Post by atlantaal on Jan 6, 2020 22:05:38 GMT -5
Three of RI's top 5 teams traveled to New Jersey Jan. 3&4 to take part in the tough Sam Cali Memorial Tournament, along with some other strong New England teams. Hendricken had the most RI place-winners with three, but Hope had the highest placer with 2X State champ Edison Guarcas finishing 3rd at 285 with a 2-1 decision over Adolfo Betancur in the consolation final. BH had Bailey 4th at 220, one position better than in last year's tourney, while Fine finished 5th at 160, same as his position last year. Michael Joyce finished 6th for Ponaganset, their only place-winner. Springfield Central (MA) and Simsbury (CT) both finished higher than the RI trio, each with a champ. Recent Lowell Tournament champ Ty Finn won at 132, and 285 pounder Greg Harris won for Springfield. At 145 Springfield's Mahari Miller beat Simsbury's Parra for 3rd place, while McLaughlin of Springfield placed 4th at 195 and Simsbury's Martin was 5th at 285. As far as I know these were the first losses of the year for Fine, Bailey and Betancur, who all won easily in NY last month, and for Guarcas who won at Lowell.
This tournament has gotten tougher each year, adding some good teams from Pennsylvania such as Lower Dauphin and prep school national champs Blair Academy, though not their first teamers. Half the weightclasses had no New England place-winners, yet oddly 4 of the top 5 placers at 285 were from NE. Champion Harris was only 7th at Lowell, which was won by Guarcas. They didn't meet there or in NJ; Harris edged Betancur 2-1 in the semi-finals. Martin didn't wrestle at Lowell. So any or all of these guys could be contenders at the New England championships in two months. Some other NE ranking notes: Ty Finn was beaten by Mason Clarke in OT at the Simsbury tourney and should be the man to beat at 132 if Ryan Jack stays at 138. Miller was 2nd at Lowell to Kyle Merritt so his NE standing at 145 looks even more impressive. And these RI teams that travel out of state together to get better competition also have to deal with each other. Ponaganset had a tough, close match with Hope last week, and now has BH to deal with on Wednesday.
Link to Floarena:
arena.flowrestling.org/event/ed221b8c-195e-4910-a86f-dda948d7ccd4
This tournament has gotten tougher each year, adding some good teams from Pennsylvania such as Lower Dauphin and prep school national champs Blair Academy, though not their first teamers. Half the weightclasses had no New England place-winners, yet oddly 4 of the top 5 placers at 285 were from NE. Champion Harris was only 7th at Lowell, which was won by Guarcas. They didn't meet there or in NJ; Harris edged Betancur 2-1 in the semi-finals. Martin didn't wrestle at Lowell. So any or all of these guys could be contenders at the New England championships in two months. Some other NE ranking notes: Ty Finn was beaten by Mason Clarke in OT at the Simsbury tourney and should be the man to beat at 132 if Ryan Jack stays at 138. Miller was 2nd at Lowell to Kyle Merritt so his NE standing at 145 looks even more impressive. And these RI teams that travel out of state together to get better competition also have to deal with each other. Ponaganset had a tough, close match with Hope last week, and now has BH to deal with on Wednesday.
Link to Floarena:
arena.flowrestling.org/event/ed221b8c-195e-4910-a86f-dda948d7ccd4