Coach Cummings, honored in 2018.
UPDATED, Feb. 13: The Arlington High School wrestling team, undefeated in the league, are Middlesex champs, a first for the squad.
On Saturday, Feb. 9, the team competed in the MIAA Division II Metro Sectionals, held in Woburn and came in third. Here are the results: Milton, 204.5; Burlington, 167.5; Arlington, 165; Winchester, 144.5; and Norwood, 135.5. Here are Arlington’s details:
Juniors Yanni Kechriotis and Charles Gillis won individual honors in their weight classes, all with pins.
Kechriotis got the 138-pound title, beating Kevin White of Norwood. Gillis won the 285-pound title, topping Matthew Wing of Catholic Memorial and Ryan McGroarty of Milton.
Arlington wrestlers Noe Romero (113 pounds), Chan Kim (120) and Taisei Akatsu (132) made the finals before losing. Each got a silver medal and qualified for the Div. 2 state meet.
Also at the states will be Glen Doyle, third at 106 pounds and Dylan Fournier, fourth at 152. Conor McGahan was sixth at 145 pounds and Henry Raughley (160) won before he was eliminated.
AHS Principal Matthew Janger announced the news about the league championship to the School Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 30, just after he learned that the team had defeated Belmont to gain the honor.
Coach Kevin Cummings told YourArlington that the final score was 63-16. The team has an overall record of 14-7-2.
“It was a solid team win; everyone contributed,” he wrote Jan. 31. “With only two seniors in the varsity lineup out of the 14 weight classes, the future looks bright.”
On Feb. 2, the boys wrestled in Division II Dual Meet State Tourney, which AHS won in 2015. Wrestling in North Andover on Saturday, the team lost two matches, one to North Attleboro, who lost to the eventual winner, Central Catholic in the semis, and then a close one to Milford before going home, reported Sam Kafrissen, assistant coach.
Cummings, who has coached wrestling at Arlington High School since 1995, was named in 2018 to the state wrestling coaches’ hall of fame.
He was inducted last February at the all-state meet at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, assistant coach Sam Kafrissen reported at the time.
In 2018, Arlington High School wrestlers were top finishers in the sectional round of the MIAA tournament.
Looking back
In February 2015, AHS was seeded No. 10 out of 16 teams, but its wrestlers reeled off four wins against top opponents, to reign as Division 2 champs of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Wrestling Coaches Association dual meet at North Andover High School.
In a story titled “Arlington upset elite squads,” The Globe reported that when senior Caleb Bausman pinned his opponent to solidify a victory over Natick and a state championship, the team couldn’t contain its excitement. “Caleb is one of those kids that makes the most of what he has,” Arlington coach Kevin Cummings told the newspaper. “He’s not the biggest, strongest or fastest, but at the same time he gives you everything.”
This news summary published Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, and updated Feb. 9 and 13, to add details.
