Boys And Girls Battle In Nearly 1,000 Wrestling Bounts At 2026 New England Championships

Hundreds of boys and girls from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont competed at the 2-day tourney.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Hundreds of boys and girls from the six New England states competed at the 2026 CNESSPA New England Championships in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday and Sunday. Boys from 176 high schools and girls from 125 schools participated in more than 960 bouts at the Providence Career & Technical Academy. The girls had 12 weight brackets while the boys had 14.

Why it matters

The New England Championships is one of the premier high school wrestling events in the region, showcasing the top talent from across the six states. The large number of participants and bouts highlights the continued growth and popularity of wrestling, especially among female athletes who have seen increased opportunities to compete at the high school level in recent years.

The details

For the boys, Ponaganset High School in Glocester, RI, came in first with 128.5 points, Xavier High School in Middletown, CT, an all-boys Catholic school, came in second with 119 points, and Central Catholic in Lawrence, MA, came in third with 105.5 points. For the girls, Massabesic High School in Waterboro, ME, came in first, with 52 points, Salem High School in Salem, NH, came in second, and Woburn High School in Woburn, MA, came in third.

  • The 2026 CNESSPA New England Championships took place on Saturday and Sunday.

The players

Ponaganset High School

A high school in Glocester, Rhode Island that won the boys' team title at the 2026 New England Championships.

Xavier High School

An all-boys Catholic high school in Middletown, Connecticut that finished second in the boys' team competition.

Central Catholic

A high school in Lawrence, Massachusetts that placed third in the boys' team standings.

Massabesic High School

A high school in Waterboro, Maine that won the girls' team title.

Salem High School

A high school in Salem, New Hampshire that finished second in the girls' team competition.

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The takeaway

The 2026 New England Championships showcased the continued growth and popularity of high school wrestling, with hundreds of boys and girls from across the region competing in nearly 1,000 bouts over the two-day event. The large number of participants and the strong performances by schools from different states highlight the regional nature of the sport and the high level of talent on display.