match. The stakes were high, and he showed he could come through but fell short in a loss decision, 7-3.
Nathan Ickes then needed a big win to help Wakefield from going down by more. He was dominating for the majority of the match, but his opponent was holding him off. The crowd cheered as Ickes escaped the hold he was in to go back on top. The feeling in the air of the Charbonneau Field House was ecstatic. Fans were going crazy. Ickes was close to pinning his opponent, but the buzzer sounded and he won in a decision, 7-0.
With the score now 31-29, Wakefield needed to win the heavyweight match to win the day. Dan Lamonica, a senior heavyweight, was set to compete for the Warriors. Lamonica was in a lock with his opponent and looking strong, until his opponent mustered up the strength to push Lamonica over and pin him. From this win, Andover added six points to their total, giving them a 37-29 win.
Wakefield’s loss could not have been more painful, but luckily for the Warriors, the team looked confident, strong, and ready to compete.
Up next for the Warriors on Saturday is the annual Lisitano Tournament, which features many strong teams from around the area.
