Rams top 5 finisher at challenge

By MICHAEL LETENDRE
STAFF WRITER
RIDGEFIELD – The Bristol Central wrestling team was a top five finisher at the recent Ridgefield challenge on Saturday, Jan. 30 in a very crowded field of contenders.
Central had its collective hands full in the event from Ridgefield as several squads from New York plus more than a couple tough rated teams from the Nutmeg State were involved in the fray.
But the Rams placed fifth with 93.5 total points and had good showings up and down the roster.
Monroe of Woodbury, N.Y. won the event with 202 points while runner-up St. Anthony of Melville, N.Y. ended up with 155.
Newtown, which took third place, was Connecticut’s top finisher with 134.5 points, Daniel Hand kicked in 127 for fourth place followed closely behind by the Rams.
Central defeated the likes of Westhill (sixth, 85 points), Fitch of Groton (seventh, 72), Greenwich (eighth, 71), and home-standing Ridgefield (ninth, 68.5 points) followed closely behind.
On an individual basis, four grapplers from the Mum City were either in the championship or runner-up matches.
In the 220 final, Noah Cruz made it to the championship round and was challenged by Nick McShea of Monroe-Woodbury.
Cruz battled but in the end, the Bristol warrior fell by 8-4 decision and in the heavyweight championship, another grappler from Central was looking for a tournament title.
Amity’s Nick Photos was able to pin Central’s Kryzs Nizielski in 4:28 to win the 285-pound bracket.
But Central’s Shane Oxton at 145 pounds earned third place over Chris Muldford of St. Anthony’s while one class up at 152, Zak Santoemma of Hand just got by Central’s Julian Galindez by a 4-3 decision.
 
Ridgefield Challenge
from Ridgefield high school
Team Scores: 1. Monroe-Woodbury, NY 202; 2. St. Anthony-Melville, NY 155; 3. Newtown 134.5; 4. Hand 127; 5. Bristol Central 93.5; 6. Westhill 85; 7. Fitch 72; 8. Greenwich 71; 9. Ridgefield 68.5; 10. John Jay-East Fishkill NY 66.5; 11. Coventry RI 59.5; 12. Wilton 52; 13. Amity 47; 14. Stamford 32.5; 15. Bethel 22; 16. Hackley 14; 17. John Jay HS Cross River NY 11. Individual results
145: Final – Evan Barczak (Monroe Woodbury) dec. Ed Lovely (Newtown) 3-0; 3. Shane Oxton (Bristol Central) RULE Chris Muldford (St. Anthony)
152: Final – Alex Stavola (Newtown) dec. Dutch Schultz (St. Anthony) 11-5; 3. Zak Santoemma (Hand) dec. Julian Galindez (Bristol Central) 4-3
220: Final – Nick McShea (Monroe Woodbury) dec. Noah Cruz (Bristol Central) 8-4; 3. Andrew Anthony (JJEF) dec. Tom Long (Newtown) 9-4.
285: Final – Nick Photos (Amity) pinned Kryzs Nizielski (Bristol Central) 4:28; 3. Christian Westphai (Hand) dec. Nick Greer (St. Anthony) 4-2.