The Mt. Hope High School wrestling team continued taking steps towards regaining its once-held spot among the state's elite a year ago and the Huskies have some pretty lofty expectations for the winter ahead as the 2024-25 season begins.

Mt. Hope is coming off a 6-5-1 meet record in the Division I ranks in 2023-24 and finished sixth at the state meet with 87 points behind the run-away winner from Ponaganset. The Chieftains not only repeated as state champs with a commanding 306.5 points to the 124.5 of runner-up Coventry, but they also won a second consecutive New England title.

The Huskies return two of their five placers at states in Ethan Martel, fifth a year ago at 132, and Anthony Lombardi, sixth at 126.

Ethan Delehanty (fourth, 190) and James Thibaudeau (fifth, 150) both graduated while last year's individual standout, junior Andrew McCarthy, left the program as well. The 2024 state champion at 144 pounds, who later finished eighth in the weight class nationally, McCarthy enrolled at New York Military Academy this fall in pursuit of earning a top-level college scholarship.

"He's definitely D-I (college) caliber," Mt. Hope head coach Ryan Fazzi said of McCarthy. "The kid's a stud. I'm so happy for him."

No worries, however, for the Huskies as another talented member of the McCarthy clan has joined the program and likely steps right into the shoes of his big brother, literally.

Kyle McCarthy is a freshman for Mt. Hope this winter and won the 144 spot in this year's lineup. He may, though, vie at times in the 138 class, the weight at which he had a superb eight grade season for the Kickemuit Middle School grappling squad for whom he won the 2024 state title.

Barring injury and following preseason competition for spots culminating with the intra-squad wrestle-offs held Saturday, Dec. 7, Fazzi said his lineup throughout the season will be as follows: 106 pounds: Logan Sousa, freshman; 113: Michael Bouchard, junior; 120: Eli Francis, freshman; 126: Bryce Brown, freshman; 132: Aidan Squatrito, sophomore; 138: Ethan Martel, senior; 144: McCarthy, freshman; 150: Anthony Lombardi, sophomore; 157: Matt Thibaudeau, sophomore; 165: Nick Rogers, sophomore; 175: LJ Pacheco, senior; 190: Lucas Machado, freshman or Robert Annis, junior; 215: Colin Maloney, senior; and 285: Ben Martel, junior.

Reviewing the roster, the number of underclassmen who won spots in the starting lineup is striking. Nine freshmen and sophomores will open the year in varsity scoring positions.

"I love it," Fazzi said of his team's abundance of youth.

He continued about the cast of youngsters, "These guys wrestled off (December 7), and they had to earn their spots from upperclassmen. They did nothing but work hard all summer, going to Iron Faith club here (in Bristol) and at other clubs around the state. They just worked really hard to prove themselves. I love the aggression and ferocity of this freshmen/sophomore group.

"They definitely have something to prove and they have no problem working for it. Everyone in the state is curious to see how these guys will do and I can't wait to see it myself. But I've seen these guys work. I've seen who've they've wrestled. I know what they can do."

The group of Mt. Hope upperclassmen are impressive as well. Fazzi said he is also eager to see how they fare this winter.

"We have a wealth of experience in senior captain Ethan Martel, who's coming off a fifth-place finish at states. Unfortunately, he got injured in that consolation match. He could just as easily had won that match and gone on to place in New Englands," said Fazzi, who's assisted by former MHHS state champs Brad Oliver and Collin Cardoso as well as Doug Sampson, Eric Francis and Byron Thibaudeau.

He continued, "And my two big guys, Maloney is a kid a lot of people have never heard of, but that's because he's been injured the last three years. He's wrestled since he was a little kid, but people have no idea what he brings to the table. Now that he's healthy, he's going to be a problem.

"And Ben is going to be an even bigger problem. He's a heavyweight, but it's not your grandfather's division. He's about 265, but he's nimble and strong. He can move like a lighter weight and go to the mat like a heavier guy. He's another guy I can't wait to see what he can do."

It appears the rest of Rhode Island is in the same position. Many, from online forums to casual conversationalists, are wondering just how good the Huskies are, considering their youth and limited track for some in Interscholastic League competitions. Fazzi, for one, is quite confident in his team's abilities.

"I see a lot predictions out there have us finishing anywhere from second to sixth at states. It seems like the rest of the state is always curious about what goes on here in the East Bay," said Fazzi, who enters his third winter at the held of the Huskies.

"There's a lot of curiosity about what we can do," he continued. "Well,I know what they can do. Realistically, winning a state title isn't there. When you're dealing with a Ponaganset team that might be the most dominant team ever to come out of Rhode Island and possibly New England, then it's probably not realistic at this point. But I can see us finishing as high as second if we remain focused, stay healthy and are ready to get after it when states come around."

Mt. Hope is slated to begin its 2024-25 season with participation in the South County Tournament Saturday morning, Dec. 14, in North Kingstown. Besides the host Skippers, the Huskies are joined in the field by Bishop Hendricken, Burrillville, the Central Falls/Blackstone Valley Prep co-op and Chariho. Wrestling begins at 9 a.m.

Mt. Hope hosts its own early-season event, the Sharon Lombardo Wrestling Tournament, on Saturday, Dec. 21, beginning at 9 a.m. Massachusetts is represented in the event by Durfee (Fall River), Waltham, Swampscott, Norton, Needham, Natick, Middleboro, Marblehead, Holyoke and Gloucester. Davies and Pilgrim join the Huskies repping Rhode Island.

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