SPRINGFIELD >> As they rolled up the mats and called it a day, the La Salle wrestling team had plenty to be proud of.
“I felt good. Five matches, long day, but I just hoped we would win our final match, get third place and get a medal,” said the Explorers’ Brad Vespe. “Pretty excited for it.”
Vespe helped La Salle have a day to remember at the Spartan Duals Saturday, as the Explorers went 3-1 in Pool A en route to their third-place finish as a team.
“Before every match, you go in a little nervous,” said the senior, who wrestles at 160 and 170 pounds. “But you get that big adrenaline rush and just get into it, get in the zone.”
The Explorers began their day with a 49-28 victory over host Springfield. They then defeated Harriton 66-18 and earned a 66-18 win over Upper Merion.
La Salle fell to North Schuylkill in its final pool match but then squared off with Jim Thorpe, which went 3-1 in Pool B.
The Explorers came through with a 46-30 victory to claim the third-place trophy, with Vespe contributing a clutch win in his match.
“I just wanted to wrestle my style, not play off somebody else,” Vespe said. “I wanted to wrestle the way I wrestle and see how it turns out.”
Things turned out well for the Explorers.
La Salle finished behind only Sun Valley and North Schuylkill — Sun Valley earned a 52-21 win over North Schuylkill in the battle for first.
Springfield gets it going >> The host Spartans held their own Saturday, going 2-2 in Pool A.
Springfield began with a 66-12 win over Upper Merion before falling to La Salle 49-28.
The Spartans then lost 57-15 to powerful North Schuylkill but came back with a thorough 69-12 win over Harriton.
Springfield, third in Pool A, went up against Radnor, third in Pool B. Radnor pulled out a tight one, 42-28, to claim fifth place.
But the Spartans had their moments, some of them generated by Jack Quigg, a standout senior at 152 and 160 pounds.
“I felt good, got after it,” he said. “I just wanted to go out and go 1-0 in every match. I think we’re doing well. We’re wrestling pretty well – no one is quitting. I like this tournament – lots of different teams to match up with. I like our start. We wanna keep building, keep getting better.”
Also from the area, Upper Moreland defeated Church Farm to go 1-3 in Pool B and then defeated Harriton 53-24 to grab seventh place.
