The Londonderry High School wrestling squad’s years-long push to shove the legendary grappling juggernaut from Timberlane Regional High School of Plaistow right to the wall of defeat moved directly to the threshold of that accomplishment on the road Wednesday, Feb. 4.
First-year coach Jason Cucolo’s Lancers gave it just about everything they had in the dual meet on the host Owls’ home mats, but when the final points were tallied the Timberlane troop collected the slimmest of victories – 31-30 – over its determined guests.
Londonderry had to frustratingly surrender forfeit losses in both the 220- and 285-pound weight classes – as it has all season – which wound up making a massive difference in the tight meet, with the locals snaring class wins in seven bouts.
Cucolo’s LHS crew received victories from Mahdi Achab at 170 pounds (an 8-4 decision), Richard Bilodeau in the 195-pound bout (fall at 1:25 mark), Kevin Robischeau at 106 pounds (11-6 decision), Craig Santos in the 113-pound contest (10-2 major decision), Tyler Byrd at 120 pounds (9-1 major decision), Ryan Cabezas in the 126 bout (10-2 major decision), and Kyle Byrd at 160 pounds (fall at 1:22).
Another noteworthy battle came at 138 pounds, where Timberlane senior star Dan Scalzo – whose uncle, Tom Mersereau, is a 1983 graduate of Londonderry High – squeaked out an 8-7 decision against LHS senior star
Jean-Luc Lemieux in giving the Lancer standout just his second loss of the season.
“As always, I am very proud of my guys for their fight and effort each match,” said Cucolo. “No one gave up a pin, and they fought the entire match. As always, we are up against two forfeits, and that means we give 12 points to every team we face. And to only lose by one point to Timberlane, at home, says so much for the guys and their mentaltoughness.”
Last Saturday, Feb. 7, the wrestling crews from Bedford High School, Salem High, and Windham High School all came up empty in their attempts to challenge the host Lancers in a four-team meet at LHS.
Londonderry bounced Bedford (55-22), scorched Salem (63-3), and walloped Windham (60-21) in going a perfect 3-0 on the day.
And snaring perfect 3-0 marks as individuals by beating all opponents they faced in the meet were Lancers Tyler and Kyle Byrd, Cabezas, Lemieux, Sebastian Roszczekno at 182 pounds, Bilodeau, and Robischeau.