BOYERTOWN >> Bonus points work wonders filling lineup gaps.
Boyertown demonstrated that concept to a significant degree Wednesday, when it hosted Upper Perkiomen in a Pioneer Athletic Conference divisional crossover match. In six of the bouts it won en route to a 46-12 team victory, the Bears scored five or six points to set the winning tone. That more than compensated for one weight class left vacant as a result of their injury picture, and it kept them on a heady roll through the first month of the season.
“We’re making the most of it, doing what we can do with limited numbers,” head coach Pete Ventresca said after seeing his squad improve to 13-1 overall, 4-0 against PAC teams.
Boyertown’s Hunter Vogels slams down Upper Perkiomen’s Mickey Hopkins at 170. Vogels won by decision, 6-3. (Sam Stewart – Digital First Media)
With senior star J.T. Cooley (138) out of action for the year with a pre-season shoulder injury, Boyertown was further handcuffed by the unavailability of Evan Hunsberger at 170. But the Bears covered for their thinned numbers by posting four pins and two technical falls in the early going, building a 37-9 lead on the Indians (3-4) after 10 weights.
The capper proved to be Elijah Jones’ 37-second pin at 195, which preceded the Bears’ three decisions down the stretch. The Boyertown junior (18-4), working to move down to the 182-pound class for the remainder of the season, had been wrestling as far up the chart as 220 in the early going.
“We’ve made it work, getting bonus points,” he said. “We focus on that in practice a lot. We have a lot of good guys, and we know how important it is to get the extra points.”
After UP got a pin from Zach Rozanski in the opener at 120, Boyertown got its bonus-point parade going with David Campbell’s fall at 126. Jakob Campbell followed with a technical fall at 132 — he needed just under 3-1/2 minutes to build a 16-point lead — and Brett Breidor added a third-period drop at 138.
Upper Perkiomen’s D.J. McIlvane works to bring Boyertown’s Evan Mortimer down during their match at 145. McIlvane won by decision, 9-4. (Sam Stewart – Digital First Media)
The Bears continued with Chris Berry’s 3:44 pin at 160, and after Hunter Vogels gritted out a 6-3 decision at 170, Jacob Miller added a tech-fall in 3:53 at 182. Jones then administered the clincher.
“I’m going to work at 184. My first time there will be the (weekend) Escape the Rock tournament,” Jones said. “I’m looking to stay there.”
Boyertown finished up with decisions by Mason Grohoski at 285, Chase Stehman at 106 and Matt Wilde at 113.
“We’re just a little banged up,” Ventresca said. “We’re trying to keep the kids healthy.”
That goal will be tested by an ETR field renowned for attracting top-flight competition both within Pennsylvania and outside the state. The Bears were second in the team standings last year, led by Jordan Wood’s championship at 220, Lucas Miller’s runner-up finish at 126, Tommy Killoran’s third at 285 and Gregg Harvey’s fourth at 182.
“It’s a tough tournament,” Ventresca noted. “We’re excited to wrestle tough competition.”
Boyertown’s Chris Berry gives a quick smirk after defeating Upper Perkiomen’s Jacob Folk via pin. (Sam Stewart – Digital First Media)
Upper Perk, whose own thin numbers were evidenced by a forfeit at 170 — a double with the Bears — had only a few highlights for the night. D.J. McIlvaine’s decision at 145 forced a 17-9 team score that proved to be as close at the Indians would get, and Mike Modugno had a 9-2 decision at 220.
“They (Boyertown) are tough,” UP head coach Sam Walters said. “We gave them a little, but they’re obviously tough.
“We’re doing better than last year,” he added. “At least we’ve got bodies.”
Rozanski brings an impressive pedigree into his first year of high-school competition. The freshman is the nephew of 1990 UP graduate Brad Rozanski, a state champion at 125 with 134 career wins to his credit.
“He wrestles tough,” Walters said. “Zach shows a lot of potential, and he puts a lot of work in, staying in good position to dominate opponents.”
On the Boyertown side, Grohoski — a senior wrestling at the high-school level for the first time — has impressed with his work ethic. He ran his record to 9-3 with Wednesday’s victory.
“The ‘Hitman.’” Ventresca said of Grohoski, who last wrestled for Boyertown Junior High-West during the 2013-14 school year. “He’s very strong. He picks up stuff quick, and he works hard.”
NOTES >> Upper Perk will be back on the mats Thursday, traveling to Methacton for a 6:30 p.m. match. … Jones on the on-the-mat absence of Cooley, who has wrestled just twice this year after qualifying for states as a junior: “It’s definitely hard. Losing a kid like him hurts. But we’re still solid through the weight classes. We have a solid lineup.”
