Sports
Heart of a Champion --London Takes 160-pound Sectional Title
Tewksbury High junior is tops In Division 2 North Wrestling.
Less than two months ago, season was nothing more than a bunch of question marks.
Suffering from a pair of micro-fractures in two of his vertebrae, it was unclear as to when, or if, London would return to the mats.
That question was put to rest Saturday when London won all four of his matches on the way to capturing the 160-pound championship at the Division 2 North Sectionals at Winchester High.
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"He missed the whole first month of the season," said of London. "So this is a pretty big turnaround for him. I don't think we ever thought he wouldn't be back this year, but nobody expected him to do this well."
Actually, London appeared to be in full form when he returned to the mats in January. He ran up a 17-3 individual match record leading into the sectionals, and Aylward had high hopes for London as the season progressed.
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"He's been doing well ever since he got back (from the injury)," Aylward said. "He's strong, he's more savvy than he's been in the past. His experience is really starting to show."
London had to draw on all his experience to pull off a 4-2 victory in the championship match against Masconomet's Jake Therrien. London and Therrien had wrestled a week ago in the dual meet sectionals, with London prevailing by the same score.
Saturday's rematch had all the intensity of a week ago, and then some.
"It was a great match," Aylward said. "The other kid was very strong and very explosive. They're similar wrestlers. They're both like a couple of battering rams. They went after each other pretty good."
London never trailed in the match, getting a first period take-down to go up, 2-0. A second period escape gave London a 3-0 lead.
Therrien rallied for a take-down late in the second, but London got a third period escape and held off a ferocious third period attack from Therrien to take his first ever sectional title.
"The kid was surging for him but he withstood the storm," Aylward said. "It's a big win for him."
London's victory continues a string of four straight years with at least one sectional champ from Tewksbury. Mike Altavesta took the 171-pound title a year ago, and Joel Altavesta won at 171 in 2009. Jim Tarpey and Derek Lowe both won sectional titles in 2008.
Tewksbury had five other wrestlers finish in the top six in their weight divisions. Freshman Mike Donovan took fifth at 112 pounds, while sophomore Joe Burger was sixth at 125 pounds. Brandon McCarthy, a junior, took sixth at 149, while senior Cody Smith took sixth at 140. , was sixth at 152.
London will put his sectional title on the line at the state championship meet next Friday and Saturday at Marlborough High School.
