Upper weights carry D-East over Henderson
UWCHLAN — For a minute, things got a little dicey for Downingtown East.
Senior Alec Horne (170 pounds) needed just 36 seconds to make things right again for the Cougars, who shook off visiting West Chester Henderson, 47-26, in the Ches-Mont National Division opener, Wednesday.
The East (1-0 division, 6-0 overall) upper weights were the difference, winning all five bouts from 170-285, four by first-period falls. Henderson (0-1, 2-1) tied the dual meet at 26 with four bouts to go, but that’s when Horne stepped in and gave East the lead for good with a 36-second pin.
“I had to go out and get the pin for the team,” Horne said. “That’s what the coaches said and I went out and did my best to do what the team needed to change the momentum.”
East has won four straight division titles, but lost four key starters to graduation last spring. With the core laden with seniors this year, the Cougars’ time at the top may soon end, but the group is set on making sure it’s not this year.
“We have some elder leadership interspersed throughout the lineup like Alec Horne, Wade Cummings and Nick Zimmerman, and we’re looking forward to getting Jude McDowell back,” East coach Joe Horvath said. “He’s an essential piece missing right now. We have some technical issues to work on.”
The Cougars got off to a fast start with pins from Brendan McGinley (285) and James Strommer (113) and a major decision by freshman Lukas Richie (106) in the first three bouts.
Henderson won five of the next seven, collecting pins from Jake Reid (120), Kyle Medrow (138) and Weston Frame (152), as well as a pair of majors by Ray Martin (126) and Jonathan Earley (160).
For Medrow, it was win No. 101. The senior joined the century club over the break at the Manheim Holiday tournament.
“It’s a good accomplishment and I’m glad to get it out of the way,” said Medrow, who has 64 career pins. “I have bigger things I’m focusing on, but I’m glad to get it out of the way.”
“It’s a great accomplishment and it’s always a milestone to get to 100,” Henderson coach Rob Beighley said. “Kyle’s put the work and the time in and he deserves all he’s worked for. It’s a stepping stone and we’ll move on from there.”
The Warriors maneuvered their lineup some, bumping Reid and Medrow up a weight, but the 26-26 tie was as far as the strategy could take them.
“I thought for the most part our guys wrestled tough and came to battle,” Beighley said. “I made a couple moves to try to win it and moved some guys up to try to catch them, but it didn’t happen. It was a solid effort, though.”
Horne started the flurry to the finish, and Brent Czajkowski (182) followed with a 28-second pin. Owen Morris (195) wasn’t far behind with a 44-second fall, and Carter Regitz capped the dual with a decision at 220.
Zimmerman was bumped up to 145, denying a potentially intriguing matchup with Medrow, but the senior had no problem at the heavier weight, earning a 17-6 major decision. Cummings (132) also had a pin on the night, giving him 147 victories and 85 pins for his career.
Cummings is seventh all-time in career wins in the Ches-Mont, one away from tying Henderson’s Jermaine Jones and Kennett’s Kyle Bove for fifth, and eight away from breaking the mark of 154 set by West Chester Rustin’s Corey McQuiston in 2012. The senior, who’s committed to compete for North Carolina State next year, could also become the first 150-win, 100-pin wrestler in league history.
Downingtown East 47, West Chester Henderson 26
285- McGinley (DE) pinned Foster, 1:38 (6-0)
106- Richie (DE) maj. dec. L. Phayre, 11-0 (10-0)
113- Strommer (DE) pinned Mullen, 3:03 (16-0)
120- Reid (WCH) pinned B. Horne, 3:43 (16-6)
126- Martin (WCH) maj. dec. Birzes, 12-0 (16-10)
132- Cummings (DE) pinned Taraschi, :39 (22-10)
138- Medrow (WCH) pinned S. Regitz, :43 (22-16)
145- Zimmerman (DE) maj. dec. Sontag, 17-6 (26-16)
152- Frame (WCH) pinned Neubaum, 3:20 (26-22)
160- Earley (WCH) maj. dec. Clay, 11-3 (26-26)
170- A. Horne (DE) pinned McGuinness, :36 (32-26)
182- Czajkowski (DE) pinned Range, :28 (38-26)
195- Morris (DE) pinned Amarant, :44 (44-26)
220- C. Regitz (DE) dec. Boddy-Jacobs, 11-4 (47-26)
