Sports: Late switch helps Ledyard wrestlers earn 43-33 victory over NFA
Grim bumps up for important win at 170 as Colonels bet NFA
Norwich — Allyn Quibble has himself a good support system in his first season as Ledyard wrestling's head coach.
Quibble has received advice former head coach Steve Bilheimer, who he refers to as his “GM.”
Given the way sports are trending, that might make assistant coach Bill Glenney his analytics expert.
Quibble wasn't sure whether-ornot he should bump 160-pound senior Brayden Grim up to 170 to face Theran Vanase, one of Norwich Free Academy's best wrestlers, late in Wednesday's match.
Glenney talked Quibble into making the move and it paid off big time. Grim led 12-8 late in the third period and won when Vanase was forced to forfeit due to an injury, and Ledyard went on to win 43-33.
“We made the flip at the last minute and it was the right decision,” Quibble said. “We knew Theran was a tough kid, and we knew Brayden was a tough kid. That was pretty much going to be the turning point of the match. Me and Glenney talked about it, and ultimately Glenney is the one who said, ‘do it.'”
Glenney, Ledyard High School's Mr. Everything, is the head boys' soccer coach and does PA for basketball and baseball games, too.
“He's been doing this a long time,” Quibble said. “I listen to him a lot. He's been on how many state championship teams with Bilheimer? The technique I know, but strategy-wise, he's actually one of the best.”
Ledyard (7-4) had gone ahead, 3121, with four matches left and the 170-pound bout up next.
Grim and Vanase both wrestled at 152 pounds last season. Vanase placed third at the CIAC Class LL championships. Grim was fourth at Class M. Vanase won the only meeting between the two, 12-4, during a consolation match at the State Open.
“He beat me pretty good,” Grim said. “(I thought) ‘This match is going to be an important match for the team's win', so I was pretty confident. “A little nervous, but that's always good.”
Grim and Vanase went back-andforth when Vanase aggravated a groin injury to end the second period trailing 9-5 and required injury time to recover.
Vanase got an early takedown in the third before Grim began to pull away, further aggravating Vanase's injury. When he couldn't continue, Grim received the six points and expended Ledyard's lead to 37-21 lead.
NFA's Mason McMahon (189) won the next match by pin to cut the Wildcats' deficit to 10 points.
The Colonels' Tyler Smith (195) followed with a pin to ice the win for Ledyard.
Mason Barnett (152), Jonathan Isgro (160), and heavyweight Davin McIver all won by pin for Ledyard. Connor Doran (113) and Caden Foote (145) both won by technical fall and Caleb Phillips (120) won a 10-9 decision over Thomas Brunelli in the night's closest match.
Jaiden James (106), Connor DeVega (126), Dominic Renfree (132) and McMahon (182) all won by pin for NFA (8-6). CJ Grube (138) also won by decision.
“Back-and-forth, back-and-forth — it was a good match,” Steve Nelson said. “It was kind of reminiscent of the old times, the NFA-Ledyard matchups. Ledyard wrestled very well. I thought my kids wrestled very well.
“It was just a good, old-fashioned ECC showdown.” n.griffen@theday.com