By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – This week’s crosstown city series wrestling battle, pitting two very good programs, was a tremendous bout as Bristol Eastern just snuck by Bristol Central over a 45-34 final from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium on Wednesday.

The contest saw the Lancers rack up several pins which included Alex Marshall, Eastern’s latest 100-win grappler, picking up a pin-fall victory against Jack Jones at 160 pounds.

On the flip side, Will Hamilton (126), a beast on the mats, earned his win against the Lancers via forfeit.

What was the significance in Eastern’s 11-point win over Central?

It finally squared the series between the squads.

The series, which was started in 1963, now stands at BE-29: BC-28: 2 ties after fifty-nine matches against one another.

Eastern is currently on an 11-match winning streak over Central and the most recent showdown was as close as close could be.

The last time the bout went down to the wire was back in 2013 when the Lancers upended the Rams by a 36-35 final.

Central won in 2009 and 2010 by a combined seven points over two tremendous meets but Eastern was about to take over the series – at least for a time.

Typically, Central has beaten Eastern by a close margin over the years as the Rams have won the city series match nine times by three points or less.

That’s a tremendous accomplishment by the program up on the hill.

On average, Eastern scores 31.5 points-per-match against Central in city series action while the Rams post 26.5 points against the Kingstreeters.

Central coach Matt Boissonneault and his counterpart over at Eastern, Eric Sassu, have both programs humming this season.

Eastern was the runner-up in the CCC South, going 5-1 in the league and 14-4 overall.

Central was right there as well, posting a sterling 10-3 ledger overall (4-2 CCC South).

Speaking of the last BC/BE wrestling meet, here’s a look at the box score from the latest event:

City Series Wrestling

BRISTOL EASTERN 45, BRISTOL CENTRAL 34

from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium, Bristol

Individual Results

182 pounds: Caleb Miller (BE) forfeit; 195: Dylan Piazza (BE) pin Eric Cooper (BC), 1:38; 220: Gabriel Buden (BC) pin Jaiden Fore (BE), 1:30; 285: Jeff Labbe (BC) pin Evan Gleifert (BE), 1:01; 106: Andrew Brown (BE) forfeit; 113: Anthony Silva (BE) pin Joseph Niek (BC), 1:19; 120: Michael Roalf (BE) dec. Julian Colon (BC), 10-7; 126: Will Hamilton (BC) forfeit; 132: Aiden Lamarre (BC) major dec Gabe White (BE), 11-3; 138: Lincoln Archibald (BC) pin Thomas Vontell (BE), 0:49; 145: Josh Aubin (BE) pin Araya Guilmette (BC), 4:26; 152: Umar Malick (BC) pin Ella Nichols (BE), 1:53; 160: Alex Marshall (BE) pin Jack Jones (BC), 0:38; 170: Kaiden Dionne (BE) pin Jayden Colon (BC), 4:43.

Records: Eastern 14-4 overall, 5-1 CCC South; Central 10-3, 4-2 CCC South