O’Connor wrestles Lynnfield to victory

It has been some sort of season for Lynnfield’s Chris O’Connor. The Pioneers Wrestling ace picked up his fourth tournament champion in as many tries during the season. His personal record bettered to 30-2.”We’re talking about a kid that never wrestled before his freshman season,” Lynnfield coach Craig Stone said.”It’s amazing what he has been able to do. He pinned his way all the way through the finals.”O’Connor even got to avenge one of his two losses on the season when he pinned Wilmington’s James Perry in the championship round.Lynnfield had three other wrestlers place: Trent Taylor (140), third place; Matt Curan (160), third place; and Paolo Settipane (103), fourth place.Swampscott/Marblehead’s team had two champions. Kristian Kotov picked up his second career CAL/NEC meet championship competing in the 130 class (last yea r he won the 119 class). John Taylor won the heavyweight class.St. John’s 43, Milford 35St. John’s 27, N. Bedford 21St. John’s 60, Pathfinder 6At St. John’s, Mike Mayo, 130 TJ Crabtree, 135; Dan Walsh, 145; Nick Roberts, 152; Samson Lamb, 165; Nick DiNanno 189; and Chris Orluk (of Lynn), 215 were undefeated for the weekend.St. John’s is 22-7.BOYS BASKETBALLBeverly 59, Marblehead 46At Beverly, the Panthers raised their record to 8-5, with Mike Clayton and Curtis Manuel scoring 12 points apiece.Zach Zigelbaum added 11 points and blocked six shots.GIRLS BASKETBALLFenwick 71, Nauset 42At Peabody, Amy Pelletier had a phenomenal all-around game for the Crusaders (8-6). She led the team with 18 points and also made five steals and six assists. Lizzie Trainor finished with 16 points. Sydney Southern also finished in double figures. She had 10 points. Fenwick needs to win three out of its eight remaining games to earn a tournament spot.BOYS TRACKSt. John’s Prep’s track team had a very successful weekend in the State and State Elite Meets. The Prep enjoyed several top-10 performances, highlighted by a first place finish in the 4×400 relay (3:29.34) in the Elite Meet, which was comprised of Chris Crosby, Mike Galasso, Brandan West and Chris Oesterlin.Galasso and Crosby both picked up another top 10 finish in the elite meet: Galasso placed fourth in the 600 (1:23.66); and Crosby placed seventh in the 300 (36.47). Oesterlin placed 13th in the 1,000 (2:36.43). John Flanagan was the last individual to compete in the Elite meets. He placed 18th in the mile (4:31.99). The team of West, Nick Pesaturo, Joe Dumas and Anthony Capuano placed 15th in the 4×200 (1:38.02).Peabody also had a very strong day. A pair of relay teams finished in the top 10: Shawn Cronin, Evan Braz, Corey Cronin and Jake Pimenta, fourth place, 4×800 (8:17.14); and Nate Gaye, Jamal Abu-Hijleh, Bobby Losanno and Jon Acquaviva, sixth place, 4×200 (1:34.75). Acquaviva (36.87) and Abu-Hijleh (36.88) finished 12th and 13th respectively in the 300. Zach Grube finished 10th in the high jump (6-1); and Nick Christensen placed 11th in the 2 mile (9:48.56). The Tanners also had three top-10 performances in the State Meet: TJ D’Amato, fourth, 2 mile (10:03.69); Brian Bettencourt, sixth, high jump (5-9); and Gaye, eighth, 55 (6.9).Beverly had a pair of competitors in the Elite Meets long jump. George Louis finished 12th (119-7 1/4) and Randy Jones Finished 21st (17-2 3/4). Louis also placed sixth in the 55 (6.76) at the State meet.The team of Matt Owens, Ben Dibble, Christian Guzman and Chris Bozarjian was Salem’s lone competitor at the Elite meet, placing 18th in the 4×200 (1:39.59). Stephen Trainor placed fifth in the 2 mile(10:08.28) in the State Meet.Fenwick’s Zach Nardone earned a first place finish in the shot put (46-3) in the State Meet.GIRLS TRACKMonica Adler was the area’s lone first place finisher in the Elite meet. The senior from Beverly won the 1,000 (2:54.84). Millie Chapman gave the Panthers a third place finish in the 2 mile (11:19.39).As a team, Marblehead had an excellent weekend. The team of Julia Kingsley, Emma McGuirk, Mary Keroack and Sarah B