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ESSEX, Vt. — The Beekmantown wrestling team won five individual weight classes while finishing a strong second at this past weekend's Essex, Vt./Michael Baker Classic.
There were 28 teams competing and Massabesic, Maine took first place in the team competition with 235 points, followed in second by Beekmantown with 221, and Noble, Maine in third with 193. The event was held Friday and Saturday.
"We had 10 wrestlers place, seven in the finals and five champions," said Beekmantown head coach Lenny Gadway.
"The kids wrestled real tough.
"It was a pretty darn tough tournament. There were some real good teams from Maine and New Hampshire."
Jesse Daniels (125), Koby Barcomb (135), Pete Avellaneda (145), Nick Bushey (171) and Hayden Head (285) won weight classes for the Eagles.
In the finals, Daniels recorded a 7-3 win over Noble, Maine's Kevin Hagen; Barcomb was a 10-8 winner over Deering, Maine's Deiondre Howard; Pete Avellaneda won a 6-4 overtime decision over Lisbon, Maine's Marcus Dunbar; Bushey a 14-2 victory over Noble, Maine's Chris Allison; and Head with a 5-1 decision over Mount Ararat, New Hampshire's Henry Chandler.
"There were some real good matches," Gadway said. "Barcomb's 135-pound final was an exciting match.
Pete Avellaneda's win at 145 came against a two-time state champion in Maine. And, Head's opponent in the 285-pound finals had a 37-1 record going in."
John Graziane (96) and Ethan Kerr (152) took second place for the Eagles in their respective classes.
In the finals, Graziane dropped a 13-4 decision to Massabesic's Lucas Dion; and Kerr suffered an 8-4 setback to Colchester, Vt.'s Devon Grammo.
Beekmantown returns to CVAC mat action on Tuesday when it hosts AuSable Valley.
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Essex, Vt./Michael Baker Classic
Team results
(Top 10 of 28 teams)
1, Massabesic, Maine, 235. 2, Beekmantown, 221. 3, Noble, Maine, 193. 4, Lisbon, Maine, 161.5. 5, Spaulding, Vt., 139. 6, Mount Ararat, N.H., 115. 7, Mount Graylock, Mass., 94. 8, Colchester, Vt., 76. 8, Fair Haven, Vt., 72. 10, Mount Mansfield, Vt., 67.
Beekmantown place-winners
96- 2, John Graziane; lost by a 13-4 decision to Massabesic's Lucas Dion in the finals.
125- 1, Jesse Daniels; won a 7-3 decision over Noble's Kevin Hagen in the finals.
130- 6, Zack Myers.
135- 1, Koby Barcomb; won a 10-8 decision over Deering, Maine's Deiondre Howard in the finals.
140- 4, Kyle LaPorte.
145- 1, Pete Avellaneda; won a 6-4 overtime decision over Lisbon, Maine's Marcus Dunbar in the finals.
152- 1, Ethan Kerr; lost by an 8-4 decision over Colchester's Devon Grammo in the finals.
160- 4, Nick Avellaneda.
171- 1, Nick Bushey; won a 14-2 decision over Noble's Chris Allison in the finals.
285- 1, Hayden Head; won a 5-1 decision over Mount Ararat, N.H.'s Henry Chandler in the finals.
