UPPER DUBLIN >> It wasn’t supposed to be a lopsided win.
In fact, if anything, Upper Dublin was supposed to handle Plymouth Whitemarsh somewhat easily when two of the Suburban One League American Conference’s top dogs met Wednesday night.
But nobody told the Colonials they were supposed to go gentle into that cold night.
And behind the heroics of role players Vaughn Hart, Scott Horry, Darren Ries and others, the Colonials skunked the Cards, 42-24, to stake their claim in what looks to be a wide open championship chase.
“I’m not too surprised,” said PW head coach Justin Giovinco. “This is something we’re capable of when the kids are wrestling at their best.
“They really got shook up when we lost to Norristown. These guys hadn’t lost in league for quite a few years. This year is a challenge compared to years past, but when they do what they’re supposed to do, we can go with anybody in the American Conference.”
It didn’t take long for the Colonials to spring their surprises.
Upper Dublin took a 9-6 lead after three bouts, then watched as the unheralded Hart battled back to top Upper Dublin’s Luiz Lozada, 5-1.
The surprises continued when Horry pinned Kevin Chung at 182 and Darren Ries shocked Chris Smith, 4-2, at 220 pounds.
“That was ugly,” said Cardinals head coach David Jones. “Things didn’t turn out the way we thought they would turn out at 160 and 182.
“We got every matchup we wanted, and the kids came up small. We figured on getting sixes at 160 and 182 and we wound up losing both bouts.”
PW continued its roll when Quincy Williams (285) and Dylan Moore (106) registered back-to-back pins, and when Marco DiBattista notched a fall at 113, the match was decided.
“They wrestled well and we wrestled poorly,” Jones said, “and that’s what happened.”
