5 local wrestlers place at VPA states

Competitors from three area schools had their ups and downs at the VPA Wrestling Championships this past weekend. But when all was said and done, five of the eight local grapplers had reached Saturday’s finals.

www.eagletimes.com    

2016-02-29 / Sports 5 local wrestlers place at VPA states Lucas Saunders of Compass has Ben Stewart of Essex on his back in their state semifinal, but couldn’t pull off the pin. — TIM TAYLOR Lucas Saunders of Compass has Ben Stewart of Essex on his back in their state semifinal, but couldn’t pull off the pin. — TIM TAYLORNORTH CLARENDON, Vt. — Competitors from three area schools had their ups and downs at the VPA Wrestling Championships this past weekend. But when all was said and done, five of the eight local grapplers had reached Saturday’s finals. Lucas Saunders, the lone representative for Compass, led the way with a third-place showing. He scored a 9-1 major decision over Josh Hanlon of Williamstown in the finals. The sophomore nearly made it into the championship match. He was able to take Ben Stewart of Essex to his back out of a tie-up and within a hair of a pin early in their semifinal. That gave Saunders a 5-0 lead, but the No. 2 seed Stewart would rally for a 9-6 win. Saunders rebounded with an 8-2 win over Lucas Brown of Champlain Valley in his next match to reach the third-place bout. He finished the weekend with a 2-1 record. Bellows Falls’ Jake Lober would also compete for third, but fell by pin to BFA-St. Albans’ Sam Gebo on a late fall at 220 pounds. Lober would score a 6-2 decision over Mt. Mansfield's Tim Mulivihill in his first matchBellows Falls' Jake Lober puts an opponent to his back. — TIM TAYLOR Bellows Falls' Jake Lober puts an opponent to his back. — TIM TAYLOR , but lost by fall to eventual champion Nick Beauchamp of MiddleBury in the semis. He came back with an 11-1 major decision over Otter Valley's Greg Whitney to reach the third-place bout. Three local wrestlers would win their fifth-place matches. BF’s Charles Dolloph pinned Champlain Valley’s Justin Bissonette in 2:38 at 145 pounds and DJ Snide manhandled Burr & Burton’s John Realmuto for a 15-3 major decision at 195. Dolloph went 4-2 on the weekend, winning all his matches by fall, including two in under one minute. Snide was 2-2 with a 33-second pin to his credit. Matt LaChapelle, one of two Springfield entries, won a hard-fought 5-3 decision over Ryan Walbridge of Spaulding at 170. LaChapelle, who won a state JV title the previous week, went 3-2 overall. His other wins were by pin and major decision. Also competing in the tournament were the Cosmos’ Mo Stettner (132), and BF’s Bryce Smith (132) and Brendan Kendall (152). Kendall fell one win shy of the finals. Kendall, Snide and Lober all posted 2-2 records during the tourney. Bellows Falls would finish 10th in the 24-team tournament with 47 points while Compass and Springfield tied for 22nd with 11 points apiece. Mt. Anthony ran away witSpringfield's Matt LaChapelle (right) locks horns with an opponent. — TIM TAYLOR Springfield's Matt LaChapelle (right) locks horns with an opponent. — TIM TAYLOR h the team title, scoring 311 points to easily outdistance runner-up Champlain Valley (164). — Eagle Times