RallyNorth.net

Methuen Rangers Wrestling '18-'19

Sat, Feb 09, 2019 09:00 PM @ Methuen
Team Final
Haverhill 1
Methuen 0

Hillies win first North Sectional title

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METHUEN — Sam Prescott was all smiles Saturday afternoon and it was no wonder.

The Haverhill senior captain captured the 160-pound Division 1 North title, recording his third pin of the day in the finals, over Methuen’s CJ Brown, to pace the Hillies to their first-ever sectional title.

Prescott was Haverhill’s only champion, but the Hillies had four runners-up, three more who finished third and 13 placers overall as they rolled to 223 1/2 points, comfortably ahead of St. John’s Prep (181 1/2) in second.

With the three wins, Prescott improved to 33-2 on the year and reached a goal he’s had for four years. He finished fourth the last two years.

“I knew I was the toughest guy in my weight class so I felt like if I came here with confidence, I could dominate and that’s what happened,” said Prescott.

As a team captain, Prescott paused just for a moment when asked if he was happier with his own title or the crown won by the team, which completed its first-ever undefeated dual-meet season three days earlier.

“It’s always been my goal to win this and I never thought I’d be here but winning this tournament means a lot,” said Prescott. “I know it means a lot to the team and a lot to the coach.”

In fact, said coach Tim Lawlor, “this probably means even more than going undefeated (21-0). There were some great teams here and a lot of great wrestlers. We have 13 guys going to state (four are alternates) which is amazing. I’m really at a loss for words.”

To add icing on the cake, Lawlor was named the Division 1 North Coach of the Year.

Finishing second for the Hillies were Ben Davoli (106), Steven Wise (132), Jake Nicolosi (138) and Ryan McCartney (195).

Davoli (41-4) lost to Chelmsford’s Evan Kinney in the finals, but gave him a battle before falling 9-5 and had advanced to the championship match with a dramatic 5-4 semifinal win over St. John’s Prep’s Nick Curley while Nicolosi (41-3) fell in the finals to unbeaten St. John’s Prep star Ryan Garlitz, who was named the tourney Outstanding Wrestler.

Finishing third for the Hillies were Kevin and Ron Fuller at 113 and 120 respectively and Joe Santoro at 182. Dan Wezesa was fourth at 126.

CABEZAS STILL PERFECT

Methuen senior Matt Cabezas remained undefeated (21-0) and hardly worked up a sweat while rolling to the 145-pound title. He won his first match with a seven-second pin, won his next two matches with pins in 42 and 45 seconds and was awarded the title when Chelmsford standout Evan Goodall injury defaulted in the finals.

It was the second straight sectional title for Cabezas but he never made it to state last year because of an injury suffered prior to the competition.

Joining Cabezas in the winner’s circle for Methuen was 170-pounder Jose Diaz. He had two pins prior to the finals and then defeated St/ John’s Prep’s Ben Shaw of North Andover, 6-0. That put his season record at 38-3.

Finishing second for the Rangers in addition to Brown was Jarmany Colon, who dropped his first match of the season in the 126-pound finals. That put his season record at 29-1.

Erick Lucas (182) and Dereck Ramirez (220) both came in third for the Rangers.

SATISFIED LAWRENCE

With titles by Eric Sanchez (182) and Brandon Santell (285), runner-up finishes by surprising Jaycob Zapata (113) and Jon Velilla (220) and thirds from Luis Mauricio (106) and John Vazquez (138), Lawrence had its best sectional performance in 10 years according to coach Ron Niceforo. 

“We wrestled really well, I’m pretty happy about it,” said Lawrence coach Rob Niceforo.

Sanchez won a 6-4 decision in the finals and Santell wound up pinning Andover’s Ethan Coyle in the finals. Zapata had advanced to the finals with a dramatic 10-9 semifinal win over Haverhill’s Kevin Fuller.

IMPROVED ANDOVER

Andover may have finished eighth but the Warriors certainly had their best sectional showing in years and perhaps ever. In addition to Coyle, Kelvin Davila took second at 152 pounds, largely thanks to an upset pin of St. John’s Prep’s Achilles Gikas in the semifinals.

Elias Maita was third at 160 for the Warriors, getting a pin in the finals, and Sean Ballou was third at 170, also finishing the day with a pin.

