The 2023-24 season for a pair of East Providence High School wrestlers concluded last weekend as Charles Phillips and Baha Akdemir competed in the the 59th Annual Council of New England Secondary Schools Principals' Associations Championship Meet March 1 and 2 at the Providence Career and Tech Academy Fieldhouse.

Both Akdemir and Phillips earned their spots with top three finishes in each weight class, 165 and 138, respectively, at the state meet the week prior. Akdemir, the Townies' emerging junior standout, fell in the 165 pound weight class finale to Ponaganset's now three-time individual state champ Andrew Reall by an 8-1 score.

Last weekend, Reall fell in the regional final by a major decision, 10-1 score to Brent Nicolosi of Haverill, Mass. Akdemir dropped both of his outings at New Englands, by pin at 3 minutes, 46 seconds into the second period against Lucas Alvan of Ludlow, Mass., then to Jayden Lafrenye of Lincoln in Maine by major decision, 14-3.

Classmate Phillips wrestled back to third place at states after losing to another Chieftain and eventual division champ, James Joyce, in the 138 semifinals. At regionals, Phillips reached the quarterfinals of the main draw with a pin at 3:23 of second period over Isayah Isham of Mt. Abraham Union High School in Vermont, then another pin over Caleb O'Rourke of Salem, NH, also in the second period at 3:55.

Michael Boulanger ended Phillips run in the Round of Eight 42 seconds into the third and final period. Phillips next lost in the consolation round to Jay Chase of Sheehan High (Connecticut) 14 seconds into the third period.

"This was a really fun team to be around. They all worked really hard," EPHS head coach Tom Galligan said of his team in general, which went 8-3-1 during the Division I meet season then placed 12th at states last week. "And it wasn't a team where just two or three superstars led the way. Every one of the kids put in the time, did their job. It was a great season."

Boulanger eventually lost in the consi final to place fourth. Rhode Island winner Joseph Joyce of Ponaganset won the 138 regional title, helping the team state champion Chieftains also claim the New England crown with 209 total points.

Ponaganset had four individual regional champs, three runners-up, a fifth and a sixth-place finisher en route to the victory over Xavier (Connecticut), which finished second with 149 points. Aforementioned Haverill was third with 149.

Two other Rhode Island sides, Coventry, with 59 points, and Scituate, with 55, placed sixth and eighth, respectively, led by their superstar performers: Peyton Ellis and Gabriel Bouyssou.

Coventry's Ellis did not lose in state during at 120 or 126 his entire tenure with the Knotty Oakers. He added the 126 New England title this year to his 120 title won a year ago. Ellis defeated Yandel Morales of Andover, Mass., 10-5 for the regional championship.

Scituate's Bouyssou also went unbeaten through his four years for the Spartans, the first two at 138, then at 145 and this winter at 150 pounds following the RIIL's weight class changes in time for the 2023-24 season.

He did Ellis won better at New Englands, winning all three times he competed in regionals, which were not held in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As he did locally, Bouyssou won the 138, 145 and 150 titles the last three years, culminating with his major decision 16-4 victory over Ponaganset's Carnell Davis at last week's regional event.