WESTTOWN — Coatesville’s Chase Stephens has had his fair share of milestone moments in his career, but his fourth and final Ches-Mont Championships will certainly be up there.
At West Chester Rustin, Saturday, Stephens broke the Coatesville career wins record (142), tallied his 100th career pin, won his third straight league title and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
His first period fall against West Chester Henderson’s Ray Martin in the semifinals broke Mike Boykin’s wins record and made him the second from the Ches-Mont to ever hit 100 pins. Stephens (152 pounds) is four away from tying former Downingtown East star, Wade Cummings’ record of 104.
“They’re really just achievements that are getting me by as I work towards a state title,” said Stephens, who defeated Downingtown West’s Max Hale by technical fall in the finals. “I’ve been working really hard to set the records at the school and in the league.”
The Red Raiders tied Rustin for most champs with three, as Brent Windle (145) and Alex Raimondo (220) also climbed to the top of the podium.
Great Valley’s Ryan Cavanaugh (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Following Raimondo’s 5-3 upset of Unionville’s Mike Maguire, Great Valley’s Ryan Cavanaugh (285) pulled off another. Down 2-0 with under a minute to go, Cavanaugh rolled Avon Grove’s Josh Walls for a five-point move to clinch the decision, 5-2.
“When I was a freshman I used to roll people all the time and won a lot of matches that way,” said Cavanaugh, who became the first Patriot to win leagues since 2014. “I could tell (Walls) wasn’t expecting it and I felt like I could throw it.”
There were only a few barnburners in the finals, and Downingtown East’s Lukas Richie (113) won the first one. After giving up a takedown to Henderson’s Killian Delaney to tie the score at four, late in the third, Richie managed an escape to deny Delaney’s prediction of a win earlier in the week.
Downingtown East’s Lukas Richie (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
“If anything, it made it more interesting,” Richie said of Delaney’s proclamation. “I didn’t really take it to heart because the mat is where everything takes place. It works itself out there and I just tried to stay focused on the match.”
Downingtown West won the team title with 39.5 points more than Rustin. Thirteen Whippets qualified as top-seven finishers for the District 1 Central tournament at Quakertown next Saturday.
Doug Zapf (106) and Cole Zapf (195) were champs for West, who also had six others in the top three.
“Winning the team title means all the guys wrestled the way they needed to wrestle to accomplish their goals,” West coach Brad Breese said.
Rustin’s Collin Hurley (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Rustin also had a pair of brothers, Brett Kaliner (126) and Tyler Kaliner (138), win titles, along with Collin Hurley (160). Seven other Golden Knights advanced to districts.
“It feels good to get it out of the way,” Tyler Kaliner said of his first postseason title. “I think I have a good shot at doing it again at districts, and that will help me get set up with a good spot at regionals.”
Henderson’s Jake Reid (120) won his second championship with a decision over Octorara’s Liam Babauta
Unionville’s Jake Taylor (132) won his second league title after Kennett’s Drew Massetti injury defaulted in the first period. Oxford’s David Cox (170) won his second title in a row, using an 11-5 decision to halt a Cinderella run by Octorara’s Ryan Sharpless, who knocked off West’s Joe Shafer and West Chester East’s Andrew DiBernardo on the way to the finals.
Avon Grove’s Kevin Edwards (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Avon Grove’s Kevin Edwards became a two-time league champ with a 52-second pin against Coatesville’s Sean McBride. In their first two matchups this season, Edwards won by decisions, but the third time was much more efficient for the returning sixth-place PIAA medalist.
“There were a couple things from last time I was thinking about and had been working on with my brother (Caleb),” Edwards said. “Thankfully I was able to represent that stuff in the match.”
Team Standings
1. Downingtown West, 209.5; 2. West Chester Rustin, 170; 3. Coatesville, 157.5; 4. Downingtown East, 120.5; 4. Unionville, 120.5; 6. Avon Grove, 115; 7. West Chester Henderson, 107; 8. West Chester East, 105; 9. Octorara, 99; 10. Oxford, 89; 11. Kennett, 66.5; 12. Great Valley, 66; 13. Sun Valley, 52
Championship Finals
106- D. Zapf (Downingtown West) tech. fall Howard (Avon Grove), 4:19
113- Richie (Downingtown East) dec. Delaney (Henderson), 5-4
120- Reid (Henderson) dec. Babauta (Octorara), 5-2
126- B. Kaliner (Rustin) pinned Reiter (Kennett), 2:45
132- Taylor (Unionville) won by inj. def. Massetti (Kennett), :26
138- T. Kaliner (Rustin) dec. Murta (Downingtown West), 6-0
145- Windle (Coatesville) won by inj. def. Barnhart (Avon Grove), :01
152- Stephens (Coatesville) tech. fall M. Hale (Downingtown West), 4:34
160- Hurley (Rustin) dec. Angelini (Downingtown West), 9-4
170- Cox (Oxford) dec. Sharpless (Octorara), 11-5
182- Edwards (Avon Grove) pinned S. McBride (Coatesville), :52
195- C. Zapf (Downingtown West) dec. Catka (Sun Valley), 7-4
220- Raimondo (Coatesville) dec. Maguire (Unionville), 5-3
285- Cavanaugh (Great Valley) dec. Walls (Avon Grove), 5-2
Consolation Finals
106- Celenza (WC East) tech. fall B. McBride (Coatesville), 3:20
113- S. Hoopes (Octorara) tech. fall D. Chaclas (Unionville), 4:10
120- Eadie (WC East) dec. Lehman (Unionville), 6-2
126- Horne (Downingtown East) dec. Gathercole (Coatesville), 9-6
132- Lilley (Downingtown West) maj. dec. Reardon (Rustin), 13-3
138- Dellicompagni (Coatesville) dec. Birzes (Downingtown East), 11-4
145- G. Hale (Downingtown West) pinned Blum (WC East), 2:15
152- Labus (Rustin) dec. Martin (Henderson), 5-1
160- Burridge (Octorara) dec. Mousaw (Unionville), 8-3
170- DiBernardo (WC East) dec. Shafer (Downingtown West), 12-5
182- Seeley (Great Valley) dec. McGuinness (Henderson), 1-0
195- Lamberjack (Rustin) dec. Wileczek (Downingtown East), 1-0
220- Madanat (Downingtown West) dec. B. Castaneda (Kennett), 1-0
285- McGinley (Downingtown East) dec. Cook (Downingtown West), 6-3
