RallyNorth.net

The seeds had Andrik Cruz primed for a third straight sectional final disappointment.

Cruz would have none of that. The Methuen High senior, wrestling at 145 pounds, made his third North championship try a winning one, heading up an area contingent of two champs and 15 places moving on to the Division 1 North championships in Bridgewater next weekend.

Bring on the postseason!

That's the battle cry for the Greater Lawrence wrestling team because, like the New England Patriots, the postseason is the only thing keeping it from perfection for the second straight season.

Methuen senior John Sughrue didn't get the match he would have preferred, but he had plenty of consolation yesterday at the Methuen Invitational.

Because he moved up a weight class to 130 pounds this year, there was no showdown with Salem star Trevor Dearden, but both Sughrue and Dearden came away big winners.

It was a great day for Lancers at the Haverhill Invitational yesterday.

And it was a particularly good day for the Lawrence Lancers, who captured their second straight Haverhill Invitational title, rolling up 199<1/2> points to edge the runner-up Londonderry Lancers (174<1/2>) for top honors.

It was a Braveheart evening yesterday at the Pentucket Tournament.

Despite resting five standout starters, Greater Lawrence charged into first place to win its second title in three years with 146 points, slipping past local rival and defending champion Lawrence (141<1/2>), which led heading into the final round.

2006-07 record: 15-8-1, lost in Division 1 North semifinals

Returning starters (8): Elvis Garcia, Sr., 135; Julio Valentin, Sr., 130; Jon Sano, Sr., 160; Aaron Blanco, Jr., 145; Anthony Almanzar, Jr., 140; Melvin Rivera, Jr., 112/119; Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., 135; Hugo Dominguez, Soph., 112