Lions’ grip too strong
Chelmsford defends Division 1 wrestling title
NEWTON — The Division 1 state wrestling team title returns to Richardson Road once again.
Evan Kinney, Evan Goodall and Joe Vecchione all captured state individual titles as Chelmsford successfully defended its crown, holding off Western Mass. power Springfield Central yesterday at Newton South High School. Chelmsford amassed 130 points, outdistancing Springfield Central (111.5), Putnam (93.5), Brookline (88) and Westford Academy (82).
“The kids talked about winning the state championship as a team,” said Chelmsford coach Bruce Rich, who has won eight of the school’s 11 Div.1 state titles. “I think that just made them better as individual wrestlers.”
Kinney turned in a solid effort at 106 pounds, defeating Wilson Gomes of New Bedford, 6-2. Goodall upheld the family tradition of wrestling excellence, pinning Tommy Jaklitsch of BC High in 1:49 at 145 pounds to clinch the team title.
Vecchione’s match with Braintree standout Anders Klass at 170 pounds ended with major drama. Trailing 1-0 in the final minute, Klass took down Vecchione to take a 2-1 lead, but Vecchione earned an escape with 24 seconds left to secure a 3-2 victory.
“That’s why wrestling is such a great sport,” Rich said. “You can go out there and get it done in different ways.”
It was a banner weekend for the Rich coaching family.
Bruce Rich Jr. guided a pair of Westford Academy wrestlers to championships. Luke Donovan defeated Chase Anestis of ActonBoxboro, 5-2, in an all-Dual County League final. One match later, teammate Andrew Piedrahita rallied in the final seconds to knock off top-seeded Ahmad Sharif of Putnam, 7-5.
“I was running out of time so I knew I couldn’t be methodical,” Piedrahita said. “I had to go into my bag of tricks and was able to get him with the Peterson (roll).”
In other finals, Newton North’s Kyle Randall defeated Aidan Winn of Brockton, 8-4, at 113 pounds. Winn’s teammate, highly touted Cole Wyman, rolled to an 8-0 victory over West Springfield’s Calvin Curtis in the 126-pound final.
St. John’s Prep also got a split verdict in the championship round. Ryan Garlitz defeated Cesar Alvan of Ludlow, 9-3, at 132 pounds. Fellow Eagle Zach Alexander gave Springfield Central’s Mahari Miller all he could handle at 138 before succumbing in overtime, 12-10.
Reigning New England champion Andrew Marshall of Lincoln-Sudbury pinned Davyn Patterson of Putnam in 5:30. Other winners included Cambridge’s Eli Zibelo (120), Mansfield’s Vinnie Holmes (182), Methuen’s Travis Manick (195) and Billerica’s Ryan Higgins (285).