Falcons come back on Titans, 53-28

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 1/19/16

The Cranston West wrestling team defeated Toll Gate, 53-28, despite the two sides just holding nine matches as the result of a few forfeits.

The Falcons didn’t have anyone for the 106 weight …

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Falcons come back on Titans, 53-28

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The Cranston West wrestling team defeated Toll Gate, 53-28, despite the two sides just holding nine matches as the result of a few forfeits.

The Falcons didn’t have anyone for the 106 weight class, while the Titans could not fill 182, 195, 220 and heavyweight.

Despite being short-handed, the Titans got off to an impressive start. After going up 6-0 from West’s forfeit of the 106, William Brogno pinned Dario Castillo early in the second period to help Toll Gate go up 12-0.

“I was really pleased,” Toll Gate head coach Jerry Sabatelli said. “We’re young. I can’t fill four weight classes, and when you’re in Division I, that hurts. We lost tonight because I had to give up those 24 points. Overall, what I sent out there tonight is what I expected. We got 14 kids who come every day and work hard.”

Jorden DaPonte kept the Titans hot with a dominating performance over Victor DeColis before Datyn Deasley’s pin of William Quattrocchi put Toll Gate on top 22-0.

West started to find a rhythm of its own, though. Nelson Cooper got things going with a pin of William Niles one minute and 12 seconds into the first. Noah James secured a pin of his own against Jared Hughes to cut the deficit to 22-12.

“Nelson Cooper started bringing us along,” Cranston West head coach Timothy Almonte said. “Noah James is a veteran wrestler, a senior wrestler. We expect a lot from him.”

Ethan Viccione closed the gap further when he took care of Connor Tainsh. Kyle Brown’s pin late in the second period gave Toll Gate some hope, up 28-18, but two straight strong outings from Nicholas Almonte in the 160 and Zach French in the 170 put West up for good.

The Falcons edged Toll Gate 29-28 before calculating in the 24 points coming from the Titans’ four forfeits.

Though the Titans may not be able to take home many meets this season with a few weight classes remaining empty, the core for the future remains strong. Nine of the wrestlers on the roster are either freshmen or sophomores, while just three are graduating in the spring.

“I’m starting six kids who are either a freshman or a sophomore,” Sabatelli said. “Half of them didn’t start wrestling until they were in ninth grade. To do what we did tonight, I’m quite pleased with the effort. To have that 28-23 lead going into 182, I can’t really complain.”

The Titans competed in a tri-meet at East Providence against the Townies on Monday morning, but results were unavailable at press time.

The Falcons will take on a strong Cumberland squad on the road this Wednesday at 7 p.m.

“Every day we try to build momentum,” Almonte said. “Teaching the kids one thing at a time, one escape, one takedown in the match and hopefully they’re learning from that. The more wrestling we do the better off we’re gonna be.”

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