Rubber Match Looms For Ledyard, Bacon

It's winner take all now for the Ledyard and Bacon Academy wrestling teams next Saturday at the Class M state tournament.

Defending champ Bacon avenged its regular season loss to the Colonels, winning the Eastern Connecticut Conference Tournament for the third straight time Saturday with 233 points, 8 1/2 more than Ledyard. Now both teams enter this weekend's Class M state meet as prohibitive co-favorites.

"We were fearful when coach Steve Bilheimer came back this year that Ledyard was going to be pretty tough," Bacon coach Mike Voiland said. "It turned out to be just that. And we're not done with them."

Perhaps the No. 4 ranked Bobcats deserve a slight edge as favorites, considering they enter post-season at full strength and went 5-1 in ECC finals, compared to Ledyard's 2-4 mark. Bacon faced No. 6 Ledyard minus two regulars in late December, including Aren Norman, who won the ECC 215-pound title.

"Bacon is a good tournament team," Bilheimer said. "We were in it right to the very end, but it was their day. Next week is a new tournament. There are more variables. Some kids may do better, some may do worse. One year, we won the ECCs by 70 points over Windham but we only won the Class Ms by 14. Let's hope things go our way next week."

Ledyard placed six in finals, winning two with Dean Gilbert prevailing in dramatic fashion at 145 pounds, nipping Killingly's Zach Cooke, 5-4. Dakota Kelly reigned at 171 in a win over Waterford's Matt Tulba.

Gilbert, seeded No. 4, scored a takedown with 13 seconds left to win his match, avenging an opening-day loss to Cooke, one of his two setbacks this season. Gilbert chose to give up a point and the lead in order to wrestle on top to open the third period, setting up his decisive late two-point takedown. It was an emotional day for Gilbert, who edged top-seeded Cameron Gonzalez of Fitch by a point in the semis.

"I'm much more comfortable on my feet," Gilbert said. "I thought I'd get the takedown for the two points."

Kelly never trailed against Tulba in a 5-3 decision.

"This is my first big tournament win, so it's a nice feeling," Kelly said.

Bilheimer added, "Dakota goes about his business quietly but comes to practice every day and does what he's supposed to do. It's paid off. I'm really happy for him."

Ledyard held a 216 1/2 to 209 lead over Bacon heading into the finals. Brandon Sullivan (152) dropped a tough 2-1 decision to Nick Cipriano of NFA. Alex Manwaring lost by injury default after staggering slightly in a dizzy spell after a neck injury against Bacon's Devin Covone at 160. Mike Spellman (189) did a nice job reaching the final before losing by pin to top-seeded Travis Koch of Windham. Matt Jones battled hard before losing 4-2 to No. 1 Matt McAllister of Bacon.

Bacon and Ledyard shared the Large Division crown by virtue of the Colonels winning the regular season and Bacon winning the tournament. The big prize awaits Saturday as Bacon pursues its second state crown and Ledyard its 18th.

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