CLASS LL
Where: Trumbull High School
When: Friday, 3 p.m. (Opening rounds); Saturday, 9 a.m. (finals scheduled for 4:30 p.m.)
Defending Champion: Danbury
Contenders: Trumbull, Warde, Fairfield Prep, Glastonbury, Southington
Wrestlers to watch
Ryan Jack, Danbury, Sr., 138: Was Class LL and State Open champ at 126 last year. Is FCIAC champ and No. 1 seed at 138 pounds off 22-1 season record. On journey for his fourth State Open crown. Michael Longo, Trumbull, Soph., 106: Is defending Class LL champion at 106 and enters as No. 1 seed thanks to 24-2 season record. Is current FCIAC champ at 106. Tyler Johnson, Danbury, Sr., 126: Was 2019 Class LL champ at 120 pounds. Is current FCIAC champ and No. 1 seed in LL with a 28-5 season record. Cole Shaughnessy, Warde, Sr., 152: Was Class LL runnerup at 145 last year. Is No. 1 seed at 152 with a 31-1 season record. Thomas Mazur, Westhill, Sr., 170: Was Class LL runnerup at 152 last year. Is current FCIAC champ and enters as No. 1 seed with 27-0 season mark. Jordan Agosto, Danbury, Sr., 285: Was 2019 Class LL runnerup at 285. Is current FCIAC champ and enters as No. 1 seed with 25-2 season record.
Most intriguing potential matchup
George Tsiranides (Fairfield Prep) and Traivon Nieves (Manchester), 160 pounds: No. 1 seed Tsiranides enters with a 29-2 season ledger while Nieves is a perfect 34-0 this year.
Class L
Where: Bristol Central High School
When: Friday, 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. (finals scheduled for 4:30 p.m.)
Defending champion: Bristol Eastern
Contenders: Simsbury, Xavier, Bristol Eastern, Bristol Central
Wrestlers to watch
Trent Thompson, Bristol Eastern, Sr., 106: The runner-up in this class as a junior, Thompson is 35-1 this season and is one of five top-two seeds for the defending champs. Michael Rapuano, Xavier, Jr., 113: Won Class L and State Open championships at 106 last year and earned the top seed at 113 after going 38-4 this season. Joe Iamunno, North Haven, Fr., 120: The freshman had a perfect regular season at 22-0 and swept three matches to win an SCC championship last weekend. Kalil Shabazz, Middletown, Sr., 126: Shabazz was a Class L runner-up at 126 last year and has gone 29-1 this season to earn the top seed. Ty Finn, Simsbury, Jr., 132: One of several contenders for No. 2 Simsbury, which is looking to win its first state championship since 1997. Finn is 43-2 this season and dominated on his way to a CCC Large crown last weekend. Thomas Nichols, Bristol Eastern, Jr., 138: A Class L champ last season, Nichols is 41-2 this winter after claiming the CCC Small crown at 145 pounds. He drops down a weight class and is the No.1 seed at 138. James Lunt, Xavier, Sr., 145: The three-time SCC champ reached the final in this weight class last season and will try to take the final step to the title this weekend. Tyler Sung, New Canaan, Sr., 152: Sung, who has won two straight Class L titles, hit a grand slam as a junior, winning FCIAC, Class L, State Open and New England championships. He missed the majority of the dual meet season due to injury, but won an FCIAC title last week. Nicholas St. Peter, Bristol Eastern, Sr., 285: St. Peter checks in as the No.1 seed with a record of 31-4. He will receive strong challenges from Simsbury’s D’Sean Martin and New Canaan’s Ben Clay, a wrestler St. Peter defeated 4-2 in triple OT in December.
Most intriguing potential matchup
James Lunt (Xavier) and Saul Pera (Simsbury), 145 pounds: The top two seeds in the weight class are State Open veterans, having placed in different weight classes last winter. They’re also keys for both of their teams, which are among the top contenders for the championship.
CLASS M
Where: Guilford High School
When: Friday, 4:30 p.m. (Opening rounds); Saturday, 9 a.m. (finals scheduled for 4:30 p.m.)
Defending champion: Killingly (now in Class S)
Contenders: Foran, Branford, East Haven, Suffield/Windsor Locks
Wrestlers to watch
Carson LiCastri, Barlow, Sr, 195: A three-time Class M champion, LiCastri became the second public school wrestler from Connecticut outside of Danbury to win an individual title at the Eastern States Classic on Jan. 11. Chris Gen, Avon, Sr. 220: The defending Class M champion, Gen will be the top seed with a 32-0 record. Justin Oslar, Branford, Jr. 182: A runner-up to LiCastri at 182 a year ago, Osler is unbeaten in the weight class and won the SCC title a week ago. Caleb Ferland, Ellis Tech, Jr., 145: Ferland is the top seed with a 32-3 mark. As a sophomore he placed fourth at 132 pounds. Zachary Johns, Suffield/Windsor Locks, Soph.,126: Johns is one of seven Wildcats winning SCC championships. He is 36-1 and the top seed. Josh Brault, Barlow, Jr., 106: A second-place finisher at 106 as a sophomore, Brault is seeded first and was the SWC’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. James Rondini, Platt, Sr, 132: Rondini is unbeaten at 34-0. He was runner-up at 120 pounds a year ago in Class M and at the State Open. Antonio Madero, Foran, Fr., 113: Madero, the SCC runner-up, is the highest seeded freshman (second) with a 20-3 record.
Most intriguing potential matchups
James Rondini (Platt) and Kyle Pokornowski (Foran), 132 pounds: Rondini injured an elbow late in the season and missed the CCC tourney. He is the top seed at 34-0. Pokornowski won the SCC title, the second seed, and is 36-4 on the season.
Carson LiCastri (Barlow) Cody McHenry (Branford), heavyweight: McHenry is 40-0 on the season and recorded his school-best 134th win in the SCC final, LiCastri is looking for a fourth state title.
CLASS S
VITALS
Where: Killingly High School
When: Friday, 3 p.m. (Opening rounds); Saturday, 9 a.m. (finals scheduled for 4:30 p.m.)
Defending Champion: Gilbert
Contenders: Killingly, Ledyard, Windham, Haddam-Killingworth
Wrestlers to watch
Dylan Levesque, East Hampton, Soph., 120: Was Class S champ at 113 last year. Is No. 1 seed at 120 thanks to a 30-2 season record. Devin Matthews, Gilbert, Sr., 132: Was Class S runnerup at 132 last year. Enters as No. 1 seed behind a perfect 35-0 record this season. Kyle Matthews, Gilbert, Sr., 152: Is defending Class S champ at 152. Enters as No. 1 seed with a 35-1 season mark. Jack Cronin, Nonnewaug, Sr., 182: Is defending Class S champ at 182. Enters as No. 1 seed with a perfect 23-0 season ledger. Louis Bradley, Morgan, Jr., 138: Was 2019 Class S champion at 132. Enters as No. 1 seed with a 40-1 season record.
Most intriguing potential matchup
Cayleb Leclerc (Terryville) and Ben Richardson (Killingly), 145 pounds: No. 1 seed Leclerc was Class S runnerup at 145 last year and enters this weekend with a 14-0 season ledger. Richardson is No. 2 seed sporting a 26-1 season mark.
Compiled by Bill Bloxsom, Rich Depreta, and Dave Stewart
