MAT MADNESS: Division Wrestling Meets set for Sunday
Nashua South's Benny Byrne, right, should be on course for a Division I and an overall state championship as high School wrestlint's postseason is set to begin this weekend. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)
The weekend all the local high school wrestling teams, and those around the state for that matter, have pointed to since the start of the season has arrived.
The Division I, II and III championships are set for Sunday at Londonderry (I), Goffstown (II) and ConVal (III), weather permitting. They,like the NHIAA team bowling chamionships at Mwerrimack Tenpin, were moved from Saturday due to weather.
Locally, the focus will be on Division II where six local teams – Alvirne, Hollis Brookline, Merrimack , Bishop Guertin, Milford and Souhegan – at least one of them hoping to unseat defending champ/host Goffstown for the title but all hoping to produce some individual Division champions.
Nashua North and South hope to get a couple of individuals some hardware, and the same for Campbell.
Here’s a look, starting with Division II, the best local chance for a team championship:
DIVISION II
Goffstown remains the favorite as the Grizzlies had five top seeds, two No. 2s and three No. 3s.
Locally, Milford has 13 seeded wrestlers, with Max Hammerstrom No. 1 at 126 and Colton Schuster (113) and Phillip Wright (157) as No. 2s. Elijah Wales (190), Francisco Juvera (138) and Kiernan Lordan (120) are all three seeds. There could be a lot of points.
Watch out too for Souhegan. The Sabers have two No. 1s, Gabe Holt at 215 and defending champ Jack Kaler at 132. There’s two second seeds, Chase Knuckles at 144 and Landon Carson at 138, and one three seed, Alex Sarfde at 150.
For the Cavaliers, who were second last year, Jacob Critchfield is their lone No.1, at 165. Victor Lomme (120) and Scout Crea (126) are second seeds, while Michael Marsolini is a third seed at 113.
Bishop Guertin has Bishop Kearns as the top seed at heavyweigh and Jack Foster numbe one at 175. Austin Steinruck is their only other high seed, No. 2 at 132.BG, with low numbers this year, have only five others competing.
Alvirne, meanwhile, has seven seeded wrestlers, led by Mason Verrocchio, No. 1 at 106, and Quintin Tetreault, No. 2 at 190. Joey Lydon is No. 3 at 175.
DIVISION I
South has the lone top local seed, and of course that’s Benny Byrne, No. 1 at 157. Ian McCubrey is No. 5 at 215.
“Benny and Ian are the two to look for,” South coach Tony Spero said. “Definitely Benny and Ian we’re expecting to go to New Englands. Benny’s very confident, and rightfully so, and will go do what he has to do.”
The Titans have five ranked wrestlers, but just one in the top three, and that would be No. 3 Sebastian Ochoa at 126. Craig Burge is seeded sixth at 120.
“I expect to have some placers,” North coach Sebastian Arroyo said. “Our No. 1 goal should be to take it one match at a time, not looking past their opponent, just staying healthy throughout the tournament, getting a proper cool-down, re-hydrating, eating the right foods so that they can continue on. D1 is a long day.”
DIVISION III
Campbell is the lone local competing, with two seeded wrestlers: Sam Baker as No. 1 at 126 and Sage Anctil seeded second at 157
Note: The top six wrestlers in each Division I weight class will advance to the Meet of Champions, the top five in Division II and the top four in Division III.The event will be a week from Saturday at Pinkerton Academy.