Division 1 North Sectional

Team scores: Haverhill 223.5, St. John’s Prep 181.5, Shawsheen 178, Methuen 166, Lawrence 150.5, Chelmsford 132, Lowell 120, Andover 112, Westford 94.5, Billerica 41.5

Winners and state qualifiers (top 4, 5th is alternate):

106: 1. Evan Kinney (Chelms), 2. Ben Davoli (Hav), 3. Luis Mauricio (Law); 113: 1. Austin Dube (Shaw), 2. Jaycob Zapatta (Law), 3. Kevin Fuller (Hav); 120: 1. Patrick Hughes (Chelms), 3. Ron Fuller (Hav), 5. Joe Gangi (Methuen); 126: 1. Anthony Hubbard (Chelms), 2. Jarmany Colon (Methuen), 4. Dan Wezesa (Hav), 5. Quinn Alexander (SJP); 132: 1. James Best (Bill), 2. Steven Wise (Hav); 138: 1. Ryan Garlitz (SJP), 2. Jake Nicolosi (Hav), 3. John Vazquez (Law); 145: 1. Matt Cabezas (Methuen), 4. Noah Krueger (And), 5. Jackson DiFloures (Hav); 152: 1. Stephen Saint-Juste (Shaw), 2. Kelvin Davila (And), 5. Isaiah DelosSantos (Hav); 160: 1. Sam Prescott (Hav), 2. CJ Brown (Methuen), 3. Elias Maita (And), 5. Angel Reynoso (Law); 170: 1. Jose Diaz (Methuen), 3. Sean Ballou (And); 182: 1. Eric Sanchez (Law), 3. Joe Santoro (Hav); 195:1. Aaron Diaz (Lowell), 2. Ryan McCartney (Hav), 3. Erick Lucas (Methuen); 220: 1. Omar Eldaly (Shaw), 2. Jonathan Velilla (Law), 3. Dereck Ramirez (Methuen), 5. Alex Mejia (Hav); HVY: 1. Brandon Santell (Law), 2. Ethan Coyle (And), 4. Liam Norton (Methuen), 5. Jay Levy (Hav) 

 

Game Statistics:

Division 1 North
Team scores:
Haverhill 223.5, St. John's Prep 181.5, Shawsheen 178, Methuen 166, Lawrence 150.5, Chelmsford 132, Lowell 120, Andover 112, Westford 94.5, Billerica 41.5

Winners and state qualifiers (top 4, 5th is alternate):

106: 1. Evan Kinney (Chelms), 2. Ben Davoli (Hav), 3. Luis Mauricio (Law); 113: 1. Austin Dube (Shaw), 2. Jaycob Zapatta (Law), 3. Kevin Fuller (Hav); 120: 1. Patrick Hughes (Chelms), 3. Ron Fuller (Hav), 5. Joe Gangi (Methuen); 126: 1. Anthony Hubbard (Chelms), 2. Jarmany Colon (Methuen), 4. Dan Wezesa (Hav), 5. Quinn Alexander (SJP); 132: 1. James Best (Bill), 2. Steven Wise (Hav); 138: 1. Ryan Garlitz (SJP), 2. Jake Nicolosi (Hav), 3. John Vazquez (Law); 145: 1. Matt Cabezas (Methuen), 4. Noah Krueger (And), 5. Jackson DiFloures (Hav); 152: 1. Stephen Saint-Juste (Shaw), 2. Kelvin Davila (And), 5. Isaiah DelosSantos (Hav); 160: 1. Sam Prescott (Hav), 2. CJ Brown (Methuen), 3. Elias Maita (And), 5. Angel Reynoso (Law); 170: 1. Jose Diaz (Methuen), 3. Sean Ballou (And); 182: 1. Eric Sanchez (Law), 3. Joe Santoro (Hav); 195:1. Aaron Diaz (Lowell), 2. Ryan McCartney (Hav), 3. Erick Lucas (Methuen); 220: 1. Omar Eldaly (Shaw), 2. Jonathan Velilla (Law), 3. Dereck Ramirez (Methuen), 5. Alex Mejia (Hav); HVY: 1. Brandon Santell (Law), 2. Ethan Coyle (And), 4. Liam Norton (Methuen), 5. Jay Levy (Hav)

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