Alvirne's Chris Penny (bottom) put up quite a battle against Souhegan's Aidan Wilson before Wilson recorded a pin late in the third period during the Sabers' Division II prelim win in Hudson on Wednesday. (Telagraph photo by TOM KING)

HUDSON – The best wrestler in the C.J. Steckevicz Gym Wednesday never saw the mat, and that was a tough way to say farewell.

But that was the fate for Alvirne High School’s Kyle Gora, who was slotted in at the 182-pound weight class for the Broncos’ Division II preliminary round match with Souhegan.

The Sabers, who didn’t have a 182 pounder, went on to win 42-24, and will now face No. 2 seed Hollis Brookline Saturday in the quarterfinals. Gora, even by not wrestling, contributed six points in a forfeit win, but it was bittersweet as his high school wrestling career came to a close. Due to the pandemic, it’s a dual meet format for the postseason; there are no division meets or a Meet of Champions, when individuals can shine, to avoid the large gatherings.

“It’s crazy,” Gora said. “Just taking in the most of it. It doesn’t feel real, this whole year’s just been crazy, only getting a few matches. It came quick, and I’m past it.”

And because the Broncos fell, his next match will be for Division I’s Edinboro (Pa.) University, which gave him a partial scholarship.

Yesterday was dual meet of forfeitures on either side, with actually only four weight classes contested and the Sabers winning three of them. Paul Trombi pinned Alvirne’s Grant Dickleson in 32 seconds at 152; Saber Aidan Wilson outlasted tough Chris Penny at 170 with a pin with 42 seconds left in the third; Souhegan freshman Noah Dennis made quick work of Alvirne’s Morgan Gora with a pin at 47 seconds at 113; and Alvirne picked up its lone competed match win at 126 with Jacob Kulick pinning Saber Jack Forristall at 2:33 at 126.

The Sabers got four forfeits (220, 285, 132, 138) and Alvirne three (160, 182, 195).

“We’re looking for progression in our guys,” Souhegan coach Garrett Trombi said. “We’re wrestling better every week. We’ve got seven freshman out of 10 wrestlers, so we’re seeing that growth every week. … Our 113 pounder, Noah, the improvement he made in the last couple of weeks. He’s a first year wrestler, and he’s starting to let it loose a little bit out there, and that’s made all the difference for him.

“We hope to go to Hollis Brookline and improve on our performance from last time.”

Alvirne coach Mike Gregory said it was tough to see the Kyle Gora era end.

“It’s unfortunate that this is the way a guy like him, states, New Englands, those titles are important to everybody,” Gregory said. “But for a guy like him, it’s even more important. It’s unfortunate it played out that way.

“We’re going to miss his leadership, his skills. He’ll be successful (at Edinboro), no doubt.”

The Sabers have two unbeaten seniors in Trombi and Wilson. “Every match could be their last,” Trombi

With that in mind, the match of the day was Penny’s battle with Trombi, as it went into the third with swings and reversals on both sides.

“Chris Penny’s our senior, he put on a show today which is what we want,” Gregory said. “We want our guys to look back on their high school career and say they wrestled as tough as they could for as long as they could.”

Gora didn’t get that one last chance, but looks at a bright college future.

“I’m really excited,” he said.

But he had to be a little sad at the same time.