Wrestling

Big wins by Lehman, Chaclas fuel duo’s goals for future

by
Nate Heckenberger
January 30, 2019

EAST MARLBOROUGH >> Unionville senior, Jacob Lehman, knows what he wants to do with his life and knows wrestling will help get him there.

“I plan on wrestling in college, but it’s not really about me improving in the sport of wrestling, but improving as an overall athlete,” Lehman said. “I want to become a better athlete and have a base to compete in jiu-jitsu. I would love to open a jiu-jitsu school one day and run it 24-seven. I want to help people learn the sport and make athletes.”

Lehman has been competing in martial arts since he was eight and starting practicing jiu-jitsu when he was 10.

Wrestling didn’t come along until seventh grade, but Lehman has found success on the mat that has translated wherever he lines up to compete.

Unionville’s Jacob Lehman (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)

“I’ve learned position before submission,” Lehman said. “You have to make sure everything is perfect before you go for the kill.”

Lehman contributed one of eight pins for Unionville, Wednesday, on a night that was all about improving. The Indians routed Kennett, 69-6 in the Ches-Mont American Division dual meet, but there were lessons to be learned on both sides of the result, the biggest coming at 126 pounds.

Kennett’s sophomore Trent Kochersperger bumped up from 120 to face off against fellow regional qualifier, Dom Chaclas.

“(Kochersperger) always looks for that sort of stuff,” Kennett coach Kevin Reigel said of the move. “He does a lot of club wrestling, and he does that because he wants to be wrestling in a room with someone better than him.”

Kennett’s Trent Kochersperger (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)

Kochersperger was up for the challenge in the first period, taking Chaclas down in the waning seconds. But Chaclas hit a four-point move in the second, changing the complexion of the match.

“It’s more fun having close matches,” Chaclas said. “We both wrestled pretty well, and props to (Kochersperger) for bumping up. He didn’t have to do that.”

In the third, Kochersperger was close on a couple headlock attempts, but couldn’t finish and Chaclas eventually ended on top for a 7-2 decision.

“That was one of the matches I was looking forward to,” Unionville coach Bill Taylor said. “That’s one I had circled. I was hoping they’d do that and it was a good match.”

Chaclas went 2-2 at regionals last year at 113, but came up a couple wins shy of a trip to states. Lehman’s season has ended a win short of regionals the past two seasons. Being so close in weight has allowed them to refine each other daily in practice.

Unionville’s Dom Chaclas (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)

“Having (Lehman) in the room is the best situation for both of us,” Chaclas said. “Tyler (Mousaw) is really good but he’s too big. Him being right around my weight, we get to beat each other up pretty good.”

Hershey is on the mind of Kochersperger, as well. As a freshman, he opened some eyes, coming a win away from the consolation semis. He has sought out tougher matches all season in efforts to make a deeper postseason run this winter.

“He’s been working a ton,” Reigel said. “We’re actually trying to dial him back for the postseason so he has a fresh mind and body. He’s had a couple tough losses, but they’re good losses to have. You have to have those matches to learn from them and move forward.”

Kennett (0-5 division, 4-9 overall) got a win by fall in the opener from Darrale Barret, but it was all Unionville (3-2, 5-14) the rest of the way.

Unionville’s Matt Julier (Nate Heckenberger – For Digital First Media)

John Luzzi (113), Colton Nolan (132), Jackson Roberts (138), Sam Elsen (152), Matt Julier (170), Noah Stillman (195) and Eli Lyons (285) pinned for the Indians.

Lyons’ fall came off a throw early in the second period against Collin Watson, making the heavyweight ranks even murkier. A week ago Watson defeated Oxford’s Sam Blevins, who pinned Watson twice earlier in the season. It may come down to who has the hot hand in the postseason.

“He’s up and down, but when he’s up he has one heck of a throw,” Taylor said of Lyons. “If he can keep it going into the postseason, he’s going to be hard to stop.”