COMMUNITY SPORTS Algonquin’s Knapp claims D1 state wrestling title Local athletes place at indoor track class meets

By Bill Gilman Senior Reporter

METHUEN – Algonquin wrestler Rafael Knapp took care of a little unfinished business.

After falling in the Division 1 State final a year ago, the Titans’ star turned in a dominating performance last Saturday at Klimas Fieldhouse to claim the D1 title at 170 pounds.

Knapp (43-1 this season, 123-14 career) came into the tournament as the top seed. His path to the final included a first-round pin of Natick’s Brady Holcomb, a second-round pin of Methuen’s Joe Bolduc and an injury walkover.

In the final vs. No. 2 seed Jack Walsh of Chelmsford, Knapp was in control throughout, rolling to a 9-4 decision and the championship.

Next up for Knapp will be the all-state tournament, followed by the New Englands. He placed third in each of those competitions in 2022.

As a team, Algonquin placed 19th with 35 points.

Other results

St. John’s Curtis Ewing Jr. had a strong tournament at 160, before falling in the final.

Ewing Jr. opened with a second-round pin of Gabe Leskoski of Taunton, then toyed with Andover’s Lucas Oliveira in a 17-2 technical fall. He moved into the final with an injury forfeit over Haverhill’s Bret Nicolosi.

But in the final, he ran into a buzzsaw in the person of Rawson Iwanicki of St. John’s Prep (Peabody). Iwanicki was in a class by himself, scoring a 27-12 technical fall.

At the Division 2 state tournament, held at Milton High, Marlborough tied for ninth with 59 points. The Panthers were led by Miguel Borges (third, 152), Nealon Stemple (fourth, 195) and Kevin Desena (fourth, 220).

BOSTON – Several local athletes placed well at the state indoor track class meets last weekend at the Reggie Lewis Center.

Division 1

St. John’s senior Andres Infante claimed the D1 state title in the 600 in a time of 1:27.75.

Infante was also part of the Pioneers’ 4x200 team that placed second, along with Lucas Carvalho, Jackson Dorazio and Francis Devaney.

Shrewsbury High’s Brad Blattner placed eighth in the shot put with a best toss of 45-10.

The Shrewsbury girls’ 4x400 relay team of Marie-Anna Das, Margaret Garbarino, Meghan Dowd and Alexis Kent placed eighth in 4:21.21.

Division 4

Grafton High’s Jackson Shea placed second in the high jump with a leap of 6-2. Teammate Caden Ashmore placed fourth with a best jump of 5-10.

GHS’s Aditya Kaki placed third in the 55 meters (6.59), while Shane Wellman was fifth in the 300 (36.45).

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