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Canton wrestlers open the season with a win over East Windsor

Canton’s Braydon Fluckiger drives into East Windsor’s Justin Donahue in Wednesday night’s NCCC match. Fluckiger won, 8-4 as the Warriors prevailed. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

EAST WINDSOR, Dec. 13 – It’s been 15 years since the Canton High wrestling team won a league championship. The Warriors captured their fourth North Central Connecticut Conference title in 2002. A year ago, Canton (14-5, 5-1 NCCC) in second place behind Granby in the race for the NCCC pennant.

Could this be the year for Canton? Perhaps. The Warriors have seven starters returning from last year’s squad and Canton got their season off to a winning start with a 51-12 NCCC victory over East Windsor on Wednesday night.

Canton had three pins and took advantage of five forfeits to pick up their first NCCC victory of the season.

Junior Brian Connolly (132) finished fourth in Class S a year ago and was one of four Canton wrestlers to win NCCC Tournament titles last February. On Wednesday night, Connolly pinned East Windsor’s John Titus in 1:55.

Canton junior Brian Connolly began the season with a pin against East Windsor’s John Titus on Wednesday night. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

Canton teammates Donovan Mackin (145) and Nate Biega (182) also won with pins. Bradyon Fluckiger (195) outlasted the Panthers’ Justin Donahue, 8-4. Andy Thibodeau (126), Gabe Deiulis (132), Chayce Lucca (152), James Pelehach (220) and Matt Webb (106) picked up forfeits for the Warriors.

Macklin, Lucca and Pelhach each finished second at the NCCC Tournament last February.

Canton hits the road for their next match when they travel to Derby for the annual Derby Invitational on Saturday.

Canton’s Jack Freedenberg tries to escape in Wednesday night’s NCCC bout in East Windsor. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

Canton 51 East Windsor 12
At East Windsor
113: Tony Davis (EW) dec. Jack Freedenberg 15-6; 120: Double Forfeit;  126:Andy Thibodeau (C) Forfeit; 132: Gabe Deiulis (C) Forfeit; 138: Brian Connolly (C) pin John Titus 1:55; 145: Donovan Mackin (C) pin Jake Hevener 3:22; 152: Chayce Lucca (C) Forfeit; 160: Colin Beahn (EW) tech Fall John Alicia 16-0, 5:45; 170: Nathan Tardiff (EW) dec. Austin Kilduff 6-2; 182: Nate Biega (C) pin Alex Clark, 5:53;  195: Braydon Fluckiger (C) dec. Justin Donahue 8-4;  220: James Pelehach (C) Forfeit; 285: Double Forfeit; 106: Matt Webb (C) Forfeit
Records: Canton 1-0, 1-0 NCCC; East Windsor 0-1, 0-1 NCCC

Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 30 years.

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