Hornet Wrestlers End Guilford’s Seven-Year Win Streak

The Branford Hornets wrestling team achieved a milestone this week when they defeated the Guilford Indians for the first time in the past seven years.

“I’m very excited that we won our match today over a very good wrestling team like Guilford”, said Branford coach Chris Bonaguiso. ​“They have beaten us 7 straight years and to win we needed an ​“A” effort and that’s what we got today.”

Branford won the match by an impressive 54 – 19 score. The Hornets are now 13 – 10 on the season.

The Hornets dominated early. After an opening match loss they reeled off five straight victories over the Indians and four of them were pins on their opponents.

Junior Dakota Carden (top photo) got things rolling with a pin on Guilford’s Owen Marks at 1:21 in the 182 lb weight class. Carden’s win streak is now 52 in a row without a loss. ​“He’s wrestling at a very high level right now,” Bonaguiso said.

After Carden’s quick win, Alex Rasmus, (pictured) Kyle Zalewski, HyunJin Lim and Bijaya Jaisi all defeated their opponents. Rasmus won his match over Billy Conover and then Zalewski pinned Taki Alyasri in 0:20 in the 220 lb class, Lim pinned Robert Godsey in 0:37 in the 285 lb class and Jaisi pinned Brandon Filley at 5:44 in the 106 lb class.

In the big guy’s class (285 lb) here Branford’s Lim pinned Robert Godsey in 37 seconds.

And in the 106 lb class, Bijaya Jaisi pinned Brandon Filley at 5:44.

And here is Zalewski pinning Taki Alyasri in the 220 lb.

Branford’s Zach Cash lost his match against McKayd LaRose 13 – 6.

Other Hornets who won their matches include Dalton Carden in the 138 lb class, Nick Temple 152 lb and Cameron O’Neill 160 lb. All three won by also pinning their opponents contributing to the large point difference and ending the seven-year losing streak.

The Coach was proud.

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