Schuko Wins Marshfield Tournament 132 pound Title

The Lancers put in a terrific team effort to finish in 6th place in a very strong field of 34 teams

(from all divisions) at the Marshfield Holiday Tournament this past weekend.  Topping the list of Norton placewinners was junior Deven Schuko who went undefeated, upsetting the top seed 15-9 in the semi-finals and going on to win the 132-pound championship with a hard-fought 5-3 decision in the finals.  Congratulations to Deven who became only the 4th Lancer to win a title in this prestigious event! 

Other Norton placewinners included Aidan Kahn (5th, 120 lbs), Adam Marcon (5th, 220 lbs.),

Jake Burgess (6th, 182 lbs.) and Russell Hansen (6th, 138 lbs.).  All four wrestled tough and put in a terrific effort!  Eight other Lancers won matches and contributed team points but did not place.  Among them were Devin Santangelo, Jordan Dowdy, Anthony Cardone, Kyle Pereira and Lucas Lavallee.  These five wrestlers, along with Burgess, competed for the first time in a varsity tournament and displayed real poise, determination and skill.  

Not to be outdone, the JV Lancers competed in the Marshfield JV tournament on Monday and 6 of them went 3-0 on the day.  Brendan Merriott, Johnny Rahwan, Scott Albert, Robert Smith, Connor Merriott and Kaelan O'Neill all were winners of their 8-man tournament brackets.

Quad at No. Attleboro / Opening Home Dual Meet

It was an exciting day of wrestling on Saturday as the Lancers started off with a convincing 46-21 victory over Warwick, R.I., Veterans HS.  And though we finished strong in the second meet, it wasn't enough and we lost a heart-breaker to local rival No. Attleboro 36-33.  However, it was the last meet of the day against Plymouth No. that proved to be the most thrilling.  Tied 33-33 going into the final match, Johnny Rahwan, wrestling varsity for the first time, showed true grit and hung on to win a 4-3 decision that brought every fan to his or her feet and clinched the victory for the Lancers!   

Triple winners on the day for Norton included Andy Murphy, Deven Schuko, Russell Hansen and Alek Donovan.

Earlier in the week the Lancers downed Newton So. 53-15 for their 26th straight
home victory!

The team is now 6-1 and competes next weekend in the Marshfield Tournament.

2014 Opening Quad at Home

What an exciting day of wrestling at NHS yesterday as our defending state champion Lancers got off to a perfect 3-0 start to the new season!  Our boys overpowered Norwell 

54-22 and Nauset 55-23 before being challenged by a tough and competitive Taunton team.  That meet went down to the final few matches and in the end Norton won 44-29.  

Juniors Aidan Kahn (126), Deven Schuko (138), Anthony Cardone (160), and Lucas Lavallee (195) along with senior co-captains Russell Hansen (145), Elliott Johnson (170) and Alek Donovan (285) went undefeated for the day with Schuko winning pinning all three of his opponents.  Cardone and Lavallee are new to the varsity line-up and showed outstanding poise as "rookies".  In fact it was Lavallee's overtime victory that clinched the victory over Taunton.

Our JVs had a very good day, too, winning 16 or 21 matches wrestled.  Freshman Patrick Feeney and junior Taylor Lucero led the way with two pins each.

And then today, our new middle school wrestling team traveled to Dighton Rehobeth where they won handily over a young, start-up D-R team.  These youngsters are the future Norton High wrestler and showed much promise. 

The Lancers will face Newton South at home on Wednesday evening and then will travel to No. Attleboro on Saturday where we will compete in a quad there against the Red Raiders as well as Plymouth No. and Warwick Vets.  This will be a good test for our boys as we prepare for a challenging season ahead.  

Many thanks to all the parents and guardians who helped make our concession stand so successful yesterday!

Go, Lancers!

Annual Lancer Wrestling Awards Banquet

2014 State Champs

Norton High Wrestling held its annual team banquet last Sunday at Francis Farm

in Rehobeth to celebrate its best-ever season.  A fabulous feast of BBQ ribs, chicken

and pulled pork was prepared by Ted Marvel and a delicious cake decorated for the 

2014 State Champs was served by his wife, Lauren.  

Mike Kahn put together a terrific season highlight video and Stacie Schuko added a

wonderful slide show tribute, both featuring our graduating seniors.

