Coventry’s heavyweight wrestler Ryan Zeolla tries
to wrap up Toll Gate’s Max Goldstein during last night’s opening dual meet at Toll
Gate High School. Zeolla would win the match by pinfall and the Oakers would easily
win over the Titans

By JAMES BESSETTE

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

WARWICK — The only flaw last night for the Oakers, according to head coach Arthur Souza, was that the team needs to get into better shape and just fine tune a couple of moves.

If that’s the case, there will be many pleasant nights within the C. Arthur Fiore Gymnasium during the winter months.

Coventry proved to be more titanic on the mats last night than its counterpart who bares that very nickname, winning nine of the 10 matches via pin fall en route to a 68-16 win on the road over Toll Gate.

“We have a very young team and we have a lot to work on still,” Souza said. “But, it’s still the beginning of the season and I’m proud with what they did tonight.”

One of the issues coming into the season that the Oakers were trying to figure out is who would fill the heavyweight divisions. Even though the match was well out of hand on the scoreboard, Souza and the rest of the Coventry coaching staff were focused on newcomers Colin McCaffrey and Ryan Zeolla at 215 and 275, respectively, to see how they would fare in their first match.

Souza wouldn’t be disappointed as both McCaffrey and Zeolla would win by way of pin fall in the second period to close out a successful night for the Oakers. McCaffrey got a good angle on Toll Gate’s Daniel Brown late in the first period to hold the left shoulder down in an attempt for a pin, but time ran out to temporarily save Brown from a loss.

But, McCaffrey continued his relentless pursuit in the second period, getting a cradle up high for a takedown and then rolling Brown over for the pin 28 seconds into the second stanza.

Zeolla was in a tough bout with Toll Gate’s heavyweight, Max Goldstein, leading only by a point at 6-5 after having Goldstein down for a quick near fall. However, Zeolla, while on the ground with Goldstein near the edge of the circle, got a good push inside Goldstein’s left shoulder for a roll and held down for the pin with only 14 seconds left in the period.

“The heavyweights that we have now are doing great so far this year,” Souza said. “They’re showing great promise.”

After exchanging forfeits through 103 and 112, Coventry’s Nick Botella got the evening off in the right direction for the Oakers, taking only 44 seconds to wrap around the right leg of Toll Gate’s Jared Allen and hold him down for a pin at 119.

At 125, Steve Hunt – one of the Coventry wrestlers that placed at States last year – was in a tougher than expected match against Josh Travers. After dealing with a neutral point and an escape, Hunt finally isolated Travers’ left arm and got a three-point near fall just before the buzzer sounded to end the second period.

Even though the period ended, Hunt knew where on the upper body to attack Travers and 11 seconds into the third period, Hunt got a hold of Travers up high and got the hard takedown and, eventually, a pin.

“The kid (Travers) agitated him a little bit,” Souza said of Hunt,” and then he started to get a little tougher. Once Steve starts wrestling tough, he’ll be good. I think he was a little nervous tonight.”

Aric D’Alessio-Dupre and Anthony Rioles had strong starts to the year, winning their matches at 130 and 135, respectively via pin fall. D’Alessio-Dupre had the fastest pin of the night, winning in 35 seconds over Dante Procopio.

Jonathan Mahoney (160) and Kenneth Danzar (189) also dominated their matches for Coventry, as well.

The only defeat the Oakers had was at 145 when Robert Shaw lost in a major decision to David Audette, 14-5.

Coventry has its first home match of the season tonight against Pilgrim.