Four Connecticut wrestlers win at New England tournament

Danbury’s Kai O’Dell had four straight victories to win the New England tournament at 126 pounds on Sunday. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Donovan)

Four Connecticut wrestlers won championships and eight wrestled in the finals at the Spartan Combat New England championship tournament Sunday in Hampstead, N.H.

It was the first large high school wrestling event in New England since the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the nation a year ago.

Danbury’s Kai O’Dell (126), New Canaan’s Justin Mastroianni (145), Glastonbury’s Dominic Rossetti (152) and Danbury’s D.J. Donovan (220) won tournament championships. Danbury’s Michael Longo (106), Fairfield’s Peter Kane (145), Simsbury’s Ty Finn (152) and Norwalk’s Michael Bartush (195) each finished second.

Six Connecticut wrestlers finished third – Westport’s Caleb Seyfriend (120), Aiden Hebert (132), Suffield’s Zachary Johns (138), Fairfield’s William Ebert (160), Milford’s Ethan Emondson (182) and Trumbull’s Michael Agate (220).

Four wrestlers from the state took fourth – West Hartford’s Drew Currier (126), New Milford’s Khalil Bourjelli (145), Newtown’s Nate Taylor (160) and Guilford’s Chris Murphy (182).

Mats were spread on the artificial turf surface at the PhanZone Sports Center in Hampstead, a 70,000 square foot facility used for a variety of indoor events – normally indoor soccer, football, lacrosse and field hockey. Masks were required at all times except during competition on the mat.

There were two All-Connecticut finals at 145 and 152 pounds.

Mastroianni battled Kane in the final at 145 pounds with Mastroianni coming away with a 4-0 decision. Mastroianni, who will attend New York University in the fall, took a 2-0 lead with a takedown with 48 seconds left in the first period and added a two-point near fall in the second period.

Both wrestlers have competed for Greens Farms Academy in Westport in the past and both train at South Side Wrestling Club in Bridgeport. Mastroianni went 4-0 in the tournament with three pins (47 seconds, 3:19 and 3:07). Kane was 3-1 with two pins.

At 152 pounds, two wrestlers who have committed to wrestle at the Division I level met in the final. Rossetti had an outstanding scholastic career at Loomis Chaffee in Windsor and has committed to wrestle at Columbia University in New York City. On the other side of the mat was Finn, who recently committed to wrestle at Virginia Tech.

Rossetti built up a four-point lead and won the tournament with a 5-3 decision. Rossetti took a 2-0 lead with a takedown with 14 seconds left in the first period. He extended his lead to 5-1 with a third period escape and a takedown with 45 seconds left in the match. Rossetti went 5-0 in the tournament with two pins.

Finn went 3-1 in the tournament with a pin and a thrilling semifinal win over Anson DeWar of Merrimack, N.H., in overtime, 5-3. Down by two in the third period, Finn got a takedown with 48 seconds remaining to tie the bout at 3-3. Finn got the match-winning takedown with 30 seconds left in OT to secure a spot in the final.

O’Dell (126) went 4-0 in the tournament and had a dominating 12-5 win over Gabriel Bouyssou of Scituate, R.I. in the championship match. O’Dell had four takedowns in the final to secure the victory.

Danbury’s D.J. Donovan, center, with coaches Ricky Shook (left) and Keith Lynch (right). (Photo courtesy Jennifer Donovan)

Donovan (220) also went 4-0 in the tournament with three pins, including a pin of Abbas Abdulrahman of Concord, N.H. in the final in 1:15. Donovan also had pins of 47 seconds and 4:03.

In the finals at 106 pounds, Isiac Paulino of Athol, Mass., got a takedown with 47 seconds left in the third period to beat Trumbull’s Michael Longo in the final, 3-1. Longo went 3-1 in the tournament, advancing to the finals thanks to three pins.

At 195 pounds, Bartush fell to top-seeded Conor Maslanek of Pelham, N.H., in the final losing by pin in 5:26. Bartush went 3-1 in the tournament with two pins.

Seyfried took third at 120 pounds with a 3-1 win over Zachary Soda of Burlington, Mass., thanks to a takedown with 1:08 left in the bout.  At 132 pounds, Hebert outlasted Timothy Cook of Scituate, R.I., in a wild 18-14 match to finish third. Hebert went 5-1 in the tournament.

