By Chris Paul
The Londonderry High School Wresting team sent two wresters to the New England Championships over the weekend in Rhode Island and one of the finished in the top five of the northeast region of the country.
Londonderry freshman David Pento finished as the number two wrestler at the 132-lb class in NH at the Meet of Champions in the last week of February and moved on to an impressive fifth-place showing at the New England’s last week.
Pento started his day with two decision wins in his first two Championship rounds. One with a 6-3 victory over Daniel Beaton of Gloucester, MA., and the other was over William Smith Fairfield Preparatory School of Conn. in a close 9-8 win.
In the Quarterfinals, Pento notched another victory to make it into the semifinal with a 10-4 decision over Avery Carl of Middlebury Union High School of Vermont.
In the semifinal bout against Sidney Tildsley of Shawsheen Valley Technical High School of Massachusetts, Pento suffered his first defeat of the tournament with a 7-0 decision.
Pento also dropped his Consolation Semifinal match against Aidan Robichaud of Coventry High School, of Rhode Island in a 6-0 decision.
Pento’s fifth place finish came with a 5-2 decision over Tyler Kadish of Newton South High School of Massachusetts.
Junior 126-lb Lancer wrestler Nicolas D`Alessandro also competed in the tournament but didn’t finish in the top six.
On a positive note, he did wide up beating his NH rival from Bedford High School, Kiaben Kennedy, in a 3-1 sudden death overtime decision in the consolation round.