SPRINGFIELD >> The Abington wrestling team finished a perfect run through the SOL American Conference in emphatic fashion Wednesday night. But that was not much of a surprise to the Galloping Ghosts’ Nick Castorina.
“It’s what we expected to do,” the junior said.
Abington posted all eight of its pins in winning nine of its final 10 matches against host Springfield-Montco as the Ghosts cemented their unbeaten conference season by rolling to a 60-12 victory over the Spartans.
“It feels real special,” Abington junior Jake Rose said. “I grew up with all these guys, wrestling for about 10 years now and it’s a real good feeling. We worked hard for this.”
Springfield grabbed a 6-0 lead on its Senior Night with Jack Quigg’s second-period pin at 152. And after a pair of Abington decisions knotted things at six, the Spartans went back up 9-6 on Stojan Gradistanac’s 10-4 decision at 182.
But it was pretty much all Abington (15-5, 7-0 conference) from there. The Ghosts recorded six points in each of the next six matches – five by fall with a forfeit win at 285 – and wrapped up the victory at 120 as Adam Andrews pinned Will Horn in 54 seconds for a 42-9 lead.
“We knew toward upper-middle of their lineup was where their more solid guys were and we knew as soon as we got to heavyweights and down low it was going to be over,” Rose said. “We knew we had that.”
Roderick Porter gave the Spartans (9-8, 5-2) their third and final win, besting Colin Hamsher in sudden victory at 126 before Abington capped the night with three pins – all coming in the first period.
“We knew they were a good team, they’re well coached, they have a lot of tough kids,” said Ghosts sophomore Shane Kibler of Springfield. “Wanted to get as many bonus points as we could, so we could come out on top but we knew we have to bring our A game tonight.”
Last season, Abington shifted from the SOL National to the American Conference and finished second to Wissahickon. A year later, the Ghosts went unbeaten in conference dual meets and took first in the SOL American Championships Jan. 25.
“It means we worked hard, we came out with a good season,” Kibler said. “Still a lot of room to improve but it’s a good accomplishment.”
Abington now gets ready for the postseason which for the Ghosts begins at the District 1-AAA East Tournament at Quakertown Feb. 21-22.
“We know we’ve all been working hard and by the time it comes to districts when know our hard work is going to pay off,” Rose said. “Just leave it up to our hard work.”
Springfield competes in the Unionville Duals Saturday before the District 1/12 Class AA Tournament Feb. 22 at Church Farm School.
After Quigg’s pin in 2:40 at 152 gave the Spartans Wednesday’s opening points, Castorina picked up Abington’s first win with an 11-5 decision at 152.
“I came out, I don’t know, nervous I guess, I never really wrestled second in the entire season, we’ve always been wrestling starting at 106,” Castorina said. “So it kind of was a different feel, so I guess it was a little I don’t want to say nervous but, I don’t know, different feel.”
Robert Glemser’s 5-0 decision at 160 leveled the match 6-6 before Springfield went back ahead 9-6 on Gradistanac’s decision at 160.
Joey Bernstein earned Abington’s first pin at 195 in 1:16, putting the Ghosts ahead for good at 12-9. Cody Judge made it back-to-back pins at 220 – the senior already up 10-2 after an escape in the second period before turning a takedown into a fall at 2:25.
Following a forfeit win at 285, Abington keep its momentum going in the lightweights with three consecutive pins to seal the victory. Jake Werner and Matt McCaughey earned second-period falls – Werner in 3:16 at 106, McCaughey in 3:04 at 113 – with Andrews’ 54-seconds pin at 120 putting the Ghosts up 33.
“It’s been happening to us all season – it’s been happening once someone gets a pin, it just keeps on rolling,” Castorina said.
Porter and Hamsher needed overtime at 126 after finishing six minutes level 1-1. Porter came away with the decision by getting a takedown 20 seconds into sudden victory.
After Tommy Brett’s pin at 1:20 at 132, Rose – Abington’s lone regional qualifier in 2019 – made it seven falls for the Ghosts by pinning Owen Hoy in 1:05 at 138.
“I came out fired up,” Rose said. “I wrestled him last week, it wasn’t close but I knew he was going to (be) bringing it all. It was Senior Night and we were coming down to the end and I know I had to just go out and wrestle my all.”
At 145, Kibler added Abington’s eighth fall in 1:38.
