RallyNorth.net

Sat, Feb 21, 2015 TBA @ Weymouth

Team	Final
Springfield Central	168
Methuen	68
Haverhill	0
Lawrence	0
at Weymouth	0

Four wins, four pins for Methuen's Wehring

METHUEN – There are state titles, and then there are state titles that leave no doubt.

Billy Wehring delivered the latter here on his home mat. The Methuen High junior swept through the Division 1 120-pound field.

Four matches, four pins including a first-period punishing of his final opponent for the Rangers' lone championship of the day.

“To do it here, with everyone here, winning my first state championship feels pretty good,” said Wehring, a New Englands qualifier a year ago who will be looking to earn a return trip next week at All-States.

Knowing how important the first takedown might be against Chelmsford's Connor Clasen, Wehring came out firing.

“That first one is so big,” said Wehring, who was third at this meet last year and fourth at All-States. “I mean I had wrestled him before and beat him, once by decision and once by pin. I just knew I had to get busy right away.”

Clasen, down on the first takedown, succumbed to a far-side cradle just 1:44 into the match.

“I got him with the cradle the first time I wrestled him, and he found a way out,” said Wehring. “This time, I knew I had to finish him.”

Which the Ranger did in style.

At 170 pounds, Wehring's Methuen teammate, North champ Darius Franklin found out how dangerous being on the opposite end of the first takedown can be, suffering a 5-1 loss in the finals to Springfield Central's Jastice Bolden.

After a scoreless first, Franklin allowed an escape point then looked a bit stunned when Franklin made the lead, 3-0 with a quick strike off the whistle.

The sophomore couldn't generate his offense and took home the runner-up prize in a 5-1 loss.

North Andover's Ian Butterbrodt of St. John's Prep kept the unbeaten avalanche moving with a title at 220 pounds.

Lawrence's Victor Guzman finished a great tournament, overcoming a bloody mouth and some tense final seconds to hold off Shawsheen's Bryce Spinosa for third at 126 pounds.

At 132, Andover's Tyler Ferris landed a first-period victory by fall to take third.

Haverhill's Reece Millington wrestled a little angry in the 145-pound consolation bout, taking it out on Shawsheen's Josh Merrifield. Millington dominated from the first whistle and led 13-0 when he scored a fall at 4:33.

Finally, gritty Hillie Luc Chretien also grabbed third, in the 195-pound division, toughing out a 3-2 decision over Jered Escribano of Springfield Central.