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Concord’s George Tarwo battles Exeter’s Tim Ramsey in the 182-pound semifinal match at the 2017 Division I championship. Tarwo won the Division I, Meet of Champions and New England title that year, earning All-American status. Now, Tarwo is back to the mat as a coach, helping rebuild the Franklin program, which hasn’t competed since 2017. -
Concord Police officer George Tarwo inside the city council chambers on June 2, 2022. Tarwo is adding wrestling coach to his resume, helping rebuild Franklin’s program, which is reinstated after last competing in 2017. -
The Bow High School wrestling team celebrates with its hardware after the Falcons won the NHIAA Division III wrestling championship on their home mats last season. -
The Bow Falcons celebrate their Division III wrestling championship win at Bow High School on Feb. 17. The Falcons are aiming to defend their crown this season. -
Concord’s Cullen Burke (top) tries to gain position on Nashua North’s Caleb Smith in the quarterfinals for the 120-pound weight class during last year’s Division I championship. Burke, now a senior, finished third in last year’s D-I championship and is back to lead the Tide.
The Bow Falcons won the Division III wrestling championship last year and went right back to work on the upcoming season as soon as they could. The team, helmed by coach Bill Chavanelle, said that despite losing many talented seniors, he expects the wrestlers next up to compete at a high level.
“We’re not talking about a repeat state championship. We’re just talking about the process of going through the season, staying healthy, as a team and staying on the roadmap. It’s a long season,” said Chavanelle. “Things are going to happen, but as long as the 26 guys that we have on the roster believe in what we’re doing and we are all there for each other, it’s always going to work out in the end.”
He credits the depth of his team to the growth of the sport in the state, and the increasing strength of the Bow Brawlers program offered by the Bow Athletic Club, which is a co-ed program for elementary and middle school-aged kids.
This season, Bow has nine freshmen on the team looking to keep pace with experienced returners such as senior Jackson Hall and sophomore Jaron Todisco Coulon who both won D-III titles in their respective weight classes – 215 and 106 pounds – last season.
The Falcons also return juniors Hunter Hutchinson (third 285), Chase Flagg (190), Jacob Coulon (138/144), Herbie Madden (138/144) and Ryan Dolder (144/150), and sophomores Josh Roos (126/132) and Shane Rabalais (132), who all competed in last year’s state championship.
Senior Jake Antuna (157) adds additional experience.
Sophomore Sean Flaherty (120), and freshmen Kevin Mullen (215), Brody Hinck (285) and Ethan Back (126) are among the newcomers who could make an immediate impact.
“I expect another tough year of competition, and the sport is up and growing around the country, but also in our state too. We’re seeing numbers rise everywhere, which is great,” he said. “Franklin High School brought their program back, which is great to see. And, you know, I want them to be successful. I want tough competition.”
The best part for Chavenelle – past the flexibility that the depth offers – is that the freshmen are brought into the fold with multiple years of wrestling experience under their belts. He can focus on elevating everyone to their full potential without worrying about teaching the basics as much as he had when he became head coach three years ago.
Now, with three years of experience and a championship to defend, the team is fully bought into the program and each member has full faith in Chavanelle and his assistant coaches’ guidance for the upcoming season.
He expects the Falcons’ competition to continue to be tough, and even though defending the title will be a big challenge, he thinks the growing popularity and quality of wrestling in the state is a good thing.
“We want to be in every single match as a team and every single match individually as well. We want to show that we can compete with anybody anywhere. And that’s always been the mindset that we’ve had. It’s competing and being tough and sticking to that. That’s what we’re about, and I think that’s really what the kids care about.”
CONCORD
Division: I
Coach: Ham Munnell (29th year).
Last year: 6th.
Returning starters: Biswas Darji, so.; Jaxon Carter, jr.; Max Chung, jr.; Dom Hubbard, so.; Cullen Burke, sr.; Wayne Gutierrez-Sakakeeny, jr.; Tony Gualtieri, sr.; Carl Sirrianna, sr.; Isaiah Puckett, jr.; Madison Beauregard, jr.
Top newcomers: Sawyer McCready, sr.; Isiah Brien, sr.; Jacoby Merrill, jr.; Leo Chung, fr.; Ramon Reynolds, fr.
Outlook: The Tide return nine wrestlers from last season’s Division I championship, the most that Concord has returned since the pandemic.
“We’re hoping that those wrestlers can help to set the tone of what is needed to be successful,” assistant coach Dan Breen said.
Burke (third 120), Gutierrez-Sakakeeny (third 285), Darji (sixth 106), Hubbard (sixth 113), Carter (sixth 144) and Chung (sixth 150) all placed at last year’s D-I championship, while Beauregard is a two-time girls’ state champion. Beauregard, Carter, Puckett and Dominic Schinella are part of a strong junior class that has been putting in a lot of work in the offseason.
“The goal is to be tough and competitive every time we wrestle,” Breen said. “We have a lot of young talented wrestlers who are looking to crack the varsity lineup as well.”
JOHN STARK
Division: III
Coach: Zach Feudner (4th year).
Last year: 5th.
Returning starters: Jackson Benedict, so., 120/126; Brennan Champagne, sr., 144/150; Joie Demmons, so., 106/133; Alex Descoteau, sr., 190/215; Hunter Griffin, so., 138/144; Lyncoln Jablonski, so., 126; Dawson Palmer, so., 150/156; Sean Crean, jr., 113.
Outlook: The Generals are less experienced than they were last season, but return three wrestlers who placed at last year’s D-III championship – Descoteau (second 190), Jablonski (third 113) and Crean (fourth 120). Descoteau and Jablonski both finished in the top five at the Meet of Champions. Descoteau is closing in on 100 career wins, while Jablonski looks to build off an impressive rookie campaign as a first-time wrestler. Crean is a three-year varsity wrestler who has emerged as a key leader for the Generals after an impressive offseason.
“We took a step back in numbers and we are younger than we have been,” Feudner said. “We sit at 19 right now, but 15 of those are freshmen and sophomores, so we understand that total overall experience took a step backwards, but the future will be bright as we develop our young team.”
KEARSARGE
Division: III
Coach: Reilly Moskalenko (3rd year).
Last year: 15th.
Returning starters: Jacob Mullen, so.; Justin St. Onge, jr.; Gage Richard, jr.; Brodie Malynowski, sr.
Outlook: “We have a lot of first years and inexperienced wrestlers, and our goal is to have a successful season regardless of experience level,” Moskalenko said. “Wrestling is a very tough sport and I am excited to see how these wrestlers go into their first or second year and progress through the season.”
WINNISQUAM
Division: III
Coach: Tom Osmer (8th year)
Last year: 6th.
Returning starters: Ryan Cormier, sr., 120; Aemon Gauthier, sr., 126; Dylan Griffin, jr., 132; Colin Parenteau, so., 150; Victor Pham, sr., 165; David Jean, sr., 175.
Outlook: With a roster size of 30 strong, the Bears are especially strong in the lightweights, but have experienced competitors in 12 of the 14 weight classes. Gauthier (second 126, champion in 2022), Cormier (second 120, champion in 2023), Griffin (third 132), Jean (third 157) and Parenteau (fourth 138) are all returning placewinners from last season’s division championship.
“We have the ability, the experience and the character to compete, the kids want to be successful, and they are showing that they are willing to do what it takes to achieve what they are capable of,” Osmer said. “We have enough quality to score in tournaments, and enough depth and toughness to be good in dual meets. I think it will be an exciting season for us.”