FRANCONIA — Charlie Arobone soaked in Souderton wrestling’s Senior Night festivities but when it was his turn on the mat he did not waste any time.
“Sentimental stuff was at the beginning, walked out with my parents,” Arobone said. “But when I’m out there, get the job done, get it over with.”
Arobone needed just 15 seconds to collect a pin in his 127-pound match Wednesday, the fall the last of five Souderton posted as the Indians defeated visiting North Penn 53-15 in their SOL Colonial Division dual meet.
“In the room I’ve been getting pushed pretty hard by my coaches,” Arobone said. “Just fixing my mental game with everything and tough season this year but we’re growing off it and we’re going to come for the postseason.”
All four Souderton seniors honored on the night picked up victories. Kole Lester at 189 joined Arobone in earning a fall, Cristian Trinidad had an 8-4 decision over Aldo Flores at 145 while Gisele Ramirez claimed a win in the girls matches held before the dual meet.
“I’ve been with these guys, especially Kole since I was a little kid,” Arobone said. “Cristian has come around in the last couple of years and I really had a bond, my bad walked him out tonight also with (associate head) coach (Tristan) Boyd. The bond is really close with all of us.”
Jonny Beckett (172), Michael McCormick (215) and Ezra Swartley (114) all won via pin for the Indians, who improved to 2-2 in the division. Jadon Bateman rallied to edge Daniel Mallitz 10-8 in sudden victory at 121 while Dominic Ramos claimed a 16-0 tech fall win at 133.
“We really needed this one,” Arobone said. “We wanted to come in here and dominate them. I feel like that’s what we did. We’ve had a tough schedule this year and it prepared us for these moments. So to get a win dominant as 53-15, that’s what we like to see.”
For North Penn (0-4 division), Nate Schepian won by a 4-0 decision at 160 while Jonny O’Brien improved to 20-2 as he capped the meet with a pin at 139.
Arobone’s quick pin was his 83rd career victory at Souderton and put him at 17-9 on a season he hopes ends with a breakthrough to the PIAA-3A Championships after reaching the South East Regional the previous two years.
“Going into this season, one of my biggest goals was to get my 100 win,” Arobone said. “I had a tough batch at the beginning with tournaments where I was not placing good, where I wasn’t wrestling good and a couple tough kids over the past couple months so right now my main goal is make it to states, whoever is out there, win and if I get my 100 win extra bonus.”
As a sophomore in 2021-22, Arobone placed fourth at the District 1-3A North tournament then at regionals dropped his opener, stayed alive with a pin in consolations but lost in the next round.
Last season, Arobone was third in 121 at districts then advanced to the regional championship quarterfinals with a first-round pin before dropping his next two.
“So getting to regionals, I’ve never really had an issue there,” Arobone said. “I wrestled good at districts, go up at regional I’ve just had a block, I’ve had kids there I know that are technically better than me and ready and I’ve tried to prepare for that but some days you just get outwrestled.
“This year, really working on my mental strength, whoever steps out on that line I just want to put him down.”
North Penn competes in the Quakertown Duals Saturday then hosts Central Bucks South Wednesday. Souderton is also home Wednesday facing Central Bucks West.
Souderton never trailed against the Knights, Trinidad grabbing a 4-1 lead after the first period at 145 and going on to claim an 8-4 decision in the dual meet’s opening weight.
After a forfeit at 152 made it 9-0 Indians, Schepian’s 4-0 decision at 160 had North Penn within six but Souderton proceeded to post pins in the next three matches – Jonny Beckett in 58 seconds at 172, Lester in 44 seconds at 189 and Michael McCormick in 1:19 at 215 for a 27-3 Big Red advantage.
After a forfeit by each side, Swartley’s pin in 2:58 at 114 gave Souderton a 39-9 lead.
The night’s tightest contest came at 121 – Bateman trailing Mallitz 7-4 after two periods before the Indians sophomore rallied to pull even at eight with a takedown then got another takedown in sudden victory for the 10-8 win.
Arobone followed with a pin at 127 with Ramos then earning a tech fall at 133.
