UPPER DUBLIN >> The Pennridge wrestling team kept its PIAA hopes alive, winning the final three matches to rally past Owen J. Roberts 35-29 in the first round of the District 1-AAA Duals Tournament consolation bracket Friday night at Upper Dublin High School.
“They pull out weights out of a hat, you never know where you start or where you end,” Rams coach R.P. Norley Said. “So, not a bad starting point for us, we got to finish with a couple tough middleweights and we get those wins racked up.”
Earlier in the night, sixth-seeded Pennridge was bested by No. 3 Downingtown East in a close matchup in the championship quarterfinals, but the Rams bounced back to top OJR and advance to face Upper Darby in the consolation semifinals 1 p.m. Saturday back at Upper Dublin. Winner earns on of District 1’s fourth berth in the 4A state tournament.
Pennridge is looking to make states for the second consecutive season.
“We’ve got to be ready tomorrow. We got to show up ready to win,” Norley said. “Can’t get pins, got a pick a couple of these kids up, we got a couple of kids that are down in the dumps now. We’ve got to get their heads out of the gutter and make sure that they’re feeling confident and they’re proud of themselves and they’re going to go out and have fun tomorrow.”
Pennridge led Owen J. Roberts 25-20 before the Wildcats collected the next nine points. Stone Bissland got the first three with a 5-1 decision at 132 pounds, while Ryan Resnick’s pinfall win in 38 seconds at 138 had OJR up 29-25.
David Nahas pulled the Rams even in the next match with a 15-5 major decision at 145 while David Blanchard gave Pennridge back the lead with a 6-2 decision at 160.
With the match’s fate still up for grabs in the final bout, the Rams’ Stephen Blanchard took a 2-0 lead on Jason Zollers after the first period, picked up an escape point in the second that rode Zollers for the entire third period for a 3-0 decision and a six points Pennridge win.
“Both of them, Blanchard brothers came through, Rush brothers came through today. Austin Rush got that win for us, Norley said. “It’s always good to see that out there, wrestling back-to-back, weight-to-weight and fighting for each other, it’s good.
Austin Rush earned one of Pennridge’s two pinfall victories against Owen J. Roberts, as he pinned Zach McCutchen in 1:28 at 120 points. Kordell Rush picked up a 6-2 decision at the next weight (132) to give the Rams a 25-20 advantage.
The other pin for Pennridge came from Kyle Gentile at 27 seconds in his match with David Glanski at 170
Pinfalls were the difference in the Rams loss to Downingtown East earlier in the championship quarters. The Rams collected one win by pin while the Cougars picked up three, including back-to-back at 132 and 138 to take a 32-20 lead with two matches remaining.
“We were working really hard for bonus points today and we didn’t get them all, though,” Norley said. “And that’s something I told them. I said, ‘We’re not disappointed in you guys, you guys went out and wrestled hard for bonus points.’ And hats off to Downingtown East kids, for fighting and not giving them up.”
Nahas came close to pulling the Rams to within six, but Jake Neubaum found a way to keep his shoulders off the mat. Nahas claimed a 14-6 major decision. With one match remaining, Pennridge has no way of overcoming the seven-point deficit.
“We wanted six with Nehas, that kid has rubber shoulders. So, we’re just like what are you going to do, they’re wrestling their butt off, and they’re definitely staying real busy on top. Maybe some stay calls are missed here and there if you’re a Pennridge fan, but at the end of the day you got to put yourself in positions to win.”
Gentile earned Pennridge’s lone pin against Downingtown East, coming in 2:55 against Brent Czajkowski at 182 for a 9-3 Rams lead. Andrew Reinhold’s 3-2 decision in rideout out at 195 made it 12-3.
East won the next three matches to lead 16-12 after Lukas Richie’s 9-1 major decision at 106. Pennridge pulled even twice thanks to major decisions by Matt Parker (113) and Kordell Rush (126), but Wade Cummings and Nik Zimmerman’s pins at 132 and 138, respectively, put the Cougars up for good.
