Connecticut Wrestling Online
WINDHAM, Feb. 18 – They lost six times this year and always seemed to be a step behind Ledyard and Waterford in the ECC. But Windham High saved its best performance for the state tournament.
With two individual champions, Windham erased a nine-point deficit in the finals to slip past ECC rival Montville, 188.5 to 187 to win their second Class M championship in three years and its ninth in the team’s history. It was the second tightest margin of victory in Class M history. Defending champion Waterford was third with 177 points while two-time defending Class L champion Ledyard (169) took fourth.
"At one point we were 10-6, but I believed in these guys," Windham coach Pat Risley told the Norwich Bulletin. "I told them, we would have like to have won those matches, but this is where we want to win. February 17 and 18 is where we want to win."
Jonathan Torres (140) nipped RHAM’s Eric Campbell, 3-2 to win a championship. Teammate Bran Crudden (171) won his third straight Class M title to clinch the victory.
Ledyard had three champions as C.J. Satti (103), T.J. Hepburn (135) and Julian Hightower (215) prevailed. For Hepburn, it was his third straight championship. “Our guys fell apart,” Hepburn told the New London Day. “They just didn't want this as bad as other guys wanted it. We knew it wasn't going to be an easy task winning ECCs and Ms. We were more disappointed guys didn't wrestle to their potential.”
Enfield’s Sam Gauvine (145) remained undefeated as he beat Ledyard’s Andrew Brown, 6-3, to win his third straight Class M championship. … Weaver sophomore Rashannon Stanley (275) won a state title in his first year of wrestling. Stanley beat Foran’s Robert Wilkinson, 10-2. … Middletown’s Casey Lesile (112) stunned defending champion Jay Mahoney of Hand, 14-5.
Reports from personal notes, the New London Day and Norwich Bulletin used to prepare this report.
2006 Class M Tournament
At Windham High
Team results -- 1. Windham, 188.5; 2. Montville, 187; 3. Waterford, 177; 4. Ledyard, 169; 5. Hand-Madison, 138; 6. Berlin, 114; 7. Killingly, 113; 8. Bethel, 94; 9. Middletown, 84.5; 10. Hartford Public, 84, 11. Brookfield, 80; 12. Law-Milford, 79; 13. Foran-Milford, 77; 14. Stratford, 75; 15. RHAM-Hebron, 73; 16. New Fairfield, 69; 17. Enfield, 67.5; 18. Seymour, 59; 19. Fairfield Ludlowe, 55; 20. Weaver-Hartford, 53; 21. Cheney Tech-Manchester, 28; 22. East Haven, 21; 23. (tie) Woodstock Academy, Wolcott Tech and Vinal Tech, 11; 26. Barlow-Redding, 10; 27. Ellis Tech, 8; 28. Darien, 6.
Individual results
103
Championship: C.J. Satti (Ledyard) dec. Nick Marouski (Windham), 8-7; 3rd -- Nester Rivera (Hartford Public) dec. Nick Chirantano (Stratford), 7-5; 5th -- Vinny Staffa (East Haven) dec. Andrew Wilhelm (Law), 6-3.
112
Championship: Casey Leslie (Middletown) dec. Jay Mahoney (Hand), 14-5; 3rd -- Carlos Cruz (Windham) dec. Josh Go (Montville), 4-0; 5th -- Mikal Grant (New Fairfield) dec. Anthony Ricco (Startford), 8-6.
119
Championship: Will Heller (Montville) dec. Andrew Blain (Windham), 3-0; 3rd -- Chris Solek (Berlin) pin Nicholas Gallicano (Law), 4:04; 5th -- Matt Wargo (RHAM) dec. Caleb Morth (Ledyard), 6-2.
125
Championship: Pat Ryan (Montville) dec. Justin Kristie (Foran), 15-5; 3rd -- Matthew Kozak (Brookfield) dec. Rowan Hines (Fairfield Ludlowe), 6-3; 5th -- Mike Crowe (Berlin) dec. Jake Bernardo (Hand), 1-0.
130
Championship: Brian Peek (Killingly) dec. Chris Ebersole (Waterford), 5-1; 3rd -- Nick Spinnato (Hand) pin Gage Hogestyn (Seymour), 4:48; 5th -- Daniel Oquendo (Windam) won by injury default over Tom Pelletier (Cheney Tech).
135
Championship: T.J. Hepburn (Ledyard) dec. Brennan Ward (Waterford), 8-3; 3rd -- Shane Day (Berlin) dec. James Peek (Killingly), 6-2; 5th -- Nick Bernardo (Hand) dec. Scott Sullivan (Brookfield), 14-4.
140
Championship: Jonathan Torres (Windham) dec. Eric Campbell (RHAM), 3-2; 3rd -- Ryan Thiel (Middletown) pin Steve Flathers (Stratford), 2:11; 5th -- Derek Fish (Hand) dec. Rob Rahusen (Montville), 4-1.
145
Championship: Sam Gauvine (Enfield) dec. Andrew Brown (Ledyard), 6-3; 3rd -- Shane Yachulke (New Fairfield) dec. Dave Brown (RHAM), 6-2; 5th -- Jon Fiorillo (Berlin) dec. Steve Nelson (Montville), 3-1.
152
Championship: Justin Camputaro (Hand) dec. Ken O'Brien (Waterford), 6-3; 3rd -- Dave Fiorillo (Berlin) dec. Blerim Hodza (Berlin), 3-1; 5th -- Michael Sherbo (Seymour) dec. Addison Fleming (Windham), 4-3.
160
Championship: Dave Loomis (Killingly) dec. Michael Kaptein (Bethel), 8-6; 3rd -- Tobias Andrews (Waterford) won by injury default over Anthony Giansanti (Montville); 5th -- Craig Osakowicz (Berlin) dec. David Bellaflores (Ledyard), 8-4.
171
Championship: Bran Crudden (Windham) won by tech fall over Pat Neilan (Waterford), 21-6 (5:12); 3rd -- Anthony Kostek (Bethel) dec. Brian Webster (Montville), 11-7; 5th -- Ben Hadden (Brookfield) dec. Tucker Gilbert (Ledyard), 2-1.
189
Championship: A.J. Tulba (Waterford) dec. Jon Moran (Enfield), 10-8; 3rd -- John Moulton (Hand) dec. Pat Duhamel (Windham), 11-5; 5th -- John Wamser (Brookfield) won by injury default over Jake Nihart (Law).
215
Championship: Julian Hightower (Ledyard) pin Leonard Stanley (Weaver), 3:03; 3rd -- David Carruba (New Fairfield) pin Luis Padilla (Hartford Public), 2:55; 5th -- Craig Foster (Fairfield Ludlowe) won by injury default over Max Beaudry (Brookfield).
275
Championship: Rashannon Stanley (Weaver) dec. Robert Wilkinson (Foran), 10-2; 3rd -- Luis Ferrer (Hartford Public) dec. Chris Yeager (Montville), 5-2; 5th -- Bryan Grote (Waterford) pin Nick Morales (Ledyard), 4:42.
Outstanding wrestler: Bran Crudden.
Fastest fall: David Carruba (New Fairfield), five pins in 8:55.
