EAST PROVIDENCE — The resurgent East Providence High School wrestling team has spent the last week plus putting in final preparations for the 2023 Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s state championship tournament, which takes place over two days this weekend, Feb. 24 and 25, at the Providence Career and Technical Academy Fieldhouse.

Friday night’s action begins at 5 p.m. with Round of 32, Round of 16, Consolation Round of 16, Quarterfinal and Consi-8 matches.

Saturday’s matches begin at 9 a.m. with the second set of Consolation-8 followed by Semifinals and Consi-4s then Consi-Semis and Consi-Finals, third and fifth-place bouts.

All of that leads up to the start of the championship round matches beginning at 4 p.m. with introductions.

Super season so far

Among those Townies hoping to still be wrestling come late Saturday afternoon is senior Martim Moniz, who enters states considered in the group of favorites at 120 pounds.

Moniz has lost just twice in Division I regular season dual meets and individual invitational contests to date this winter, while winning a pair of tourney titles.

“So far the year is going great,” Moniz said prior to the Townies’ recent meet against Hope two weeks ago. “We’ve had three tournaments and I won two and finished second in the other. I’m happy with how things have gone.”

Moniz’s only loss in-state came against Ponaganset freshman David Perez, who is ranked second in the state and third in New England at 120 behind Coventry’s Peyton Ellis, the No. 1 wrestler at the weight both in New England and Rhode Island. Moniz is ranked third in the state and fifth in the region.

He noted Perez and Ellis, a junior, won the state title at 113 pounds last winter, in the group of his top opponents at states along with Cranston West junior Cam Davis. Moniz finished sixth at states at 120 a year ago, losing in the main draw semis to eventual runner-up Stone Farnsworth then faltering late in the consolation rounds.

Of why he’s had a successful season so far, Moniz said, “It’s about how hard I’ve put in the work at practice and all the extra time I’ve put in on myself, coming to school on time, doing what I have to do. Then going home, studying, doing what I have to do to better myself. I want to be on the podium.

Moniz chalked up many of the gains he’s experienced year-over-year to competing with the local travel contingent, “Team Alien” based out of Hope High in Providence, in between his high school seasons.

“I could say how I improved was in the off-season because last year was the first year I ever wrestled in off-season with Team Alien,” he explained. “I got more experience, going out to different states, Virginia, Virginia Beach, national duels, that was a crazy tournament. I got better with my conditioning, with my technique, all of that.”

Other contenders

Moniz isn’t the only EPHS wrestler with eyes on a top finish. Jordan Carl, Matthew Marlow, Charles Phillips, Robbie Amaral, Simon Palumbo and Evan Decker have each either won their respective weight classes or placed at invitationals this winter, showing they’re capable of making deep runs under tournament conditions.

Amaral, also a senior, is the other Townie considered among the top contenders in his 182 pound weight class heading into the states along with Bishop Hendricken junior Spencer Fine and Ponaganset sophomore Preston Marchesseault. Cumberland senior James Titre is also expected to be in the mix as is Barrington senior Tyler Herrera and Pilgrim junior Trevor O’ Connor.

He reached the main draw quarters in the division last winter before falling to eventual state champ Imanol Tavares of Hope.

“If they wrestle to their potential, good things will happen,” EPHS head coach Tom Galligan said the same evening of the Hope match of the Townies who aspire to fare well at states. “There’s always more things to do to get ready. You always have to put that extra work in to get for the state tournament, but we’re doing OK. Good things can happen for those kids. Most them have been working hard for three or four years.”

He continued, “They have to wrestle their best at the state tournament, like any other year, and good things will happen. The effort they put in. The conditioning they put in. The amount of work they put in between now and the tournament will go a long way in how things turn out.

“I always tell them just wrestle to your potential and whatever happens, happens. As long as you can walk off the mat with your head held high, that’s the most important thing.”