At 138, Johns finished third with a 6-1 win over Cody Wild of Plaistow, N.H., while Ebert took third at 160 with a 6-4 win over Taylor. At 183, Edmondson, who went 6-1 in the tournament with five straight consolation round victories, finished third with a 6-1 win over Murphy.

Agate was third thanks to his pin of Doug Clark of Saugus, Mass., in 3:49.

2021 Spartan Combat New England tournament
At Hampstead, N.Y.
Individual results

Championship matches
98 Matthew Botello Hingham, MA (MetroWest United) pin Alex Schaeublin Danvers, MA (MetroWest United), 1:09
106 Isiac Paulino Athol, MA (Doughboy) dec. Michael Longo (Danbury WC), 3-1
113 Tyler Knox Groveland, MA (Smittys/Metrowest) dec. Evan Kinney Townsend, MA (Doughboy), 10-3
120 Nicholas Curley Burlington, MA (MetroWest United) dec. Cameron Soda Burlington, MA (Doughboy), 6-5
126 Kai O’Dell Danbury, CT (Danbury WC) dec. Gabriel Bouyssou Scituate, RI (Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling), 12-5
132 Mark Botello Hingham, MA (MetroWest United) dec. Jimmy Glynn Lawrence, MA (Smittys Barn), 4-2
138 Colby Frost Standish, ME (Smittys Barn) dec. Shaymus Macintosh Bridgewater, MA (MetroWest United), 14-10
145 Justin Mastroianni New Canaan, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Peter Kane Fairfield, CT (Southside Wrestling Club), 4-0
152 Dominic Rossetti Glastonbury CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Ty Finn Simsbury, CT (Empire Wrestling Academy), 5-2
160 Cesar Alvan Gill, MA (MetroWest United) dec. Jack MacKiernan Derry, NH (Smittys Barn), 5-2
170 Nicholas Fine Warwick, RI (MetroWest United) pin Joshua Cordio Lancaster, MA (Doughboy), 1:59
182 CJ Glaropoulos Mansfield, MA (New England Gold) dec. Desmond Mclaughlin Springfield, MA (MetroWest United), 7-3, 2 OT
195 Conor Maslanek Pelham, NH (Smittys Barn) pin Michael Bartush Norwalk, CT (Southside Wrestling Club), 5:26
220 DJ Donovan Danbury, CT (Danbury WC) pin Abbas Abdulrahman Concord, NH (Smittys Barn), 1:15
285 Tristan Kemp Oakham, MA (Doughboy) dec. Adolfo Betancur Providence, RI (Blackstone), 1-0

Consolation finals (3rd place)
98 James Tildsley Billerica, MA (Doughboy) pin James Blood Sanford, ME (Smittys Barn), 6:30
106 Nick Torres Providence, RI (Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling) dec. Peyton Ellis Coventry, RI (Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling), 6-1
113 Hayden Myers Coventry, RI (Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling) dec. Sid Tildsley Billerica, MA (Doughboy), 3-2
120 Caleb Seyfried Westport, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Zachary Soda Burlington, MA (Doughboy), 3-1
126 Sasha Gavronsky Wayland, MA (MetroWest United) dec. Drew Currier West Hartford, CT (Hall CT WC), 7-5, OT
132 Aiden Hebert CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Timothy Cook Scituate, RI (Blackstone), 18-14
138 Zachary Johns Suffield, CT (Fisheye) dec. Codey Wild Plaistow, NH (Smittys Barn), 6-1
145 Rawson Iwanicki Andover, MA (Smittys Barn) dec. Khalil Bourjelli New Milford, CT (Empire Wrestling Academy), 5-4
152 Michael Bobola Franklin, MA (MetroWest United) dec. Anson Dewar Merrimack, NH (Doughboy), 6-5
160 William Ebert Fairfield, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Nate Taylor Newtown, CT (Team Tugman), 6-4
170 Jude Correa Pelham, NH (Doughboy) pin Kyle Gora Hudson, NH (Smittys Barn), 1:01
182 Ethan Edmondson Milford, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Chris Murphy Guilford, CT (Southside Wrestling Club), 7-5
195 Mark Thomas Tyngsborough, MA (Doughboy) DEF Booker Lester Shrewsbury, MA (MetroWest United), 6-3 3:28
220 Michael Agate Trumbull, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) pin Doug Clark Saugus, MA (Doughboy), 3:49
285 Antonio Ramos Springfield, MA (MetroWest United) pin Colton Perkins Barre, VT (BWC VT), 4:38

