Mercury Roundup (Jan. 28): Late escape lifts Perkiomen Valley wrestling to 37-36 win

Wrestling

Perkiomen Valley 37, Upper Perkiomen 36 >> In a PAC divisional crossover match that went down to the final bout, the Vikings thwarted the Indians’ come-from-behind win bid by reversing a three-point deficit into a one-point victory.

Gavin Pascoe’s 10-0 major decision in the 145-pound finale proved the difference for PV, which built a 28-point lead through the first five bouts only to see it erased by UP’s 30-point response from 285 to 126. Kelly Kakos put the Vikes back on top with a technical fall at 132, but Shane Freeh’s 3:45 pin at 138 made it a short-lived lead.

Nate Gey added a buzzer-beating (5:54) fall at 189 for Perk, which was awarded three forfeits to the Tribe’s two. Brandon Rozanski (106), Robbie Carpenter (120) and Joey Carpenter (126) had other drops for UP.

Owen J. Roberts 53, Methacton 12 >> The Wildcats racked up five pins alongside a pair of forfeits as they handled the Warriors in Thursdsay’s PAC Liberty Division matchup.

Brady Quinn (106), Sam Gautreau (120), Mason Karkoska (132) Jaden Viti (189) and Francis McCoy (215) scored the falls while Cole Bechtel and Dillon Bechtold had major decisions at 160 and 172, respectively. Methacton got all its points in a three-bout run between 138 and 152, Levi Borkoski scoring a second-period pin to cap the string.

Boyertown 75, Pottstown 0 >> Aided by seven forfeits from the undermanned Trojans, the Bears posted a shutout in this PAC divisional crossover match.

Dominic Sheridan (138), Chance Babb (152), Anthony Bauer (189), Preston Fox (215) and Robert Terra (285) led Boyertown with their pins as Ryder Gehris added a 6-0 sweep at 145. The Bears took the five lowest weights (106 to 132) by forfeit, getting their other two at 160 and 172.

Boys swimming

Owen J. Roberts 91, Spring-Ford 84 >> Jonah Kasznay and Will Cano were two-event winners for the Wildcats in Thursday’s PAC meet that saw Roberts set a new pool record.

While Kasznay (200 IM, 1:57.71; 100 back, 53,27) and Cano (50 free, 22.13; 100 free, 48.94) keyed Roberts’ individual performers, the 400 free relay of Cano, Dalton Fink, Kasznay and Nathan VanNatter collaborated on a 3:13.71 finish.

Sam Ricci keyed Spring-Ford with firsts in diving (194.85 points) and the 100 breast (1:16.84). The Rams’ other win came from its 400 free relay foursome of Braeden Gamber, Jason Sigal, Zachary Reiter and Kyle Kruppa.

Methacton 94, Pope John Paul II 61 >> Tommy Gibbs was a two-event winner for the Warriors in Thursday’s PAC meet with the Golden Panthers.
Gibbs took the 200 IM (2:07.05) and 100 free (51.30) while swimming a leg of Methacton’s first-place 200 medley relay (1:41.62). Dylan Phan also figured in on three firsts, in the 200 free (2:16.72) and 200 medley and 200 free relays (1:37.61).

Aidan Mailae got PJP its lone individual win, taking the 500 free in 5:59.87.

Daniel Boone 112, Schuylkill Valley 46 >> Justin Eves and Chris Guiliano both won pairs of individual events to key the Blazers’ victory over the Panthers in Thursday’s Central Penn League meet.

Eves took the 50 free in 23.41 and the 100 free in 51.91. Guiliano headed the 100 fly (51.71) and 100 back (52.72).

Girls swimming

Owen J. Roberts 100, Spring-Ford 75 >> Lauren Zelinske figured in both the Wildcats’ two pool-record swims in Thursday’s PAC meet with the Rams.

Zelinske’s 58.22 clocking in the 100 backstroke was one of the OJR standards, and she also won the 200 free in 1:56.52. Eliana Crew had a two-win outing in the 200 IM (2:13.78) and the 100 free (53.16), and Roberts’ 400 free relay foursome of Natalie Spencer, Crew, Emery Horn and Zelinske combined on a time of 3:38.35.

Spring-Ford got individual firsts from Ashley Gutshall in the 50 free (24.60) and Sydney Koehler in the 100 breast (1:09.54). They also swam legs of the Rams’ winning 200 free relay, which turned in a time of 1:44.17.

Methacton 104, Pope John Paul II 67 >> Sophia Leber and Madison Wimmer each won two individual events to lead the Warriors in their PAC meet with the Golden Panthers Thursday.

Leber took the 200 free (2:16.72) 100 fly (1;10.30) while Wimmer did the same in the 200 IM (2:22.47) and 500 free (5;33.95). They also swam legs of Methacton’s first-place 200 medley (2:03.73) and 200 free relay (1:55.03).

For PJP, Haley Lindenmuth won the 100 free (1:01.99) and 100 breast (1:21.57) and swam the anchor leg of the Panthers’ winning 400 free relay (4:50.28).

Schuylkill Valley 105, Daniel Boone 66 >> Erin Goudie and Shilla Mejia accounted for all the Blazers’ winning performances in their Central Penn League meet with the Panthers Thursday.

Goudie took first in the 100 fly (1:01.53), and Mejia in the 100 back (1:01.95).

Boys basketball

Conrad Weiser 50, Daniel Boone 39 >> Evan Smith hit five 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 23 points to lead the Scouts past the Blazers in Thursday’s Berks League action.

Jake Plummer scored another 13 points for Conrad Weiser. For Boone, Michael Gaines scored 19 points as its lone double-figure scorer.