Clean sweep
Woonsocket downs Wizards, CF co-op
The Woonsocket High wrestling team pinned down wins over Central Falls and West Warwick Tuesday evening.
WOONSOCKET – Back in December, Woonsocket High senior quad-captain Elijah McDowell left the North Providence gymnasium rather upset with himself.
During the annual Cougars holiday tournament, McDowell sustained a devastating loss by pin to West Warwick senior Jake Hamilton in the 132-pound category.
“I was up, 5-3, in the third period, and I stood up kind of sloppy; he ended up cradling me,” McDowell recalled. “I was pretty angry (because) I know I’m better than he is. Ever since I lost to hin, it’s been gnawing at me. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”
McDowell got his chance at avenging that loss during a Division II crossover double-dual competition against the Wizards and Central Falls/Tolman/Shea Co-op at Savaria Memorial Gym on Tuesday night, and – though it was hardly easy – captured a thrilling 4-3 victory.
That turned out to be one of a few sparkling performances as the Villa Novans swept both West Warwick and the CFTS Co-op and remained unbeaten at 6-0 in II-A.
“I just felt I had to prove myself that it was a fluke pin (in North Providence) and that I could beat him,” McDowell stated. “I had the will and fire inside me. I was not going to lose to him again.”
With the win, the quad-captain improved to 21-2 on his campaign, and looking forward to reaching the state finals at his weight class next month. He lost in the 126-pound championship bout, then traveled to the New England tourney and left with a triumph and two defeats.
“My goal now is to win states, then go to New Englands and place (in the top six),” he said nonchalantly. “It’s that simple.”
Woonsocket also toppled CFTS, 66-15, while the Wizards kept the Warriors scoreless in an 84-0 blowout. WW moved to 8-2 on its II-B campaign.
After McDowell’s tight decision at 132, WW fought back when junior 138-pounder Mason Pacheco took only 62 ticks to pin frosh Sean Anelundi; and senior Carlos Gordillo pinned junior Jose Diaz at 3:01.
That gave the visitors the 15-6 cushion, and they looked destined to prevail.
The momentum, however, shifted when WHS sophomore Jake Costanza eked out an entertaining 6-2 verdict over sophomore Justin Perreault at 152. The latter had produced a one-point escape early in the third period to slice his deficit to 4-2, but Costanza notched a two-point takedown with 12.9 seconds left in regulation to claim the win.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself to win, so I just tried to remain calm and focus on my technique,” he stated. “It was difficult, for sure; I was dying (of exhaustion) at the end, but it feels amazing. We’re 6-0 on the season, and we want to take it all the way (without a defeat).”
After that bout at 152, WW head coach Jared Calise had to accept two straight forfeits, with Novans’ sophomore Caleb Lambert and senior Brian Diaz the recipients; those regained the lead for the Novans at 21-15.
They never trailed again. Senior quad-captain Rogelio Gonzalez rolled past sophomore Leo Salazar at 182, though the Wizards’ Lucas Read pinned Ratana Ham at 1:55 at 195, knifing it to 24-21.
Senior Mohamed Seck got Woonsocket back on track with a 52-second pin of frosh Mason Clark, clinching the victory at 3621; and junior Mike Dumont did the same to senior Christian Perez at the three-minute mark.
“It’s a tough match against these guys every year,” Calise said later. “Unfortunately, we were a little banged up with injuries at 160 and 170, so those were 12 points we were in the hole. It certainly didn’t help matters.”
As for Dumont’s drop of Perez in the 285-plus class, he claimed his foe “kept going for an inside trip, and I was just waiting for him to mess up on it. He went for it, but had no weight behind it. He had all his weight on his heels, and I capitalized on his mistake.
“Coach had told me before my match that if I pinned him, we’d win, and that was the mind-set I went out with,” he added. “This feels even better because this is my first match back after a minor (lower body) injury, but I felt great here.
“It’s even better with two wins.”
As for the CFTS squad, it failed to score against the Wizards, yet Tolman junior Anthony Hernandez mustered a 12-8 victory over Jesaias Sepulveda at 126; and Shea junior Justin Monteiro pinned Ham with 14 seconds left in the first session.
** Woonsocket 39, West Warwick 26
120 – Jordan Dutcher (W) def. Colby Richer, 16-11. 126 – Avery Etheridge (WW) def. David Cournoyer, 7-0. 132 – Elijah McDowell (W) def. Jake Hamilton, 4-3. 138 – Mason Pacheco (WW) pinned Sean Anelundi, 1:02. 145 – Carlos Gordillo (WW) pinned Jose Diaz, 3:01. 152 – Jake Costanza (W) def. Justin Perreault, 6-2. 160 – Caleb Lambert (W) won by forfeit. 170 – Brian Diaz (W) won by forfeit. 182 –Rogelio Gonzalez (W) def. Leo Salazar, 8-3. 195 – Lucas Read (WW) pinned Ratana Ham, 1:55. 220 –Mohamed Seck (W) pinned Mason Clark, :52. HVY – Mike Dumont (W) pinned Christian Perez, 3:00. 106 – Thomas Murphy (W) def. Sebastian Guzman, 8-5. 113 – Alex Gill (WW) def. Silas Insisiengmay, injury default.
West Warwick 84, Central Falls/Tolman/Shea 0
126 – Avery Etheridge (WW) pinned Anthony Hernandez, 3:19. 145 – Carlos Gordillo (WW) pinned Arthur Koala, 1:14. 182 – Leo Salazar (WW) pinned Justin Monteiro, 3:11. HVY – Christian Perez (WW) pinned Henry Adewamika, 3:38.
Woonsocket 66, CF/Tolman/Shea 15
120 – Jordan Dutcher (W) won by forfeit. 126 – Anthony Hernandez (CFTS) def. Jesaias Sepulveda, 12-8. 182 – Justin Monteiro (CFTS) pinned Ratana Ham, 1:46. HVY – Mike Dumont (W) pinned Ed Teixeira, 1:13.