Callanan, Norton represent Wakefield at New England’s
METHUEN — Members of the Wakefield High wrestling team competed at the MIAA All-State Tournament on Feb. 28 and March 1 at Methuen High.
The Warriors had seven wrestlers compete at All-States: Sabrina Dafonseca and Teagan Norton in the girls’ tournament and Michael Barry, Sean Callanan, Ryan Hogan, Kip King and Aydin Lamb in the boys’ tournament.
Three Warriors ended up making the podium: Callanan took 3rd in the 157 bracket; Norton took 4th at 185 and Lamb was 8th at 132.
Callanan’s incredible run at 157 included a record of 4-1. He started off with a hard-earned 9-7 decision over Hunter Gormally of Minnechaug in the first round. A Callanan escape tied it at 6-6 in the second period before a huge takedown in the third gave him the lead for good. In the quarterfinals, Callanan topped Chelmsford’s Michael Canada on a 10-3 decision, maintaining control throughout. That set up a semifinal against top-ranked and eventual champion Michael Boulanger of Milford, a bout that ended in a technical fall. Callanan’s response was a pin in 2:37 of Cody Coonrod of Northbridge to make the bronze medal match which featured the 4th-ranked Callanan against No. 3 Caden Smith of Central Catholic. Two takedowns had Callanan up 7-2 after two periods but a takedown from Smith forced OT. Callanan won it on an escape in the 6th for a hard-earned, 8-7 decision and a 3rd-place finish.
Norton went 2-2 to take 4th place in her bracket. She pinned North Andover’s Bella Prince in 5:14 in the quarterfinals. After falling in the semifinals, Norton’s final win of the day came on a technical fall victory over Braintree’s Sophia Hersey.
Lamb went 2-3 in a stacked 132 bracket. He had a 7-0 decision over Marblehead/Swampscott’s Liam O’Brien in the first round before falling to Xaverian’s George McAteer, the eventual runner-up. Lamb’s final win came on a dominant 13-3 major decision over Norton’s Dillan Mueller.
Dafonseca made an All-State memory in the 165 bracket, pinning Lowell’s Angelina Mohammed in 1:45 during her first bout of the tournament.
In the boys’ tournament, thanks in large part to Callanan’s finish, Wakefield was 21st as a team with 34 points. Rival Melrose was 25th with 30.5.
In addition to Callanan and Lamb, the Warriors got victories from Barry and King.
Barry went home with two wins in the 120 bracket. He had a 14-5 major decision victory over Will Nixon of Wellesley and a 9-4 decision over Chelmsford’s Isaiah Burgos.
King had a pin in 5:04 after a marathon against Nashoba’s Ben Leahy in the 285 bracket.
Norton and Callanan represented the Warriors at New England’s held at the Providence Career and Technical Academy.
Norton went an impressive 2-2 against the very best in New England.
Unranked to start the tournament, Norton beat No. 12 Faith Dumont of Scituate with a pin in 3:39. After falling in the quarterfinals, Norton bounced back with pin in 2:34 against No. 11 ranked Zarah Kristan of Gardiner, Maine. She battled hard in the next bout against Montachusett’s Kaleigh Fuller, a late escape the difference in a 2-0 decision.
Callanan came up short in both of his bouts, but represented Wakefield with pride on the biggest stage.