Led by undefeated junior star Jean-Luc Lemieux, the Londonderry High wrestling team capped off its exceptional 2013-14 season with a superb finish at the New England Championship Meet in Providence, R.I., on Friday and Saturday.
Lemieux defeated every opponent he faced and disposed of his top New Hampshire rival – Derek Bohle of Timberlane Regional of Plaistow – for the third time in three weeks in the championship round to collect the 132-pound class title and keep his 2013-14 record completely unblemished.
“Congratulations to Jean-Luc, the undefeated New England champion at 50-0. A very rare accomplishment,” said recently-retired LHS coach Jim Marron (see related story page 15).
By winning the regional title, Lemieux – who transferred to LHS after spending his first two years of high school at Pinkerton Academy – has qualified to compete at the National High School Coaches Association Wrestling Championships in Virginia Beach, Va., later this month.
And the junior standout’s efforts helped to push the Lancers to an excellent fourth place team finish – and first among New Hampshire teams – out of 160 squads at the regional championship event.
The powerful Mount Anthony (Vt.) team won the team title, with the entry from Danbury, Conn., second, the Exeter/West Greenwich (R.I) group third, Londonderry fourth, and the Granite State powerhouse Timberlane fifth behind the Lancers.
The locals had six wrestlers compete at the event, with three of them advancing to the final round, including Lemieux. He took his weight class title, 195-pound grappler Richard Bilodeau placed fourth in his division, and state and Meet of Champions champ Will Bean ended up sixth in his 160-pound class.
The Londonderry contingent also had freshman Tyler Byrd compete in his 106-pound class, Ryan Cabezas participate in the 113-pound division, and Mitch Rose compete in the 120-pound grouping.
Upon learning that the Lancers had finished first among New Hampshire teams – and ahead of those Owls from Timberlane – at the New Englands, Marron proudly stated, “All is well in Lancer Nation today.”