FORT WASHINGTON >> It was a tougher way to qualify for state duals than Spring-Ford had to face in recent years.
But the Rams proved more than equal to a tough task Saturday. And Ryan Lepore played a significant part in accomplishing the task.
After being dropped out of contention for a third straight District 1-AAA championship, Spring-Ford found itself in dogfights just to keep its team postseason alive. Not accustomed to dealing with one-point matches this winter, the Rams nonetheless turned that feat twice, rallying to edge Central Bucks East (31-30) and West Chester Henderson (30-29).
The first nail-biter qualified Spring-Ford (15-4) for the state field as one of four teams from District 1. The second got the Rams a home match Monday against District 3 fourth seed Dallastown, with a victory moving them into the Hershey field for the first full round Thursday.
“Every point counted,” Spring-Ford head coach Tim Seislove said, “and a lot of kids contributed. It’s been that way all season long.”
Lepore’s contributions carried considerable significance. His 4-0 effort featured a pin and two major decisions, which factored prominently in clinching the wins necessary to keep the Rams on track for state team competition.
With a 28-24 lead and two weight classes left to contest, the Rams’ senior (22-8) scored a 7-2 decision on East’s Luke Wilson. The 31-24 lead it secured proved critical with the Patriots’ Tyler Tanner making a pin in the 152-pound finale.
In the Henderson match, Lepore posted an 11-3 major that broke up a 23-23 tie. The Rams outlasted the Warriors to come away with the third-place trophy.
“He’s a great leader and a hard worker,” Seislove said of Lepore, “He has a great outlook, and he’s fantastic.”
Spring-Ford’s Kyle Huston clamps a cradle before pinning West Chester Henderson’s Owen McCarthy at 189 pounds. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford’s Cole Smith scores nearfall points against West Chester Henderson’s Billy Forcine. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Lepore’s first major got Spring-Ford started on its 44-21 quarterfinal win over Pennridge. His pin came against Quakertown, which dropped the Rams out of a title three-peat with a 35-21 loss.
“We knew it was going to be close,” Lepore said of the Quakertown match, “but we were bummed. We got a great attitude, and we kept pushing.”
Pennridge countered SF’s 7-0 start with successive pins from Talan Hogan (160) and Ryan Gallagher (172). But Spring-Ford proceeded to ring up seven straight wins from 189 to 126, Dominic Ortlip providing the win clincher with a pin 22 seconds before the end at 120.
That gave SF an insurmountable 38-12 lead with three weights left to contest. Quinn Smith followed with a third-period pin at 126 before Pennridge’s final flourish: Sam Kuhns’ 3:39 pin at 132 and Andrew Minko’s 3-0 decision at 138.
Steve DeAngelo recovered from two early losses to factor in the Rams’ state-securing consi victory. His 8-4 decision of East’s Andrew Oram at 138 followed Quinn Smith’s four-minute technical fall of Johah Green. It gave the locals their first lead of the match, 25-24, after they fell into a 24-point hole through the first five weights.
DeAngelo also had Spring-Ford’s final three points against Henderson.
“He’s a kid who keeps battling,” Seislove said of DeAngelo. “He’s another hard worker.”
Spring-Ford’s Anthony Attilio clinched the dual meet against West Chester Henderson’s Brett Patton, at 152 pounds. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford’s Quinn Smith fights off an attack by West Chester Henderson’s Max Jackman. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The Quakertown match saw the Rams fall behind by as many as 14 points (20-6) through 285. Decisions by Spring-Ford’s three Smiths — Gus at 106, Cole at 113, Quinn at 126 — closed the gap with three weights left to contest, but the Panthers put things out of the Rams’ reach with Gavin Carroll scoring a pin at 132 and Collin Gaj winning on an injury default by James McGill at 138.
Against Henderson, Spring-Ford found itself trailing 12-9 through 285. Gus and Cole Smith used a respective pin and technical fall to put the Rams back on top, 20-15, prior to Quinn Smith posting a 12-5 decision at 126.
Anthony Attilio provided the clincher at 152, an 8-1 decision that nullified the forfeit the Warriors drew in the 160-pound finale.
NOTES >> Lepore on getting back to Hershey’s Giant Center, regardless of the occasion being the state’s individual or team tournaments: “Every time is just as special. Our upperclassmen know what it takes to get past Hershey.” … Council Rock South emerged as the district’s AAA champion, dispatching top-seeded Quakertown 36-19. … Faith Christian Academy was the district’s 1/12 Class AA titlist, the Lions handling Conwell Egan 49-14.
