While the winter season may have come to a close for the Marblehead-Swampscott wrestling team, the Black and Blue will celebrate the 2024-2025 season one more time with the annual banquet on Thursday, March 13 at The Gerry 5 in Marblehead beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Senior captain Mason Hinshaw and junior captain Liam O’Brien closed out the season in last weekend’s MIAA All-States Championship at Methuen High School.
Senior captain Justin Gonzalez had hoped to get into the tournament as an alternate, but did not. He finished the season with a 28-11 record.
A two-year captain, Hinshaw finished the season with a 40-8 record at 157 pounds. At all-states, he opened with an 11-9 loss to Domenico Ternullo (St. John’s Prep). After an upper-body injury flared, Hinshaw was eliminated in the consolation bracket by Methuen’s Anthony Demaio in a second-period pin (2:31).
Remarkably, his only two regular season losses were by one-point margins (10-9 and 11-10) and he was pinned by opponents just twice. He won tournaments in the Lombardo, Gionet, Pentucket Holiday, and CAL/NEC Championship.
He finished his high school career with 139 victories over three seasons, second on the all-time wins list behind O’Brien (142 wins). A three-time all-state tournament qualifier and New England Championship alternate, he placed seventh, third, and sixth in state tournaments over the course of his career.
Head Coach Mike Stamison said that while it was “the end of an era,” it was the beginning of a new one.
“Certainly not at 100 percent due to various injuries, but he wrestled tough,” Stamison said. “Superb balance, excellent hips, tenacity, and technical skill were Mason’s trademarks. Moreover, Mason was an excellent two-year captain, leading vocally and by example, and is well-liked by many in the region.”
Hinshaw will continue his wrestling career at the University of Southern Maine, “where he undoubtedly will be successful,” according to Stamison.
Stamison said O’Brien “wrestled hard (at all-states) with a tough draw.” In the opening round, O’Brien (132 pounds) dropped a 7-0 decision to Division 3 state champion Aydin Lamb of Wakefield, then was eliminated by Matthew Batista of Worcester Tech in a 6-2 decision.
O’Brien finished the season with a 41-7 record. In 48 matches this year, he was pinned just once, demonstrating his ability – even in defeat – to stay on the mat.
Season highlights included tournament wins in the CAL/NEC Championship, the Gionet, the Pentucket Holiday, and the Division 2 North Sectional Championship.
“He went a solid month-and-a-half (undefeated) after losing 3-2 in the finals at the Lombardo until a 13-12 loss at Winchester,” Stamison said. “That’s December 22-February 4. He also ends the season as the all-time program wins leader with 142 career wins and a year to go – a feat that will likely be unmatched for a very, very long time.”