Local Wrestlers Shine at States

COVID wiped out wrestling competition in the state a year ago and last Saturday Connecticut crowned high school wrestling champions for the first time since February of 2020.
           
Xavier High School took home the Class L title, besting runner-up by 84 points (318.5 - 234.5) on Feb. 19.
           
The Middletown-based Falcons had five wrestlers place first, four place second, and two place third.  
           
Raekwon Shabazz (106 lbs.) defeated Alex Oberc of New Milford, Maximus Morse (113 lbs.) took down Griffin Devivo of Simsbury, Jackson Heslin (120 lbs.) won a decision over William Hamilton of Bristol Central), Dylan Levesque (138 lbs.) defeated Marc Maurath of Newtown, and Thomas Lunt (220 lbs.) took down James Duhancik of Stratford to earn individual championships for Xavier 
           
Middletown High’s Jesse Baldwin (170 lbs.) earned a Class L state championship by defeating John Portley of Daniel Hand. 
           
Also in Class L, Wethersfield’s Tyler Burgos (285 lbs.) placed third, besting Begench Benny Kulyyev of Simsbury, and Newington’s Tito Cruz (152 lbs.) placed fourth. 
           
In Class S, Cromwell’s Matt Gish (152 lbs.) had a fourth place showing. Rocky Hill had five wrestler place with Chris Adamcyzk (220 lbs.) finishing fourth, Tyler Brodeur (120 lbs.) beat Ryan Taggart of Ledyard for fifth place, Ethan Lachnitch (160 lbs.) also placed fifth by defeating Caleb Ives of Stafford, and Nathan Gamache (170 lbs.) rounded out the Terriers productive day with a sixth place finished.
           
​Next up for the qualifying wrestlers is the State Open on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Floyd Athletic Center in New Haven.