The Hyde Phoenix varsity wrestlers travelled to Worcester Academy in Worcester, MA Saturday to close out the dual meet season against the host Hilltoppers, Lexington Chriatian Academy, and Avon Old Farms.

In our only Class A League matchup, Hyde narrowly lost to a tough Worcester team by the score of 40 - 33.  Standouts included junior 145 Jon Levitt who locked up a big win by pin.  Senior 130 Alex Merkin, wrestling at 135 lost a closely contested decision to a top ranked opponent from Worcester by a 4-6 score.  PG 189 Mike Ingalls returned to action with a quick win by pin.  The match of the day went to senior 130 Tierra Williams who faced off against her 5th ranked opponent from Worcester, and used a takedown and nearfall points in the closing seconds to secure an outstanding 6-4 win.  Well done Tierra!

Hyde couldn’t win the close matches against perennial Eastern League champs Lexington Christian Academy, and suffered our second loss on the day 27 - 49.  Levitt continued his winning ways, securing a third period win by pin and Ingalls did as well with a 13 - 8 win.  Senior 103 Zoe Dorian needed just 1:23 to rebound from her loss against Worcester and hammered her LCA opponent for the win.  Sophomore 112 Ryan Braun was victorious as well with a pin at the 1:26 mark.

Hyde finished the day against Avon Old Farms, a strong team from the Western New England league and lost by the score 14 - 62.  Dorian was, in the words of the Avon coach, “a buzzsaw” as she worked her way to an aggressive win by technical fall (15-0). Ingalls finished his day off with a “takedown clinic” to pick up his third win on the day, 8-5.  Sophomore 160 Alex DeMarco, who couldn’t find his rhythm all day lost three matches, all by close decisions but stood out for his tenacity.  Levitt at 145 and Merkin at 130 both were caught in funky situations while in control and lost by pins against the tough Avon team.

Hyde School finishes the dual meet season with a disappointing 5-12 record knowing that we gave a few wins away.  We will work hard this week to get ourselves into tournament mode and travel next weekend to Hyde - CT who is hosting the New England Invitational.  This tournament will be our last regular season meet before the Class A League tournament, hosted this year by Choate - Rosemary Hall.