5th place
98 Nathan Sayers Dedham, MA (Doughboy) dec. Andrew Mccarthy Warren, RI (Blackstone), 9-3
106 Ryan Orourke Salem, NH (Salem WC NH) dec. Dante Distefano Waltham, MA (Doughboy), 5-3
113 Evan Lindner New Milford, NJ (Empire Wrestling Academy) dec. Matthew Carrozza Brookfield, CT (GPS), 7-0
120 Adam Schaeublin Salem, MA (MetroWest United) dec. Jonah Paulino Athol, MA (Doughboy), 7-6
126 Maximilian Leete Danvers, MA (Doughboy) dec. Dylan Levesque East Hampton, CT (Overcomer Training Center), 5-0
132 CJ Shea Milford, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) pin Ty Stewart GP (Doughboy), 3:44
138 Matt Lucas Danbury, CT (Danbury WC) dec. Spencer Leclair Bowdoinham, ME (Maine Trappers), 5-2
145 J’mari Lowman CT (Blackstone) dec. John Mairano Simsbury, CT (Empire Wrestling Academy), 5-4
152 Rafael Knapp Northborough, MA (Doughboy) dec. Kirit Gosetty Sharon, MA (Blackstone), 5-0
160 Luke Pinzino Plymouth, MA (Dungeon) MD Breon Phifer Weston, CT (Southside Wrestling Club), 10-0
170 Saul Pera Simsbury, CT (Empire Wrestling Academy) dec. Jaylen Hawkins Danbury, CT (Danbury WC), 3-2
182 Nathan Schobel Dexter, ME (Maine Trappers) pin Dillon Worster Harrison, ME (Maine Trappers), 4:33
195 Brendan Gilchrist Norwalk, CT (Norwalk MadBulls) pin Kody Rashed Concord, NH (Smittys Barn), 1:24
220 Tony Tortora North Kingstown, RI (Bears Wrestling Club) pin Jonathan Feliz Providence, RI (Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling), 3:27
285 Thomas Brown Chelmsford, MA (Doughboy) dec. Hayden Gaudette VT (Catamount), 6-2

7th place
98 Jared Mangiafico Southington, CT (Team Tugman) dec. Brady Kaupp CT (Team Tugman), 5-0
106 Justin Shay New Fairfield, CT (Empire Wrestling Academy) pin John Schneider Norwalk, CT (Norwalk MadBulls), 0:45
113 William Hamilton Bristol, CT (Empire Wrestling Academy) dec. Jack Desena Hingham, MA (MetroWest United), 5-1
120 Cameron Hines CT (Haddam Killingworth WC CT) dec. Jake Ice Wilbraham, MA (MetroWest United), 5-4
126 Dante Rossetti Dracut, MA (Doughboy) M FOR Ian Darling Boxford, MA (Mercury Rising)
132 Konrad Parker Plaistow, NH (Smittys Barn) pin Jake Carlucci Franklin, MA (New England Gold), 1:45
138 Darius Mangiafico Southington, CT (Team Tugman) pin Brent Nicolosi Haverhill, MA (Smittys Barn), 0:26
145 Nicholas Pallaria Danville, NH (Smittys Barn) dec. Aidan Zarrella North Kingstown, RI (Top Flight Wrestling Academy), 5-3
152 Nolan Santos Cumberland, RI (Blackstone) dec. Michael Hopkins Swampscott, MA (MetroWest United), 10-8
160 Chase Anestis Boxborough, MA (Doughboy) dec. Domenic Cirignano Brockton, MA (MetroWest United), 4-2
170 George Tsiranides Norwalk, CT (Norwalk MadBulls) pin Noah Hernandez ME (Smittys Barn), 2:42
182 John Summers Fairfield, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Brent Strand Guilford, CT (Overcomer Training Center), 5-2
195 Justin Osler Branford, CT (MarcAurele Wrestling) dec. James Duhancik Trumbull, CT (Southside Wrestling Club), 8-2
220 Michael Jarrell Warwick, RI (Iron Faith Wrestling) dec. Sam Dossantos Boston, MA (MetroWest United), 9-2
285 Samuel Sciaudone Fairfield, CT (Southside Wrestling Club) dec. Hunter Jeffers Concord, NH (Smittys Barn), 8-1

2021 Spartan Combat New England championships results and brackets