Quarterfinals
Spring-Ford 44, Pennridge 21
145 – Ryan Lepore (SF) dec. Gio Tadonisi, 13-4 (4-0)
152 – Anthony Attilio (SF) dec. Brady McMahon, 10-3 (7-0)
160 – Talan Hogan (Pr) pinned Drew Dotterer, :57 (7-6)
172 – Ryan Gallagher (Pr) pinned Ryan Horvath, 2:51 (7-12)
189 – Kyle Huston (SF) pinned Riley Cullen, 2:57 (13-12)
215 – Daniel Borzillo (SF) pinned Xavier Dantzler, 4:50 (19-12)
285 – John Kaputo (SF) pinned Chase Washington, 4:48 (25-12)
106 – Gus Smith (SF) dec. Colby Martinelli, 11-3 (29-12)
113 – Cole Smith (SF) dec. Cole Cotton, 4-0 (32-12)
120 – Dominic Ortlip (SF) pinned Anthony Granite, 5:38 (38-12)
126 – Quinn Smith (SF) pinned Jesse Rose, 4:18 (44-12)
132 – Sam Kuhns (Pr) pinned Brennan McGrann, 3:39 (44-18)
138 – Andrew Minko (Pr) dec. Steven DeAngelo, 3-0 (44-21)
Semifinals
Quakertown 35, Spring-Ford 21
152 – Zach Borzio (Qt) dec. Anthony Attilio, 3-0 (3-0)
160 – Will Buckley (Qt) dec. Drew Dotterer, 9-1 (7-0)
172 – Calvin Lachman (Qt) dec, Ryan Horvath, 18-6 (11-0)
189 – Kyle Huston (SF) pinned Kaden Roesener, 1:11 (11-6)
215 – Brandon Pierce (Qt) dec. Daniel Borzillo, 3-1 (14-6)
285 – Frederick Retter (Qt) pinned John Kaputa, 1:30 (20-6)
106 – Gus Smith (SF) dec. Isaac Williams, 4-0 (20-9)
113 – Cole Smith (SF) dec. Justin Adamson, 13-0 (20-12)-x
120 – Mason Ziegler (Qt) dec. Dominic Ortlip, 8-1 (23-12)
126 – Quinn Smith (SF) dec. Todd McGann, 9-4 (23-15)
132 – Gavin Carroll (Qt) pinned Steven DeAngelo, 5:33 (29-15)
138 – Collin Gaj (Qt) won by injury default over James McGill (35-15)
145 – Ryan Lepore (SF) pinned Maxwell Hibsman, 2:58 (35-21)
x-Spring-Ford deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Second-Round Consolations
Spring-Ford 31, Central Bucks East 30
160 – Mason Stein (CBE) pinned Drew Dotterer, :29 (0-6)
172 – Nils Updale (CBE) dec. Ryan Horvath, 8-3 (0-9)
189 – Quinn Collins (CBE) pinned Kyle Huston, 1:42 (0-15)
215 – Reagan McCullough (CBE) pinned Daniel Borzillo, 1:32 (0-21)
285 – Joe Collins (CBE) dec. John Kaputa, 5-0 (0-24)
106 – Gus Smith (SF) won by forfeit (6-24)
113 – Brady Seislove (SF) won by forfeit (12-24)
120 – Cole Smith (SF) dec. Ethan Bean, 10-0 (16-24)
126 – Dominic Ortlip (SF) dec. Max Bean, 12-3 (20-24)
132 – Quinn Smith (SF) won by technical fall over Johah Green, 4:00 (25-24)
138 – Steven DeAngelo (SF) dec. Andrew Oram, 8-4 (28-24)
145 – Ryan Lepore (SF) dec. Luke Wilson, 7-2 (31-24)
152 – Tyler Tanner (CBE) pinned Kenny Salamone, 3:31 (31-30)
Third-Place Match
Spring-Ford 30, West Chester Henderson 29
172 – Ryan Horvath (SF) dec. Stephen Beatty, 15-9 (3-0)
189 – Kyle Huston (SF) pinned McCarthy, 1:53 (9-0)
215 – Wyatt Hampton (WCH) pinned Daniel Borzillo, 3:18 (9-6)
285 – Liam Keevill (WCH) pinned John Kaputa, 3:07 (9-12)
106 – Gus Smith (SF) pinned Ryan Schalleur, :43 (15-12)
113 – Cole Smith (SF) won by technical fall over Billy Forcine, 17-2 (20-12)
120 – Carmen Cortese (WCH) dec. Dominic Ortlip, 6-4 (20-15)
126 – Quinn Smith (SF) dec. Max Jackman, 12-5 (23-15)
132 – Hunter Delaney (WCH) dec. Steven DeAngelo, 8-7 (23-18)
138 – Billy Wilson (WCH) won by technical fall over Ian Evans, 19-2 (23-23)
145 – Ryan Lepore (SF) dec. Matt English, 11-3 (27-23)
152 – Anthony Attilio (SF) dec. Brett Patton, 8-1 (30-23)
160 – Palmer Delaney (WCH) won by forfeit (30-29)
