Killingly rises to the top; Foran takes home second

GUILFORD — Getting a response from coaches to the question which teams were best positioned to win a Class M championship brought about a litany of choices.

Defending champion Foran High and last year’s runner-up Killingly High drew the most votes.

Avon, Ledyard, Waterford, Joel Barlow and Suffield/Windsor Locks were also in the mix, with other squads mentioned for boasting top notch grapplers.

By the time the finalists took the mat on Saturday evening, none of those conversations carried any weight.

Coach Rich Bowen’s Redmen from Killingly had risen to the top.

With four matmen winning individual titles, Killingly led M’s with 202.5 points.

Foran (161) was second, followed by Avon (151), Barlow (133), Suffield/ Windsor Locks (132), Ledyard (130.5) and Waterford (124.5).

“The start of our season wasn’t great,” said Bowen, he of the 600-plus victories and now four state titles. “We struggled, things weren’t going right. We lost to Ledyard and that woke us up. We went to work and were more committed. They began to understand that every day mattered.”

The culmination of which were titles won by Dan Charron (106 pounds), Mike Charron (113 pounds), David Charron (126 pounds) and Derek Turner (170 pounds).

Foran High coach Dave Esposito had no regrets.

“We started out 6-0 in consolations, which is our recipe,” said the Lion mentor who had led his team to a pair of titles in the past four years. “The top guys for Killingly are so good. We were going to need to win this thing from the backside (wrestlebacks).

“Our guys did their best, which win or lose is good enough for me. I don’t hope other team’s wrestlers lose on other mats. I leave it up to the wrestlers to decide.”

The Lions’ Nolan Bannon won the 220-pound title and Umer Khan was second at 170 pounds.

MATCH OF NOTE

East Haven’s No. 3 seed Victor Garcia defeated Suffield/Windsor Lock’s No. 4 seed Zachary Johns, 9-7 in the consolation finals. Wrestling for third with a guaranteed spot in next week’s State Open, did nothing to slow the pride and poise brothers from putting on a show.

Johns scored seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation to tie things. In the extra session, Garcia fought off a takedown attempt and got the two points himself with time winding down. The senior had a hug for Johns before having his hand raised. Good show — and Johns is only a freshman.