By Dave Dyer
ddyer@eagletribune.com
---- — LOWELL — Individual glory just doesn’t cut it with the Timberlane wrestling team.
At least, it didn’t last night at the Lowell Holiday Tournament at the Tsongas Arena.
Despite individual titles from 106-pound junior Tyler Fitzpatrick and 120-pounder Adam Corey and a second place from 182-pounder Harry Denoncourt among seven placers overall, the Owls finished second to Vermont power Mt. Anthony for the second straight year in the rugged 58-team tournament. Mt. Anthony’s 241 points was comfortably ahead of Timberlane (201).
“Individual titles don’t mean anything if the team doesn’t win,” said Corey, a senior captain. “Second place isn’t good enough for this team. We’ve got to work harder.”
Corey was involved in one of the most exciting finals of the evening. He got a takedown with one second left in regulation to tie the match against St. John’s Shrewsbury junior Peter Robinson and then got a takedown and pin in overtime for the win.
“That’s the first time I’ve had a pin in overtime,” said Corey. “I never feel I’m out of it.”
Fitzpatrick’s win over Nashua North’s Cam Bennett was more workmanlike. He scored a takedown in the first period, rode Bennett for the entire second period and then had a rever in the final period for a 4-0 victory. A junior, Fitzpatrick — who had Timberlane’s best performance at the Beast of the East tournament in Delaware — is proving to be quite difficult to score on.
Denoncourt almost gave Timberlane a third title.
He took a 3-1 lead over Springfield Central sophomore Jered Escriano after the second period, but Escribano tied the score in regulation and then won 6-4 in the final overtime period.
Finishing fourth for the Owls were Tim McLinden (113) and Ryan Peters (126), the latter of whom lost a 2-1 barnburner to Central Catholic star Pat Lacroix earlier in the day and defaulted the consoaltion finals due to a minor injury.
Josh Burnham added a sixthat 138 and surprising Shaun Ahern was sixth at 152.
“It hurt us not having (ill 170-pounder) Josh (Riley), but I was happy with most of the kids today,” said Timberlane coach Barry Chooljian. “We had some great performances from kids like Tim McLinden and Shaun Ahern.”
Lacroix was the only other local finalist, falling in the finals to Nathaniel Collici of Warwick, R.I..
Collici was ahead 5-3 in the third period but then had to hold in in desperation for a 5-4 victory.
In one of the best consolation matches, Haverhill’s Samie Al-Ziab defeated Central Catholic’s Ben Tavitian for the second time of the tournament at 220 pounds.
Like in the first match, the bruisers went back and forth, with Al-Ziab once again prevailing in overtime, 5-4.
For Salem, Jon Rheaume came in fourth at 120 and Tyler Siverhus was fifth at 132.
Mt. Anthony finished the day with three champions and one runner-up. One of the champions was 132-pounder Miguel Calixto, who was a three-time Connecticut state champion and New England placer.
The Patriots, who were the logical favorite to win New England last year before finishing runner-up and behind Timberlane for the fifth straight time, also had four other placers.
“We were extremely disappointed (at New England) last year and we hope to do a lot better this year,” said Mt. Anthony coach Scott Legacy.
“This win surprised us a little, and it’s nice to come here and do well, but it’s early in the season. I still consider them (Timberlane) the favorite.”
Some may disagree, however. Mt. Anthony opened the season by winning a rugged 20-team tournament in Rochester, N.Y., and with the additiion of Calixto seems stronger than last year.
Names outstanding wrestlers were Dracut 138-pounder Mike Steart for the lighhter weights and 152-pounder Andrew Labrie of Exeter West Greenwich (R.I.), whose twin brother Christian was a champ at 145.
George Bossi
Lowell Holiday Tournament
agateText:Top team scores (58 teams): Mt. Anthony 241, Timberlane 201, Natick 151 1/2, Springfield Central 144, Dracut 136, Winchester 134, Lowell 129, Shawsheen 126 1/2, Exeter West 112, Warwick 109, Chelmsford 99 1/2, Pinkerton 99 1/2
Winners and local placers:
106: 1. Tyler Fitzpatrick (Tim); 113: 1. Troy Gassaway (Mt. Anthony), 4. Tim McLinden (Tim), 6. Rizky Riyanto (Lawrence), 8. Jeff Armstrong (Windham); 120: 1. Adam Corey (Tim), 4. Jon Rheaume (Salem, 7. Brandon Desfosses (Central); 126: 1. Nathaniel Collici (Warwick, R.I.), 2. Pat Lacroix (Central), 4. Ryan Peters (Tim), 6. Jean-Luc Lemieux (Pinkerton); 132: 1. Miguel Calixto (Mt. Anthony), 5. Tyler Siverhus (Salem); 138: 1. Mike Stewart (Dracut), 6. Josh Burnham (Tim), 8. Kyle Byrd (Londonderry); 145: 1. Christian Labrie (Exeter West, R.I.); 152: 1. Andrew Labrie (Exeter West), 6. Shaun Ahern (Tim); 160: 1. Jonathan Viruet (Springfield Central); 170: 1. Alexe Restivo-Lage, Natick; 182: 1. Jered Escribano (Springfield Central), 2. Harry Denoncourt (Tim), 7. Chris Ferri (Windham); 195: 1. Leo Trinidade (Billerica), 6. Kevin Ell (Pinkerton); 220: 1. Mike Weza (Lowell), 3. Samile Al-Ziab (Haverhill), 4. Ben Tavitian (Central); HVY: 1. Jesse Webb (Mt. Anthony), 4. Cam Crowell (Pink)