Special awards were presented to the following top wrestlers:

Most Valuable Wrestler - Mike Travers

Outstanding Wrestler - JT Taylor

Coaches Award - Myles McAlpine

Most Improved Wrestler - Alek Donovan

JFK Award - Grant Monast

Comeback Wrestler - Branden Pike

Varsity Second Effort Award - Elliott Johnson

Rookie of the Year - Robbie Douglas

JV Wrestler of the Year - Anthony Cardone

JV Second Effort Award - Jake Burgess

Co-Captains Elect - Russell Hansen, Elliott Johnson, Adam Marcon, Alek Donovan  

The Lancers finished the season 30-1, winning the Peckham Invitational Tournament (5th),

regaining the Tri-Valley League title (5th), capturing the Sectional Championship (3rd),

winning both the State Dual Meet Tournament (2nd) and the State Individual Tournament (1st), and being named the State Sportsmanship Award winners by the wrestling officials association.  A remarkable season for our boys!  Their success earned Coach Coleman MIAA "Coach of the Year" honors at Sectionals and States as well as by the Taunton Gazette.

6 Norton Wrestlers Selected as League All-Stars

Senior captains Travers, McAlpine & Taylor

Congratulations to sophomore Aidan Kahn (113), juniors Elliott Johnson (182) and

Alek Donovan (285) as well as senior co-captains JT Taylor (145), Myles McAlpine

(160), and Mike Travers (195) who were all named first team Tri-Valley League

All-Star wrestlers. This is the second such selection for both McAlpine and Travers.

Once again the Norton Lancers had more all-stars than any other Tri-Valley team.  

In addition, Mike Travers was voted the league's Most Valuable Wrestler joining

Lancer notables Andrew Rockwell (2008) and Brett Gallagher (2011). 

What a great season for our Lancers!

Norton's Mike Travers Wrestles at New England Championships

Mike Travers winning State Championship 

Wrestling seasons usually end abruptly and hard because the competition 

gets tougher and tougher the deeper you go into the end-of-season

championship tournaments.  The New Englands, held in Providence, RI, 

last weekend is the toughest and most prestigious of them all for high school 

wrestlers and just to qualify is a great accomplishment.

 

Senior co-captain Mike Travers not only qualified, he competed well.  Mike 

made us all proud when he pinned the third-ranked 195 pound wrestler from 

Vermont in the first round of competition.  He then faced the Connecticut All-State

champion and was pinned.  Mike came back strong in consolations, however,

nearly pinning the third-ranked Connecticut wrestler before losing a 7-3 decision.  

Mike finished the season 38-6 (with 24 pins), was D-3 State champion, 

D-3 South sectional champion, and a Tri-Valley League all-star.  He had 

108 career victories which places him fifth all-time at NHS.

Congratulations to Mike Travers on a great career!  

Norton Wrestling Places Two at All-States

Mike Travers State Champion

Myles McAlpine 2x State Placewinner

The top six wrestlers from each of the three divisions came together for the 

All-States at the Tsongas Center in Lowell this weekend and the competition 

was intense.  Norton High qualified eight wrestlers for this prestigious

event, a school record, and two of them came home with medals, another 

school record capping off the best season ever for the Lancers!

Leading the way were senior co-catains Mike Travers and Myles McAlpine.

Travers reached the semi-finals before falling to eventual runner-up Matt

Paris of Springfield Central, the All-State champion team.  Mike wound up

finishing sixth.  McAlpine lost his first round match to Chris Ortega of Agawam

but fought back winning four of five matches losing only to Ian Horkan of 

Pembroke in overtime.  Myles finished seventh.  Both will continue training in 

preparation for the New Englands which will be held next weekend in 

Providence, RI. 

Six other Norton wrestlers qualified for All-States, though one, junior Elliott 

Johnson was unable to compete due to an injury suffered at States last week. 

Sophomore Aidan weekend lost in the first round, hurt his elbow and couldn't 

continue in the tournament.  However, sophomore Deven Schuko, juniors

Adam Marcon and Alek Donovan, along with senior co-captain JT Taylor all

wrestled well and won matches for the Lancers, though none of them placed

high enough to earn medals and, so, their seasons are over.  Taylor notched 

another pin bringing his school record-breaking total to 37 pins for the season! 

STATE CHAMPS AGAIN !!

Mike Travers scoring in state finals

Norton High Wrestling 2014 State Champs

Norton did not just win the MIAA D-3 State Wrestling Championship at Foxboro

on Saturday.  They owned it.  Dominated it.  Yanked it away from everybody else,

stamped their names on the banner and hung it on the Laroque Gym wall!

