THE LYNNFIELD-NORTH READING co-op wrestling team finished second in the Cape Ann League/Northeastern Conference Tournament with 165 points on Feb. 1 at Triton Regional High School. Kneeling, from left, Jakob Hulett, Jason Kouyoumdjian, Zack Inafuku and Nathan Barstow. Standing, from left, LNR head coach Craig Stone, assistant coach Lucas Pascucci, Zack Morse, Dylan Matthews, Griffin McCarthy, Isaac Medford, senior captain Cam Arya, captain David Glynn, assistant coach Matt Goodwin, assistant coach Tim Leggett and senior captain James Fodera. (Courtesy Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield-North Reading co-op wrestling team has won its first Cape Ann League dual meet championship in a decade.
LNR (20-3-1) won the CAL title after defeating Essex Tech-Masconomet 61-6 on Jan. 29 at Lynnfield High School. The Black and Gold last won the CAL championship in 2015.
Sophomore Zach Inafuku (106 lbs.) pinned his opponent at 1:14. Sophomore Nathan Barstow (113 lbs.) won his match by fall at 2:34. Sophomore Jakob Hulett (120 lbs.) defeated his counterpart by a 10-8 decision. Sophomore Jason Kouyoumdjian (126 lbs.) won his match by a 17-1 technical fall.
Senior Isaac Medford (138 lbs.) brought his counterpart to the ground at 25 seconds. Freshman Griffin McCarthy (144 lbs.) pinned his opponent at 3:33. Senior captain Cam Arya (165 lbs.) won his match by fall at 3:05. Junior Jack Cuddy (175 lbs.) pinned his opponent at 3:05. Senior captain James Fodera (190 lbs.) defeated his counterpart by a 24-8 technical fall.
Captain David Glynn (157 lbs.), senior Abdel Abdalla (150 lbs.), junior Zack Morse (215 lbs.) and junior Dylan Matthews (285 lbs.) won their respective matches by forfeit.
Black and Gold head coach Craig Stone said LNR went 3-0 during CAL dual meets this season.
“I am so proud of what we have been able to accomplish over the past four years,” said Stone. “From a record of 0-22 in 2022 (0-3 CAL), 1-23 in 2023 (0-3 CAL), 13-11-1 in 2024 (2-1 CAL) to 20-3-1 in 2025 and CAL champs is a testament to their commitment to TEAM (together each achieves more), their work ethic and their perseverance. And to top it off, by inducting Class of 2020 member Sean McCullough and Class of 2024 member Gavin Iby into the Lynnfield Wrestling Hall of Fame, and recognizing 100 career winners Ricky Greenstein (1990), Randy Greenstein (1994), Nick Secatore (1997), Brendan Reed (2001), Sean Reed (2004), Chris Spinelli (2007), Eric Kerr (2014), Tom Arseneault (2014), Lucas Pascucci (2015), Joe Morse (2015), Max Whyman (2016), Sean McCullough (2020), Stuart Glover (2020) and Timmy Leggett (2020) with a newly hung banner made for a memorable evening.”
Second at CAL/NEC Tournament
The Black and Gold finished second in the Cape Ann League/Northeastern Conference Tournament with 165 points at Triton Regional High School on Feb. 1.
“It was our best finish since 2014,” said Stone. “Last year, we finished sixth with six place finishers. We finished ninth the previous two years. Saugus-Peabody won the tournament with 204.5 points.”
Fodera was crowned champion of the 190 lb. weight class. He began the tournament by pinning a Danvers grappler at 1:19 in the quarterfinals. He defeated a Marblehead-Swampscott wrestler by fall at 1:01 in the semifinals. He brought a Triton wrestler to the ground at 1:08 during the finals.
“James also earned the Madigan Award, which is given to the wrestler who has the most pins in the least amount of time, and earned CAL Wrestler of the Year,” said Stone. “James also became the first LNR wrestler to win five in-season tournaments. Class of 2010 member Chris O’Connor and Class of 2016 member Max Whyman had won four in-season tournaments previously.”
Barstow placed second in the 113 lb. weight class, which was his second CAL/NEC Tournament place finish. Arya finished second in the 165 lb. weight class, which was his first career tournament finals’ appearance. Glynn placed third in the 157 lb. weight class, which was the third time he has placed in the CAL/NEC Tournament. Kouyoumdjian finished third in the 126 lb. weight class, which made him a two-time CAL/NEC Tournament place finisher.
Hulett finished fourth in the 120 lb. weight class, which marked the first time he has placed in the CAL/NEC Tournament. Morse placed fourth in the 215 lb. weight class, which was the first time he has finished in the tournament. Matthews finished fifth in the 285 lb. weight class, which marked the first time he has placed in the CAL/NEC Tournament.
Stone praised the Black and Gold’s strong performance during the CAL/NEC Tournament.
“Having so many wrestlers do so well at the tournament put an asterisk on a week of challenges and accomplishments,” said Stone. “That challenge will continue this Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Division 3 State Dual Meet Championships at Ashland High School, as we face the top teams in the state.”