NHS Wrestling—

Gouveia Wins 100th Match And SWC Title; Six Teammates Earn Medals in Tourney

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School junior John Gouveia wrestled his way to a first-place finish in the South-West Conference Wrestling Championships in New Fairfield last Friday and Saturday. Gouveia and the Nighthawks placed fourth in the tournament with 114 points (New Milford with 199.5 won the team championship).

The highlight of the tourney for the Hawks was Gouveia maintaining his unbeaten status (he is now 37-0 this season) with a 5-1 decision over Pomperaug’s Rob Caleca in the championship of the 125-pound weight class.

“I didn’t want to lose in the finals — didn’t want to be like the Patriots,” Gouveia said. “If there was a match I didn’t want to lose it would be that one.”

There is still some unfinished business for Gouveia, who enters this weekend’s Class LL State Championships, to be held Friday and Saturday in Trumbull, as the No. 1 seed in his weight class. Gouveia enters the weekend knowing that, given the statewide talent, his undefeated mark is in jeopardy. If he wrestles as he has been, the junior could win the LL title, a Connecticut State Open title and even a New England championship.

Whatever happens, Gouveia can already hold his head high not only for his SWC win, but an impressive milestone he reached. Gouveia won the 100th match of his high school career earlier in the SWC tourney — a feat not too many wrestlers have accomplished in their careers — nevermind before reaching their senior year.

“You don’t see it very often. That’s our fifth wrestler in ten years to go over 100 wins,” Newtown Coach Alan Potter said.

 Gouveia may have been the only NHS grappler to win an SWC title this year, but six of his teammates medaled at the tourney.

Senior captains Joel Minalgo (215-pound weight class) and Dana VanBuskirk (119) came out of the tournament each with only one loss and taking second and third in their respective weight classes. Mark Bonimici (130) had one of the best tournaments of his career, beating the fifth- and sixth-ranked wrestlers in the state of Connecticut. He took third place, losing only to the eventual champion, Mike Frick of New Fairfield. Chris Salvatore (145), Thad Adams (285), and freshman Ian McEvoy (103) all finished in fourth to earn medals.

The fourth-place team finish in the tourney means third-place status in the conference for the Nighthawks as a result of finishing second in the SWC in the regular campaign. The Hawks capped of the regular season slate with a thrilling 37-36 win over Bethel on February 6. Salvatore pinned James Thomsen in 3:27 to push the Hawks over the top on the scoreboard.

“That was the pivotal win,” Potter said.

“There was definitely a lot of pressure,” Salvatore said. “It was a big win for us.”

On paper, it looked as if Bethel had the edge, so Potter told his wrestlers about the importance of pinning opponents. At 103 McEvoy earned a 13-5 major decision over Brian Dunn; at 112 Joe Pieretti pinned Corey Roy in 5:03; at 119 VanBuskirk pinned Bryan Lehner in 1:18; at 125 Gouveia pinned George Fernandes in 3:10; at 130 Bonamici won a 9-3 decision over Zak Hodza; and at 215 Minalgo won by forfeit.

“All the kids stepped up to the plate and did what they were supposed to do,” the coach said.

 The win over Bethel wrapped up a regular campaign that Potter said was his best in ten years. The Nighthawks went 20-6 overall and 10-2 in the SWC.

“We had a good season,” VanBuskirk said. “We’ve finished strong — we peaked at the end of the season.”

 And the Hawks who have qualified for state competition hope to carry that momentium into this weekend and perhaps beyond as Class LL’s and State Open unfold.