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Nashua area wrestlers perform well in Division I meet

By Hector Longo - Staff Writer | Feb 17, 2018

Staff photo by Hector Longo Nashua South's Matt Lamarche is the third seed at 126 pounds in the Division I State Meet Saturday at Londonderry.

LONDONDERRY – If you are going to face adversity on the mat, a tough break, maybe even just flat-out bad luck, the Division I State Championship final isn’t exactly a bad spot to endure it.

A pair of Alvirne High wrestlers saw victory and a state title slip in and out of their grasp in the final seconds.

Each will spend the next six days prepping to assure that it does not happen again at the Meet of Champions, Saturday at Nashua South.

“I can’t say I’m happy with it obviously, but I’ll take it,” said Alvirne senior Cam McClure, the runner-up to Londonderry’s Craig Santos at 145 pounds after an amazing comeback to force overtime.

“The goal is simple now. I want to be back in that final, in that same position next week.”

McClure, the No. 3 seed, reached the finals with an overtime stunner in the semis over Timberlane’s Dylan Musgrave.

He was in deep trouble late into the third against Santos, only to turn the Lancer on his back inside the final 20 seconds. As hard as he tried, he just couldn’t squeeze out the pin, but the back points knotted things at 10-10 and forced overtime.

“Neither of us had much energy right there. It could have gone either way,” said McClure. “Eventually it ended the way it did (with Santos scoring the OT takedown for the win). I definitely wrestled better than I have all this year.”

If McClure’s loss tasted bitter, Kyle Gora’s defeat in the 160-pound finals had to taste like a swig of Getty Supreme.

Gora, only a freshman and a national champion eighth grader a year ago, stood in against Salem’s Tristen Cabinta, a two-time defending state champ.

This was high-level stuff from the opening whistle to the final seconds.

Back and forth they went into the final period.

“He’s tough, I just didn’t get to what I needed to get to,” said Gora. “I reversed him with 30 seconds left (for a 5-4 lead), and he reversed me again for the win in the final seconds.”

Gora understood his problems with Cabinta, especially Saturday, he spent a ton of time on the bottom — on the mat.

He just wasn’t use to being there, it seemed.

“I haven’t been there too often,” he said. “I was struggling on bottom, but now I know what I need to work on for next week. I learned that I need to work on bottom.”

Overall, Alvirne finished 7th with 86 points. Other Broncos placing Saturday and punching tickets to the MOC Saturday included Bailey Lussier, third at 170; Tim Driscoll, third at 285; Jake Leigh, sixth at 120 pounds; and Tim Barrett, sixth at 138.

NASHUA SOUTH

The Panthers enjoyed a solid day, finishing fifth overall and placing eight wrestlers into next week’s Meet of Champions on their own home mats.

South had a pair of runners-up, each facing a Herculean task in the title match.

First up was 132-pounder Jeremy Bridge whose reward for quarter and semifinal wins by fall was a date with Timberlane wrestling machine Connor McGonagle.

“He’s probably the best in the country. I know that,” said the senior Bridge of the Owls national champ. I went out and wrestled everyone hard, I didn’t want to underestimate anyone. I went out there and fought, even though I got pinned. I worked hard this season, I’m happy with second.”

South 138-pounder Trevor Froburg had a slightly less imposing foe, but still a daunting one in Bedford’s defending state champ, AJ Pagliarulo.

“He’s always beaten me,” said Froburg, who upset a Timberlane No. 2 seed to earn the seat in the finals.

Froburg felt the immediacy of the situation, being a senior and seemed to summon that energy on Saturday.

“It hit me this year. I’m probably not wrestling in college, this is it,” he said. “Give it all you’ve got. This came up so quick, it’s crazy.”

At one point in the first period, Froburg spun out of Pagliarulo’s grasp and found himself in a strange spot, in control.

“Right after that reversal, I was like: ‘what do I do next?’ I was in a little bit of shock. I didn’t know what to follow up with.”

Eventually, Pagliarulo would win by fall in the second, but neither defeat could mar the day for these two Panthers, who shared a similar sentiment.

“Face him in the finals again, that’s the goal for next week,” said Bridge.

“Absolutely,” concurred Froburg.

South got solid work from Matt Lamarche (third at 126), Tyler Linscott (third at 182); Colby Spencer (fourth at 106), Kyle Salemi (fourth at 113); Tom Cullerton (sixth at 145); and Nathaneal Tejeda (fifth at 220).

NASHUA NORTH

The Titans scored just eight points on the day, led by their only placer, Andrew Tate, who was sixth overall at 126.

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