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Jose Diaz captured his first tournament title, at 182, as Methuen finished fourth at the Oliver Ames Tournament. Mike Crowe (106), Zabian Cruz (145) and CJ Brown (170) were all runners-up.

Methuen showed final-match grit Saturday to pull away and take top honors at the Oliver Ames Tournament.

The Rangers were leading Plymouth South by just two points heading into the finals but then went 5 for 5 in the championship round (including three wins against Plymouth South wrestlers)  to wind up winning by more than 30 points in the 13-team field. And the wins in the finals were convincing.

Methuen sophomore Travis Manick captured his first varsity tournament title, taking first at 182 pounds at the Oliver Ames Tournament. He beat defending sectional champion Nate DiGloria of King Philip in the finals. Methuen, missing several key wrestlers, finished 11th in the 15-team field.

Methuen's youngsters gave an encouraging performance at the Oliver Ames Tournament as the Rangers finished second, just behind BC High.

Leading the way was first-year junior Chris Saba, who was first at 220, recording a pin in the finals, while Dan Aziz (182) and Saul Cabrera (195) also collected gold medals. Aziz won a 9-8 barnburner in the finals while Cabrerae recorded a second-perion pin for his first tournament win.

Christian Monserrat did his usual and then some and freshman Darius Franklin began his high school career in impressive fashion as Methuen finished third in the 15-team Oliver Ames Invitational.

Victoria Castigione won the pole vault with a career-best 8-6 for Pentucket at the Eastern Mass. Division 3 meet. Alanna Poretta added a second in the mile for the Sachems.

Haverhill's wrestling team only took seven wrestlers to the Oliver Ames Invitational, but they crowned four champions and also had a runner-up. Freshman Paris Williams (119), Edwin Rozon (125), Dan Chory (140) and Isaiah Williams (171) all came in first and Michael Brigandi (189) was second.

Danvers High girls soccer coach Jimmy Hinchion didn't have a speech prepared for the postgame last night.

Even if he had, it couldn't have eased the pain of the 16 seniors who fell short in their bid for a state title. Meeting their match for the first time this postseason, Danvers fell at the hands of a powerful Oliver Ames team, 1-0, at Veterans Memorial Field in the Eastern Mass. final. Hinchion has delivered the season-ending speech several times before, but it hasn't become any easier over the years.

Division 2 South champion Oliver Ames came to last night's girls state semifinal girls looking to force Division 2 North champ Danvers to play their style of soccer.

The strategy worked to a T as the Tigers forced the Falcons out of their comfort zone and emerged with a 1-0 victory to advance to Saturday's Division 2 state championship game. "They play a difficult style. They don't put it on the ground the way we like to play | and that disrupted us all (night)," said Falcons coach Jimmy Hinchion.