SALEM — With day one of the MIAA All-State Wrestling Tournament in the books at Salem High School, St. John’s Prep is right in the thick of things in the race for the team title. The Eagles stand in fourth place with 55 points, just five points behind Haverhill and Tewksbury who share the lead with 60 points. A total of 112 teams competed in the meet.
The Eagles have three wrestlers still alive in Saturday’s semifinal rounds. No. 6 seed Alex Bojoras upset No. 3 seed Landry Fitzgerald of Bellingham in a second-period pin (2:48) to secure a spot in the 285-pound weight class semis against No. 15 Dominic Rijos of Springfield Central. No. 6 James Lally faces off in the 138-pound semis against No. 2 seed Michael Boulanger of Milford, while Jayden D’Ambrosio, the top seed in the 157-pound class, squares off against No. 13 Kasey Nako of Beverly.
No. 8 Braedon Goes (120 pounds) and No. 9 Marc Piniero (215) are still alive in the consolation rounds of their respective brackets.
Ryan Desouza (150 pounds) and Vince Bilotti (175) won one match apiece, but were eliminated Friday night.
Going into Saturday, Lynnfield-North Reading stands in 47th place with 12 points.
No. 4 seed James Fodera won two matches, the first against No. 15 Rani Haddard of The Prep (1:53) and second against Canton’s Ruairi Ritson to bring his career win total to 99 and punch his ticket to Saturday’s 190-pound semifinals. He hopes to pick up win No. 100, but it will be a challenge as his opponent is Ethan Harris of Taunton, the No. 1 seed.
“Making the semifinals is quite a feat, especially considering he was 0-2 last year,” said head coach Craig Stone.
No. 9 Gavin Iby (144 pounds) and No. 17 Nathan Barstow (106 pounds) also wrestled. After losing in the quarterfinals to No. 8 Mason Hinshaw of Marblehead/Swampscott in a second-period pin (3:02), Iby was forced to forfeit his consolation match due to injury.
Barstow lost in the quarterfinals and was eliminated in his next bout in the consolation bracket.
Saugus-Peabody’s Sam LoRusso, the No. 12 seed at 157 pounds, upset No. 2 seed Adrian Guzman of Ashland in a 9-8 decision in the consolation round of eight and will wrestle in the consolation semis Saturday (TBD). Peabody is tied for 68th with six points.
Marblehead-Swampscott saw Liam O’Brien (120), Brady Haskell (106 pounds), and Hinshaw all win matches on Friday.
