ROYERSFORD >> During Senior Night ceremonies at Spring-Ford Thursday night, as each senior was introduced his favorite wrestling memory was announced.
They maybe should have waited until after Thursday’s match. Some of those ‘favorite memories’ might have changed.
Spring-Ford racked up four pins in a row to open the match and never looked back in a 48-19 victory over Boyertown that was the first win over the Bears for any current member of the Rams.
“It feels great,” Spring-Ford senior Ben D’Arcangelo said. “I’ve lost to them from freshman on through junior year so to come out here and put a pounding on them, it feels really good.”
Spring-Ford’s Quinn Tobin works on Boyertown’s Brendan Smith at 113 Thursday. (Austin Hertzog – Digital First Media)
The Rams remained unbeaten in the Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division (4-0, 16-2 overall), level with defending champion – and their upcoming opponent in the District 1-3A duals – Owen J. Roberts (4-0, 13-2). They also backed up their No. 3 seed in the district duals, which resume Friday at Upper Dublin, with the takedown of perennial PAC power Boyertown.
With such a big weekend ahead, Rams senior stalwart Brandon Meredith wasn’t one to dwell on the win that evaded his Rams each of his three previous years.
“Freshman year we thought we had a good shot but they came into our gym and put up a similar score to tonight. We’re happy and excited about this,” Meredith said, “but it’s on to the next match for us. We’ve got Owen J. next in district duals and we’ve got to start prepping for that.
“There’s bigger fish to fry like coach says. We’re out there trying to make a name for ourselves, and not just be content with beating Boyertown – we want to be at the top of District 1.”
Spring-Ford’s Jack McGill, left, tries to control Boyertown’s Connor Neiswender at 126 Thursday. McGill won by pin in 4:31. (Austin Hertzog – Digital First Media)
Boyertown also heads off to the District 1 Duals Friday, where they’ll face No. 5 Council Rock North in the quarterfinals. But first the Bears will try to get healthy after having three starters absent Thursday night, including 20-match winners Jacob Miller and Evan Mortimer.
The absences wouldn’t have swung Wednesday’s result – Spring-Ford’s depth was on display in avenging last year’s 32-26 loss. Quinn Tobin (113), Meredith (120), Jack McGill (126) and Dirk Nugent (132) ripped off pins to open the match before Brandon Swink won 9-3 to open up a 27-0 lead after just five bouts.
Brett Breidor got Boyertown on the board in a scorefest at 145, topping Josiah Chapman 22-11. D’Arcangelo decisioned Broc Babb 7-2 to get Spring-Ford back in the win column and on a match-clinching run that saw Joey Milano win via first-period pin at 160, Michael Gradwell winning by forfeit and Chase Smith pinning in the first period at 182 to give the Rams a 48-4 advantage.
“It’s a great combination of senior leadership – we have five starting seniors in the lineup – and also have freshmen who have stepped up in key weight classes, like Jack McGill at 126 and Joey Milano at 160,” D’Arcangelo said. “We’ve been able to fill those holes and come up with a solid lineup from top to bottom. We’re not anythign special with all these state placers or anything, but I think we have a great balance.”
Spring-Ford’s Ben D’Arcangelo lifts Boyertown’s Broc Babb during their bout at 152 Thursday. D’Arcangelo won 7-2. (Austin Hertzog – Digital First Media)
Boyertown closed strong with four wins through Zak Reck (195), Elijah Jones (second-period pin at 220), Jacob Sonder (3-1 OT win over Ed Calloway at 285) and Julien Maldonado (5-4 action-packed win over Shane Reynolds at 106).
Considering the circumstances after having to postpone last weekend’s match due to the bout of illness that he swept over the team, Boyertown coach David Jones was quite pleased with his squad.
“I’m actually feeling really good. We’re a young team and tonight specifically we were missing three or four of our normal starters,’” Jones said. “I’m pleased with the progression of the wrestling with our team right now.”
The Rams would say the same thing.
“This team is probably the most talented of my four years,” Meredith said of Spring-Ford. “We have a lot of potential and a chance to do something special.”
