ROYERSFORD >> Spring-Ford’s wrestling team is off to another fine start to begin the 2015-16 campaign this winter. However, head coach Tim Seislove, the rest of his staff and the Ram wrestlers know there is still a long, heavy road that lies ahead for the remainder of the season.
That includes some difficult PAC-10 dual meets against heavyweights Boyertown and Owen J. Roberts, the powerhouse District One Duals and the rest of the slate as well as the rugged postseason grind that closes out the season for the best individuals and best teams.
Spring-Ford’s Zach Gulgule looks to escape as Phoenixville’s Sean Sabo locks him up during their bout at 220 pounds. (Barry Taglieber – For The mercury)
But for now, the Rams are content with where they are. On Wednesday, they defeated a young Phoenixville crew, 70-3, in a PAC-10 meet at Ram Gymnasium.
Spring-Ford (5-0 PAC-10, 12-2 overall) took advantage of four pins, two technical falls and five forfeits to record the big score in its favor.
The Rams got out of the gate fast as Hunter Mitch won the first bout of the evening by forfeit at 126 pounds to give host Spring-Ford a quick 6-0 lead.
Jimmy Frank (132) followed up with a 15-0 technical fall in 4:39, and then Matt Krieble kept it going with a pin at the 33-second mark at 138. Jon Westlake’s fall in 59 seconds made it 23-0 before Spring-Ford sophomore Ben D’Arcangelo came up big with a 5-4 upset over Phantom standout Mark Cermanski at 152.
“We have a good record,” said Seislove, who is in his 17th year of directing the Spring-Ford program. “But we still have Boyertown, Owen J., the District Duals and Upper Perk seems to be getting better. So we have the meat of our schedule ahead of us.”
Spring-Ford’s Brandon Meredith, left, looks to turn Phoenixville’s Carsten Schlag on his back during their bout at 106 pounds. (Barry Taglieber – For The Mercury)
Jack Files (170, 2:32) and Brandon Meredith (106, :53) also recorded falls for the Rams, who are right back in action Thursday night with a non-league test against Central Bucks East in Doylestown.
The other technical fall belonged to Brett McGill (160), who won by a 16-0 margin at the 4-minute mark after two full periods of action.
Phoenixville (1-1, 2-3) avoided a shutout with a 6-4 overtime decision by sophomore Bryce Thompson at 195 pounds. Thompson was originally penciled into the lineup to go against the Rams’ Steve Rice at 182, but Phoenixville coach Alec Bown chose to forfeit to Rice (now 21-2 with seven falls) and bump Thompson up to 195 against Tim Flynn. Phoenixville was also missing Tanner Romance (illness) and his 11-3 record with eight pins.
Flynn jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a first-period takedown. In the second period, Thompson started in the bottom position and scored on a penalty point for locked hands and then a reversal to take a 3-2 lead after two stanzas. The wrestlers were in a neutral position to start the third period, but Flynn picked up a takedown before Thompson’s escape point knotted the score at 4-all at the end of regulation time. Thompson earned two points for a takedown with 42 seconds showing in the overtime period to post the victory. The Rams still held a 43-3 lead at that point in the match.
Spring-Ford’s Ben D’Arcangelo, left, looks to bring down Phoenixville’s Mark Cermanski during their bout at 152 pounds. (Barry Taglieber – For The Mercury)
“He (Bown) is trying to develop a team and program in the best interest of their kids,” said Seislove. “Their kids seem to work hard. This is only his second season so he is just starting to put some consistency in their program. Phoenixville always had a good tradition in wrestling so it would be really nice to see them come back.”
D’Arcangelo used a second-period escape and two third-period takedowns to edge Cermanski, who scored on a first-period takedown and two third-period escape points.
“Ben is a kid who has been in and out of the lineup,” said Seislove. “So it was nice to see him get rewarded with a win on a takedown in the third period.”
Bown continues to view positives while attempting to build his style of program, though it is still in its infant stages.
“It was nice to see Bryce Thompson get a win there,” said Bown. “I didn’t want to forfeit to the Rice kid, but that was a more favorable matchup for us. I think it was the right move.”
Notes >> Phoenixville returns to action Thursday night at home with a PAC-10 meet against Upper Perkiomen. … Spring-Ford’s Mitch, a senior, has one of the top records in the area at 21-4 with 11 pins. His name was previously omitted in a listing of the top pinners in the area. … Wrestlers from the Spring-Ford and Phoenixville youth programs staged preliminary matches to start the night.
