
Avon’s David Jacobs (126, top) controls a Gilbert wrestler in a match earlier this month. The Avon High wrestling team had seven pins in Tuesday night’s CCC North win over Manchester.
The Avon High wrestling team picked up seven pins as the Falcons won their fourth straight match with a 45-21 win over host Manchester on Tuesday.
It’s been a good season for the Falcons (14-3, 3-1 CCC North), who have won three tournaments this winter. During the first weekend of the season, Avon won the C.J. McCormack Tournament in Berlin for the first time since 2006 with a three-point win over Foran-Milford.
In January, the Falcons won four straight bouts including a 47-34 win over South Windsor in the championship match to grab the Art Powers Duals in Berlin for the first time and on January 18, the Falcons had two individual champions and four finalists in capturing the Griswold Mid-Season Invitational for the first time.
Thanks to a win over the Falcons last week, No. 3 East Hartford (13-0, 2-0 CCC North) has the inside track on winning the CCC North division championship but Avon remains in position to challenge for the Class M championship in February.
“The team has done a nice job,” Avon’s long-time coach John McLaughlin said. “I’m happy with the guys and the team is working well. We’ve fought through a lot of injuries and sickness.”
Thanks to the flu and injuries, Avon had just eight of 14 weight classes filled at the Bristol Central Tournament where they finished 18th overall.
“What we need to do is have everyone healthy,” McLaughlin said. Gavin Fallon, who was second in Class M a year ago and fourth at the State Open at 190 pounds, has just been cleared to return to action after a knee injury.
“I think we have Gavin Fallon back and everyone is healthy and ready to go, I think we will certainly be one of the contenders (in Class M),” McLaughlin said. Expect Foran, Lyman Memorial/Windham Tech and RHAM to be contenders, too.
John Murphy (157) has been having a strong season. He has won two tournaments at Griswold and C.J. McCormack. Elijah Fagin (138) was first at Griswold and second at the C.J. McCormack.
Avon will continue to challenge themselves this weekend at the Class S/M Duals Invitational at Killingly. The Falcons were a wild card entry in the tournament that includes the top three teams at last year’s Class S tournament (Killingly, Lyman Memorial/Windham Tech, Windham) and the top three teams at last year’s Class M tournament (RHAM, Berlin, Foran).
Avon will be competing in the Brian Crudden pool with Foran (24-4), Windham (16-5) and New Fairfield (3-1). No. 7 Killingly (28-1), Berlin (12-5), Lyman Memorial/Windham Tech (13-6) and RHAM will be in the Jim Day pool.
Wrestling begins at 9:30 a.m. with the final round expected to begin around 2 p.m.
Avon 45, Manchester 21
At Manchester
106 Connor Petrunti (A) pin Brandin Ortiz (M), 0:21; 113 Mikhail Baioni (A) pin Griffin Viets (M), 0:44; 120 Mason Beecher (A) pin Eddie Lester (M), 1:30; 126 Luke Miller (A) pin Mya Rose (M), 1:02; 132 Thomas Frez (A) dec. Zachary Oquendo (M), 14-6; 144 Alessandra Ordaya (M) pin Carter Davies (A), 1:11; 150 Gabriel Perritt (M) dec. Bryce Krodel (A), 13-2; 157 Charles May (A) pin Jeriel Otero-Cardona (M), 0:50; 165 John Murphy (A) pin Lydia Roberts (M), 1:43; 175 Noah Colon (M) tech fall Sawyer Buzecan (A), 15-0; 190 Jayden Beecher (A) pin Jen Thompson (M), 0:24; 215 Maxwell Janes (A) pin William Murphy (M); 285 Lascelles Miller Jr. (M) pin Shawn Leith (A), 1:44
Records: Avon 14-3, 3-1 CCC North
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 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.


High School
2025 NCCC Winter Tournaments

High School
2025 CCC Winter Tournaments
