SALEM — It was a rare and rewarding double-triple.
Teammates, practice partners and friends Christian Monserrat and Paul Sughrue of Methuen completed a satisfying union yesterday at Salem High School as they each became three-time All-State champions.
Both were winners in commanding fashion as Monserrat rolled past Central Catholic’s Pat Lacroix at 126 pounds, 7-1, while Sughrue won the 132-pound crown over Johnny Do of Framingham, 7-2.
Monserrat was tabbed as MVP of the lower weight classes.
“It was really tough,” Monserrat said of his 11-match journey to the three-peat. “My whole body is sore, I was cutting weight, wrestling every day, but you’ve got to have the right mindset to do this.
“I’ve been wrestling since I was in kindergarten and there’s been pressure on me from my family, friends and coaches to become the best that I can be. I won’t stop working till I’m the best I can be.”
Sughrue has been a partner on that journey.
“We practice together every day. He pushes me and I push him,” Sughrue said. “He helps me with my speed, my strength … it’s good to have a partner like him plus we’re best friends.”
Sughrue also had the extra drive, friendly as it was, of bettering older brother John’s mark of two state titles.
“I wanted to sort of challenge him, brother to brother, but he’s helped me get better my whole life. He’ll practice with me any time I wanted to go and he made me better, so I’d like to thank him for that.”
Local Eagles soar to titles
Once Ian Butterbrodt got control of Ban Tavitian’s arms, it was all over.
The St. John’s Prep 220-pounder from North Andover tied up his Central opponent’s right arm in the second period and rode that to a pair of 3-point near falls, then shackled Tavitian’s left arm for another 3-pointer en route to a 15-2 victory.
“I heard a rumor that he tired easily so I was looking to survive the first period and get into it after that,” said Butterbrodt, who was voted the tourney’s MVP in the upper weights.
In the 285-pound final, teammate Corey Jean-Jacques of Haverhill was battling fatigue and an abdominal pain in the late stages of his match but survived to defeat Donavan Lozada of Chicopee, 2-1, for the title.
“I lost to him at divisional states in a pin with 10 seconds left,” said Jean-Jacques. “He just held me down so I didn’t want that to happen (yesterday).”
Jean-Jacques got two huge second-period points by avoiding Lozada’s control, getting a penalty point when he was pushed out of bounds trying to escape and another with an actual escape
“Once I saw (head coach) Manny (Costa) when I was coming off the mat (after winning the Division 1 consolation finals last Wednesday), he said I’d come back and win All-States. He said I was the best heavyweight in the state, and that really helped me wrestle to the best of my ability.”
Tough night for the Knights
North Andover sent three wrestlers to the finals, tied for team-best with Dracut, but was shut out in heartbreaking fashion.
Fritz Hoehn had beaten Springfield Central’s Richard Viruet twice previously at 152 but had to fight back from a three-point deficit to take a 4-3 lead with 1:18 left. Viruet escaped then quickly flipped Hoehn to his back, pinning him with 20 second remaining for the victory.
Brother Jonathan Viruet and the Knights’ Brad Drover locked up in an epic struggle at 160 that went to a fourth and final, ride-out overtime. Drover chose bottom position but couldn’t escape in the 30-second period, giving Viruet a hard-earned 3-2 win.
And at 182. Ryan Neals suffered his first loss of the year when Aaron Conrad of Bridgewater-Raynham rode out the third period on top for a tight 3-2 victory.
Rocky road to state runner-up
Hector Reynoso has ridden an emotional eight-day roller-coaster ride through this year’s state individual tournament.
The senior was leading his 106-pound final 2-0 against Pembroke’s Brad Wong, was more aggressive and was inches away from another takedown when the match took a sour turn.
Cradling Wong and nearing control midway through the second period, Reynoso instead was leveraged onto his back and pinned. In two seconds, Reynoso went from taking a commanding lead to losing the match.
“I believe Hector is one of the best in New England,” said Lawrence head coach Rob Niceforo. “The 106-pound weight class is one of the toughest and Hector’s done well. He won the sectional title and made it to the semifinals in divisional states but lost by a point (finishing fourth). He kept fighting.”
Reynoso joined Jean-Jacques as the only divisional states non-finalists to make the All-State finals.
agateHed:All-State Tournament
agateText:State champions and local qualifiers (top six):
agateText:106@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Brad Wong (Pembroke), 2. Hector Reynoso (Law), 6. Danielle Coughlin (NA); @zzAgate:agateText:113@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Devon Thompson (Lowell), 4. Eric Kerr (L/NR); @zzAgate:agateText:120@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Nick Derosa (Billerica); @zzAgate:agateText:126@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Christian Monserrat (Met), 2. Pat Lacroix (CC); @zzAgate:agateText:132@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Paul Sughrue (Met); @zzAgate:agateText:138@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Mike Stewart (Dracut); @zzAgate:agateText:145@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Jim Ryan (Dracut); @zzAgate:agateText:152@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Richard Viruet (Spr. Central), 2. Fritz Hoehn (NA); @zzAgate:agateText:160@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Jonathan Viruet (Spr. Central), 2. Brad Drover (NA); @zzAgate:agateText:170@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Alexe Restivo-Lage (Natick); @zzAgate:agateText:182@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Aaron Conrad (B-R), 2. Ryan Neals (NA); @zzAgate:agateText:195@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Leo Trindade (Billerica); @zzAgate:agateText:220@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Ian Butterbrodt (SJP), 2. Ben Tavitian (CC), 3. Luis Mateo (Gr.Law), 6. Samie Al-Ziad (Hav); @zzAgate:agateText:HVY@zzAgate:agateText:: 1. Corey Jean-Jacques (SJP)
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