The bleachers were full of parents and fans as the Mt. Hope wrestling team unveiled their championship banner, crushed Chariho 57-21 and Woonsocket 92-12 and celebrated their seniors during a dual match last Wednesday night. The two wins boost the team’s division recored to 8-2 and 20-5 overall.

“It’s terrific to raise a banner of that magnitude,” said Huskies head coach Mike Pereira.

“They worked really, really hard,” said Mt. Hope Principal Deb Dibiase. “I’m so proud of them and all that the have accomplished. They totally deserve it. They are an amazing group of kids.”

Former head coach Eric Francis and former wrestlers and captains Liam Mallon and Nick Gomes were on hand for the unveiling of the championship banner, which now resides high on a wall on the left side of the gymnasium. The wrestling team stood up on the bleachers and were to unveil the banner by pulling down a sheet of paper with some string. When it failed and ripped, Gomes, Patrick Pitts and others hoisted Mallon into the air to rip down the rest of the shroud. Success. The fans cheered. And dreams of a repeat grew as the team took the mat.

“It makes me remember how good we were last year and all the fun that we had,” Mallon said.

“It’s great to see the banner up there,” said Coach Francis, who grew up in Bristol and thrived in its wrestling heritage as a wrestler and a coach. “It was a gratifying feeling. A lot of people have worked so hard to try to accomplish this and have come so close. And it finally happened. Now every time somebody walks into the gym. They know that it was a joint effort and that is has come together for everybody and we can all enjoy it now.”

Francis believes that success breeds success.

“A lot of times when you get over that hump,” he began, “it makes it easier and easier. When everybody sees a banner, they realize that it’s possible. One of the biggest things is making people believe that it can be done.”

Francis is currently the head coach of the Kickemuit Middle School wrestling team, where he coaches his son, Eli, a sixth grader. Francis is already working his magic with the young wrestlers as they took third place at the state tournament recently. As extra motivation, he pledged to shave his head if they placed in the top three.

“I made the bet with them,” Francis said. “Now I’m going to have to honor that at some point. All nine of my kids pinned in that round. It guaranteed that the team would place.”

Covid spell
Coach Pereira and the team have had a difficult time with Covid this winter.

“The season has been rocky,” said Pereira. “We are still in a pandemic with Covid and they chose this year to have a traditional season. I was hoping they were going to kick it to the spring, like they did last year. They didn’t. We had some bouts and we shut down for a week. Not just us, but the entire state. It’s been a difficult season in that aspect.”

The team seems to be persevering through the Covid bug and getting healthier, said Pereira.

“We are taking it one day at a time,” he said.

Mt. Hope 57, Chariho 21
Andrew McCarthy, Mason Furtado, Ethan Bland, Riley Furtado, James Thibaudeau, Drystan McClain, Ethan Delehante and Patrick Pitts all pinned their opponent during Mt. Hope’s dismantling of Chariho.

McCarthy, a freshman, pinned Noah Dinucci in one minute and 33 seconds in the 113 pound weight class. Mason Furtado pinned Andrew Smith in 3:27 at 132 pounds. Bland, a senior co-captain, pinned Logan DeGiacomo in 52 seconds at 145 pounds. Senior Riley Furtado pinned Brady Anderson in 2:59 at 152 pounds. Thibaudeau, a sophomore, pinned Mitchell Daniell in 1:45 at 160 pounds. McClain, at 170 pounds, pinned Logan Gardiner in 40 seconds. Delehante pinned Logan Worsham in 2:30 at 182 pounds. Pitts, a senior heavyweight, pinned Alex Nimiroski in 2:39.

Mt. Hope senior Atley Jenness, at 195 pounds, beat Gary Gardiner by a 6-2 decision. Sophomore Logan Salamon loss by pin to Chariho’s Ryan Price at 106 pounds. Elijah Bland lost to Seth Mastin by a 3-1 decision at 126 pounds and Lucas Brum at 195 pounds, lost by pin to Corbin Moreira.

McCarthy hasn’t lost in Rhode Island, Mason Furtado has come on strong and has been a young leader, according to Pereira.

“Riley is having a phenomenal year,” he said. “I can’t remember the last time that he lost. He went 4-0 in New York. 4-0 in Mass. He is doing a terrific job.”

Mt. Hope 92, Woonsocket 12
Mt. Hope dispatched Woonsocket in the same manor as six Huskies won by pin. Ethan Martel at 132, Riley Furtado at 152, James Thibaudeau at 160, Lucas Brum at 195, Mason Tavares at 220 and Derek Case at 285 all pinned their opponents. Andrew McCarthy at 113, wrestled an exhibition match and also won by pin. Elijah Bland won by decision wrestling at 126. Mason Furtado also won by decision and Lucas Brum won by injury. Ethan Bland and Ethan Delehanty both loss by pin.

With the large lead heading into the heavyweight matches, Coach Pereira gave seniors Jenness and Pitts the match off and had sophomores Tavares and Case wrestle in their stead.

The Huskies travel to a pair of big matches against Coventry today at 6 p.m., and Bishop Hendricken on Friday at 6 p.m., before heading to the state tournament beginning on Friday Feb. 25.

“These are very very tough matches,” said Pereira. “Coventry has been on fire and Hendricken is always a huge threat. Then we have to put the team together and get ready for the state tournament.”