McLaughlin finishes second at Folkstyle nationals

Greenwich’s Greg McLaughlin finished second in the Masters D division at the USA Wrestling Folkstyle national championship meet in Cedar Falls, Iowa on April 2.

McLaughlin, who wrestled at Avon in high school and at Rhode Island College in college, finished second by going 2-1 with two pins at 58-62 kilograms (136 pounds) in the Masters D division for athletes ages 51-58.

McLaughlin pinned California’s Mark Ellis in 1:47 and New Fairfield’s Michael Cartossa in 55 seconds. Cartossa finished third with a 4-0 win over Ellis.

Joe Raia of Chicago Wrestling Club won the national title with a 4-2 win over McLaughlin. Raia got a takedown and a two-point near fall in the waning seconds of the first period. McLaughlin did get a reversal with 17 seconds remaining but that is as close as he would get.