Wrestling: Franklin Tech defeats South Hadley in close doubles match (pictured)
TURNER'S FALLS — These days, a wrestling meet between two high schools is rarely a competitive match from start to finish.
But that was on Friday when South Hadley traveled to Franklin Tech.
Eleven of the 14 total weight classes were filled, with wrestlers on both sides. The Eagles won six of those games (the Tigers won five), and Franklin Tech managed to pull out a 36-29 victory.
“It was very competitive today,” Eagles coach Mike Aiken said. “I haven't seen much of South Hadley this year. They've gotten a lot better. They're a tough team to play against and they're putting up numbers. We're getting better, too. Postseason That's what we need to do towards.”
Not only was the weight class nearly full on Friday, but most of the matches were tough battles with future implications for each team.
Of the 11 matches, 6 made it past the first round, and 3 lasted 6 minutes.
“I was really happy with the way our guys wrestled,” South Hadley coach Byron Joy said. “Every game was close and we fought. They kept it close. I'm happy. There's definitely some work to do, but I'm happy.”
Carsten Couture started the day with a win for Franklin Tech, but it wasn't easy. Facing PJ LaBelle at 120 pounds, Couture led 7-0 after two periods.
The Tigers made a strong comeback in the third inning with LaBelle scoring five points, but Couture secured two points late in the game to close out the game, giving Franklin Tech a 9-5 victory and three points. .
At 126, Tech's Maxon Brunette gets a pin 17 seconds into the match against South Hadley's Gracyn Drew, and at 132, Landon Purinton pins Will Drew with a minute left in the first, leading to Franklin Polytechnic University extended its lead. Tech's Connor Herzig earned a 10-5 victory over Jackson Ellery at 138, giving Franklin Tech its fourth win of the tournament.
Logan Lewis led the Tigers with 144 points. Lewis held the lead late in his match against Maddix Whitman and looked like he was going to earn three points by decision, but he scored a takedown in the final seconds to secure two points and won by technical fall ( 21-5 (gives South Hadley five points and closes the gap to 18-5).
Camden Barnett won a forfeit match for the Eagles at 150, but Tech's Jacob Martin scored a pin over Matt Drobiak at 157 with 55 seconds left in the first period to give the Eagles a 30-5 lead. .
South Hadley saved its best until last and came close to the final score. Brayden Koske pinned Franklin Tech's Jackson Morley at 165 with 32 seconds left in the first round, and teammate Josiel Ramos pinned Franklin Tech's Jackson Morley with 30 seconds left in the third and final round. After a back and forth with Isaiah Romer, I was able to get the pin at 175. 4th game.
Colin Eddy got Franklin Tech back on the board with a pin over Leazo Calero at 190 in the first period.
South Hadley closed out the game with two wins. Jaime Medina stopped Seamus Collins at 215 with 14 seconds left in the second round, and Roberto Melendez stopped Dillon Lafon at 285 with 1 second left in the second period.
Aiken noted the technical team's improvements this season and said he expects them to continue their efforts as the season approaches its final stages.
“Our kids are really improving,” Aiken said. “We're competing for positions and these guys are doing things they didn't know how to do a month ago. We're getting to where we need to be. We're coming to practice every day and getting better every day. I just try to win every day.”
Joy echoed similar sentiments about the team, saying the Tigers are moving in the right direction.
“There's about a month left in the season,” Joy said. “This is a good opportunity to see what we have to work on and we'll work from there. We're on the right path. We're moving towards the top. We've made progress since the beginning of the season. We saw that. The players are working hard in the practice room. Hopefully they peak at the right time. That's all we can ask of them.”
Each match provides an opportunity to grow and improve. The Eagle Duals will be held at Franklin Tech on Saturday, giving Franklin Tech's wrestlers a great opportunity to develop before the postseason.
“We had a lot of competitive games this year,” Aiken said. “We are hosting [Saturday] And we will see how we become and how we grow. Every game is a learning experience and every little experience helps at the end of the year. It is important to be as consistent as possible and keep working. ”
