Experience wrestling bigger opponents paying off for Bridgewater-Raynham's Livi Polansky, Melrose's Johnny Moraes
'Throughout the year, they're so much stronger and it's a lot more difficult to wrestle,' said Polansky, who has more wins than losses on the season and a perfect record against girls. 'Then, when I come and wrestle people my own weight, I feel that it's a little bit of a relief.'
B-R's Kennedie Davis, a junior at 114 pounds, is also into the semifinals. Having a sparring partner who is one of the best in New England and two weight classes heavier also helps Polansky prepare.
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Polansky found her technique helped to overcome weight differences. Now facing opponents who weigh in the same as she does, she's ready to make her run as the No. 2 seed at 100, after reaching the finals at 107 last year.
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'The whole season, I couldn't wait until postseason,' she said. 'I know this is what I have to do, and I just have to think about the end of it, because it'll all pay off.'
For Melrose junior Johnny Moraes, it's been a whole season at his comfortable weight. He had teammates last year who took the 113 and 120 spots, so he wrestled up into the loaded 126 weight class.
He is undefeated at 113 this season, becoming a favorite after
'It's way faster,' Moraes said of the 113 class. 'But I was dealing with so many bigger kids [last year]. It's given me that grit and that mentality where I know that I can outlast these kids. I'm going to be more conditioned. If I keep on breaking them down, eventually they're going to tire out.'
Used to being the underdog and proving people wrong, he 'loves and hates' being the top seed now. He'd rather prove people wrong than right, but the goal stays the same.
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He has his sights on a championship, but knowing that he's into the semifinals and therefore is guaranteed a place finish, he couldn't help but smile.
'It's definitely surreal because my goal last year was to place at this tournament so I can make it to New Englands,' he said. 'I wanted it so bad [last season], and was just one match short.'
Boys' All-States
Leader
: Shawsheen (68 points, 4 in winners' brackets, 3 in consolation)
Contenders
: Central Catholic (62, 4, 3), St. John's Prep (56.5, 4, 1), Milford (53, 3, 4), Bridgewater-Raynham (54, 4, 1)
In the mix
: Haverhill (45, 3, 1), Andover (42, 3, 1)
Jayden Perez (106 pounds) and Dante Giusti (120) continue to prove crucial for Shawsheen, each reaching the semifinals along with the Tildsley brothers (Sid at 138; James at 150). Central Catholic is once again going toe-to-toe with the Rams, not just placing as many into the semifinals but doing it with only one senior (113-pounder Cole Glynn).
Newton South 144-pounder Nicholas Genin is making a run with the 14-seed, defeating the No. 3 and No. 6. The upset of the day, however, goes to 15th-seeded Jacob Borawski (175 pounds) from Mt. Greylock, who caught Methuen's Vinny DeMaio, a New England finalist a year ago, in a hold just 70 seconds into the match.
The two are double-digit semifinalists, along with No. 12 Perez, No. 13 Will LaVallee (St. John's Prep 150-pounder), and No. 13 Brian Waller-Reitano (Central Catholic heavyweight).
Girls' All-States
Leader
: Putnam (39.5 points, 3 in winners' brackets, 4 in consolation)
Contenders
: Lowell (20, 2, 1), Bridgewater-Raynham (18, 2, 1)
In the mix
: Methuen (18, 2, 0), Billerica (18, 1, 2), Greater Lawrence (17.5, 2, 0)
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Putnam's depth has been on display from its Lowell Holiday championship to its Division 2 title 50 points clear of the field. Izabella Perez (114 pounds), Valarie San (165), and Leanna Watson (235) are into Saturday's semifinals.
Monty Tech's Kaleigh Fuller, after a last-second reversal to advance in the Division 1 semifinals, erased a 9-3 deficit by scoring 10 unanswered points in her 185-pound quarterfinal.
Skyla Rodenhiser (Holliston's ninth-seeded 120-pounder) and Cloe Boccia (Milford's eighth-seeded 132) took down top seeds in their brackets.
AJ Traub can be reached at
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