Wrestlers, family members, teammates, and supporters from across Massachusetts packed North Andover High School’s gym Saturday for the MIAA Division I girls individual championships.
Two Belmont wrestlers, senior Ava Svistunov and junior Eva Cohen, finished as runners-up in their respective weight classes.
Svistunov, a senior chasing her third straight state title, now at 114 pounds, opened her day in dominant fashion against Lowell’s Jennifer Nguyen. Wrestling directly after the national anthem, she scored a takedown within the first five seconds, added another 40 seconds later, and secured a pin in just 47 seconds to advance.
“I have a good feeling about my other matches and am confident in my path to the finals,” Svistunov said after the match.
Her quarterfinal against Springfield Central’s Geysha Perez followed a similar script. Svistunov controlled the legs early, built a 7-0 first period lead, before finishing the match with another pin. In the semifinal against New Bedford’s Cheyenne Alamos, she struck again with a fast takedown inside 20 seconds and piled up points for an 8-1 first period advantage. She managed to pin her opponent early in the second period, earning her berth into the championship match.
In the 114-pound final, Svistunov met Bridgewater-Raynham senior Kennedie Davis in a long anticipated rematch. The two faced off during Svistunov’s freshman year, when Davis won. On Saturday, Davis struck first with an early takedown, but Svistunov battled back with a reversal late in the opening period to cut the deficit to one. A second-period takedown from Davis widened the gap, and midway through the third, she pinned Svistunov, ending her three-peat hopes.
Reflecting afterward, Svistunov said, “I am proud of everything I have accomplished and I hope the girls’ program continues to grow and not die out after Eva and I leave.”
Following the matches, Belmont head coach Craig Janjigan praised Svistunov’s long-term impact.
“She brought a new versatility and offseason work ethic that helped lay a new foundation for the program,” he said.
Cohen, a junior ranked No.1 at 120 pounds, had her first match in the quarterfinals after a bye. Known by teammates for her powerlifting background and strength, she overcame a slow start against Greater Lawrence’s Danyeliz Retamar with a takedown and held control until pinning her opponent at 1:59 of the first period. Cohen then advanced straight to the final after a semifinal forfeit, a welcome break as she managed mild symptoms from a previous concussion earlier in the season.
Cohen’s final against Springfield Central’s Izabella Perez proved to be equally difficult. After an early stoppage to check her head, the first period ended scoreless. Cohen appeared shaken in the second, after Perez forced her out of bounds and threw her into the nearby scorer’s table. Cohen later received a stalling point, putting her behind 1-0. Despite multiple late takedown attempts and another stoppage for a nosebleed, Cohen struggled to seize momentum and Perez pinned her in the closing half minute.
Cohen, who improved from third place last year to second this winter, already set her goal for next year. “I want to try moving up a weight class or two next year, and I believe I can win the state title,” she said.