Suffield Grapplers Defeat Granby 42-25

Behind the strength of its heavyweights, Suffield High wrestling team ran its record to 3-0 with a 42-25 victory over Granby Memorial 42-25 on Friday evening in Granby.

Matt Nardi (220) and Sean Kusha (heavyweight) each scored pins for Suffield over Sean Coyle and Ben Mattingly, respectively, late in the match against a tough, but thin Granby Memorial team that features 11 wrestlers, just six of whom competed against the Wildcats.

“The heavyweights, they did what they were supposed to do,” said Suffield head coach Chris Potter, whose team also improved to 3-0 in the NCCC.

The contest featured just seven matches, as Granby Memorial and Suffield double forfeited the 106-, 113-, 120-, and 170-pound weight classes. Granby also forfeited the 138 and 145-pound classes as well.

In a key match at 126 between team captains Nick Paolino of Granby and Kevin Bentz of Suffield, Paolino defeated Bentz on points.

By the time the 152-pound match rolled around, Granby Memorial trailed 30-4, with the Bears’ 11-3 defeat of Suffield’s Nick Pouling at 126 accounting for Granby’s only points.

But Granby Memorial (0-3, 0-3 NCCC) closed the gap to 30-25, courtesy of Zach Rivera’s last-second 7-6 decision over Dan D’Ostuni at 152, freshman Steffan Janser’s pin of Armando Ortiz at 160, Suffield’s forfeit at 182 and Jordyn Harley’s pin of Suffield’s Tim Pinto at 195.

Janser’s pin, his first victory ever at the varsity level, came in the second period as he trailed Ortiz 13-8 late in the second period.

That set the stage for Suffield’s heavyweights to reclaim control of the match.

Granby Memorial head coach Todd Crisostomo was pleased with his team’s performance.

“The kids worked hard,” Crisostomo said, noting that while the team’s small numbers may account for a tough season in terms of its duel meet record, the Bears have a lot to look forward to. “The young guys are pushing each other and the captains are showing tremendous leadership. I’m not worried about the duel meets, we’re getting ready for the end of the year.”

Toward that end, Granby Memorial is wrestling in two big tournaments in Massachusetts next week: the Monument Mountain Berkshire Christmas Tournament on Dec. 27 and the George Bossi Holiday Wrestling Tournament on Dec. 28-29.

It’s next regular season match is against Avon on Jan. 4, 2012.

Suffield is scheduled to compete in the Ledyard/Fitch tournament on Dec. 28.

Correction: the original version of this article said that there were just six matches wrestled, when there were seven. The article was updated to include the match at 126. The Granbys Patch regrets the error.