By GEORGE FJELD
BRANDON – Vermont’s top wrestlers competed in the “House of Noise” at OV last Friday and Saturday. One hundred and fifty-one competitors on 25 teams vied for the individual and team state championships. Otter Valley placed fourth after holding down second place heading into the final day. Mt Anthony (MAU) took its 35th straight team championship, which is by far the longest streak in the nation! MAU had 5 individual champions out of the 14 weight classes. Otter Valley’s Mason Cole was named Coach of the Year for the second straight year, as voted by the other coaches.
OV had 2 wrestlers in the finals on Saturday night, with Chase Cram taking the crown in the 157-pound weight class. Cram defeated Brody Coppins from Colchester in an 8-4 decision. The match was closely fought for the first 2 periods but Cram pulled away in the 3rd with 2 well executed takedowns.
Issac Whitney placed second at 175 lbs in a hard-fought match against repeat champion Anthony Matas from Essex. Whitney, seeded third, got off to a good start with a takedown in the 1st but surrendered the lead in the second to go down 4-2. After a stalling call against Matas, Whitney got an escape to tie the match at 4-4 with 45 seconds to go. Whitney tried a power move for a takedown but the wrestlers were off the mat when Whitney got control: no points. Matas took the final points of the match with a takedown with 15 seconds left for a 6-4 win.
Other wrestlers who tallied points for Otter Valley were Thomas Givens, 5th in the 113-pound class, Lincoln Wilcox, 6th at 138, Blake Allen, 4th at 150, Drake Felkl, 6th at 165, Keegan Reed, 4th at 190, and Simon Martin, 4th at 215.
The team scores were:
1. Mount Anthony 189
2. Spaulding 154
3. Colchester 149.5
4. Otter Valley 122.5
5. Middlebury 106.5
6. Vergennes 99.5
7. Essex 80.5
8. Springfield 68.5
9. Mount Abraham 60
T10. Burr and Burton, Fair Haven 58
12. Randolph 53
13. Mount Mansfield 50
14. Harwood 46
15. Champlain Valley 32.5
16. Winooski 22
T17. Lamoille, Rutland 20
19. St. Johnsbury 18.5
20. North Country 18
21. Lyndon 17
22. Mill River 14
23. Lake Region 7
24. Mount St. Joseph 5
Individual places were:
106 pounds: Mason Sheltra (Col) pin Seth Markwell (Spring) at :33; 3. Zach Montgomery (MTA); 4. Landyn Williams (Essex); 5. Aaron Collette (MAU); 6. Wesley Churchill (Spa).
113: Cahota Lafond (Col) def. Eoin Comes (NC) 18-2; 3. Noah Markell (Spring); 4. Anthony Abetti (BBA); 5. Thomas Givens (OV); 6. Finn McMahon (Essex).
120: Duncan Harrington (MAU) pin Kaidin White (MTA) at 4:55; 3. Stephen Kittredge (Verg); 4. Jaden Coppins (Col); 5. Jeff Gershon (Essex); 6 .Sean Maynard (CVU).
126: Logan Davis (MAU) def. Alex Sperry (Midd) 6-3; 3. Garrett Portillo (Rut); 4. Anthony Szabo (FH); 5. Tennyson Miller (Essex); 6. Aiden Perren (Col).
132: Trey Lee (FH) def. Karter Morey (Lyn) 9-0; 3. Michael Grasso (Spa); 4. Parker Carl (Midd); 5. Kayden Grout (Rand); 6. Dylan Jacobs (Col).
138: Asa Reiss (MAU) def. John Marcellus (Spa) 5-2; 3. Sebastian Krueger (Lam); 4. Isayah Isham (MTA); 5. Bryce Barber (Essex); 6. Lincoln Wilcox (OV).
144: Elias Kalat (Spa) def. Avery Carl (Midd) 18-6; 3. Shawn Gassaway (MAU); 4. Dillan Lacasse (Spring); 5. Jackson Ladd (SJA); 6. Noah Bouchett (MMU).
150: Spencer Boucher (MAU) pin Quinn Smith (Har) at 3:38; 3. Tucker Wright (Midd); 4. Blake Allen (OV); 5. Leo Johnson (Spa); 6. James Ripley (MMU).
157: Chase Cram (OV) def. Brody Coppins (Col) 8-4; 3. Colby Kathan (Har); 4. Toby Himes (MAU); 5. Landin Larrabee (Spa); 6. Toby Pytlik (MR).
165: Jack Arpey (MMU) def. Gabe Bache (FH) 5-3; 3. Tyrelle Lavoie (Verg); 4. Wyatt Kennett (Midd); 5. Gabe Hoar (Spa); 6. Drake Felkl (OV).
175: Anthony Matas (Essex) def. Isaac Whitney (OV) 6-4; 3. Max Laperle (Spa); 4. Owen Fullerton (Col); 5. Aiden Riordan (MAU); 6. Zane Cooper (Rand).
190: Isaac Preston (Verg) pin Thomas Murphy (CVU) at :51; 3. JT Wright (BBA); 4. Keegan Reed (OV); 5. Noah Abbott (Col; 6. Rian Arnold (MAU).
215: Jamison Couture (Verg) pin Rieley Lyford (Rand) at 1:08; 3. Jordan Lavoie (Col); 4. Simon Martin (OV); 5. Caleb Hoar (Spa); 6. Clifford Waller (BBA).
285: Ryan Marsden (MAU) pin Graham Resmer (Win) at 3:50; 3. Phillip Maurice (Spa); 4. Dominic Decker (BBA); 5. Kameron Raymond (Midd); 6. Hunter Ferland (Spring).
Coach of the year: Cole Mason, Otter Valley.
Outstanding wrestler: Elias Kalat, Spaulding.
