DANVERS — It was a mixed bag for the Lynnfield/North Reading wrestling team Saturday at a quad meet hosted by Danvers High School.
LNR romped over the Falcons, 48-18, tied a tough North Middlesex team, 42-42, and lost to perennial Division 1 powerhouse St. John’s Prep, 63-15.
Nathan Barstow (106 pounds) won a close decision, 5-4, while Sam Bird (113) and James Fodera (190) had first-period pin wins – Bird in 1:10 and Fodera in 1:09. All three finished the day undefeated at 3-0.
“St. John’s is the top team in Division 1,” said LNR coach Craig Stone. “There is no losing in wrestling, only winning and learning. It was definitely a learning experience. But, when you face the best, you learn and move on. It removes that psychological factor and you go back to work and do what you need to do to improve.”
Against Danvers, Bird (113) needed only 29 seconds to pin his opponent, while Issac Medford (132) recorded LNR’s fastest pin of the season, needing just 12 seconds to clinch. David Glynn (150 pounds, 1:45 pin), Fodera (190, 1:44) and Zack Morse (215, 1:56) also picked up wins.
Barstow, Jakob Hulett (120), Cameron Arya (144) and Jack Cuddy (175) won their respective matches by forfeit.
Stone said he was happy to pick up a dual-meet win over a Division 3 North sectional opponent.
“We are now back in Division 3 and lost to Danvers last year, so that was a good win,” he said. “Both teams were not at full strength due to injuries, illness, and vacations, but I’m very happy to get a win over a team we lost to last season.”
In the match against North Middlesex, another sectional opponent, both teams won seven matches each.
Bird, who is only a freshman, completed a perfect day, sweeping to his third pin win, needing only 24 seconds to clinch the 120-pound match. Fellow freshman Jason Kouyoumdjian (126) came from behind to win in 3:55.
Medford (138, 47-second pin) and Glynn (144, 2:47) also picked up pin wins. Barstow (106), Hulett (113) and Fodera (190) won their matches via forfeit.
“A dual-meet tie is a rarity in wrestling, but also shows the importance of pinning and not being pinned to earn or save those additional team points,” Stone said. “Hopefully, we can start the New Year with a full lineup free of illness and injuries.”
LNR improved its dual-meet record to 5-3-1, a marked improvement over last season when it won just one match.
LNR is back on the mat Thursday at home against Triton (6:30 p.m.) and then travels to Winchester for another quad meet against the Sachems, Burlington and Hanover (9 a.m.).
The Eagles finished the meet with three lopsided wins to improve to 13-0. In addition to their victory over LNR, the Eagles defeated North Middlesex, 78-6, and shutout Danvers, 78-0.
Braedon Goes (120), Boden Domer (126), Victor Mejias (132), Jimmy Lally (138), Will LaVallee (144), Ryan DeSouza (150), Jayden D’Abrosio (157), Matt Pineiro (165), Vincent Bilotti (175), Arc Pineiro (215) and Alex Bajoras (285) all finished undefeated with 3-0 records.
The Prep is back on the mat Wednesday when it hosts Malden Catholic at 6 p.m.
