Kane, Wensley, Spicer scheduled to compete in All-State meet this weekend
THE WMHS wrestling coaches are pictured with Wakefield’s two Div. 3 state champions. From left to right are Assistant Coach Joe Lauria, Head Coach Ross Ickes, Assistant Coach Mike Petralia, 195 lb. state champion Dan Wensley, Assistant Coach Matt Manfredi, 220 lb. two-time state champion Alex Kane, Assistant Coach Jerry DoVale and Assistant Coach Anthony Lauria. Missing is Assistant Coach John Bosco. Wensley and Kane, along with sophomore Jack Spicer, will be competing in the All-State meet this weekend.
SALEM — The Wakefield Memorial High wrestling team has three athletes who will be competing tomorrow afternoon in the All-State meet and all three are hoping to bring home an All-State title.
Senior captains Alex Kane and Dan Wensley and sophomore Jack Spicer have all qualified for the event based upon their performances last weekend in the Div. 3 state meet.
The All-State meet will begin tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. at Salem High School. Weigh-in is at 1 p.m. Should any of the three Warriors advance to Saturday’s action, wrestling will begin at 11:30 a.m. Weigh-in on Saturday is at 10 a.m.
Wensley and Kane both went 4-0 and Kane is the first two-time state champ in WMHS history. Wensley wrestled at the 195 weight class and Kane competed at 220 this past weekend with the Div. 3 state meet having been held at Wakefield’s Charbonneau Field House.
Wensley pinned both Quabbin Regional’s Stephen Tremblay and Sandwich’s Pat Sullivan at 53 seconds and 2:58. The senior then prevailed by major decision against Tri-County Voke’s Nick DePedro by an 8-0 score. In the final, Wensley pinned Scituate’s Noah Butcher at 1:54.
At 220, Kane pinned Nauset Regional’s Jake Colson at 5:00 in the first round. Kane then squeaked out a 3-2 decision over Quabbin Regional’s Charlie Pasternack. The senior then prevailed by major decision (17-4) over Frontier Regional’s Paul Soto. In the final, Kane pulled out a 5-4 decision over Granby’s Nolan Hodgins. The victory in the final was also avenged a loss Kane had to Hodgins on Jan. 3 as the Warrior senior lost by a 6-4 score.
It was the first time in WMHS history that Wakefield had two Warriors crowned a division state champion and Kane is the first two-state champ as he won the Div. 3 state championship two years ago with the competition also being at the Charbonneau Field House.
In addition to Wensley and Kane advancing, sophomore Jack Spicer has also qualified for the All-State meet with a fourth place finish at the 106 weight class last weekend in the Div. 3 state meet.
Spicer went 4-2 at 106 for his fourth place showing.
Spicer scored a victory by major decision (13-3) over Gateway Regional’s Brandon Daniels. The sophomore then dropped an 11-6 decision to Bristol-Plymouth Voke’s Justin Kelliher.
Spicer rebounded with three straight victories by decision. The sophomore blanked Pentucket’s Jacob Wengler, 5-0. He then defeated Sabis Charter’s Christian Garcia and Wayland’s Tommy Cope by the slimmest of margins, 6-5 and 7-6.
In his final match, Spicer lost by fall to South Hadley’s Isaiah Cannales at 2:47.
The all-state pairings are done and all three wrestlers have their first round match-ups for tomorrow afternoon.
At 106, Spicer will face South Eastern’s Brett Wordell in the first round. Should he win, then the sophomore will square off against the winner of a bout between BPCoyle Cassidy’s Justin Kelleher and Durfee’s Mitch Raposo.
Also competing at the 106 weight class are Winchester’s Bryson McEchin, Lowell’s Ricky Pulido, Quabbin’s Conor Thompson, Reading’s Trevor Morton, Springfield Central’s Keith Gordon, Central Catholic’s Joey Sanchez, Lincoln-Sudbury’s Andrew Richard, Brockton’s Cole Wyman, Tyngsboro’s Kevin Morris, South Hadley’s Isaiah Cardenales, Hingham’s Wes Ward, Wayland’s Tommy Cope, King Phillips’ Josh Gomes and Shawsheen’s Jake Ferri.
At 195, Wensley will a first round match against the winner of a bout between Catholic Memorial’s Joe Smith and Newton South’s AJ Josephson. Should Wensley win, then he will face the winner of a first round match between Tewksbury’s Broc Dokos and Haverhill’s Luc Chretien.
Also competing at the 195 weight class are Wellesley’s Thomas Nocka, Monument Mountain’s Robert Yvon, Tri-County’s Nick DePedro, Bridgewater-Raynham’s William Fuller, Pembroke’s Brendan Benoit, Agawam’s Fred Karl-Morin, Springfield Central’s Jered Escribano, Scituate’s Noah Bucher, Advanced Math & Science’s Juan Zabalu, North Andover’s Mathieu Messina, Sandwich’s Pat Sullivan, Natick’s Jacob Bastarache and Framingham’s Jake O’Brien.
At 220, Kane will face Natick’s Heussein Kanaan in the first round. Should Kane prevail, he would face the winner of a first round match between Plymouth North’s Mike Albergini and Xaverian’s Kenny Kern.
Also wrestling at 220 are St. John’s Prep Ian Butterbrodt, Frontier’s Saul Soto, Hopkinton Conrad Lavoie, Saugus’ Luke Surrette, Nashoba’s Jake Kennedy, Granby’s Nolan Hodgins, Springfield Central’s Ryan Pinkham, Agawam’s Jim Karl-Morin, Burlington’s Brad Basham, Framingham’s Brandon Williams, Tyngsboro’s Nick Gardella, Lincoln-Sudbury’s Jack Pamir, Quabbin’s Charles Pasternack and Arlington’s Nick Rose.
Should the three Warriors qualify to compete in the New England Tournament, that will be held on March 6-7 at North Andover High School.
