THE LYNNFIELD-NORTH READING CO-OP WRESTLING TEAM finished second in the Division 3 North Sectional Tournament with 197.5 points at Gloucester High School on Feb. 15. Front row, from left, head coach Craig Stone, Abdel Abdalla, captain David Glynn, senior captain James Fodera, senior captain Cam Arya, Isaac Medford, Dylan Matthews, Zack Inafuku and assistant coach Matt Goodwin. Back row, from left, Zack Morse, Nate Barstow, Jason Kouyoumdjian, Jack Cuddy, Jakob Hulett, Jayce Melara, Mikey Glynn, Griffin McCarthy and assistant coach Lucas Pascucci. (Courtesy Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
GLOUCESTER — The Lynnfield-North Reading co-op wrestling team finished second in the Division 3 North Sectional Tournament at Gloucester High School on Feb. 15.
LNR concluded the 13-team tournament with 197.5 points, and had 10 wrestlers place during the tournament. Wakefield won the sectional tournament with 220 points.
“It was our best finish since 2015 when LNR won the tournament,” said Black and Gold head coach Craig Stone. “Last year, we finished fifth, scored 149 points and placed eight wrestlers.”
Senior captain James Fodera finished first in the 190 lb. weight class. He pinned a Wakefield grappler at 1:21 during the quarterfinals. He defeated a Gloucester wrestler by an 18-3 technical fall in the semifinals. He brought a Wilmington wrestler to the ground at 1:48 during the finals.
“James has now won six consecutive tournaments this season,” said Stone.
Senior captain Cam Arya placed first in the 165 lb. weight class. He pinned a Tewksbury wrestler at 2:22 in the quarterfinals. He defeated a Wakefield grappler by fall at 4:56 during the semifinals. He brought a North Middlesex wrestler to the ground at 5:04 in the finals.
“This was Cam’s first career tournament championship,” said Stone.
Captain David Glynn finished second in the 157 lb. weight class. He pinned a Weston wrestler at 3:10 in the first round. He defeated a Tewksbury grappler by fall at 1:10 during the quarterfinals. Glynn dismantled an Excel Academy wrestler, who he lost to earlier this season, by an 8-1 decision in the semifinals. He fell to a Wakefield wrestler, who is a returning state place finisher, by a 16-11 decision during the finals.
Sophomore Nathan Barstow placed second in the 113 lb. weight class. He pinned a Gloucester wrestler at 4:33 in the first round. He defeated a Weston grappler by fall at 26 seconds during the quarterfinals. Barstow brought a Danvers wrestler to the ground at 3:23 in the semifinals. He fell to a Tewksbury wrestler by an 8-0 decision during the finals. The Tewksbury wrestler defeated Barstow in the 106 lb. weight class during last year’s tournament.
Junior Dylan Matthews finished third in the 285 lb. weight class after going 3-2 during the tournament. He finished sixth in last year’s 285 lb. weight class.
Sophomore Zach Inafuku placed in his first sectional tournament after finishing fourth in the 106 lb. weight class. He concluded the tournament with a 2-2 record.
Junior Zack Morse finished fourth in the 215 lb. weight class after going 3-2 during the tournament. He placed sixth in the 215 lb. weight class at last year’s tournament.
Sophomore Jakob Hulett placed fifth in the 120 lb. weight class after concluding the tournament with a 2-2 record. He also placed in last year’s Division 3 North Sectional Tournament.
Senior Abdel Abdalla finished fifth in the 150 lb. weight class after concluding the tournament with a 4-2 record.
Fodera, Arya, Glynn, Barstow, Inafuku, Matthews and Morse have qualified for the Division 3 State Tournament, which will take place at Foxborough High School on Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22. Abdalla and Hulett have been named as alternates for the tournament, and both will wrestle if someone in their respective weight classes does not compete.
Sophomore Jason Kouyoumdjian placed sixth in the 126 lb. weight class, which marked the first time he has placed in the sectional tournament. He concluded the tournament with a 2-3 record.
Senior Isaac Medford went 1-2 during the 138 lb. weight class, and did not place in the tournament.
Freshman Griffin McCarthy compiled a 1-2 record in the 144 lb. weight class. He did not place during the tournament.
Junior Jack Cuddy went 0-2 in the 175 lb. weight class, and did not place in the Division 3 North Sectional Tournament.
Stone praised the Black and Gold’s strong performance during the tournament.
“It was a great day, and an outstanding performance from the entire team,” said Stone. “Four years ago, we finished the season with 23 losses and the near the bottom of most of the tournaments we entered. This year, we have 23 wins, won the Cape Ann League and were the Division 3 North Finalists. I cannot say enough about the dedications, discipline and drive of each team member and how they have supported each other through times of stress and times of success.”