Goffstown’s grapplers followed their second-place Division- II finish by placing three wrestlers in the top six at the Meet of Champions (MOC), including Tom Foote, who heads to the New England regional event at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Conn., on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7.

Foote was unable to capture the heavyweight title at the Saturday, Feb. 28, competition, falling to Timberlane’s Brian Nicoll in a match that couldn’t be settled in regulation.

Nicoll took the bout by the slimmest of margins, 3-2, in three overtimes.

The Grizzlies’ other top-six finishes came from Kirby Holmes and Nick Francoeur, who garnered sixth-place honors in the 130- and 189-pound weight classes, respectively.

Seven Goffstown athletes were eligible for the competition. Eric Moran, Josh Devriendt and Caleb Cejka all wrestled at the MOC. Nick Wheelock, D-II state champ at 140 pounds, failed to make weight and was unable to take the mat.

Foote said the higher level of competition at the MOC didn’t change his preparation entering the event.

“(Having been here a lot) makes it so it’s just like any other tournament,” said Foote. “It’s almost routine for me.”

Although Moran didn’t place in the top six, the senior said it was good to know he belonged among the state’s elite.

“You can learn a lot just by watching the best all day,” said Moran, who credited offseason preparation for his first MOC appearance.

Devriendt, a sophomore, said the experience, his first, was invaluable. “You can always improve, and this is a base to build off of,” said Devriendt. “It’s always best to wrestle against better competition. It’ll help because you (face) better wrestlers out there, and you really get the feel of things.”