LOWER GWYNEDD >> Wissahickon wrestling coach Anthony Stagliano didn’t know how his team would be this year.
Injuries and defections had left major holes in what was already a questionable lineup, and the coach was wondering how his team would compete.
As it turns out, the Trojans are OK, as evidenced by Wednesday night’s 52-12 victory over Upper Dublin, which locked up the traditional Fireside Cup.
Charlie Brammer, Jim Thomas, Nick Senderling and Mark Thompson notched falls as Wissahickon shook off the question marks, and made mincemeat of the Cardinals.
Wissahickon’s Ben Maltin wrestles Upper Dublin’s Jeff Hirsch in the 145-pound bout on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
“I’m thrilled,” said Stagliano after the drubbing. “I thought we’d have a good chance to win, but we know Upper Dublin can be pretty tough.
“But we wrestled well.”
So well that the hero of the night was a freshman who lost — Dan Keller.
The frosh, going up against Cardinals standout Mason Novak, dropped a 6-3, decision, but more than held his own, and actually got a takedown in the match’s final seconds.
“Dan is only a freshman, but he went out and performed really well,” Stagliano said. “The whole lineup wrestled well.”
Upper Dublin grabbed the lead at 106 when Elijah Peck authored a fall, but by the time the Trojans lost again, a victory was essentially assured.
Wissahickon’s Brayden Druger wrestles Upper Dublin’s John Palmer in the 126-pound bout on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
Brammer, Jim Thomas Brayden Druger and Kevin Salmon followed with wins, and when Peter Sweeney made it five in a row, the lead was 22-6, and the home team wasn’t in much of a mood to look back.
“We had all kinds of issues at the beginning of the year,” Stagliano said. “A lot of guys we thought would be here weren’t, we’ve had some real devastating injuries.”
But Thomas, a transfer from Church Farm School, and the freshman Keller have been part of the shock troops that have ridden to the rescue.
“I think we’ll be competitive in our league,” the coach said. “I doh’t think we’ll win it, but we’ll be respectable.”
MAT NOTES: Another standout performance was handed in by Thompson, who decked Cardinal Andrew Senlick inside of a minute in the match’s final bout.
Wissahickon 52, Upper Dublin 12
106: Elijah Peck (UD) pinned Jaylen Pacheco, 5:14.
113: Charlie Brammer (W) pinned Aiden Reed, 3:49.
120: Jim Thomas (W) pinned Brian Concannon, 4:26.
126: Brayden Druger (W) Maj.dec. John Palmer, 14-4.
132: Kevin Salmon (W) dec. Alex Boncavage, 5-2.
138: Peter Sweeney (W) dec. Andy Yoon, 7-2.
145: Ben Maltn (W) Maj.dec. Jeff Hirsch, 13-2.
152: Luiz Losada (UD) dec. Aaron Kominsky, 7-1.
160: Nick Senderling (W) pinned Rory Smith, 3:26.
170: Mason Novak (UD) dec. Dan Keller, 6-3.
182: Jon Keller (W) Maj.dec. EJ Livrieri, 12-2.
195: Brian Fennell (W) Maj.dec. Rocco DeSimone, 10-1.
220: Mark Thompsoin (W) pinned Andrew Senlick, 0:58.
285: Jarred Taylor (W) won by forfeit.
Top Photo: Wissahickon’s Peter Sweeney wrestles Upper Dublin’s Andy Yoon in the 138-pound bout on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
