Bed Them – Bedding and Soft Furnishings

Cumberland High sophomore Erik Travers (top) puts the squeeze on Westerly High’s Steve Ottoviani during their 130-pound match on Wednesday night. Travers pinned Ottoviani in just 34 seconds to help the Clippers roll to a 47-9 victory. by STEVE MAZZONE

CUMBERLAND – After a six-day layoff from competing that included only three days of practice, was Cumberland High coach Steve Gordon worried his squad wouldn’t be sharp against Westerly on Wednesday night?“No, we are prepared every match we go into,” said Gordon, as he watched his Clippers roll past the Bulldogs, 47-9, in their Division I crossover match. “I mean we didn’t have enough practices, but my guys usually are pretty focused. They better be focused. We try to be ready for any match. We don’t take anyone lightly no matter who you are wrestling. once you do that, you start making mistakes and that can only come back to hurt you later on in the season. We don’t like upsets”The defending champion Clippers, now a perfect 6-0-0 for the winter, began the night in the 160-pound weight class and took a 15-3 lead by the fourth match. Then, after a no match at 285, the Clippers once again showed their dominance in the lower weight classes and the Bulldogs never had a chance.The Clippers registered five victories via the pinfall with junior Tim LaCroix (189), senior Andre Lussier (215), freshman Kris Nordby (112), senior Shoneil Lariviere (125) and sophomore Erik Travers (130) all taking their opponents to the mat. Cumberland also had a 15-0 major decision from freshman Cody Beaudette at 103.Making his varsity debut, junior Sean Creamer earned a hard-fought 6-4 decision over the Bulldogs’ Max Righter at 140. Creamer was leading 6-1 after two periods and then had to withstand a gritty final period by Righter to hold on for the win.“He wrestled tough,” Gordon said. “That’s his first time in the lineup. He’s been out for two years with a knee surgery. He now, just finally, broke the lineup. He wrestled off the other day and had a tough time. We have some tough kids in that weight class. He’s just got to get himself used to wrestling six minutes.”After a slow start, senior Nick Maccini pulled out a great 7-5 win over Westerly’s Wes Gomez at 145. The normally, fast-moving Maccini was trailing, 3-2, after two periods. After taking a 4-3 advantage with 1:40 left in the final period with a reverse, Gomez went back in front, at 5-4, just 20 second later.Maccini finally got the best of the determined Bulldog with a takedown with less than 30 seconds remaining.“That was a very good match,” Gordon said. “Normally (Maccini) is a lot more aggressive. He kind of set back today. but you saw when he decided to shoot his takedown that he’s very good on his feet. That’s how he won it. He’s a good takedown man… He started off a little too slow. He wasn’t shooting at all. The kid took it too him, and he had to pick up the pace a little later on.”Cumberland’s match with Westerly begins a grueling four-day stretch. The Clippers will be back on the mats tomorrow night when they travel to South Kingstown. It’s then off to Sanford, Maine for the annual Redskin Invitational on Friday and Saturday.“South Kingstown is not bad,” Gordon said. “They are a little weaker this year than they have been. They are still a good team. They are loaded up top. We’ll have our work cut out for us.”Where the Clippers will really have their work cut out for them is the Redskin Invitational, a tournament that they are the defending titlist. Scheduled to participate in the weekend tourney is Connecticut state champion Danbury High, two-time New Hampshire state champion Timberland High as well as N.H. runner-up Concord.In last year’s event, Danbury and Timberland were no-shows.“It’s going to be a lot tougher this year (to win), a lot tougher,” Gordon said. “It’s going to be a big-time tournament.”***Cumberland 47, Westerly 9160 – Richie Whitman, C, def. Sam Traver, 4-0.171 – Dylan Stryker, W, def. Brandon Ferreri, 17-16.189 – Tom Lacroix, C, pinned Frank Pellicano 2:56215 – Andre Lussier, C, pinned Mike McCooey 2:47285 – no match103 – Cody Beaudette, C, def. Drew Whiddifield, 15-0112 – Kris Nordby, C, pinned Anthony Bianco 1:20119 – Shai Lariviere, C, def. Cody Brown, 15-0 (exhibition)125 – Shoneil Lariviere, C, pinned Josh Leppika :27130 – Eric Travers, C, pinned Steve Ottaviani :34135 – C.J. Widdifield, W, pinned Jon Maccini 4:36140 – Sean Cremer, C, def. Max Righter, 6-4.145 – Nick Maccini, C, def. Wes Gomez, 7-5.152 – Chris Smith, C, def. Shane Scavello, 9-0.

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Unbeaten Cumberland wrestlers floor Westerly