Mt. Hope wrestlers James Thibaudeau and Andrew McCarthy are best of friends off the mat. But on the mat, they have become highly-competitive drilling partners as Thibaudeau wrestles at 150 pounds and McCarthy grapples at 144.

Both wrestlers  achieved 100 wins for their careers in January and were recognized during the wrestling team’s tri-meet wins over Chariho and Cranston West on Wednesday night. Only 14 previous wrestlers have accomplished the feat since the school opened in 1993. The latest to do it were Cory Grifka, Nick Gomes and Liam Mallon of the state championship team, that achieved the mark in 2021.

“I love working with James,” said McCarthy. “It makes us both better. I foresee him placing high this year at states.”                           

“They push each other as hard as they possibly can,” said head coach Ryan Fazzi. They are high school teenagers, they want to beat each other every single day. It fosters a competitive environment between those two. They have really built a brotherhood and they are growing, exponentially.”

“I wrestled my whole life,” Thibaudeau said, who also plays football and lacrosse. “Wrestling is my main sport. I started when I was five.”

It’s a family tradition at the Thibaudeau household. He has five brothers and one sister. All five brothers wrestled.

“It was a good feeling, he said of achieving 100 wins. “None of my other brothers got it. So I got that over them.”

His younger brother, Matt, is currently on the team and doing well.

“It’s been fun watching him grow and having him on the team,” he said.

Thibaudeau was only 12-5 in his first year as a freshman.

“We were really just finding him a spot at that time,” Coach Fazzi said of his freshman year. “He took fifth place that season. This season, he has 100 wins. He’s staying healthy and looking good.”

Thibaudeau is currently undefeated in the state and on target to make a run at the state title.

“I’m so proud of James,” said Coach Fazzi. “He has become a more methodical and strategic wrestler. He’s always been a strong, workman-like wrestler. Now he’s picking his shots.”

McCarthy has a chance to become the winningest wrestler

McCarthy achieved the 100 win feat as a junior and has a chance to surpass Mt. Hope wrestling win leader, Colin Cardoza, whose record stands at 157-20. Cardoza recently visited the team and said he wanted to help McCarthy beat his record, according to Coach Fazzi.

McCarthy, who is undefeated this season at 36-0 has a great chance to do it. He is also seeking his first state championship after placing second in both of his first two seasons and hopefully, a New England championship.

“Andrew is phenomenal,” said Coach Fazzi. “He has really grown into his weight class. He looks healthy, super lean and strong. He’s defeated everyone in front of him.”

McCarthy recently beat the Vermont state champion at the Woburn tournament.

“The Vermont kid is ranked in New England,” said Coach Fazzi. “I was going into the match thinking that this will be good competition for Andrew. But he has showed me that there are levels involved in this sport. Andrew pinned him quick. Made him look like an amateur.”

McCarthy has been so good to date, that he’s difficult to coach.

“He’s been unbelievable,” said Coach Fazzi. “I can’t wait to see what he can do at states and in the New Englands.”

McCarthy, who had cut weight to get down to 126 the last two seasons, decided to wrestled near his normal weight of 144 pounds. The decision has been a big part of his success. He has been able to gain tremendous strength through his training and yet, keep the speed that he had when he wrestled at 126 pounds as a freshman and sophomore.

“It was a big jump,” McCarthy said. “It took a little getting used to with a little more weight and stronger kids, but I feel like I am finally starting to adjust and I’m having an easier time.”

McCarthy said he spent a lot of time in the weight room during the summer and he changed his diet so he could, bulk up.

“I just felt that I’d do better if I was stronger,” he said. “That’s what I focused on.”

“He’s so explosive,” said coach Fazzi. “And he’s super healthy at his weight class. The key factors are his health and his speed. He makes it look like those guys he’s wrestling are standing still.”

McCarthy said that his favorite moves are a “High crotch single” and a “Boots on top.”

“I think that this year our team’s really good, I think we have a good set of captains (McCarthy, Thibaudeau, Elijah Bland and Ethan Martel). I think we’re going to do really well and me, I’m shooting for that state title.”

Huskies crush Chariho 57-19, win tie-breaker over Cranston West 40-39

The 15-6 Huskies crushed Chariho 57-19 and an hour later beat a strong Cranston West team 40-39 by tie-breaker.

Ethan Martel, Matt Thibaudeau, McCarthy, James Thibaudeau, Ethan Delehanty, Mason Tavares and Derick Case all pinned their Chariho opponents. Sebastian Moniz won a 13-9 decision and Michael Siravo and Arion Ferris each won by default. Jonathan Sylvia and Anthony Lombardi lost decisions. Nick Rogers and Jason Andreozzi each lost by fall.

Against Cranston West,

Siravo, McCarthy, Thibaudeau, Rogers, Delehanty and Case all pinned their opponents. Martel won a 10-4 decision, Lombardi lost a 6-3 decision and Ferris, Sylvia, Matt Thibaudeau, Moniz, Andreozzi, Tavares each lost by fall.

The Huskies won due to the fact that they had more match points than Cranston West.

“It was an even match,” said Coach Fazzi. “On paper, we were supposed to lose but we pulled it off. Andrew’s kid was fighting like hell. If he didn’t stick his guy, it would have been a technical fall and a loss.”