DEast, Rustin stay alive, will meet in District Duals for state berth

 

FORT WASHINGTON — For the second time in the league’s history, a Ches-Mont team will be heading to the PIAA duals.

Today we’ll find out who.

Third-seeded Downingtown East will face No. 12 West Chester Rustin in the consolation semifinals of the Class AAA District 1 Duals with states on the line after both teams survived Friday night’s competition at Upper Dublin High. The top four teams advance to the state tournament, and action starts at 1 p.m.

The Cougars topped No. 6 Pennridge, 32-28, in the championship quarterfinals, but fell to No. 2 Council Rock South, 44-21, in the semifinals. Rustin lost its quarter matchup with Upper Darby, 35-30, but rallied back to beat No. 8 Spring-Ford, 31-30, on criteria E (most pins).

Along the way, East senior and No. 2 ranked 132-pounder in the state, Wade Cummings, knocked off the top-ranked kid, Zack Trampe, of Council Rock South, 4-3.

“This week I talked to my dad (coach Darrin Cummings) and coaches and it was all about having fun,” Cummings said. “We had some great scrambles and put on a show and it was an entertaining match. It was a great match and you want to get those heading into the postseason. It could’ve gone either way. There were some great scrambles and I’m happy I came out on top this time.”

Cummings won the first two bouts against Trampe the previous two seasons, but Trampe won round three earlier in the season. In the fourth installment, Trampe got in deep on a single-leg shot, but Cummings countered with a flying cement mixer for the lone takedown in the third period and held on for the win.

To get to that point, East pulled out a gutty win over Pennridge. Up 16-12 at the halfway point, East got big efforts from James Strommer (113 pounds) and Connor Birzes (126). Strommer held state-ranked Matt Parker to a major decision, and Birzes did the same against Kordell Rush.

With the score tied at 20, Cummings managed his 99th career fall in the second period and Nik Zimmerman (138) followed with one of his own to boost the lead to 12 with two to go. When Jake Neubaum (145) stayed off his back and only lost by a major, East clinched its second-ever trip to the semifinals.

There, South was the better team, despite pins by Lukas Richie (106) and Strommer.

“Our expectations at the beginning of the season were not as great as they are now,” East coach Joe Horvath said. “We built new goals and one of them was to get back to the state tournament and now we have an opportunity to do that.”

The Cougars were the only Ches-Mont team to qualify for states in 2012, this senior class’ freshman year.

“This senior class has had that goal from day one,” Cummings said. “We came in wanting to be Ches-Mont champs, we wanted to get to states and we want to go big in the postseason. We got one out of the way and we’re all motivated and on the same page and ready to go.”

East will have to get through Rustin, who by far surpassed its seed. In the quarters, Rustin won the first three bouts and led by 15-0, and took a 30-21 lead into the final three matches. The Royals won all three, including the clincher when Max Livingston (152) pinned freshman Collin Hurley.

Hurley would get his redemption, holding on to a 3-2 win the penultimate bout against Spring-Ford to give the Golden Knights a temporary 30-27 lead.

“It shows that he has a lot of character,” Rustin coach Brad Harkins said of Hurley. “He’s a 14-year old kid wrestling 152 and he’s battling. He took the loss against Upper Darby hard, but he shook it off and shows a lot about the mentality of a young kid. That was a tough match and he finished it off in the third and I’m really proud of him.”

The Rams won the finale, but Rustin had more pins, 3-2, thanks to Costas Hatzipavlides (195), Isaiah Spriggs (220) and Brett Kaliner (120).

“Our kids showed a lot of heart and a lot of fight and that’s what we asked from them,” Harkins said. “We’re looking forward to fighting another day.”

Top-seeded Boyertown will face South in the finals at 3 p.m., following the consolation semis.

Downingtown East 32, Pennridge 28

160- McDowell (DE) dec. S. Blanchard, 7-2 (3-0)

170- Stillings (PR) dec. A. Horne, 5-1 (3-3)

182- Gentile (PR) pinned Czajkowski, 2:55 (3-9)

195- Reinhold (PR) dec. Morris, 3-2 TB (3-12)

220- Wileczek (DE) dec. Dadio, 4-0 (6-12)

285- McGinley (DE) pinned Lafty, 1:40 (12-12)

106- Richie (DE) maj. dec. Snyder, 9-1 (16-12)

113- Parker (PR) maj. dec. Strommer, 12-4 (16-16)

120- B. Horne (DE) maj. dec. A. Rush, 13-2 (20-16)

126- K. Rush (PR) maj. dec. Birzes, 13-0 (20-20)

132- Cummings (DE) pinned Widing, 3:05 (26-20)

138- Zimmerman (DE) pinned Cooper, 1:30 (32-20)

145- Nahas (PR) maj. dec. Neubaum, 14-6 (32-24)

152- D. Blanchard (PR) maj. dec. Clay, 9-0 (32-28)

Council Rock South 44, Downingtown East 21

170- A. Horne (DE) dec. Bennett, 7-3 (0-3)

182- Gettman (CRS) dec. Czajkowski, 9-5 (3-3)

195- Doyle (CRS) pinned Wileczek, :16 (9-3)

220- Morris (DE) dec. Kohn, 3-1 SV (9-6)

285- Anderson (CRS) dec. McGinley, 3-1 TB (12-6)

106- Richie (DE) pinned Mendez, 3:19 (12-12)

113- Strommer (DE) pinned Waterman, 3:10 (12-18)

120- Radner (CRS) pinned B. Horne, :40 (18-18)

126- C. Palmer (CRS) pinned Neubaum, :40 (24-18)

132- Cummings (DE) dec. Trampe, 4-3 (24-21)

138- R. Palmer (CRS) dec. Zimmerman, 11-6 (27-21)

145- Verdi (CRS) tech. fall Neubaum, 16-1 (32-21)

152- Martoccio (CRS) pinned Salt, :27 (38-21)

160- Schwartz (CRS) pinned Moran, 1:03 (44-21)

West Chester Rustin 31, Spring-Ford 30

170- Rice (SF) pinned Sullivan, 1:17 (0-6)

182- Lamberjack (WCR) dec. Smith, 2-0 (3-6)

195- Hatzipavlides (WCR) pinned Moran, :39 (9-6)

220- Spriggs (WCR) pinned Gulgule, 1:52 (15-6)

285- Lepore (SF) maj. dec. Cummings, 17-9 (15-10)

106- Kostusiak (SF) pinned Ficther, 1:18 (15-16)

113- Meredith (SF) maj. dec. Cooper, 10-2 (15-20)

120- B. Kaliner (WCR) pinned Nugent, :45 (21-20)

126- Mitch (SF) dec. T. Kaliner, 4-3 (21-23)

132- Reardon (WCR) dec. Frank, 4-3 (24-23)

138- Krieble (SF) maj. dec. Spaniak, 12-4 (24-27)

145- Labus (WCR) dec. Westlake, 9-4 (27-27)

152- Hurley (WCR) dec. D’Arcangelo, 3-2 (30-27)

160- McGill (SF) dec. Kent, 5-1 (30-30)*

* West Chester Rustin won on criteria E, most pins