After two days of spirited competition the Lancers emerged, once again, the best

of 56 teams, this time 41 points ahead of their nearest opponent, Lynnfield-No.          Reading.  Senior co-captain, Mike Travers, runner-up last year, was Norton's sole    champion by a 5-3 decision over Wakefield's Dan Wensley.  Travers became only              the third Norton wrestler to win a state championship (Brett Gallagher in 2010 & 2011        and Scott Coleman in 2012).  Senior co-captains JT Taylor and Myles McAlpine            placed 3rd and 4th respectively while juniors Alek Donovan, Adam Marcon and              Elliott Johnson finished 3rd, 5th and 5th.  Sophomores Aidan Kahn and Deven            Schuko both earned 6th place medals.  Even though they didn't place, seniors            Ahrayah Saintius and Branden Pike, along with junior Russell Hansen won                matches to add to Norton's total points making this championship a great

team effort!   

Earlier this week the JV Lancers showed great promise for the future as 19                 wrestlers competed in the JV States at No. Attleboro and 11 placed top 4.                      Leading the way were weight class champions Andy Murphy, Jordan Dowdy,               Johnny Rahwan, Anthony Cardone and Jake Burgess.  Cardone led the JV team               this season with 26 wins followed closely by Burgess (21),  Murphy (20) and                      Kyle Pereira (19).

Third Straight Sectional Title for Lancers!

Senior Captains (and champions) Travers, McAlpine and Taylor

The Lancers had an amazing day Saturday winning their third straight sectional

championship 82.5 points ahead of the 15 team field!  It was a great team effort in 

which every one of Norton's 14 wrestlers won matches to contribute to the cause.  

As a result, 11 Lancers qualified for the upcoming D-3 State Tournament,

a school record!  

Leading the way were senior captains JT Taylor, Myles McAlpine and Mike Travers 

who, along with junior Elliott Johnson, were undefeated champions of their weight 

classes.  Junior Alek Donovan finished second while seniors Ahrayah Saintius

and Branden Pike, as well as junior Adam Marcon and sophomore Deven Schuko

all placed third.  Sophomore Aidan Kahn and junior Russell Hansen were fourth.  

Junior Robbie Douglas and senior Grant Monast placed sixth.  Sophomore Zach 

Scarpetti didn't place, but won two matches by pins.  Hansen and Marcon took 

heart-breaking losses in the semi-finals by close decisions to the eventual 

champions of their weight classes.  Hansen's loss came in overtime.   

With four pins on the day, JT Taylor was voted the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler, 

the third Norton 145 pound wrestler to be so recognized (Scott Coleman in 2010 and

John Royle in 2012).  

Mike Travers earned his 101st career win, and received a special commemorative 

"Century Club Member" T-shirt to recognize his milestone achievement, only the

sixth Lancer to earn one!

As a result of the team's dominant performance Coach Coleman was named the 

D-3 South Coach-of-the Year.

5th TVL Title for Lancers in 8 years!

League & State Champions!

A strong Hopkinton team, undefeated in league meets, came to Norton Wednesday 

night determined to win the Tri-Valley championship.  But in an impressive display

of intensity and composure, the Lancers won 10 of 14 matches to run away from

the Hillers 47-18 to clinch their 5th TVL title in 8 years!

Leading the way were Norton's three stellar senior captains, JT Taylor (32-3), 

Myles McAlpine (30-4) and Mike Travers (28-1) who all pinned their opponents.  

Other pins were recorded by sophomores Deven Schuko and Aidan Kahn.  In 

addition, key wins came from seniors Ahrayah Saintius and Branden Pike and 

juniors Russell Hansen, Elliott Johnson and Alek Donovan.

The JV Lancers were also victorious extending their record to 15-1-1.

This was the last home meet of the season and Norton's seniors were honored

for their remarkable achievements including 2 league championships, 2 sectional

championships, 2 state championships and a remarkable record of 81-5!  

We are very proud of these fine young men:

Kyle Aucoin - UMass Amherst / pre-law  

Nick Cardone - URI / business

Myles McAlpine - UMass Amherst / pre-med

Grant Monast - Roger Williams / biology

Branden Pike - Bridgewater State / fire science

Ahrayah Saintius - Johnson & Wales / business

JT Taylor - Wentworth Institute of Technology / architecture

Mike Travers - Bridgewater State / criminal justice

On Saturday the team travels to Cohasset seeking its third consecutive sectional title.

