During last year’s Division II wrestling state championship, Caleb Earnshaw was the lone Bulldog to earn a victory. This year, Bedford showed the overall progress it’s made in its second year of varsity competition. Head coach Darrin Root expects to see his team forcefully continue that improvement.

“We were knocking on the door this year, and next year we’re going to kick it in,” said Root.

Eric Cooper and Ries Collier each lost in the consolation semifinals, and Max Lawless, Frankie Conery and Hunter Trottier all won a match during this year’s D-II competition on Saturday, Feb. 21, which Plymouth Regional dominated with 189 points.

Root said it was impressive to see the difference for BHS between the 2008 and 2009 championships. “Last year we were getting pinned or losing big at the Division II tournament,” said Root. “The fact that we were in it in most of the matches really tells you how far we’ve come.” The single victories came for Lawless at 160 pounds, Conery at 152 pounds and Trottier at 189 pounds.

“I’ve seen the progress not just year to year, but this season,” said Root. “The team that stepped on the mat that first match and the one that did yesterday, they’re totally different.”

Earnshaw went 0-2 during his two matches in a difficult 119-pound weight class after a successful tournament and trip to the Meet of Champions last year.

The team placed 15th with 21 points.

“When you get to a tournament like that, every mistake you make gets magnified with the scope of the match you’re in. We didn’t do as well as I hoped,” said Root. “But I thought the effort we saw yesterday, and it may not show in the final standings, we wrestled with a purpose and a lot smarter.”