SOUTHAMPTON – Celebrating the team’s recent 200th win claimed at the Parkland Duals, Council Rock South had some of its alums return to the school Wednesday night for its annual Mike Sipler Memorial Unity Cup battle with visiting sister school CR North.
One of them was former 195-pounder Ben Kenis, a two-time regional medalist and a state qualifier in 2015. “I miss it, I’m not afraid to admit it,” said Kenis. “How can you not with a program like this?”
Sparked by pins by junior Zack Trampe (132 pounds), senior Nick Verdi (138), junior Riley Palmer (145) and senior Keith Bennett (170), Kenis’ former team, the Golden Hawks, dismantled the Indians, 51-15, Jan. 20 on Rock Way.
With the score deadlocked at 9-all after a pin by CR North junior Aidan Burke (23-5) and a decision win by sophomore Gianncarlo Flores, South took six of the next eight bouts, assuring a win that favored the home team. Together with a pair of forfeits by the Indians (285, 195) and a major decision win by South senior Brandon Kohn, it made for a lopsided score.
It’s the fourth straight year the Unity Cup has been claimed by the Hawks (9-0, 4-0 SOL).
“I think it’s pretty cool,” said South senior Dylan Schwartz, one of two Hawk wrestlers held out of the meet. “I’ve been wrestling varsity all four years and we’ve won it every year.”
After grabbing a runner-up ribbon in the recent Escape The Rock (ETR) wrestling tournament at CR South, Schwartz was taking a rest. Sophomore Ben Radner (120) was held out of the lineup in the meet with North after sustaining a hand injury in the tourney.
“After a long weekend at Escape The Rock, we have a lot of guys banged up,” explained Hawks head coach Brad Silimperi. “We just wanted to come out of this with no more injuries.”
South got off to a good start in the match, taking a forfeit at heavyweight and a 4-0 decision win by freshman Max Mendez. But the Indians (9-5, 3-2 SOL National) struck back with Burke’s pin in 28 seconds and a 4-0 decision by Flores.
With the score tied at 9-all, South junior Cary Palmer gave the Hawks the lead for good with a 14-4 major decision win over North senior Wes Olsen.
Coming on the heels of his ETR title belt three days earlier, Trampe (27-0) continued his unbeaten string with a second-period pin of North sophomore Jake Shalinsky. Verdi needed just 52 seconds to pin North sophomore Andrew Cabo and South junior Riley Palmer – the Hawks other ETR champ at 138 pounds – wrestled up and used just 1:20 on the clock to get past North 145-pounder Nick Nucero and give his team a convincing 31-9 edge.
Using a 14-point major decision win over North senior Billy Storm, South senior Lucas Martoccio, one of seven medal-winners for the Hawks at ETR, clinched the dual meet win for the Hawks.
While North seniors Luke Ely (160) and Timmy Everett (182) claimed decision wins for the Indians, South answered with a pin by senior Keith Bennett and an 18-5 major decision by Kohn over North 220-pounder Andrius Duncia in the final matchup.
Trailing 4-1 in the third period of his pairing with CR North junior Dan Boruta, Bennett looked like he might take a loss. In the third period, however, Bennett quickly turned the tables on the Indian grappler.
“I like to throw in legs and I was just working that end, and it wasn’t working for me; I couldn’t turn him,” explained Bennett. “He was getting to his feet and I put in a cross-face and just got out to the side and went underneath his legs and just rolled him to his back.”
Though his teammate was trailing on the scoreboard at the time of the pin, Schwartz says, he wasn’t surprised by the final outcome of Bennett’s match.
“His best move is a cradle and he always looks for it,” said Schwartz. “In practice, he cradles me sometimes. Once he locks up, it’s usually over.”
A wrestler who doesn’t get onto the mat as often as some of the Hawks’ perennial postseason medalists, Bennett was happy to help his team hold onto the Unity Cup for one more season.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Bennett. “It just shows all the hard work we’ve been doing this year and throughout the years.”
Bennett wasn’t the only Hawk stepping up on this special night. Wrestling for the injured Radner, freshman Kyle Kutney, gave Flores, a regional qualifier in 2014, all that he could handle with the Indian grappler registering the winning points in the closing moments of the match.
“We have a JV dream team because everybody works real hard,” explained Bennett. “When some of the more experienced guys have to step out, we have just as good wrestlers to step up and fill the position.”
South’s JayVees are also having a good season. In the Parkland Duals, the JV Hawks registered 56 wins, 18 losses and 35 pins.
Since Christmas, the Hawks have maintained a busy schedule, finishing second in the Bethlehem Hurricane Classic, first at Parkland and third in the ETR tournament.
“It’s the dog days of winter; we’re just trying to make improvements every time we wrestle,” stated Silimperi.
“This is a big rivalry match but we really just want to make improvements and continue to work on our technical skills.”
One of those wrestlers still coming along is junior Tyler Gettman. After taking a year off, the 182-pounder is back on the mat. Entering his matchup with Everett with a record of 15-11, Gettman took an early 4-2 lead only to see the CR North grappler tie the score in the second period then win it with a 7-4 decision in the third.
“I made the mistake of locking hands and that was a mental mistake on my part,” said Gettman. “I should have performed better.
“The kid was gassing me out; I’ll admit it but I’m going to be working harder inside the (wrestling) room to improve myself.”
With District 1 Duals beginning on Jan. 28 and continuing Feb. 5 and 6, there’s no doubt these Hawks will be firing on all cylinders come time for the postseason. Last year, South finished a runner-up in the tournament, losing only to eventual repeat champion Boyertown.
Though Kenis and 220-pounder Thaison Nguyen, a regional qualifier in 2015, are gone, this Hawks wrestling team could turn out to be better than the squad that took the mat last season.
Stay tuned for more.
NOTES: Martoccio and South junior Joe Doyle earned fourth-place medals for the Hawks at ETR and Burke also finished fourth for the Indians in the two-day tournament. Radner and South heavyweight John Anderson took six-place medals.
Contact the author at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com, or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
Council Rock South 51, Council Rock North 15
(Jan. 20 at CR South)
285 — John Anderson (CRS) forfeit
106 — Max Mendez (CRS) dec. Shane Thompson, 4-0
113 — Aidan Burke (CRN) pinned Collin Waterman, :28
120 — Gianncarlo Flores (CRN) dec. Kyle Kutney, 4-0
126 — Cary Palmer (CRS) maj. dec. Wesley Olsen, 14-4
132 — Zack Trampe (CRS) pinned Jacob Shalinsky, 3:19
138 — Nick Verdi (CRS) pinned Andrew Cabo, :52
145 — Riley Palmer (CRS) pinned Nick Nucero, 1:20
152 — Lucas Martoccio (CRS) maj. dec. Billy Storm, 16-2
160 — Luke Ely (CRN) dec. Shane Flanagan, 6-1
170 — Keith Bennett (CRS) pinned Dan Boruta, 4:23
182 — Timmy Everett (CRN) dec. Tyler Gettmann, 7-4
195 — Joe Doyle (CRS) forfeit
220 — Brandon Kohn (CRS) maj. dec. Andrius Duncia, 18-5
