Coventry returns to dominance with 11 medalists at the RI state wrestling meet

PROVIDENCE — That roar you might have heard from the Providence Career & Technical Academy this weekend was the old Coventry wrestling dynasty returning to the top.

The Oakers were the state’s power program for two decades before hitting a barren spell that lasted even longer. They’ve been waiting since 1998 to put their hands on the team trophy for the 20th time in school history.

Saturday’s strong performance in the opening rounds carried into Sunday’s finals. Coventry boasted a pair of individual champions, three runners-up and 11 total medalists while collecting 210 team points.

“They all did an excellent job,” Coventry coach Charlie Gaffney said. “We had it pretty much locked up last night. But I keep it low-key — don't say too much and let it go.”

Gaffney was a wrestler on the 1982 team that touched off a 17-year winning streak. The Oakers shared the 1990 crown with Warwick Veterans but suffered no other blemishes until Johnston eventually broke through to victory in 1999. Cranston East, Cranston West, Cumberland and Bishop Hendricken have all enjoyed extended time at the top while Coventry worked its way back.

“We’ve been living in their shadow for a while,” said 126-pound champion Hayden Myers, who was chosen as the event’s Outstanding Wrestler. “We wore their singlets in the finals to show dedication.”

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Gaffney ordered some special gear for the concluding bouts of the two-day event — the front a replica of the last championship uniforms worn by the Oakers, the back their current design. Peyton Ellis joined Myers among the individual champions at 113 pounds while Stone Farnsworth (120), Aidan Robichaud (132) and Christian Rutherford (152) all claimed silver.

“We had them made ahead of time because we knew we were going to have a good chance of winning,” Gaffney said. “The ‘98 team, they said they got goosebumps when they saw them.”

Myers entered with a 50-1 record this season and pinned Central’s Ivan Mazariego midway through the second period. His road to the title match was a brutal one — decision victories of 4-0, 2-0 and 2-0 forced Myers to work for a full 18 minutes of mat time. He was one of three champions to win their respective finals matches by pinfall.

“You just try to get in the zone and ready to wrestle,” Myers said. “You try to go through that game plan you rehearsed the whole season. Remember your moves, remember your technique and stay in great position.”

Ponaganset counted four champions among its six wrestlers who reached the podium, finishing in second place with 155.5 points. Stanford commit Jacob Joyce won his finals match by pinfall early in the second period, claiming the 120-pound title. Jared Hood (106), Andrew Reall (145) and Justin Hood (152) each won their matches by decision, with Reall squeezing out a 3-2 triumph over Hope’s Maurice Cooper.

“I did what I wanted to do,” Joyce said. “I followed the game plan. But we’ve got some big goals.”

The Blue Wave finished in third place with 143 points, and Cooper was one of their four finalists. Nick Torres (132) and Imanol Taveras (182) were each crowned champions while Isael Perez finished runner-up to North Kingstown’s Aidan Zarrella in the Outstanding Finals Match at 160 pounds. Torres grinded to a 2-1 victory while Taveras won an action-packed 13-9 decision.

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Bishop Hendricken and the Skippers each counted a pair of state champions while finishing in fourth and sixth place, respectively. Spencer Fine battled to a title at 170 pounds while Adolfo Betancur made it three straight championships in the maximum 285-pound division. Zarrella was joined on the podium’s top step by Noah Daylor, who scored a pinfall victory midway through the second period at 195 pounds.

Mt. Hope boasted three silver medalists while finishing in fifth place. Andrew McCarthy (113), Atley Jenness (220) and Patrick Pitts (285) all reached the finals while Ethan Bland won the consolation bracket to finish in third place at 138 pounds. The Huskies tallied 125 points, finishing behind 136.5 for the Hawks and ahead of 105 for the Skippers.

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Scituate and East Greenwich accounted for the final two individual champions. Gabriel Bouyssou lived up to his All-American billing for the Spartans, easing to a 13-4 decision at 138 pounds. Michael Jarrel recorded the quickest pinfall of the finals at 220 pounds, clinching his title in just 1:24.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25

TEAM STANDINGS

1, Coventry, 210; 2, Ponaganset, 155.5; 3, Hope, 143; 4, Bishop Hendricken, 136.5; 5, Mt. Hope, 125; 6, North Kingstown, 105; 7, Cranston West, 91; 8, North Providence, 85; 9, Chariho, 84; 10, Cumberland, 67; 11, La Salle, 62; 12, Barrington, 50; 13, Central, 47.5; 14, East Providence, 44.5; T15, Johnston and Lincoln, 43; T17, East Greenwich and Woonsocket, 40; 19, South Kingstown, 36; 20, Juanita Sanchez, 33.5; 21, Scituate, 32.5; 22, Narragansett, 32; 23, Exeter/West Greenwich, 26; 24, North Smithfield, 18; T25, Burrillville, Smithfield and Toll Gate, 18; 28, Cranston East, 15; 29, Middletown, 13; 30, Mount Pleasant, 10; 31, Central Falls/Blackstone Valley Prep, 8; 32, Pilgrim, 5; 33, Classical, 4; T34, Tolman and Westerly, 2; 36, West Warwick, 0.

INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS

Finals

106 – Jared Hood, Ponag., def. Ryan Conlan, LS, 4-0; 113 – Peyton Ellis, Cov., def. Andrew McCarthy, MH, 10-4; 120 – Jacob Joyce, Ponag., pinned Stone Farnsworth, Cov., 2:23; 126 – Hayden Myers, Cov., pinned Ivan Mazariego, Cent., 3:16; 132 – Nick Torres, H, def. Aidan Robichaud, Cov., 2-1; 138 – Gabriel Bouyssou, Scit., def. Jason Hood, Ponag., 13-4; 145 – Andrew Reall, Ponag., def. Maurice Cooper, H, 3-2; 152 – Justin Hood, Ponag., def. Christian Rutherford, Cov. 11-1; 160 – Aidan Zarrella, NK, def. Isael Perez, H, 5-2; 170 – Spencer Fine, BH, def. Aaron Lundsten, Barr., 6-3; 182 – Imanol Taveras, H, def. Logan Reiner, SK, 13-9; 195 – Noah Daylor, NK, pinned Luke Mead, BH, 3:03; 220 – Michael Jarrel, EG, pinned Atley Jenness, MH, 1:24; 285 – Adolfo Betancur, BH, def. Patrick Pitts, MH, 4-1.

Third place

106 – Seth McGrew, BH, pinned Will Soe, NP, 2:16; 113 – Cam Davis, CW, def. Logan Martins, John., 3-1; 120 – Wade Husing, Char., pinned Edwin Mooney, Linc., 1:44; 126 – Ben St. Laurent, NP, def. Tyler Schartner, NK, 4-2; 132 – Connor Swaim, NK, pinned, Maxx Doris, Burr., 4:49; 138 – Ethan Bland, MH, pinned Luke Lagasse, Cov., 2:00; 145 – Saliou Jobe, Woon., def. Eneas Castillo, CE, 8-3; 152 – Noah Sclama, BH, def. Landon Giampietro, CW, 7-1; 160 – Nick Baccala, Ponag., def. Preston Marchesseault, CW, 3-1; 170 – Connor Winfield, Narr., pinned Nick Marseglia, NS, 4:38: 182 – Davin Alarie, Woon., def. Noah Polion, CW, 8-1; 195 – Corbin Maraia, Char., def. Zach Raymond, NP, 5-3; 220 – Gary Gardiner, Char., pinned Robert Ciaramello, Cov., 3:28; 285 – R’cardo Smith-Selguedo, JS, pinned Zach Curtiss, Cumb., 3:49.

Fifth place

106 – Thomas Slater, EG, def. Fisher Everin, Midd., forfeit; 113 – Joseph Hiraldo, H, def. Micah Soe, NP, 9-1; 120 – John Kaminski, EWG, def. Martim Moniz, EP, 17-3; 126 – Gavin Rodman, SK, def. Xavier Thomas, John., 4-2; 132 – Sam Almeida, Cumb., def. Cody Bryant, NP, 4-3; 138 – Edmir Monteiro, H, def. Phillip Neiman, NK, 4-0; 145 – Luke Montefusco, CW, def. Brock Pacheco, MH, forfeit; 152 – Tyler Hunter, TG, pinned Tyler White, Linc., 2:21; 160 – Adam Vesey, Cov., def. Braedan Campbell, BH, forfeit; 170 – Drystan McClain, MH, pinned Roupen Bastajian, Smith., 1:50; 182 – Hayk Grigoria, LS, def. James Walton, Cov., medical forfeit; 195 – Michael DiOrio, LS, pinned Gabriel Vieu, Cov., 3:46; 220 – Joseph Church, BH., def. Shane Raposo, Cumb., 6-3; 285 – Thomas Marvetti, BH, def. Ason Jones, Cov., 3-2.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI state wrestling meet: Coventry dominates with 11 medalists