Dougherty’s win completes Strath Haven comeback
Newtown Square — Mike Dougherty walked out to his match at 160 pounds knowing that he couldn’t get pinned. Any other result would give the Strath Haven Panthers a victory over host Marple Newtown.
Dougherty’s task was much more difficult than it reads, especially on a Wednesday night that saw the two teams combine for 11 falls. The senior captain, one of three along with Justin Freemont and Pete Somaru, was unfazed. Dougherty delivered an 11-6 decision over Derek Dervishian to give the Panthers a 44-35 Central League win.
“Not once did I think I’d be fine with a loss,’ Dougherty said. “I wanted to win the match regardless of what the team score was.’
Dougherty’s experience paid off in a situation that demanded maturity. Strath Haven is a young team, both in terms of class and wrestling acumen.
“It’s good to have the match end with a captain,’ Panthers coach Erik Hollingsworth said. “He’s a kid that understands wrestling. That’s why he’s a leader.’
“I just had to stay in a good position,’ said Dougherty of his clincher.
The simplicity of Dougherty’s mindset defied the ebbs and flows of the match. The Tigers raced out to a 35-12 lead on the back of five pins and one tech fall in the first seven weight classes, which started at 170. The bout at 220 epitomized the early portion of the contest. Strath Haven’s Elijah Crew, in an attempt to toss opponent Anthony Goodman across his body, rolled onto his back and pinned himself. Nothing seemed to be going the Panthers’ way.
But Freemont responded with a pin to stave off the rout. He dropped Lavante Gordon 14 seconds into the second period of his match at 285.
“I needed to get bonus points for my team,’ Freemont said. “I figured I could run him out in the first and get him tired. I made a move in the second.’
The move looked as vicious as it sounds — “Arm bar, cut the throat,’ the heavyweight termed it. He threw Gordon to the mat, grabbed him around the neck, and flipped the big man onto his back in a flash.
“I work on it a lot,’ said Freemont. “I probably do it a hundred times a day at practice.’
Strath Haven was still treading water, though. Ryan Keating, Nolan Rufo and Zak Elfernani followed Freemont’s emphatic win with three straight pins to give Marple Newtown that 23-point advantage.
However, the Panthers had the strongest part of their lineup ready to fight.
“From (126-160) we can hold our own against anybody,’ said Hollingsworth, “and we came through.’
Junior Noah Frantz pinned Caleb Van Deusen to ignite the rally. Brett Burns followed with a pin as did Devon Moore at 152. When Somaru scored a tech fall with a 16-0 lead over Stephen Bradley, the teams were tied at 35-35.
David Moore, 5-1 this season entering the night, needed all of 18 seconds to pin Kosmas Kotopoulos and give the Panthers (3-4, 2-1 Central League) a six-point lead. Dougherty closed things out.
“Our team put us in that position,’ he said. “We picked each other up.’
Marple Newtown (2-4, 0-2 Central League) failed to corral the momentum once it was gone. Tigers coach Steve Resnick gathered his wrestlers when it was 35-30 in an attempt to turn the tide. It made little difference.
“I think we work harder than any team,’ said Freemont. “We have the heart that it takes. I trust that any of my teammates would run through a brick wall for me. They know I’d do the same for them.’
An arm bar, cut the throat sufficed.
In other Central League action:
Penncrest 61, Springfield 9: Max Miller set the tone with a 33-second win by fall at 170-pounds to start the match for the Lions. Penncrest took six of the next seven bouts to win going away.
Miller’s pin was the first of seven for the Lions, six of which came in the first period. Sean Hoffman needed 58 seconds to win by fall at 285. Joshua Speese (126), Ryan Stocku (132), Josh Carmon (152), Joe Pyfer (195) and Chris Alyanakian also won by fall.
Tyler Forbes (fall at 120) and Dwayne Snipes (decision at 182) were the winners for Springfield.
Upper Darby 66, Lower Merion 8: The Royals (5-2, 2-0) used six pins and five forfeit victories to roll over the Aces.
Thomas Reif (113), Jake Mejias (120), Colin Cronin (132), Max Livingston (145), Pat Kane (160) and A.J. Covington (170) all won by fall for Upper Darby.
In the Catholic League:
Archbishop Wood 48, Archbishop Carroll 23: The host Vikings used wins at 106, 113 and 120 to turn a 15-12 deficit into a 27-15 lead. The Patriots never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Jake Poulos (170), Emmet Lynch (220), John Kearney (285), Nick Poulos (126) and Tommy Scott (160) were the winners for Carroll. Lynch won by fall and Scott was victorious by technical fall.
