RallyNorth.net

North Andover rolls in finals

MARSHFIELD — North Andover's "Fabulous Five,' as they were called in the North Sectional last week, delivered again yesterday at the Division 2 state tournament.

The Knights sent five wrestlers to the finals and all five came away with individual titles, lifting the team past sectional champ Winchester for the state crown.

North Andover, which trailed Winchester throughout the tourney until the finals, finished with 160 points, nine more than runner-up Winchester.

Saving her best wrestling for when it matters most, Danielle Coughlin started things out by winning the 106-pound class, defeating Winchester's Jordan Darby, 5-3, to improve to 29-6 on the year. It was Coughlin's first state title.

Four weight classes later, Zane Melillo continued his tournament surge, defeating Milton's Jonathan Carrera 6-4 in the finals to improve to 24-2 on the year. In his first three matches, he had two major decisions and a first-period pin.

Melillo was followed by usual standouts Fritz Hoehn (152), Brad Drover (160) and Ryan Neals (182) all of whom rolled to crowns. Hoehn, who had a pervious pin, major decision and tech. fall, had a pin late in the second period in the finals while Drover prevailed 8-2 over Concord-Carlisle's Zach Bloom in the finals.

Hoehn is now 36-2 on the year and Drover is 38-1 while Neals remained unbeaten (36-0) with a 6-2 decision in the finals over North Attleboro's Evan Packard. Previously, he had two pins and a major decision.

 Central Catholic had two champions in 126-pounder Pat Lacroix, who improved to a stunning 50-2 with a 9-1 major decisioin over Reading's Nick Makrys in the finals, and 220-pounder Ben Tavitian, who followed three pins with a 10-5 decision in the finals to improve to 52-2 on the year. His first two matches lasted just 45 and 50 seconds respectively. 

For Whittier, Shahib Blount enjoyed an outstanding tournament, finishing third at 170. He beat Winchester's tough Joe Fallon 6-2 in the consolation finals and only lost in the semifinals 8-6.