Warriors have seven total place winners against the league’s best wrestlers
DAN WENSLEY, a senior (right), captured the 195 weight class title at the Middlesex League Tournament which was held on Saturday at Melrose High School. Wensley posted a 3-0 record.
(Donna Larsson File Photo)
MELROSE — Senior captains Dan Wensley and Alex Kane both had a terrific showing at the Middlesex League Tournament which was held on Saturday at Melrose High School as one was crowned a champion and the other tied a Wakefield Memorial High School record.
Wensley was crowned the champion at the 195 weight class while Kane tied the record for career victories at WMHS with a third place showing.
Wensley and Kane were just two out of seven place winners in the meet.
Wensley won it all at the 195 weight class as he posted a perfect 3-0 record. Wensley pinned Winchester’s Walter Thilly at 3:56. He then pinned Melrose’s Matt Parker at 57 seconds. In the final, Wensley was victorious by fall over Arlington’s Jeremy Weaver at 31 seconds.
Wensley now has a 35-2 record on the season and he has 135 career wins in Warrior uniform.
Kane secured a third place finish at 220 and tied the school record in career wins with 139. He can break Dylan Conn’s record with his next victory.
Kane posted a 3-1 record in four bouts. The senior pinned Melrose’s Jesse Gauvin at 4:56. He then dropped a 3-1 decision to Arlington’s Nick Rose. Kane then won two matches by decision for his third place. The senior edged Reading’s John O’Brien, 2-1, and topped Burlington’s Brad Basham by a 5-3 tally.
In addition to the two senior captains, Wakefield had a strong showing across the board.
Evan Gourville, a junior, captured second place with a 2-1 record at 160. Gourville pulled out a 6-1 decision over Lexington’s John Caples. He then edged Wilmington’s Sam Jennings by a 6-2 score. In the final, Gourville lost by fall to Anthony Fraumini at 1:05.
The third captain, senior Ryan Cunningham, also came away with a third place finish at the 170 weight class. Cunningham posted a 3-1 record.
ALEX KANE, a senior, tied at WMHS school record for victories with 139 with his third place showing at the 220 weight class in the Middlesex League Tournament. Kane went 3-1 and set the new standard in Wakefield’s next meet. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
Cunningham lost by fall to Wilmington’s Andy Lesperance. He then rebounded to Reading’s Noah Fandel at 53 seconds. Cunnigham then won by decision over Winchester’s Rob Walsh (7-2) and Lexington’s Tom Donahue (5-4).
At 285, Mike Lima, a junior, posted a 4-1 record for a third place finish. Lima pinned Woburn’s Steve Crann at 3:08 and Arlington’s Caleb Bausman at 4:42. Lima then lost a 2-0 decision to Winchester’s Jack McGown. The junior then rebounded with a 4-1 victory in three overtimes against Watertown’s Alec Campbell. Lima’s final bout resulted in a 5-0 decision over Melrose’s Nick Dishley.
Sophomore Jack Spicer and senior Matt Yirrell both placed fourth at the 106 and 182 weight classes.
At 106, Spicer posted a 2-2 record. Spicer won by technical fall (15-0) over Watertown’s Nick Stanizzi. The sophomore then lost by a 9-6 decision against Arlington’s Matt Pickett. Spicer pinned Woburn’s Ryan Moran at 2:59. In his last contest, Spicer dropped a 4-2 decision to Reading’s Trevor Morton.
At 182, Yirrell posted a 1-2 record. He lost a 2-1 decision in three overtimes to Melrose’s Mike Doucette. The senior then pinned Reading’s Noah Alessandro at 24 seconds. Yirrell then was edged by a 5-4 tally by Winchester’s Ryan Errico.
Also competing in the meet for the Warriors were junior Shannon Drager, junior Evan McGuire, and senior Dan Bertini. Drager went 0-2 at the 113 weight class, McGuire posted an 0-2 record at 126, and Bertini went 0-2 at 152.
In the team scoring, Wakefield finished fifth with 111.5 points.
Arlington captured first place with 249.5 points, while Winchester was second with 212 points. Reading was third with 119 points and host Melrose was fourth with 113 points.
Taking sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and 10th were Lexington (96.5 points), Woburn (94.5 points), Burlington (78 points), Wilmington (71 points), and Watertown (39 points).
The Warriors have a non-league meet against on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. at Malden High School and their final regular season dual meet on Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Melrose at the Charbonneau Field House. Wakefield will going for the Middlesex League Freedom division championship against Melrose.