Go, Lancers!

ANOTHER STATE TITLE FOR NORTON WRESTLERS!

The Norton High wrestlers earned the top seed amongst the 16 teams who qualified for 
the MIWCA D-3 State Dual Meet Championships held at Wakefield HS on Saturday and they lived up to their top-billing by winning their second state title in three years!  Yet it 
was far from easy.

Sophomore Aidan Kahn

First up was Holliston, the defending Tri-Valley League champions and state runners-up in 2011 and 2012.  Lancer sophomore Aidan Kahn (who went 3-0 on the day) avenged a previous loss to Konnor Kozubal with a takedown in overtime to win 7-5.  Norton never looked back with pins from sophomores Deven Schuko (also 3-0 on the day) and Adrian Sokolowski, juniors Russell Hansen and Elliott Johnson, senior captains JT Taylor, Myles McAlpine and Mike Travers (3-0 on the day, too).  Senior Grant Monast added an 8-0 win by decision and the Lancers cruised to a 48-26 win over the Panthers.

Norton took on Triton, the 2011 state champions, in the semi-finals and faced some
very tough competition.  Schuko wrestled his best match ever and went ahead 11-3
before securing a pin to get the ball rolling for the Lancers, but the Mustangs responded
with three straight victories including a 3-2 decision over Taylor, Norton's winningest
wrestler this season, to take the early lead.  Norton regained momentum and the lead
with a hard-fought 8-6 decision by senior Branden Pike which was followed by five
Norton pins in the next seven matches from sophomores Anthony Cardone and Alek Donovan, junior Adam Marcon, as well as McAlpine and Kahn and the Lancers closed
the door 51-19. 

Wayland was Norton's opponent in the finals, a team that the Lancers had to come
from behind to defeat in both a dual meet and in the sectionals last year.  The Warriors
remained undefeated when the won an exciting meet in the semi-finals against
previously unbeaten Lynnfield-North Reading.  Despite a major decision win from
Schuko and a pin from Taylor, the Lancers appeared sluggish in the early going and Wayland won five of the first seven matches to go up 20-10.  Johnson stopped the
bleeding when he took an 8-2 decision which was followed by key pins from Travers
and Donovan along with a forfeit to junior Robert Smith and the Lancers had the lead.  However, with three matches to go, the Warriors were still in the running until Kahn
pinned his man in the next-to-last bout and the Norton bench erupted in joy and
celebration!

On Wednesday the Lancers take on Hopkinton at home at 7:00 PM for the Tri-Valley 

League championship.  The Hillers are also undefeated in the league and tied with
the Lancers for first place.  In addition to an exciting meet, Norton's senior wrestlers
will be honored prior to this last home meet of the season.  Go, Lancers!   

Another 4-Win Week for Norton Wrestling

Junior Russell Hansen

The Norton wrestlers were on fire Saturday in their final home quad shutting out Carver 46-0, and beating Scituate 46-21 and Walpole 54-20.  These were important wins because Carver and Scituate are both D-3 South Sectional rivals and Walpole finished ahead of the Lancers at the Marshfield Tournament in December.  Perhaps the most exciting match of the day was Myles McAlpine's first period pin of #5-ranked Sean Hannon of Scituate!

In addition the Lancers won a key Tri-Valley League meet on Wednesday 
beating Bellingham-Medway 45-9 to remain undefeated in the league and 
to set up a shot at the TVL championship at home against Hopkinton on 
Wednesday evening 2/12.  This meet will also be Senior Night and will 
provide a really exciting finish to the regular season.

Next up will be a dual meet with Northbridge on Tuesday, 2/4 and then on to the Mass. Wrestling Coaches Association D-3 State Dual Meet Championships at Wakefield on Saturday, 2/8.  Norton is now 22-1 and will be seeded amongst the top four teams.

Go, Lancers!

Four Big Wins For Lancer Wrestlers

Junior Elliott Johnson

Four wins this week put the Lancers at 18-1 so far this season and tied for first 

place in the Tri-Valley League.  On Thursday Norton traveled to Holliston and 

scored a convincing 46-22 win over the defending league champions.  Though

the Panthers jumped out to a 15-0 lead, the Lancers came back to tie the score

at 15-15.  Holliston again went ahead 22-21 before Norton ran off four straight

wins to close the deal.  Key victories came from Russell Hansen, Zach Scarpetti,

JT Taylor and Alek Donovan. 

