SALEM — The 2024 MIAA All-State Championship Meet wrapped up Saturday at Salem High School. Several locals – and their respective schools – fared well. The meet featured the top six wrestlers in all three divisions and a total of 123 teams competed.
For a second straight week, the St. John’s Prep Eagles came close to securing a state title, but came up just short at the hands of Haverhill, which won with 115 points, 13 ahead of The Prep, which came in third.
Jayden D’Ambrosio, the top seed at 157 pounds, delivered the goods, defeating Vincent Demaio of Methuen in a 5-1 decision to secure Prep’s only first-place finish.
In the last match, No. 6 seed Alex Bojoras lost to No. 1 seed Thomas Brown of Chelmsford in a 9-1 major decision in the 285-pound division.
No. 8 Braedon Goes fought his way through the consolation bracket and finished third in the 120-pound division, defeating Jordin Agosto of Agawam in a third-period pin in 4:54. No. 6 James Lally finished fourth in the 138-pound division.
As All-State finishers, D’Ambrosio, Borojos, Goes and Lally qualified for next weekend’s New England Championship meet, set to take place Friday and Saturday at the Providence Career and Training Center.
Saugus/Peabody finished tied for 42nd with 15 points. Sam Lorusso (157 pounds) had a meet to remember. The No. 12 seed, he scored a couple of big upsets and fought through the consolation bracket for third place, only to come up on the short end of a 5-3 decision to No. 4 seed Nathan Hicks of Bristol/Plymouth. Lorusso also qualified for New Englands.
Lynnfield/North Reading scored 12 points and finished 52nd. James Fodera, Gavin Iby and Nathan Barstow represented the Black and Gold. Fodera was the Black and Gold’s top performer. He finished sixth in the 190-pound weight division, good enough to punch his ticket to the New Englands and become just the third LNR wrestler to do so.
“The All-State Tournament showcases the top wrestlers in the state,” said head coach Craig Stone. “To have three wrestlers compete there is quite an accomplishment.”
Marblehead-Swampscott was well-represented with three wrestlers. Eighth-grader Brady Haskell, 106, not only became the first 8th grader in program history to wrestle at All-States, but recorded a win to boot.
“The sky’s the limit for young Brady,” said coach Mike Stamison.
At 144, junior captain Mason Hinshaw went 1-2 , bringing his season record to an excellent 41-9 (32-12 last season).
Sophomore captain Liam O’Brien, 120, placed seventh and qualified for New Englands.
“With time running out on the season, Liam was able to hit a reversal in the third period… notching his 100th career varsity win in the process,” Stamison said. “Liam joins the Hopkins brothers, Stephen and Michael, Jake Powell, and his eldest brother Connor O’Brien in our 100-win club. Liam’s whole family was on hand to celebrate the milestone.”
