Costanza, Alarie win titles for Novans
The Woonsocket wrestling team knows it can count on six wrestlers to wrestle deep into every regular-season tournament, but Saturday the sextet was joined on the podium by first-year wrestler Sallou Jobe.
The 132-pounder placed fourth in the Dan Gionet Memorial tournament in Pelham, N.H. to help the Villa Novans finish third with 156 points. Massachusetts Division III squad Tyngsboro won the team tournament with 172.5 points thanks to a pair of individual winners.
Woonsocket also made the long trip back down Interstate 495 with a pair of individual champions, as Jacob Costanza battled through tough foes in the semifinals and final to win the 145-pound title, while Davin Alarie posted a pair of pins on his way to the 152-pound title.
“Those two kids had good days,” Woonsocket coach Matt Morrow said. “In the 145-pound bracket, they kind of messed it up and three of the best four kids were on the same side, so we felt pretty good about Jacob winning when he got to the final. With Davin, it was a good day for him because it was the first time he got to a tournament final and he won it.”
Normally, Costanza is joined on the top of the podium by sophomore Anthony Diaz, but Morrow opted to bump his undefeated 106-pounder up to 113 pounds to take on better competition. Diaz pinned his first opponent, but he was pinned 56 seconds into the second period of his semifinal match with Marblehead/ Swampscott co-op’s Connor O’Brien in the semifinals.
Diaz battled back to finish third thanks to a pair of pins in the consolation bracket.
“I just think that him wrestling up at 113 instead of going through 106 easily will help him in the state tournament,” Morrow said. “There isn’t much competition for him during the regular season, so wrestling heavier kids will help. He wrestled well, but he learned a valuable lesson today.”
Woonsocket’s other finalist was senior 195-pounder Hayden Depault who needed just a combined 31 seconds to pin his first two opponents to earn a shot at New Hampshire state champion Conor Maslanek in the final. Depault was pinned 1:17 into the second period.
Along with Jobe, Thomas Murphy (120 pounds) and Caleb Lambert (160 pounds) also finished fourth.
The Novans, who are undefeated in Division II dual-meet action, are busy this week with five matches. Woonsocket, which beat two Division I teams last week, face Classical and Exeter-West Greenwich on Wednesday before Davies Tech, Scituate and talented Toll Gate come to Saravia Gymnasium on Thursday.
on