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Knights win battle of state champs

The premier dual meet of the Cape Ann League schedule didn't quite pan out as advertised, at least as far as the score was concerned.

North Andover, the defending Division 2 state champion, locked horns with Division 3 titlist Triton in Byfield and took home a 48-17 decision that was commanding only in numbers.

"This could be our toughest league match of the year," saud Knights head coach Carl Cincotta. "Triton gets a lot of kids out and they're all well motivated. They sprinkle in some good freshmen from their youth program and they're doing well."

Rolling the dice right from the start at 195 pounds, Cincotta started freshman Basil Bergados looking to win two of the first three classes. But Bergados' strong 10-5 decision started a three-match North Andover roll that the Vikings couldn't counter.

Heavyweight Jake Caporale, who's "getting better and better every time out" according to Cincotta, posted his seventh straight victory with a first-period pin, and freshman Peter Taylor posted a convincing 7-1 decision at 113.

Brad Drover broke a tie at 145 with a late-match takedown, and Ryan Neals wrapped up the victory in emotional fashion at 182.

In the night's finale against a Triton wrestler that made the finals at the Lowell Holiday Tourney, Neals countered a takedown with a reversal to take a lead he would barely hold on to the rest of the match. With a couple of crucial near falls, Neals finished with a 9-6 win.

Still looking to shake off the stigma of a one-point loss to Methuen 10 days ago, North Andover travels to Springfield this weekend for a brutal invitational against the best teams in Western Mass. as well as a couple fo teams from New York State.

"We'll be tested, but this is the only way you get better," Cincotta said.