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Natick Redmen Wrestling '07-'08

Tue, Feb 19, 2008 07:00 PM @ Greater Lawrence
Team Final
Natick 21
Greater Lawrence 48
Carl Russo, Staff PhotographerMore photos

Natick no match for Reggies

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Wednesday, February, 20 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

Natick had no false illusions about defeating host and defending champion Greater Lawrence in the Division 2 dual-meet state semifinals yesterday.

With a young team and a pair of injured starters, Natick coach Bob Anaboli was looking mainly to be competitive against the unbeaten Reggies.

"We wanted to keep it close," said Anaboli. "I think they're the best team in the state, them and Lowell. With only three seniors in our lineup, I'm pretty happy with the way we competed."

Such is the status of the defending Division 2 state-champion Reggies, who took apart a good Natick team 48-21 to improve to 24-0 on the year and 49-0 over the last two years. They'll battle the winner of tonight's Franklin at undefeated North Attleboro matchup in the state dual-meet finals next Tuesday at Marlboro High, probably at 6 p.m. The Reggies had little trouble with Natick (16-5) which, for the second straight year, lost its first meet in-state against Greater Lawrence. Its previous losses were in a dual-meet tournament in New York.

Greater Lawrence won nine of 14 matches and even wrestled well in setbacks to two of Natick's top guns. Saul Orellana, for example, lost a tough 3-1 decision at 135 to Todd Arthur, who finished fourth in last week's Division 2 individual state meet, and Jonathan Delossantos lost 1-0 at 140 to state runner-up Mike Gibson.

With the meet starting at 160 pounds, Chris DelaRosa got the Reggies a quick lead with a second-period pin, improving his record to 39-0. Natick state champ Travis Moran tied the score, 6-6, with a pin at 171 but the Reggies went ahead to stay with a forfeit win by Victor Sosa at 189 and a 13-2 major decision by Jason Orsini at 215.

With Greater Lawrence ahead 16-12 after the heavyweight match, the meet was all but won, what with the Reggies' lower weights up next. With Matt Buco (103), Miguel Guzman (112), Franchesco Ortiz (119) and Brian Nadeau (125), the foursome provides a true murderers' row.

Buco started things off with a 44-second pin, Guzman followed with a dominating 18-2 technical fall, Ortiz pinned in 3:40 and Nadeau completed the grand slam with a pin in 3:45. Suddenly, the Reggies were ahead by a near insurmountable 39-12.

"Last year, we were kind of in that situation (a murderers' row at the start of the lineup), but it's more pronounced this year," said Greater Lawrence coach Tony Sarkis. "Brian Nadeau is the key. He's coming on at the right time."

Ray Diaz, battling the stomach flu, lost a 6-2 decision at 130, and Natick closed to 39-21, before Brian Rivera converted a strong third period to a 9-3 decision at 145 to pad the lead again.

It was an easy day for the Sosa brothers as both Victor (189) and Isaac (152) received forfeits. Victor's forfeit was beneficial because it allowed him to rest his ailing knee, which kept him out of the individual Division 2 state meet last weekend.

The Reggies will now prepare their seven individuals for this weekend's All-State Meet at Salem while also looking ahead to next Tuesday.

"It's a lot of wrestling," said Sarkis. "They're going to need to change this (dual-meet tournament) around so there's not so much wrestling at the end."

Natick would probably just like to change things so it doesn't have to face the Reggies again.

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