WESTTOWN >> Dom Chaclas may have had the most uneventful win of the night for Unionville, but it certainly was the most meaningful.
In the quarterfinals of the District 1-3A West Sectional, the senior Indian worked an 8-4 decision over Sun Valley’s Shane Holefelder to give him 100 career victories, Friday.
“It’s pretty cool,” Chaclas said. “I missed it my last tournament, and I wasn’t happy, but 100 wins isn’t the end goal. A trip to Hershey (for states) is the main goal and that’s what I’m focusing on.”
Unionville’s Dom Chaclas wins his 100th (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Chaclas (126 pounds) and four of his teammates are a step closer to that goal by reaching the semifinals, which will follow a short first round consolation round Saturday, beginning at 930 a.m. at West Chester Rustin.
The other four Indians got there with some flair. Top seeds, Jacob Lehman (138) and Tyler Mousaw (182) made light work of their quarters opponents with a first-period pin and technical fall, respectively.
Sam Elsen (145) and Eli Lyons (285) did it more dramatically for Unionville. Elsen was in a tight bout against Garnet Valley’s Desmon Perry when he found himself on top and finished in the first period with a pin. Lyons stretched the drama out a little longer, taking Coatesville’s Ayden Geter to overtime before throwing him and pinning him with seven seconds left in sudden victory.
Unionville’s Sam Elsen (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Things will get tougher from here, but the semifinalists only need to win one of the next two matches to advance to the Southeast Regional next weekend as a top-four finisher.
“I gotta take it one period at a time,” Chaclas said. “And I need to score more. I didn’t do that enough. I have to keep my head in the game.”
Despite having five in the semis, Unionville is tied for seventh in the current team standings. West Chester Henderson leads Garnet, 73-67, for the top spot, as both have six in the semis. Oxford has a tournament-high, seven, and the Hornets are in third with 64.5 points despite only bringing 10 wrestlers.
Competing for a spot in the finals for Oxford are Cannon Hershey (106), Kevin Quin (120), Cooper Johnson (126), Landon Meredith (132), Brandon Sheffield (138), Will Johnson (170) and Sam Blevins (285).
Oxford’s Sam Blevins (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Sheffield will face Garnet’s Gavin Hollingsworth in one of the more intriguing semi matchups, while on the other side of the bracket, Lehman squares off against West Chester East’s Jamison Eadie.
The junior Viking missed a month and a half with an injury and his first bout back (Jan. 30) ended in a loss by fall to Downingtown East’s Jett Lucas-Murphy. Friday, Eadie got his revenge, putting Lucas-Murphy on his back twice for a 9-6 decision.
“The first match I came back I kind of felt out of it,” Eadie said. “I knew coming into the match I could make the comeback and beat him in the end. I’m happy with the performance.”
The 152-pound weight class took a blow Friday morning when Henderson’s Luke Phayre, the top seed, was forced to withdraw with an injury he sustained at District Duals. A shallow bracket became even more wide open, and that benefitted maybe no one more than Rustin’s Alex Pratzner, who bumped up from 145.
“At 145 I would’ve been the third seed, so I thought going up to 152 gave me a shot at regionals and maybe even to states,” Pratzner said.
In his fourth bout at 152 this season, after wrestling 27 at 145, Pratzner decked Unionville’s Jackson Roberts to set up a semi with Penncrest’s Shane Stevens.
“I don’t feel much pressure, but I know there’s a target on my back,” Pratzner said. “People are coming for me so I’m gonna go out and give my best.”
Downingtown East’s Spencer Uggla pins Henderson’s Koh Bauman (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
West Chester East’s Hugh Lemmon-Kishi (285) and Rustin’s Owen Walsh (220) were late scratches, Friday, due to injuries as well.
Hoping to join Chaclas in the Century Club, Saturday, is Downingtown West senior Joe Shafer, who won his 99th career bout in the quarters.
Coatesville’s Nate Lucier (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
