A Gilbert three-peat

Yellowjackets take home third consecutive crown

THOMASTON — Numbers are down, but quality still soared in a Berkshire-Valley Post-Season Wrestling Invitational whose top three team finishers were separated by just four points Saturday at Thomaston High School.

Gilbert took the tournament trophy for its third consecutive year after bringing just seven wrestlers to the meet. Four of the seven are tournament champions. All seven placed.

“We have great wrestlers who put in a lot of work,” said Yellowjacket coach Derek Schibi, pointing out the similar success formula for the last two Class S state meets in which Gilbert won the title two years ago and finished second last year.

Similar tales of quality success prevailed among the 13 other Berkshire League and NVL

teams that combine for the Berkshire-Valley League.

Northwestern, finishing just three points behind Gilbert (119-116), is the only league team that fills all 14 weight classes for dual meets, using its combined dual meet success, thanks in part to that, with its second-place tournament finish for the overall league title.

But quality still holds the upper hand for Northwestern as well, pushing six of its wrestlers into the finals — a team high for the tournament shared with Oxford’s six finalists, a point behind the Highlanders in the results.

That one-point Northwestern lead over Oxford looked good for the title after Northwestern’s Jamey Lytle pinned Wolverine Adem Kica in the 195pound division with just two weight classes left.

Meanwhile, Gilbert had just four finalists, but two — twin brothers Devin and Kyle Matthews already had pins and two more lined up for the final two classes, with Northwestern and Oxford done for the day.

Bajrum Gulic and Dylan Keith both scored pins for Gilbert’s final charge into the tournament championship.

Still, the day’s story of quality was far from complete.

Oxford, like Gilbert, got that close with great wrestlers up and down its small team.

“We brought eight wrestlers and six of them went to the finals,” said Wolverine coach Joe DiMartino. “Seven of our eight got medals.”

Tom Verdiglione, one of Oxford’s three tournament champions, put the icing on his individual cake with a decision over Northwestern’s Colby Williamson for his 100th career win in three years of wrestling — the first two at Nonnewaug before his family moved to Oxford this year.

In all, seven of the 14 participating schools produced champions. Four of five one-person teams produced points.

In a field full of quality, Nonnewaug’s Jack Cronin and Gilbert’s Jamey Lytle were voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestlers.

Berkshire-Valley Wrestling Invitational

At Thomaston High School

Team Scores

1.Gilbert 119; 2. Northwestern 116; 3. Oxford 115; 4. Nonnewaug 81; 5. Derby 71; 6. Terryville 64.5; 7. Thomaston/Holy Cross/ Litchfield 52; 8. Watertown 37; 9. St. Paul 34; 10. (tie) Woodland; Seymour 18; 12. (tie) Naugatuck; Torrington 16; 14. Shepaug 0.

Finals

106: Adam Wright (Northwestern) pinned Aiden Cooper (Nonnewaug), :37. 113: Michael

Hernandez (Derby) pinned Colby Sanden (Northwestern), 3:34. 120: Elias Sturdevant (Woodland) dec. Evan Kowalski (St. Paul), 4-0. 126: Tom Verdiglione (Oxford) dec. Colden Williamson (Northwestern), 10-4. 132: Tom Chappa (Oxford) pinned Toby Lindner (Derby), 3:55. 138: Devin Matthews (Gilbert) pinned Marco Folino (Northwestern), 4:53. 145: Cayleb Leclerc (Terryville) tech. fall Hunter Sanden (Northwestern), 15-0. 152: Kyle Matthews (Gilbert) pinned Anthony Deicicchi (Seymour), 5:05. 160: Xavier Powell (Watertown) pinned Aiden McDonnell (Oxford), 3:18. 170: Ed Chappa (Oxford) pinned Jacob Marques (Nonnewaug), 1:09. 182: Jack Cronin (Nonnewaug) pinned Jason Madden (Oxford), :16. 195: Jamey Lytle (Northwestern) pinned Adem Kica (Oxford), 1:44. 220: Bajrum Gulic (Gilbert) pinned Preston Ross (Thomaston/Holy Cross/Litchfield), 1:14. 285: Dylan Keith (Gilbert) pinned Abe Rodriguez (Derby), :25.

League Champion: Northwestern Outstanding Meet Wrestlers: Jack Cronin, Nonnewaug; Jamey Lytle, Northwestern

Peter Wallace / For Hearst Connecticut Media Gilbert won its third straight Berkshire-Valley Post-Season Wrestling Invitational Tournament Saturday at Thomaston High School.

Peter Wallace / For Hearst Connecticut Media Oxford’s Tom Verdiglione took his 100th career win in a decision over Northwestern’s Colden Williamson Saturday in the Berkshire-Valley Wrestling Tournament at Thomaston High School.