As a junior last season, Max O’Connell gave West its first individual wrestling title since 2011.

Last year, O’Connell won the state championship at the 138-pound weight class. But this past weekend, the senior entered the state tournament as the top seed at 145, after moving up a weight class this season.

The move certainly didn’t alter his results.

O’Connell captured an individual state title for a second-straight year on Saturday, this time at 145, in convincing fashion.

Even though O’Connell had a state championship under his belt, he was admittedly nervous, which he felt had an impact on his performance.

“It feels pretty good,” O’Connell said. “Looking back on the match, I could’ve wrestled better, though. I was just nervous and tense and should’ve relaxed.”

O’Connell rolled past Chariho’s Josh Monteiro in the semifinals, before drawing second-seeded Mike Caparco from Johnston in the finals – someone who he had faced a pair of times over the course of the season.

“I wrestled him two times throughout the year and got a very good feel for him,” O’Connell said. “I won both of those matches and was really just trying to feel him out. I was just trying to mentally prepare myself for this match.”

O’Connell jumped out to an early advantage in the match, before Caparco battled back. But O’Connell would eventually pull away and hold off the Johnston senior.

“(Caparco) has been getting stronger and stronger every match,” West head coach Tim Almonte said. “Max did a good job to finally take control and take it to him.”

O’Connell’s win qualified him for the New England Championships, which will be held this Friday and Saturday at North Andover High School in North Andover, Mass.

“Two in a row, so he’s excited as can be,” Almonte said of O’Connell’s win. “Hopefully he’ll do something at New England’s.”

The top three wrestlers in each weight class at the state meet qualified for New England’s.

In addition to O’Connell, West’s Ryan Gomez battled his way to the finals at 138 this past weekend.

The junior entered states as the top seed at 138. Gomez defeated a tough Davin Lourenco from Warwick Vets, before being edged by Moses Brown’s Andrew Howard for the state title.

Although Gomez fell short, he will still be accompanying O’Connell at New England’s.

“Gomez had a great year,” Almonte said. “He went 15-0 and worked hard and knew he had a really tough match. But he came in second and I’m proud of him.”

O’Connell echoed his coaches comments and was proud of his teammate.

“He beat a few very good kids in this tournament,” O’Connell said of Gomez. “Although he lost in the finals, he wrestled his heart out and really deserved it.”

West also got a solid performance at 132 from Noah James, who defeated Cranston East’s Gianni Andreoli to make it to the quarterfinals, before falling to Mt. Hope’s Christian Torres. Torres would go on to lose in the finals and place second.

As a team, West placed 11th out of 34 teams, with a point total of 69.5 – thanks in large part to O’Connell and Gomez.

Hendricken ran away with the championship, placing seven wrestlers in the finals on Saturday night. The Hawks compiled a point total of 276, while Cumberland placed second with 143.5.

But for West, the day belonged to O’Connell, who will graduate as a two-time state champion.

“Last year felt pretty good, but this year feels even better,” O’Connell said. “I’m ending my career and the last state championships on top.”