Offering up its best performance since missing out on the title by a mere half point 10 years ago, the East Providence High School wrestling team placed second to champion Hendricken at the 2015-16 state meet held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26 and 27, at the Providence Career and Tech Academy Field House.

The Townies, sparked by the weight class-winning efforts of Christian Hussey and Mario Peoples, accrued 176.5 points over the two-day event while the Hawks earned 226.5 points en route to claiming their third state title in as many winters.

The championship was the 10th all-time for Hendricken, which finished unbeaten and atop the Division I-A dual meet standings with a 15-0 record.

East Providence, third (12-3) behind the Hawks and second-place Cumberland (13-2) in the dual standings, was seeking its first state title since winning its one and only crown back in the 1954-55 season. The Townies finished a half-point shy (168-5-168) of Cranston West for the championship a decade ago at the 2005-06 state meet.

The top seeds in their respective classes, 120 and 170 pounds, Hussey and Peoples pretty much dominated their opposition at states.

A junior, Hussey won his opening bout by pin in just 13 seconds then his quarterfinal match in 16 seconds. LaSalle upstart Thomas Mountain, the 12th seed in the class, gave Hussey a bit of a tussle in the semifinals, but the latter earned an 11-8 decision. Hussey then claimed the crown with a 4-0 decision over the second seed from North Providence, Joshua Wheeler, in the final.

Peoples, a senior, had a bye in the opening round with 32 competitors. He won his first outing by pin in 45 seconds then claimed a tech fall win by a 21-6 score with just under 30 seconds to go in his quarterfinal match. Peoples continued his surge with a 12-5 win over fifth-seeded Dan O'Hara of East Greenwich. Peoples then resoundingly claimed the 170-pound title with a pin of sixth-seeded Tommy Wrzesien of Chariho in just 61 seconds.

East Providence's other top tier performance came from junior Sam Lundsten, who fell just shy in his pursuit of the 182 pound state title. He lost to Hendricken's James Sauro, 5-1, in the championship match.

The bracket held to form, pitting the top-seeded (Sauro) and second-seeded (Lundsten) in the final. Sauro won his first two matches by pin then defeated Burrillville's Greg Lacroix, 6-0, in the semis. Likewise, Lundsten opened his tournament with a pin then earned 16-5 victory before beating Lincoln's Tyler Balon, 7-2, in the semis.

The Townies also received top six efforts from a handful of other competitors last weekend. Senior Peter Leite Jr. placed third at 126 pounds. Classmate James Nicoll was fourth at 220, falling in his last bout by a slim 1-0 count to Hendricken's Nick Martino. Freshman Jacob Estrada completed his outstanding debut high school season by placing fourth at 113. And sophomore Garret Olbrych settled for sixth in the heavyweight (285 pound) class.

As for the rest of the team standings, LaSalle placed third behind the Hawks and Townies with 148.5 points while Cumberland was fourth with 135 and North Providence fifth with 97.

The top three finishers in each weight class at states advance to the 52nd Annual New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championships Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, back at the Providence Career and Technical Center.