By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – When the Enfield wrestling squad showed up for its bout against Bristol Eastern on Thursday, the Eagles were completely undermanned.

It’s common during these strange times that scholastic rosters have been depleted due to sickness, injury, and such but, credit Enfield, the team hopped on the bus to battle the Lancers in a CCC Interdivisional showdown from Eastern’s small gym.

And the Lancers won the match by a 52-17 final, getting to the pay window for the first time in 2022.

Eric Sassu earned his first victory as the head coach of the Bristol Eastern wrestling program.

The locals were challenged early but once the match got to Eastern’s wheelhouse, in the middle of the Lancers’ line-up, Enfield quickly fell behind and was never able to catch up.

The Lancers earned a forfeit win at 106 pounds but the visiting aggression earned the points right back at 113 as Enfield’s Robert Mueller picked up a 15-0 technical fall over Eastern freshman Luke Viens.

Eastern’s Michael Roalf battled at 120 but was pinned in 2:27 as the Eagles nabbed an 11-6 edge in the match.

But from there, forfeit wins by the Kingstreeters put some distance between the squads on the scoreboard.

Gabe White (126), Nate Torres (132), and Thomas Vontell (138) all wrapped up victories due to forfeit as Eastern led it, 24-11.

There wasn’t a bout scheduled for 145 pounds and then, it was time for Ella Nichols (152) to take center stage.

Enfield’s Ryan Moeller went the distance with the outstanding senior – earning two points via escapes – but Nichols would not be denied.

Moeller was battered by the Eastern grappler through various takedowns and a couple near-falls, one of those coming late in the third period, as Nichols rolled up a 14-2 major decision victory.

That was followed by pin-fall victories by Alex Marshall (42 seconds at 160 pounds) and Kaiden Dionne (1:26 at 170) to post the Lancers to a 40-11 push.

Dylan Piazza (182) and Owen Brayles (195) did not have opponents to face to boost Eastern’s cushion to 41 points before settling on a 52-17 victory in the end.

Eastern followed up that meet with a credible showing at the 2022 Bristol Central Invitational on Saturday.

Read the results from that meet today in TBE.