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North Reading/Lynnfield settle for second

Tuesday, December, 27 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

WEST NEWBURY — Thanks to 106-pound sophomore Eric Kerr, North Reading/Lynnfield batted .500 yesterday at the Pentucket Holiday Wrestling Toutnament.
The Black and Gold finished second to Tri-County in the 19-team tournament, the second time this year it was runner-up in a large tournament (also at Wakefield), and Kerr captured the 106-pound crown for North Reading/Lynnfield’s first individual tourney champ in two years. During that span, the veteran coach Craig Stone’s team had also not won a crown.
“He (Stone) wants the team to win first, that’s most important,” said Kerr. “But he has high expectations for me so I know he’s happy for me, too.”
Kerr held a lead in the third period against Georgetown’s Charlie Galanis before pinning him at the 4:34 mark. In the semifinals, Kerr eked out an impressive 2-0 win over Timberlane sparkplug Tyler Fitzpatrick, who eventually took third.
Losing in the finals for North Reading were 182-pounder Bud Flaherty and 220-pounder Tom Arseneault, who lost a heartbreaking 1-0 victory to Norwood’s Quincy Wilson. Arseneault seemed to have gotten back points in the third period thanks to a cradle move, but the official denied them and Wilson got an escape with one second remaining to get the win.
Although disappointed with how that match turned out, Stone was far from upset with his squad’s runner-up finish.
“I don’t have a problem finishing second,” said Stone. “We were fifth last year and graduated five sectional placers.”
 Timberlane’s B team, which was defending champion, fifth, thanks to second-place finished by Jake Kappler (120), Derek Bohle (126) and Mike DiGregorio (145). DiGregorio was winning for most of the match before getting turned and pinned with just 15 seconds remaining.
Host Pentucket finished eighth as Tom Funk continued to wrestle well, taking top honors at 113 and capping his day with a 10-0 major decision.
Winning his weight class with an impressive performance was Georgetown’s Luke Rabel. He had three straight pins, including two within 40 seconds. before beating Kappler 7-1 in the finals. It was his first tourney crown and improved him to 12-3 on the year.
Scheidegger on roll
Sanborn’s Jon Scheidegger doesn’t particularly like losing weight, but the way he’s wrestling, he thinks it’s worth it.
The 152-pound junior captured his third tournament crown of the year, crushing Exeter’s Ross Dannar with a 17-0 technical fall. He regularly trains with Dannar at Exeter and are good friends.
“He’s been my drilling partner since I started,” said Scheidegger. “We know everything about each other. ... He beat me once last year, but I think I’ve gotten stronger.”
For the year, Scheidegger is now 15-1, his only loss coming to Timberlane’s Luke Morrier at 160, a weight which would be much more convenient.
“I definitely have to lose weight and it’s not always easy — I weighed 11 pounds over (152) on Christmas Eve,” said Scheidegger. “But I like putting in the hard workand I like my chances.”
Sanborn’s other wrestler, Tristan Leek, finished third at 132, getting a five-point move in the closing seconds against Pentucket’s Jeff Funk to steam a 7-4 decision.