Nashua North's Matt Oliver applies the pressure to Timberlane's Talon Oljey at the Division I State Wrestling Meet on Saturday. Oliver won the match and advanced to the finals.

LONDONDERRY – Focus on the perfection if you would like, but Nashua South’s Anthony Fernandez still has a lot more on his plate.

As the Purple Panthers’ junior says, “The ultimate goal would be a New England title.”

On Saturday, Fernandez took step one, capturing the Division I State Wrestling Championship at 132 pounds to help South reach an impressive third place finish overall.

Timberlane Regional posted its sixth straight Division I Meet championship with 265 points. Salem was second at 184.5 and South edged out Keene High for third with a strong 144-point day.

“Overall, it was a very good day for us. A lot of our kids did really well,” said Fernandez. “I think our coaches were looking for a little better in the finals, but we were happy.”

The coaches had to be happy with Fernandez, who as a freshman in 2020 earned a Division II state title as a student at Bishop Guertin.

The mark of efficiency on Saturday, Fernandez didn’t allow a single point in three wins. He won the trio in a combined 4 minutes and 6 seconds, including his championship victory over Windham’s Aidan Williams that ended with only 18 seconds left in the opening period.

“I expected it since I had beaten all these opponents in the regular season,” said Fernandez, who moved to 29-4 on the year. “I’m super fired up right now. I’m already focused on next week. I think the toughest competition I will face was here today. But I will be ready.”

Eight Panther teammates will join Fernandez at next week’s Meet of Champions.

They include a trio of Division I finalists.

At 113 pounds, Ryan Salemi came within whiskers of winning a title of his own. Enduring a rugged semifinal encounter with Concord’s Traevon Ling – one which Salemi locked on a late pin – he had to come right back and face top-seeded Brody McDonald of Salem. The Blue Devil prevailed, but just barely, 3-2, which has to leave Salemi still hungry with the MOCs up next.

Damien Perez, at 152 pounds, was only seeded seventh and not expected to do much. Don’t tell him that.

Perez opened with a win by fall, then pinned No. 2 seed, Jack Hebert of Keene, in the quarterfinals. He then survived a 10-8 semifinal decision against Londonderry’s Pat O’Connor, before finally falling short in the title match.

Like Perez, 220-pounder Colby Vancelette fell victim in the finals to one of the seven Timberlane champions on the day.

Vancelette opened with a pin win, then knocked off Jaycee Haskell of Concord in the semis before bowing out.

Connor Comeau (4th at 195), Jimmy Brown (4th, 285), Kyle Vancelette (4th, 138), Connor Whitman (5th, 145) and Andrew Lovell (6th, 182) were the other Panther placers.

Nashua North placed 10th overall, scoring 60 points behind four place winners.

With only five wrestlers in the 106-pound field, Matt Oliver got a bye into the semis. That match, though, turned into a heated battle with Timberlane’s Talon Oljey.

Oliver had several near-fall maneuvers, ultimately settling for a 13-6 decision victory. That match took its toll, though, as Oliver fell by fall to Salem’s Evan Lynch, the top seed, in the championship match.

Top-seed and eventual champ Cooper Kelley took out Titan Toby Brown Jr. in the quarterfinals at 220 pounds.

North’s star big man showed plenty of resilience, scoring a pair of wins in the consolations to grab third place.

Titans Finn Mullaly (4th at 152) and Jessy Allen (5th at 285) will be back to work on the mat this week as they prepare for the Meet of Champions.

The MOC, originally scheduled for South High School, will now be held at Londonderry High next Saturday.