THE WARRIORS won the Freedom Division with a 39-32 victory over Melrose in the 3rd Brawl in the Hall on Wednesday.
(Wakefield Wrestling Photo)
Published in the February 7, 2020 edition.
By RYAN MARSH
MELROSE — The Wakefield Warrior wrestling team traveled to Memorial Hall to take on the Melrose Red Raiders in the 3rd annual Brawl in the Hall. Wakefield was looking to avenge their close loss from a year ago by defeating the Red Raiders, who were the 5th ranked team in the state.
The Hall was filled with fans of both teams, split right down the middle, but Wakefield fans were loud from the beginning.
Following the national anthem, the Warriors sent out Ana Valdevino for the 106-pound weight class. Both sides erupted as the two wrestlers met in the center of the mat. Energy began to fill the room as the ref blew the whistle to begin the match. Valdevino was taken down, but oohs and ahhs emerged from the Wakefield crowd as she used her flexibility to escape some tough holds though she eventually lost by pin in 3:45.
Down by six points, freshman Tommy Grover was sent out to regain the lead. Grover was competing in his first Brawl in the Hall, but he still knew the stakes of the meet, starting the match fast by using his speed to try and overwhelm his opponent. Grover showed his talent and ability as he went the distance in the match but fell short, losing by a 9-0 decision.
Luke Fitzgerald, the 120-pound wrestler, was written in to compete for Wakefield as they looked to get a foothold. Fitzgerald needed to secure some type of points in order to keep the Warriors in the match. The Wakefield fans were waiting for a win, and Fitzgerald brought them just that. The match was a grueling one, with both wrestlers slamming each other down, until Fitzgerald took advantage and secured a win by pin (3:32) as the Warrior fans went crazy.
Now down by four points, Anselm Schools was looking to capitalize on Fitzgerald’s win and continue to build the momentum in Wakefield’s favor. Schools started the match furiously as he picked up his opponent and slammed him to the ground multiple times. Schools was dominating his match as the Warrior fans cheered his name in the background. Schools eventually ended the match by pinning his opponent in 3:52 and giving Wakefield a two-point lead.
Jameson O’Callahan was next and he had a very tough job ahead of him. O’Callahan was set to take on New England champion Hunter Adrian, at the 132-pound weight class. As good as O’Callahan is, Adrian was just too much and he was pinned in 24 seconds.
The Warriors were now down by four points. Nick Roberto needed to get points to grab the lead for Wakefield. Roberto controlled his speedy opponent and used his strength to hold him down, winning the match with a pin (1:48) which left the fan section and bench going wild.
Captain Brock Johnson was next up to build upon the slim Wakefield lead. Johnson had recently joined the 100-win club and was competing in his final Brawl in the Hall before graduating in the spring. Johnson faced a tough opponent, but his ability and poise proved tougher as he won by pin in 2:15, bringing Wakefield’s lead to eight points.
With a solid lead, Matt Cunningham had to hold a formidable Sean Herbert at bay to make sure Melrose couldn’t get back into the meet. A contentious match ended in a Herbert win who then got a reaction from both fan bases with a celebration that only heightened the intensity.
After that heated match, Joāo Valdevino looked to pump the life back into the Wakefield fans. The crowd began to cheer and shout as Valdevino was quick off his feet to take down his opponent and would not let him back up. Valdevino won by pin in a quick and dashing fashion that had the Red Sea back on its feet.
Senior John Summers was next to follow Valdevino and continue the team’s hot streak. Summers fought valiantly and managed to fight to the end, but lost in a 12-3decision.
The match was getting closer and the tension in the building grew larger-and-larger as 182-pounder Jimmy Grover stepped onto the mat. Grover quickly pounced on his opponent as they tangled on the floor. Grover used his muscle and flipped his opposing wrestler over, finishing him with a pin for the win.
Luke Ickes now had a 10-point lead to maintain coming into the last three matches of the night. The Warriors were so close to becoming the Freedom Division winner but they still had to finish strong. Ickes went the distance against his opponent but lost by decision 11-5.
Wakefield’s lead was now down to only seven points. Nathan Ickes was thrown into a do-or-die situation. A win would seal it for Wakefield, but a loss would bring the meet down to its final match. Ickes was up against a tough opponent and the match was close throughout with its only points occurring in the third period. Ickes fought bravely but lost by decision, 3-0.
Just like the previous two years, the meet came down to the final match.
Dan Lamonica was Wakefield’s final wrestler of the night. The match was now 36-32 with Wakefield in the lead.
Lamonica, a senior entering his final Brawl in the Hall, was sent out to win the meet for Wakefield. The match was close as the two were locked together in a head-to-head battle. Lamonica was winning 1-0 going into the last minute of the match. The two wrestlers were locked until Lamonica gained the strength to take down his opponent. The Wakefield fans erupted. As the match ended, the ref blew the whistle as Lamonica raised his hands to the sky and the Wakefield wrestlers celebrated their victory. Lamonica won by a 3-0 decision and joined his teammates in celebration.
The final score was 39-32 with Wakefield beating the reigning Freedom Division champions and taking over the title. The impressive victory on the road moved Wakefield up to the 9th-ranked team in the state. The Warriors look to climb even further in the state standings when they next compete on Saturday the 15th in the Division 3 North tournament in Wakefield. The Warriors won the north last year.
