Meet of Champions awaits Earnshaw

Friday, February 26, 2010

BEDFORD – Caleb Earnshaw is heading to the Meet of Champions and this time, he’s not alone.

The Bedford High School senior wrestler finished second in the 119-pound weight class at the Division II Championship Meet last Saturday, earning a spot in the MOCs this weekend, along with four of his teammates.

The Bulldogs finished sixth overall at the Division II meet, which was at Bedford High School, recording 97 points. Con-Val won the title, scoring 188 points, while Goffstown (179 ½) was second and Plymouth (174) third. Hollis/Brookline (118 ½) took fourth and St. Thomas (99) was fifth.

Earnshaw, who as a sophomore became the first Bedford wrestler to advance to MOCs, is also the first Bedford wrestler to reach the finals of the division meet.

Although he’s happy with getting to wrestle for another week, Earnshaw would have liked that title. He lost in the final, 6-3, to John Stark’s Greg Jones, someone he’s competed against in the past, but not this season.

“Having not lost to any in Division II this year, I knew I’d get there (to MOCs),” Earnshaw said. “I faced (Jones) twice last year and lost to him by one or two points. This is the first time I saw him this year. I would have liked to wrestle him a couple times.”

It’s been an interesting high school career for Earnshaw, who wrestled on the varsity at Manchester West as a freshman. As the school’s wrestler at 103, he just missed out on making the Division I meet.

He was a captain for the Bulldogs as a sophomore, an unusual occurrence in any sport, but possible because of Bedford’s unique situation. Although there was a team, Earnshaw went to some invitationals by himself.

Earnshaw will have a team with him at the MOCs at Londonderry on Saturday. Joining him are Eric Cooper, who finished third at 125 and has been Earnshaw’s partner in practice this season; Frankie Conery, who was fourth at 140; Jeremy Nault, who was third at 285; and Jorge Vanegas, who was fourth at 215 and has had an interesting season himself.

“He’s a first-year wrestler,” Earnshaw said. “He wasn’t even a varsity wrestler for half the year. He upset our other 215 in practice and now he’s going to MOCs.’’

Earnshaw will take the next step in his return to the Meet of Champions, 9 a.m. Saturday at Londonderry High School.