LONDONDERRY – Saturday’s NHIAA Wrestling Meet of Champions belonged to the little man, at least as far as the local contingent was concerned.

Three area Division II state champs mixed it up with the big boys and came away with the title, “Champion of Champions,” here before a packed house at Londonderry High School.

All three did it in the most dramatic fashion possible. Yes, all three.

Take 285-pounder Dan DeBernardo of Milford.

After a pair of wins by fall, including a second-period stapling of Concord High’s Hunter Jeffers in the semis, he drew top-seeded Hayden Robinson of Raymond in the finals.

DeBernardo literally found himself on his back in the early seconds of the match, a millimeter or two from a devastating loss.

“Willpower, that was (the only thing that saved me),” said DeBernardo. “I was thinking this is it, whatever you do, don’t let up. Obviously, it’s my last chance. You can’t hold anything back.”

DeBernardo found a way out, barely, and once he did, he went on the offensive.

Twice he put Robinson on his back, building a 10-6 lead, and the second time, he closed the deal, earning the win by fall, just 42 seconds into the second period.

“It’s incredible, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders,” said DeBernardo, whose older brother Ricky was a Division II state champ and MOC placer for the Spartans back in 2019.

Hollis Brookline netted a pair of titles, again via the unexpected route.

At 152 pounds, senior Troy Moscatelli was all but left for dead, trailing Timberlane wrecking machine Erik Kappler, 10-3 early in the third period of the finals.

“I was (in deep trouble). I saw something there, and I hit it. I had nothing to lose at that point. It just worked out for me,” said Moscatelli.

“It was a reversal, I got some backs, and I just turned into him, tightened up until he was pinned.”

The place erupted, like it was a Cavaliers’ home crowd. It’s been four years of hard work for the Cavalier program, coming to fruition for Moscatelli. The hard-core fans knew it.

“Longer than that,” he said. “It feels great to get a win like that. I knew it was going to be us in the finals. I wrestled him once early in the season, won 8-6, so this feels really good.”

Cavalier Caden Bruseo might have been the top seed at 113 pounds, but he still had to go through Salem tough guy Brody McDonald in the title match.

McDonald took charge early, and Bruseo trailed in the third before rallying late to score the 6-5 decision.

After a pair of pins, it was the kind of victory the Hollis Brookline faithful were looking for.

One mat giant who wasn’t about to be denied was 132-pounder thumper Anthony Fernandez, whose title run helped propel Nashua South to a stellar third-place finish behind champion Timberlane and runner-up Salem High.

For the second straight week, the Division I champ Fernandez didn’t allow a point in three matches. He blanked Timberlane’s Ben Little, 6-0 in the quarters then pinned Pinkerton’s Michael Follo in the semis. Then, in the finals, it was Londonderry’s David Pento, whom Fernandez blanked, 8-0.

Fernandez will have some company in Providence next weekend at the New England Championships.

Two other Panthers earned another week in the wrestling room and a trip South with top-three finishes on Saturday.

At 220 pounds, Colby Vancelette scored a pair of wins by fall before being denied the title by Timberlane’s Cooper Kelley in the title match. Teammate Ryan Salemi, at 113, fell at the hands of HB’s Bruseo in the semis, but wrestled back tough, winning a pair of matches by pin to claim third place there.

Hollis Brookline will send RJ McAdams to the New Englands after his runner-up effort at 145 pounds. The Cavs placed sixth overall, the top D-II team.

Milford was eighth, Bishop Guertin took ninth. The Cardinals will have two wrestlers at the New

Englands.

JJ Murphy, at 182 pounds, pulled off one of the day’s shockers when in the semifinals, he tied up D-I champ Bryce Parker of Timberlane with a last-second escape, then scored the first takedown of overtime to score the upset.

Murphy settled for second, falling to Winnacunnet’s Jack McCann in the title match by a 4-3, score.

BG’s 160-pounder, William Murphy, was seeded third coming in and finished third, closing out his day with a solid 9-2 win over Keene’s Gavin Gruber.

Nashua North took 12th overall, led by Matt Oliver, who was third at 106 pounds.

Merrimack was 23rd, with Evan Torres taking third at 120 pounds to earn a spot next week.

Campbell and Alvirne did not have any placers on the day.