RallyNorth.net

Brooks crowned one champion among three finalists and Phillips Academy finished third overall among 50 teams at the New England Prep tournament at Avon Old Farms.

It came down to the wire, but Phillips emerged victorious in the Prep Class A tourney, besting favored Northfield Mount Herman by the narrowest of margins, 253-251 1/2. North Andover's Alex Gottfried beat his Worcester Academy counterpart in the third-place match in the 285-pound division to propel Phillips to victory. Among a slew of excellent Big Blue performances were three first-place finishers, Duncan Crystal (130), North Andover's Ryan Gaiss (135), and Shaun Stuer (189).

Lawrence improved its program-best win total to 21 as the Lancers drubbed Tewksbury 59-6. Melvin Rivera and Anthony Almanzar each had a pin for the Lancers (21-4-1).

Timberlane, using a number of JV wrestlers, still blasted Merrimack 55-10 to finish an abbreviated regular season undefeated at 14-0. It's the second straight season Timberlane finished undefeated and the fifth time in the last six years. Sophomore Nate Lawrence had a pin at 160 and was "Wrestler of the Meet" and freshman Luke Morrier continued to impress at 119, earning a 7-2 decision.

Nick McGrath's pin at 135 pounds in the day's final match lifted Lynnfield-North Reading from a four-point deficit to a 42-40 triumph over Josiah Quincy of Boston. Both teams scored seven victories, but the Hornets (16-9) maximized their scoring with seven pins. Tyler Shaffer (103), Jeff Conron (119) and Trent Taylor (130) impressed with pins in less than a minute.

Nick McGrath's pin at 135 pounds in the day's final match lifted Lynnfield-North Reading from a four-point deficit to a 42-40 triumph over Josiah Quincy of Boston. Both teams scored seven victories, but the Hornets (16-9) maximized their scoring with seven pins. Tyler Shaffer (103), Jeff Conron (119) and Trent Taylor (130) impressed with pins in less than a minute.

Despite missing heavyweight star Brian Nicoll with the flu and bumping several wrestlers to a higher class, Timberlane smacked perennial standout Concord — the last New Hampshire team to beat the Owls (two years ago) — 46-19. Alex Smith had a key 7-6 decision, and Nick Scali squeezed out a 3-2 decision at 152.

Losing in the final 15 seconds, heavyweight Shane Sloban rallied for a 9-6 decision to turn the tide in Pentucket's 44-27 major upset of Triton. Devrick Felder (145) and Jordan Pinzone (189) had key pins for the Sachems (7-14-1). Triton fell to 20-4.

Despite starting four freshmen, a young North Andover team defeated Masconomet 50-21 to end its dual-meet season with a 23-4 record, which is an improvement of five wins over last year. The Knights had six pins on the day, including five in the first period. Frank McCarthy had the fastest, a 14-second pin, which was just six seconds faster than Brody Kelley.

Pelham senior Nick Barrett, a first-year wrestler, had his first win of the year, a pin at 171 in a 39-28 loss to Goffstown.

Sen

With Lawrence leading by only one point heading into the final match, heavyweight Pedro Cruz made quick work of his foe, recording a pin in just 10 seconds to cement a 41-34 victory over Chelmsford. Jorge Aquino (103) added a pin in just 41 seconds.

Melrose proved to be just too much for Pentucket in a closely contested match. Brandon Haley (103), Ben Lane (119), Austin Perreault (140), Mark Pigott (152), Andy Stasiuk (171), Jordan Pinzone (189), and Ben Stasiuk (215) were all winners for the Sachems.

St. John's Prep, tied with Shawsheen 29-29 with two matches remaining, got decisions from West Newbury's Joe Kelly and North Andover's Kelley Johnson to lift the Eagles to a 35-29 victory and raise their record to 19-1.

The Northern Essex Community College men's basketball team won its fourth straight game, 96-45 over Briarwood Community College 96-45. Tim Bent led the waywith 21 points and 14 rebounds, Tony Siri had 19 points and 6 rebounds and Carlos Guillermo chipped in ith 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks.

In a rare Friday night dual meet, host Timberlane handed previously unbeaten Lisbon High School, one of Maine's top teams, a 57-13 beating. Sophomore Ben Tammany had the biggest win, a third-period pin of Maine's premiers 215 pounder, Joe Doughty  while Nick Lawrence (145) and Nick Scali (152) also had big wins. Lisbon had been 13-0 and returned 12 starters from a state championship team.