SPRINGFIELD — A recent dual meet with Burr & Burton netted the Springfield Varsity “Green Machine” a 36-30 win, adding a fourth win to their undefeated status at dual meets this season. The team also racked up sixth-place out of 20 teams competing at the two-day Mike Baker Classic Essex Invitational.
Individual placers were Jayson Webster, Matt LaChapelle, and John Stafford Jr., each in second place; Lucas Saunders in third; Trent Briere-Lewis in fifth place; and Peter Berlenbach in sixth place. Additional excellent effort was put forth by Skyler Congdon, Skylar Wallace, Gillian Guy, Brandon Bennett, and Bradley Bennett. Saunders’ bronze medal was sweetened by his first time defeating a long-time opponent, all according to a press release.
Essex High School also hosted a pre-season K-8 tournament, at which 15 of Springfield’s younger grapplers faced down tough opponents, many from other states. First-timers as well as seasoned “veterans” hit the mats; kindergartener Sophia Perry earned her first win ever, and returning wrestler Dmitri Jasinski nailed the gold medal in his third- / fourth-grade bracket. Excellent effort was put forth by every wrestler — Seth Markwell and his brother Noah each collared third place, and first-year junior high wrestler Tim Amsden impressed his coaches as well as his competitors with strong effort; Coach Floyd Buck observed great improvement in Amdsen’s technique. Bryan Stafford, also in eighth grade, brought home a bronze medal.
The flu is hitting Springfield hard, and the wrestling team isn’t exempt. Despite many wrestlers and a coach being out due to illness, the varsity and JH “Green Machine” hit the mats at full power on Jan. 27 in Vergennes.
Leading the pack was Bryan Stafford with a first-place trophy. Coming back strong from a shoulder injury, senior Mason Olney nailed a second place spot on the podium; senior Lucas Saunders also took home a silver medal, after a brutal nail-biter of a match against a tough NY opponent. Recovering from flu, senior John Stafford Jr. collared a respectable fourth place on the podium. Also battling it out in Vergennes were Skylar Wallace and Skyler Congdon; seventh grader Cole Wright also put forth a solid showing.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.