A New King: Barnstable Heavyweight Wrestler Murray Crowned State Champion

METHUEN – The championship bout proved to be no simple task.

Heading into the state championship finale Saturday afternoon, 3-0 on the weekend, Barnstable High School senior Owen Murray had yet to taste defeat this winter.

NUMBER ONE - Barnstable High's Owen Murray became just the third state wrestling champion in school history Saturday as he went 4-0 and defeated Austin Shrewsbury of Westfield High. Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports file photo

NUMBER ONE – Barnstable High’s Owen Murray became just the third state wrestling champion in school history Saturday as he went 4-0 and defeated Austin Shrewsbury of Westfield High.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports file photo

And he wasn’t about to.

Murray faced the state’s number two-ranked heavyweight Austin Shrewsbury from Westfield High and the pair went into double-overtime Saturday afternoon at Methuen High before Murray finally prevailed by major decision, 6-3. Ranked number one in Massachusetts, Murray was crowned the 2015 MIAA Division 1 State Heavyweight Champion, the third such Red Raider in school history to do so but the first time in the co-captain’s career he got to hoist the plaque.

“It was hard. He was tough,” Murray said. “He was a good competitor.”

Every wrestling coach Murray has ever had – from the Barnstable Recreation Department youth program up until now – was in attendance and went wild went Murray got the win. Many Barnstable teammates also made the trip to watch.

Murray said he’s already outlined his entire week’s workout and sparring schedule to get ready for the All-State competition next weekend at Salem High School.

Teammate Casey Connor will be joining him as an alternate. Connor went 3-2 this weekend.

Murray defeated Shawn Quigly of Framingham High in the State Prelims (Pin 0:56/2-0), Nick Hope of Agawam High (Pin 1:33/2-0), Ryan Cove of Chelmsford High (Major Decision, 8-0) and then Shrewsbury of Westfield High today in double overtime by major decision, 6-3.

Murray’s career record is 157-36 but he is undefeated this season at 30-0.

He has already signed a letter of commitment to play football next fall at Stonehill College on scholarship.

Murray was crowned the Division 1 South Sectional champion last week and he is a four-time Old Colony League all-star in wrestling.

— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm

 

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