Tilton, n.h.
Bill took home Mascoma’s first wrestling championship in school history by pinning Plymouth’s Jared Benoit in the finals of the 285-pound weight class.
“It feels good,” Bill said. “But I’m most excited about the win for my teammates and for my school because it puts us on the map. … I feel like this win gives our school some hope in the future to have a blooming wrestling program.”
The Royals’ program, headed by coach Rick Simula, was born five years ago. It was a club its inaugural season, spent two years with junior varsity status and is now in its second varsity campaign.
“It kind of puts wrestling out there for everyone,” Simula said. “In the past we’ve always been a big basketball school, so I think it shows we’re kind of here, we’re not leaving, we’re going to produce state champs hopefully, and keep it coming. … The wrestling community is an awesome community, and I think we’re starting to catch on at Mascoma.”
Bill and Benoit — Saturday’s first and second 285-pound seeds, respectively — are far from strangers, which aided the eventual champion in his preparation.
“I know from wrestling him in the past, if I hang on his head, let him work me for the first period, he’s gonna get tired,” said Bill, last year’s runner-up. “Second period, he’s either gonna stand straight up so I can shoot on him, or (if) we get down bottom, I’m going to overpower him and beat him with my speed.”
The first period of the final ended in a scoreless tie as neither wrestler took significant risks early on.
“I was just waiting and waiting,” Bill said. “I didn’t want to do anything stupid to lose that match and jeopardize my title. … The thing about wrestling is it’s 95 percent mental, five percent physical.”
The dominant junior, who improved his record to 33-1, spent a combined total of just 3:11 on the mat Saturday because of pinfall victories over all three opponents.
Bill’s victory qualifies him for the State Meet of Champions, which will take place on Saturday at Nashua High School South. The meet will include the top six competitors (in each class) from Division I, the top five from Division II and the top three from Division III.
“I went there last year and placed sixth,” Bill recalled. “Last year, my season was dampened, but I’m ready to go in this year and show them, ‘Hey, D-III’s got some good kids’. I want to show them who I am as a wrestler.”
Mascoma’s Sheldon Farnsworth also qualified for the Meet of Champions by taking second in the 182-pound weight class.
The third-seeded Farnsworth defeated No. 2 Gavin Lovely, of Newport, 6-5, in the semifinals before falling to top-seeded Garrett Macedonia, of Plymouth, 22-7.
Farnsworth, who helped his team claim eighth place with 55 points, spoke to the difficult task of competing in Saturday’s nine-hour event.
“It’s exhausting,” he said. “I’ve taken one nap, eaten a couple of sandwiches and just tried to stay going. You find different things you can do to stay going throughout the day, because half the time I’m ready to just fall on my face and pass out.”
Newport was led by undefeated Tyler Sharron, who won an individual state championship in the 160-pound division, a year after winning it all at 152. Sharron won Saturday via pinfall against Campbell’s Marc Boomhower. It was the very last bout of the long championship day.
“It’s exciting to a point,” Sharron said in regards to grappling in the NHIAA event’s finale.
“You know everyone’s watching you, but it also gets on your nerves a little bit. I just listen to music, zone everything out and take it as another match.”
Newport coach Cole Boone praised his senior standout for locking in despite the pressure that accompanied his undefeated run through the finals.
“He’s a very calm wrestler,” Boone said. “When he’s out there, he’s not really thinking about overall record, he’s just out there to wrestle and win the match. That’s a great mentality to have and that’s why he does so well.”
The Tigers finished third overall with 103 points behind runner-up Campbell (142) and team champion Plymouth (247.5).
Newport’s Michael Tremblay (second in 195) and Dylan Palmer (third in 145) joined Sharron as Meet of Champions qualifiers. The top finishers in Nashua will qualify for the New England Wrestling Championships on March 3 in Providence, R.I.
“It’s not as many as I would like to bring (to the Meet of Champions),” Boone said. “But we’ll do with what we got and I think they’ll have good days.”
Correction
Wrestlers from Mascoma Regional and Newport high schools captured titles at the Division III New Hampshire state championship Saturday in Tilton. As was reported in the article, Mascoma’s Tyler Bill won the 285-pound weight class and Newport’s Tyler Sharron took the 160-pound division. An earlier headline misidentified one of the winning schools.