WEYMOUTH – Red Raider wrestlers Casey Connor and Owen Murray both made Barnstable High proud yesterday afternoon, as they each took home Division 1 South Sectional Champion titles in their respective weight classes.
As a team, Barnstable finished in seventh place overall.
Barnstable High School’s Casey Connor (126) and Owen Murray (285) captured Division 1 South Sectional Championship titles yesterday at Weymouth. For Murray, he became the first wrestler in Red Raider history to win three sectional titles.
Photo courtesy of Dan Connor
For junior 126-pounder Connor, this was his first-career championship title at the sectional level and for Murray, his third straight. No other Barnstable High wrestler in school history has ever won three sectional titles.
Murray’s lifetime wins now stand at 156 and he is 25-0 on the season. He remains ranked the state’s top-ranked heavyweight (285).
Connor went 4-0 on the day yesterday, and was crowned the 126-lb. sectional champion when he defeated Plymouth South’s very-tough-to-beat Dylan Finlay in the Sectional Finals.
It was an especially emotional victory for Connor. Connor has been pitted against South’s Finlay numerous times since the 8th grade and has never defeated the Panther grappler before yesterday. Just two weeks ago, Connor came close to defeating Finlay but could not. Yesterday’s win had the most meaning on numerous levels for this persistent young man.
Barnstable High senior co-captain Charlie McWilliams (152) took home second place after a 2-1 day. He fell in the Sectional Finals to BC High’s Stephen McDermott, but he will continue on to the states next week. Each wrestler finishing in first through fourth place at the sectional level advances to the states next week.
Murray went 3-0 on the day and defeated New Bedford’s Dylan Alexander in the heavyweight final.
Barnstable’s Joe Ciliberto finished at 0-2 on the day in the 113-lb. class, while his brother Vinny Ciliberto (138) took fifth place after a solid 3-2 day, but he will not advance to states. Ben Potts took fifth place as well, also finishing at 3-2. Potts competed in the 145-lb. division.
Isaac Dulak went 0-2 in the 160-lb. class but Alex Lopes took fifth place at 170-lbs. after a 2-2 mark on the day.
Barnstable senior co-captain Donnie Mach, the Red Raiders’ top 220-pounder, was not allowed to compete due to a slight laceration on his forehead and Mike Stanley (106) did not compete due to injury.
— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm
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