MERCERSBURG >> Spencer Barnhart reached a personal milestone, Saturday, but his appearance on the podium reflected Malvern Prep’s day as a whole: beat up and disappointed with second.
Barnhart won his 100th career bout, in the semifinals of the Pennsylvania Independent Schools wrestling tournament, but took a shot to the right eye, causing major swelling.
In the finals, Barnhart kept it respectful against the top 132-pounder in the country, Nic Bouzakis of Wyoming Seminary, 10-5, even with an eye that had turned purple and almost fully closed with swelling.
“I think I wrestled pretty well, even though I couldn’t really see,” Barnhart said.
Malvern Prep’s Spencer Barnhart shows off his shiner while accepting his second-place medal at 132 pounds. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Malvern Prep’s day started promising, as well, as the Friars took a 16-point lead in the team standings after the semifinal round. That lead shrunk to nine by the time the finals started, and after a disheartening finals, the Friars settled for second, 12 behind Wyoming Seminary.
On one hand, it’s a sign of Malvern’s progression, that a team title at prep states was within reach — 12 points is the closest the Friars have gotten to Sem — but on the other, going 4-8 in the finals left much to be desired heading towards the National Prep tournament, next weekend.
Malvern Prep’s Anthony Mutarelli works on top against Wyoming Seminary’s Davis Motyka on his way to a major decision in the 106-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“We’re right there,” Malvern coach Nate Lautar said. “We’re close. I don’t think we’ve ever been in the lead going into finals. We had some heart-breaking losses, but we have four or five days to get ready for national preps.”
Anthony Mutarelli (106 pounds) started the Friars off with a 12-2 major over Sem’s Davis Motyka. At 113, Tommy Link lost a late lead and fell to Sem’s Cooper Hilton, 5-4, and Jack Consiglio (120) couldn’t find an attack against Sem’s Luke Lilledahl in a 3-2 loss.
Nick O’Neill (126) got Malvern back on track with a 3-2 win over Western Reserve Academy’s Matt Hart, in tiebreaker, but Sem won seven of the next eight finals, five against Malvern.
Malvern Prep’s Nick O’Neill gets in a scramble with Western Reserve Academy’s Matt Hart, in an overtime win in the 126-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“It’s obviously disappointing,” Malvern senior Nick Feldman said. “I want to see my teammates do better. They’re my brothers. We will see what happens next week. We were a little flat in the finals and I’d be surprised if that happens again.”
Feldman was voted Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament with two first-period pins and a technical fall. His second pin came against Haverford School’s Billy Brosko, in the finals.
Malvern Prep’s Nick Feldman pins Haverford School’s Billy Brosko in the 285-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“I just want to score as many points as I can,” said Feldman, an Ohio State recruit. “Six minutes, every match, constantly pushing the pace.
Feldman is the top-ranked pound-for-pound wrestler in the country, by Matscouts, two ahead of Bouzakis, who will be his teammate on the Buckeyes, next season.
Malvern Prep’s Nick Feldman takes down Haverford School’s Billy Brosko before pinning him in the 285-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Though Bouzakis denied Barnhart win No. 101, the Friar has a great chance to catch his older brother, Nick Barnhart’s total of 132 wins while at Caravel Academy and Avon Grove High.
“It felt good,” Spencer Barnhart said of 100. “It’s another win, in my book, but it’s cool to be a part of the 100-win club.”
Malvern Prep’s Spencer Barnhart lifts Wyoming Seminary’s Nic Bouzakis during a 10-5 loss in the 132-pound final. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
SP O’Donnell (138) pinned nationally-ranked Sam Cartella of Western Reserve in the semis, but he took silver, as did Reed Fulmer (145), Nate Rickards (152), Jack Wehmeyer (182) and Andrew Connolly (195).
Owen Quinn (160) and Isaiah Wright (170) took third, meaning all 14 Friars finished in the top three. Caden Rogers (220), who competed minimally this season as a fifth-year senior, escaped during the tiebreaker period to defeat Sem’s Jack Darrah, 3-2.
Malvern Prep’s Caden Rogers. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
With one more high school competition on the docket for Rogers, his goal for next week was simple.
“Beating TJ Stewart,” said Rogers, referring to the Blair Academy senior who’s ranked No. 5 in the country.
Westtown School placed ninth out of 17 teams, and qualified three wrestlers to nationals as top-six finishers.
Ryan Tookes (113) was the highest placer for Westtown, at fifth, while Joshua Thangaraj (126) and Devin Swarthout (285) finished sixth.
“We’re very green,” Westtown coach Jay Farrow said. “It hurt us, not being able to wrestle last year. We’re playing catchup. Fortunately we have a lot of kids out, still, but we’re young, yet enthusiastic.”
Team Standings (top 10)
1. Wyoming Seminary, 337; 2. Malvern Prep, 325; 3. Western Reserve Academy, 157.5; 4. Hill School, 126.5; 5. William Penn Charter, 110.5; 6. Haverford School, 76; 7. Episcopal Academy, 74; 8. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 68; 9. Westtown School, 67; 10. Academy of the New Church, 66
Championship Finals
106- Mutarelli (Malvern Prep) maj. dec. Motyka (Wyoming Seminary), 12-2
113- Hilton (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Link (Malvern Prep), 5-4
120- Lilledahl (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Consiglio (Malvern Prep), 3-2
126- O’Neill (Malvern Prep) dec. Hart (Western Reserve), 3-2 TB
132- Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Barnhart (Malvern Prep), 10-5
138- Griffin (Hill School) dec. O’Donnell (Malvern Prep), 5-0
145- Shaprio (Wyoming Seminary) pinned Fulmer (Malvern Prep), 3:00
152- Sealey (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Rickards (Malvern Prep), 7-6
160- Federici (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Isabelle (Hill School), 6-2
170- Schubert (Wyoming Seminary) maj. dec. Zindle (Hill School), 9-1
182- Correa (Wyoming Seminary) dec. J. Wehmeyer (Malvern Prep), 7-4
195- Wolfgang Frable (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Connolly (Malvern Prep), 8-6
220- Rogers (Malvern Prep) dec. Darrah (Wyoming Seminary), 2-1 TB
285- Feldman (Malvern Prep) pinned Brosko (Haverford School), 1:49
Consolation Finals
106- Werden (Western Reserve) pinned Moua (Haverford School), 1:10
113- Leeds (Germantown Academy) pinned LaMent (William Penn), 1:06
120- Bah (Kiski) dec. Pavlek (Hill School), 11-4
126- Sloan (Hill School) dec. Fretwell (Wyoming Seminary), 6-3
132- Langley (Western Reserve) pinned Catlow-Silder (William Penn), :57
138- Cartella (Western Reserve) dec. Owen (Wyoming Seminary), 5-0
145- Kearney (Episcopal) dec. Shirk (Mercersburg), 8-4
152- Ramsey (Western Reserve) pinned Bloshuk (Academy of the New Church), 2:47
160- Quinn (Malvern Prep) dec. Mangan (William Penn), 8-4
170- Wright (Malvern Prep) dec. Moore (Springside Chestnut Hill), 3-1 SV
182- Miller (Western Reserve) pinned Mitchell (Kiski), 2:14
195- Glomb (William Penn) pinned Cassidy (Springside Chestnut Hill), 3:56
220- Anderson (Western Reserve) pinned Marchese (George School), :37
285- Moehring (Wyoming Seminary) pinned Hendricks (Mercersburg), 1:36