In a home quad on Saturday the Lancers completely dominated Cohasset 68-11, 

Dighton-Rehobeth 60-11and Bristol Plymouth-Coyle Cassidy 62-10 on the 

strength of 28 pins and 2 tech falls on the day.  Ahrayah Saintius, Deven Schuko, 

Russell Hansen, Mike Travers, and Adam Marcon all went 3-0.  So did JT Taylor, 

Branden Pike, Myles McAlpine, Elliott Johnson and Alek Donovan who each won 

all three of their matches by pins.  The biggest win of the day was Hansen's 7-6 

decision over his opponent from BP-CC who is ranked 8th in the state. 

Norton Wrestlers Sweep Quad at Oliver Ames

Senior Ahrayah Saintius

The Lancers knew that they would face tough competition at Saturday's quad at 
Oliver Ames but rose to the occasion and swept all three meets with wins over 
Weston (51-9), Sabis (53-12), and Oliver Ames (54-26).  Robbie Douglas, Aidan 
Kahn, Ahrayah Saintius, JT Taylor, Myles McAlpine, Elliott Johnson, Mike Travers 
and Adam Marcon all went 3-0 on the day with Taylor getting all three of his wins 
by pin.  JT is now 20-2 this season with 19 pins!
  

Yet the most impressive performances were put in by Kahn who defeated the
#4 and #6 ranked D-3 wrestlers at his weight class in the state and Saintius
who knocked off the #1 ranked wrestler at his weight.  In addition Elliott Johnson
beat the #3 man at his weight.  It was a day filled with upsets by a high-spirited
Lancer team.

Norton, now 14-1 for the season, will travel to Holliston on Wednesday to face

the defending Tri-Valley League champion Panthers. 

Go, Lancers!      

Peckham Championship #5

2014 Peckham Tournament Champs

Following a 73-3 thumping of AMSA-Assabet Valley on Wednesday, the Lancers mounted a strong team effort at Canton High School on Saturday that resulted in a 5th James Peckham Tournament championship for Norton in its last six appearances.  Led by Robbie Douglas, Ahrayah Saintius, JT Taylor, Myles McAlpine, Mike Travers and Alek Donovan who all brought home gold medals, the Lancers margin of victory was 88 points.  It was the second Peckham title for Taylor, McAlpine and Travers.  In addition Taylor was voted the "Outstanding Wrestler" of the tournament and Branden Pike, who finished third, earned the award for "Most Pins".  Aidan Kahn and Elliott Johnson both finished as runners-up while Deven Schuko, Zach Scarpetti, Grant Monast, along with Pike, finished third and Russell Hansen as well as Adam Marcon both finished fourth. 

On Sunday, Kyle Pereira went undefeated at Brookline High School to win the 165 pound

freshman state championship becoming only the second Norton wrestler to do so.

The Lancers, now 10-1, travel to Ashland on Wednesday to face Ashland-Keefe Tech in an important Tri-Valley League meet. 

JT Taylor, Peckham Tournament "O.W."

LANCER WRESTLERS SWEEP QUAD AT SHARON

Senior co-captain Mike Travers

What a day for Norton!  Down 27-0 to a young but talented Somerset-Berkley team, the Lancers came roaring back on the strength of six pins to win 36-33.  Sharon took an early 
13-9 lead in the second meet, but our boys won nine straight matches, eight by pins, to win overwhelmingly 63-13.  Hingham finished just three points behind Norton at last weekend's Marshfield Tournament and handed the Lancers a loss last season.  In this third meet of the day the Harbormen promised to put up a tough challenge.  But Norton rose to the occasion, 

took an early 9-6 lead and never looked back as the Lancers ran up a 57-16 win which included nine pins!  

Outstanding performances came from all three senior co-captains JT Taylor, Myles McAlpine and Mike Travers who each recorded three pins on the day, Travers pinning defending state champion John Kay of Hingham.  Senior Grant Monast also had a big day pinning all three of his opponents.  Junior Adam Marcon won all three of his matches as well, two by pin.  Juniors Robbie Douglas, Alek Donovan and Elliott Johnson each won two matches, as did senior Branden Pike.  The JV Lancers improved to 3-1 on the season winning 12 of 16 matches wrestled on the day. 

Norton will travel to Marlboro on Wednesday to face AMSA-Assabet Valley in its first 

Tri-Valley League meet.  

Go, Lancers!