St. Thomas More won both the boys’ and girls’ aggregate titles at the Lower Fraser Valley zone wrestling championships on Friday.
The Knight boys wrestled their way to seven individual weight titles, amassing 125 total points, more than doubling their aggregate scores over second-place Pinetree.
The STM girls also crowned five zone champions at home and garnered 80 team points to far outdistance runner-up Port Moody with 31 total points.
STM’s Stefano Pozzolo and Ricardo Dejardins placed one-two at 38 kilograms in the boys’ final.
Daniel Alphonso and Joel Calica won their zone finals at 45 and 48kg, respectively. Mateo Carteri placed runner-up at 48kg.
Massimo Pozzolo defeated teammate Nathan Punzo to win at 66kg, while Eric Bauer, Jordan McKenzie and Kevin Marshall won their respective divisions at 70, 84 and 90kg.
Also finishing on the podium were Mason Seganfreddo, Duncan McIntosh, David Osho, Alessandro Pozzolo, Sam Candolfi, Ryan Rickaby, and Rafal Posypanko. Darth Capellan was petitioned through to the B.C.s at 57kg.
Mark Selormey finished fifth at 90kg.
On the girls’ mat, Caileen Corbett and Meagan Chow won at 40 and 43kg, respectively.
Livleen Sidhu bested a strong STM team, including Dominika Malvadinski and Izabella Moinar, at 64kg.
Anna Benevoli and Nina Biagini also won their respective 69 and 75kg weight classes.
Also reaching the podium were Olivia Padram, Tessa Patterson, Ciara Corbett, Vanessa Lloyd, Alina Mercado, Belen Tudela and Taylor McIntosh.
Nicole Depa was petitioned through at 57kg.
Charlotte Biagini and Jullianna Casas both placed fourth in their respective weight classes.
Burnaby South finished in ninth place overall, despite placing three of its four wrestlers at the top of the podium. Saffi Sharar won the 60-kg final, while teammates Jimmy Sidhu and Nolan Bellrose placed first in the heavyweight and super-heavyweight categories. Abib Asedulleh was fourth at 70kg.
Burnaby Central will not contest the B.C.s this year following a sixth-place showing at the provincial qualifier.
Alec Shaw, Myles Malla and Billy Tregrove all finished third in their respective weight divisions. Alfredo Ramerez and Nazeeeb Omar also placed in the top six.
Instead, head coach Gianni Buono will take his largely first- and second-year wrestlers to the B.C. junior invitational meet in Maple Ridge.
“That’s going to be a better opportunity for them,” Buono said.
New Westminster Secondary’s T.J. Cordoviz won at 41kg, while Sammy Sidhu was first at 57kg and Julian Ramirez topped an 11-wrestler field at 74kg.
Billy Collings placed second at 110kg. Logan Charron, Bogdan Pavel and Annalise Meyer were both fourth in their respective divisions.
The provincial high school championships will be held in Prince George from Feb. 28 to March 1.
