Concord seniors Isaac Gladey and Noah Giffard placed fourth in their respective weight classes at the New England Wrestling Championships on Saturday in Providence, R.I.
Gladey reached the semifinals of the 170-pound bracket with a 5-2 win over David Langlois of Woburn, Mass., but eventual champion Jayden Curley of Mansfield, Mass., pinned Gladey in the second period of the semifinals to knock the Tide senior out of title contention. Gladey rebounded with an 8-2 victory over Matthew Pooler of Massabesic, Maine, in the consolation bracket for a spot in the third-place bout. Gladey, who won Division I and Meet of Champions titles, ended his spectacular Concord career with a defeat by fall in the third period to Colby Giroux of Mount Mansfield, Vt.
Gladey’s comments following his dramatic Meet of Champions triumph proved to be prophetic.
“This was a big goal this year,” Gladey said last week. “I have it up in my locker, a sign I made that says D-I champ, MOC champ and place in New England. I already checked D-I champ, MOC I’m going to check today and New England I’m going to check next week.”
Giffard could check every one of those boxes, as well.
Following a narrow loss in the opening round Friday, the 220-pound champion in D-I and the Meet of Champions reeled off five straight wins to clinch a spot on the podium and a shot at third place. Giffard earned four of those wins Saturday – a win by fall in the first minute before three straight decisions by six points combined – before he dropped a 3-1 decision to Trinidad Gonzalez of Bristol Eastern, Conn., to conclude his sensational career.
Jack Sargent also represented the Crimson Tide at New Englands, but was eliminated on Friday.