Top of the world
Talento claims State Open title, Mendez wins his second straight
NEW HAVEN – Platt senior wrestler Caiden Talento lost to Newtown’s Marc Maurath during the regular season in a close match.
He had to face Maurath again in the Class L 157-pound championship last Saturday. Talento won.
He had to face Maurath once again in the State Open final Saturday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center. And he won, 5-1, for his first State Open championship. Last year, Talento finished fifth in the Open. His only loss this season came to Maurath.
“I fell short last year,” Talento said. “It wasn’t my very best but coming into this Open, I believed in myself, all the hard work I put in in practice, I knew I could get it done.”
After the loss in the regular season, Talento said he told himself he was not going to lose to Maurath again.
“I wasn’t myself,” he said. “I didn’t take any shots. I was just following his pace. I pushed the pace (for Ls).
“I was nervous (Saturday) but nervous makes you wrestle better. I was just feeling the moment, feeling the big stage.”
Mendez wins 138 title
East Hartford junior Jaeckez Mendez won his second straight State Open title at 138 pounds, pinning Xavier senior Anthony Basile in 1:27. After the match, Basile stayed on his back with an elbow injury which Xavier coach Mike Cunningham suspected was a dislocation.
It was the same result as last year, when Mendez beat Basile 5-2 for the State Open championship at the same weight. Mendez also won a 5-2 decision over Basile during the regular season.
“It stinks because (Basile) got injured,” East Hartford coach Todd Albert said. “But it was awesome (for Mendez). I thought it was going to be a lot closer of a match.”
Mendez pinned his opponents the first two rounds, then won a 6-0 decision over Sheehan’s Jay Chase in the semifinals. He is undefeated this season.