A pair of Watertown wrestlers continued their seasons past the state meet, and one made the first appearance and collected the first win by a Raider wrestler at High School Nationals.
Senior Tommy Dicker traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia, on April 5 and 6 to compete at the NHSCA High School Nationals. In his first match (round of 64) of the senior 170 pound tournament, Dicker defeated Tyler Strickland of Simpsonville, South Carolina, 9-1. He lost to Andrew Wolfanger of St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, 4-0 in the round of 32. In the round of 32 of the consolation bracket, Dicker was defeated in a 5-2 decision by Aman Khalil of Brockton.
Watertown Wrestling Coach Kevin Russo said Dicker made history.
“He was the first person to qualify and the first to win a match there,” he said.
The trip to nationals wrapped up a season where Dicker placed second at the MIAA Div. 3 State Meet and won the Div. 3 Sectional meet. Dicker also was named All Conference Middlesex League All Star.
Meanwhile, junior Tessa Master took fourth place at an Open Free Style Tournament in New York, Russo said.
“It is a different form of wrestling and her first time (wrestling free style) and she took fourth,” Russo said. “It helps her learn, as some of the variation can be used in folk style (high school) wrestling.”
Earlier this year, Master became the first Watertown wrestler to qualify and win a match at the New England Wrestling Championships. She finished third at New Englands after winning the MIAA All-State and Div. 3 State titles.
Master was named First Team All Scholastic teams for both the Boston Globe and Boston Herald, Russo said, along with being selected as an All Conference Middlesex League All Star.
A third Watertown wrestler, junior Brady Gleason, was named Middlesex League Freedom Division All Star. He won his division at the MIAA Div. 3 Sectional Meet.