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Owls take down Salem

SALEM — Others may do it, but Timberlane junior Bryce Parker just won't.

"I don't like comparing myself to (twin brother) Konrad," said Bryce after Wednesday night's 51-19 beatdown of host Salem. "We do a little trash talking (about who is better) but not that much."

A comparison at this point would indeed be tough but it's fair to say that, going into the season, Konrad understandable had more notoriety than his brother. He had more wins, some pivotal wins in key meets and is a two-time state champion.

But Bryce is more than making up for lost time this year. Wrestling up two weight classes at 182 pounds, he's won all five of his matches with first period pins and looked dominate in so doing. Konrad, meanwhile, opened the season with four pins but dropped a tough 6-4 decision Wednesday night to Salem's super sophomore, Matteo Mustapha.

"Bryce has put in a lot of extra work and has really improved," said Timberlane coach Dan Donovan.

Bryce Parker also started a string of first period pins that propelled the Owls to an early and commanding lead.

After Dominic Pallaria opened the meet at 170 with a forfeit win and Bryce got the pin in 53 seconds, Brandon Musgrave followed with a pin at 195 pound and, in a lightning quick fall, Cooper Kelley pinned his opponent in just 13 seconds. Quickly, it was 24-0.

Jordan Scott stopped the bleeding for Salem with a third period pin at heavyweight.

Sophomore TJ Labatte got the Owls back in the win column with a hard fought 5-2 decision over Brody McDonald at 106 pounds.

The win was the first of the season at 106 pounds for Labatte, who was 1-1 at 113 before dropping to 106 to help the Owls fill every position in the lineup.

"I thought I'd be at 113 this year, maybe even 120, but the team needed a 106-pounder and I was the only guy who could make it," said Labatte. "It wasn't that bad (losing the weight) and it feels good to help the team."

Other wins for the Owls (5-0), who picked up their 190th straight victory against New Hampshire teams, wer pins by Ben Little at 126 and Nate Peabody at 132.

"I thought we wrestled pretty well and the team is headed in the right direction," said Donovan. "That was a nice win by Nate Peabody, a senior who is filling in.

"This was a good win for us. This is the first win we've had against a good team."

Salem certainly showed spunk but, unlike Timberlane, did not have a complete lineup. With two wrestlers out with injuries, the Blue Devils had to forfeit two weight classes.

"You want to have all your bullets in your gun and we didn't have that," said Salem coach Nick Eddy.

The Blue Devils did win five matches. In addition to Scott, Phil Giordano (113), Ryan O'Rourke (120), George Boudreau (138) and Mustapha all won by decision.

Giordano overcame an early deficit to defeat Jonathan Fabrizio 12-8, O'Rourke grabbed an impressive 13-5 major decision and Boudreau got out to an early lead andefeated Erik Kappler 6-1.

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