The Central Catholic wrestling team captured the 20-team Bruce Rich Invitational Meet held at Chelmsford High on Saturday, crowning three individual champions and compiling 211.5 points.
Three other local teams competed, with Pelham finishing 11th, Greater Lawrence 12th and Lawrence 17th.
Earlier in the season, Chelmsford defeated Central Catholic in a dual meet. The Lions took second in this invitational with 190 points.
“Although we had three champs, up and down the lineup, we all wrestled like champions and the result was winning a tough tournament by 20-plus points,” said Central Catholic head coach Jamie Durkin. “One (dual meet) loss in the MVC does not close our chances for an MVC title, but it forces us to wrestle that much better to ensure their are no more slip ups. This weekend was a testament of what exactly we can accomplish as a team.”
At 106 pounds, Central’s Cole Glynn defeated a returning Vermont State Champion, Mason Sheltre of Colchester, 9-0. At 165 pounds, Raider Caden Chase edged out a returning All-State placer, Luke Connolly of Northeast Tech, 3-2.
Then at 175, Nathan Blanchette, a returning Junior National and New England champion, won by injury default over David Pento of Londonderry, N.H. Pento came into the match undefeated and took an early lead with a first period takedown. Blanchette came back scoring the two next points, first on a locking hands call against Pento and then for an escape.
In the second period, Blanchette scored two points for a takedown, and Pento had to then default due to injury, by rule of taking three injury timeouts during the match.
At 113 pounds, Izaiah Santiago was defeated 8-0 by Luis Garcia Dighton of Bristol County/Dighton-Rehobeth to take second.
Finishing in third place included Caden Smith at 150 pounds, Jackson Meehan at 190 and Brian Waller at 285. Gianna Giuffrida was fifth at 215 pounds.