Upper Perk offsets forfeits with pins to edge Phoenixville, 51-27
PHOENIXVILLE >> Both Upper Perkiomen and Phoenixville currently have limitations in their wrestling lineups.
Both teams are short on numbers, especially at certain weight classes, which results in forfeits by both schools.
On Thursday night, Upper Perkiomen offset what it allowed by registering six pins along the way while winning nine of the 14 weight classes, resulting in a high-scoring 51-27 victory by the Indians over the Phantoms in a Pioneer Athletic Conference contest.
Upper Perkiomen won two matches by forfeits and Phoenixville won four bouts in that fashion.
“We’re getting there,” said Sam Walters, the Tribe’s second-year head coach. “We get one back this week and one next week. Then we will be down to two forfeits, instead of four. We also have low numbers, which makes it rough during the dual meet season. But our individuals are doing well.”
Upper Perkiomen (2-2, 4-5) began the night in a 3-0 hole as Phoenixville’s Tanner Romance nudged Billy Brower, 5-4, on a reversal with two seconds left in the double-overtime period in the opening bout of the evening.
The Indians went right back in front on a forfeit to Mike Modugno at 220. And the visitors also got an early boost at 285 as Roberto Rosado nipped Sean Sabo, 1-0, on a third-period escape point to make the score 9-3.
“Our heavyweight is brand new,” said Walters. “That was huge. It was a good win for him just starting to wrestle. All the other guys have been around the block. They know what is expected of them, and they perform very well.”
Jarek Svanson (113), Ryan Rossiter (120), D.J. McIlvaine (138), Jacob Folk (152), Mike Felix (170) and Mickey Hopkins (182) recorded falls for Upper Perkiomen.
Phoenixville received 24 points from the four forfeits plus Romance’s decision to account for their 27 points.
“We looked better on the scoreboard,” said Phoenixville coach Alec Bown. “We tried to do some creative things. They had some holes and we had some holes. So it was where we wanted to move guys. We wanted to put our guys in the best matchups we could.”
Romance had been ill and missed Wednesday night’s match against Spring-Ford. But he was back for Thursday night’s confrontation against Upper Perkiomen and Brower at 195. After a scoreless first period, Brower posted an escape point in the seond period. Romance picked up a takedown, but Brower recorded a reversal before the end of the period to take a 3-2 lead. Romance earned an escape point early in the third period to tie the score at 3, setting the stage for overtime.
“Romance had a nice win,” said Bown. “Tanner has been sick a couple days and missed a match. He came back and wrestled a double overtime match. That was a nice win for us.”
He was also pleased with Sabo, who had another tight match while bumping up from 220 to the 285 slot.
“Sabo was giving up 40 pounds,” said Bown. “He is a first-year 10th grader from the football team, and we are trying to get guys out from the football team. He wrestled a nice match. He is getting some matches.”
Notes >> Phoenixville picked up forfeits by Joe Kemerer (126), Liam Myers (132), Alex Washington (145) and Thomas Fell (160). … The Indians accepted forfeits to Modugno and Jared Kuhns (106). … The match was another Phoenixville sporting event that is part of Coaches vs. Cancer Awareness Week at the school. The school recently lost two faculty members to cancer. Phoenixville students are wearing pink socks, and coaches are participating in the Suits & Sneakers program to raise awareness for Coaches vs. Cancer.
