The Greens Farms Academy wrestling team won their first-ever FAA Championship with a 45-33 win over 22-time defending league champion Brunswick School on Saturday in Westport. (John Nash photo courtesy Greens Farms Academy)
WESTPORT, January 25, 2020 —The Greens Farms Academy wrestling team won the 2020 Fairchester Athletic Association championship on Saturday, ending Brunswick School’s 22-year stranglehold on the title in the process.
GFA went 4-0 on the day, clinching its first-ever league championship with a 45-33 win over Brunswick in the last match of the afternoon at the Coyle Gymnasium.
The Dragons also beat Hamden Hall (75-6), Rye Country Day (72-6) and Hopkins (54-27).
Seven GFA wrestlers went undefeated over their four matches to claim All-FAA honors, including Caleb Seyfried (106 pounds), CJ Shea (113), Ronnie Christolin (120), Nico Provo (126), Aiden Hebert (132), Peter Kane (152) and Soren Morrison (195).
Greens Farms Justin Mastroianni, the former New Canaan High star, went 3-1 at 138 pounds, with his only loss coming after three overtime sessions on a 2-0 decision, to earn All-FAA honorable mention honors.
“It’s just a validation that what we’re doing is working,” said GFA head coach Jack Conroy. “We’re really not a dual team. We’re a tournament team. To have these guys come out and wrestle like a dual team, I’m so proud of them.”
Greens Farms Academy’s Peter Kane got a pin against Brunswick’s Will Donovan (top) in the final match to lift the Dragons to their first-ever FAA championship. (John Nash photo courtesy of Greens Farms Academy)
In the final match of the day, against Brunswick, the Dragons held a 39-33 lead when Kane took to the mat against the Bruins’ Will Donovan.
Kane’s pin clinched the victory for GFA.
“I just wanted to go out there win it and have the team make history,” Kane said. “I knew I wasn’t going to lose. I just came out with the right mindset to win.”
The Dragons fell behind Brunswick by a 24-9 score after six matches, before running off five straight pins, three of which came under a minute.
Brunswick won two straight matches and had the momentum leading into the Kane-Donovon showdown for the title.
Conroy said he knew Kane was the man for the job.
“He’s not losing,” Conroy said. “Peter Kane doesn’t lose in big moments.”
Brunswick (15-2) had won 85 consecutive dual meets at the FAA championship meet, last losing to the Hopkins School in 1997.
Six Bruins earned All-FAA honors – Chris Perry (25-0, 138), Luca Errico (26-1, 145), Nadjingar Ngbokoli (17-6, 170), Alex Burdick (26-3, 182), Clayton Ostrover (23-2, 220) and Cliff Belknap (12-3, 285).
Greens Farms Academy 45, Brunswick 33
At Westport
160: Nick Bell (B) pin Kevin Kuryla, 1:52; 170: Michael Bartush (GFA) pin Nadjingar (Nadj) Ngbokoli, 1:26; 182: Alex Burdick (B) pin Noah Bachner, 2:31; 195: Soren Morrison (GFA) dec. Andrew Shaffer, 4-2; 220: Clayton Ostrpin (B) pin Johnny Jackson, 2:30; 285: Cliff Belknap (B) forfeit; 106: Caleb Seyfried (GFA) pin Kyle Pagnani, 3:38; 113: Christopher (CJ) Shea (GFA) pin Enzo Vera, 0:19; 120: Ronnie Christolin (GFA) pin Michael Accetta, 0:22; 126: Nico Provo (GFA) pin William MacGillivray, 0:57; 132: Aiden Hebert (GFA) pin Jojo McCurdy, 1:32; 138: Chris Perry (B) pin Justin Mastroianni, 2-0, 3rd OT; 145: Luca Errico (B) pin Neil Gawande, 0:23; 152: Peter Kane (GFA) pin Will Donovan, 2:42
Records: Brunswick 15-2
2020 FAA championships
At Westport
Greens Farms Academy 45, Brunswick 33
Greens Farms Academy 75, Hamden Hall 6
Greens Farms Academy 72, Rye Country Day 6
Greens Farms Academy 54, Hopkins 27
Brunswick 84, Rye Country Day 0
Brunswick 78, Hamden Hall 6
Brunswick 61, Hopkins-New Haven 13
Hopkins vs. Hamden Hall
Hopkins vs. Rye Country Day
Hamden Hall vs. Rye Country Day
You must be logged in to post a comment Login