WESTTOWN >> Seeded the highest its been in 23 years, West Chester Henderson’s start to the District 1-3A Duals did not go as planned.
Sure, Justin Tran got the No. 4 Warriors on the board first with a hard-fought 1-0 decision, but two early leads turned into pins by No. 13 Ridley and in the process, one of their leaders, returning state qualifier Luke Phayre, was carried off with a leg injury.
Henderson shook off the early adversity, however, and won nine of the final 10 bouts to run away with a 57-18 victory in the first round of the duals, at West Chester Rustin, Wednesday.
Seventh-seeded Downingtown West blew out No. 10 Council Rock North, 55-24, and will face No. 2 Spring-Ford next Friday in the quarterfinals after the Rams eliminated No. 15 West Chester Rustin, 41-23.
The Warriors will tango with No. 5 Boyertown in the quarters.
Henderson’s Justin Tran (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
“The kids were focused and prepared for their matches,” Henderson coach Rob Beighley said. “They went out and executed and were aggressive. They got falls and bonus points and that’s what it’s all about this time of year.”
After trailing 12-8 after four bouts, Henderson scored 12 bonus points the next five matches with a major decision from Koh Bauman (160), a technical fall from Mason Baldwin (170), pins by Cash Artis (182) and Mike Plawecki (195) and a forfeit for Gavin Range (220).
If Phayre is forced to miss any time, the challenge of finishing in one of the top four spots that qualify for the PIAA Duals gets tougher, but Beighley believes his team can overcome.
Henderson’s Cash Artis (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
“They’ll step up,” Beighley said. “It’s next man up if they have to step up. I have a lot of confidence in (Phayre) and I think he’ll be fine.”
The Whippets were no match for a banged-up North squad that was forced to forfeit three weights. Greg Chamberlain (138), Dan Lilley (152), Max Hale (170), Chase Mielnik (182) and Pat Cusack (220) pinned for West.
“These guys, if you give them an inch they’ll take that mile,” West coach Brad Breese said. “We got a couple of points at critical spots we needed and everyone was able to get comfortable and go out and wrestle. Greg (Chamberlain) is really starting to come into his own at 138, and that’s big for us and Dan (Lilley) getting the win there was good for him.”
West lost to Spring-Ford, 44-23, the first weekend of January, as well as in the district semifinals a year ago. While the odds will not be in their favor, the Whippets will relish the underdog role.
Downingtown West’s Dom Findora (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
“I think they’ll be ready to go,” Breese said.
Rustin had almost made a tradition of pulling off first-round upsets the prior three years. All three times the Golden Knights advanced to the quarterfinals, twice as the lower seed.
Against the Rams, the hill was a little too steep, but if nothing else, the Knights showed their seed did not do them justice.
“I think our kids battled,” Rustin coach Brad Harkins said. “One of the main objectives was battling and fighting for the team. What turned out to hurt us was mistakes. When you make mistakes against a good team, they make you pay for it.”
Rustin’s Charlie Baldesari (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Spring-Ford led 27-6 at the halfway point, but Zach Jones (195), Owen Walsh (220) and Gabe Walsh (285) rallied the Knights with two decisions and a pin. The burst was short-lived, as the Rams won the next three, rendering Josh Viarengo’s technical fall in the finale too little, too late.
Outside of a 32-27 win by No. 8 Neshaminy over No. 9 Quakertown, the 18-point margin of victory by Spring-Ford was the second smallest, despite the disparity of the seeds.
One couldn’t help but wonder where Rustin could’ve finished if its two-time regional qualifier and 92-match winner, Tyler Kaliner, hadn’t been lost for the season with an injury in football. Regardless, the Knights will focus on competing for the Ches-Mont American Division title the next two weeks.
“Any time you can wrestle a quality team, you take it,” Harkins said. “District duals is always an opportunity to wrestle quality teams and we love that part of it.”
Rustin’s Josh Viarengo (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)
Downingtown West 55, Council Rock North 24
132- Wolf (DW) won by forfeit (6-0)
138- Chamberlain (DW) pinned Meara, 2:56 (12-0)
145- Robinson (CRN) pinned Hayford, :54 (12-6)
152- Lilley (DW) pinned Saidi, 3:58 (18-6)
160- Sheehy (CRN) pinned Smith, 1:05 (18-12)
170- Hale (DW) pinned Silber, 2:23 (24-12)
182- C. Mielnik (DW) pinned Roe, 4:37 (30-12)
195- Shafer (DW) won by forfeit (36-12)
220- Cusack (DW) pinned Elbarouki, 1:17 (42-12)
285- Micale (DW) dec. Harar, 7-3 (45-12)
106- Findora (DW) maj. dec. Burke, 14-3 (49-12)
113- Hauserman (CRN) pinned Suchecki, :11 (49-18)
120- Niemeyer (DW) won by forfeit (55-18)
126- Lucerne (CRN) pinned O. Mielnik, :44 (55-24)
West Chester Henderson 57, Ridley 18
132- Tran (WCH) dec. Cowan, 1-0 (3-0)
138- Rodriguez (RID) pinned C. McMonagle, 1:22 (3-6)
145- English (WCH) tech. fall Chouinard, 5:30 (8-6)
152- Prum (RID) pinned Phayre, 1:55 (8-12)
160- Bauman (WCH) maj. dec. Shaak, 11-2 (12-12)
170- Baldwin (WCH) tech. fall Zielke, 3:19 (17-12)
182- Artis (WCH) pinned Blasick, 1:51 (23-12)
195- Plawecki (WCH) pinned O’Doherty, 1:09 (29-12)
220- Range (WCH) won by forfeit (35-12)
285- Bramwell (RID) pinned Caruso, 3:48 (35-18)
106- Wilson (WCH) maj. dec. Treloar, 11-2 (39-18)
113- S. McMonagle (WCH) pinned C. Green, 3:44 (45-18)
120- K. Delaney (WCH) pinned Rainey, :49 (51-18)
126- P. Delaney (WCH) pinned Morrell, 3:14 (57-18)
Spring-Ford 41, West Chester Rustin 23
132- Baldesari (WCR) dec. Judge, 4-2 (0-3)
138- McGill (SF) pinned Lourido, 1:08 (6-3)
145- Nugent (SF) dec. Pratzner, 7-4 (9-3)
152- Cushman (SF) pinned Spaniak, 1:20 (15-3)
160- Hurley (WCR) dec. Lepore, 7-1 (15-6)
170- Smith (SF) pinned Griffith, 1:11 (21-6)
182- Milano (SF) pinned Hatzipavlides, :50 (27-6)
195- Jones (WCR) dec. Carbajal, 3-1 (27-9)
220- O. Walsh (WCR) dec. Albert, 6-2 (27-12)
285- G. Walsh (WCR) pinned Brogan, 4:25 (27-18)
106- Ortlip (SF) pinned Casey, :44 (33-18)
113- Reynolds (SF) dec. King, 2-0 (36-18)
120- Tobin (SF) tech. fall Johnson, 2:30 (41-18)
126- Viarengo (WCR) tech. fall Carfagno, 4:44 (41-23)
