LOWER GWYNEDD >> Ryan Hayes was feeling under the weather but the Methacton sophomore was still determined to do one thing Wednesday night.
“I woke up this morning and I said ‘I need to put six points on the board,’” he said.
Hayes did exactly that by recording a pin in the second period of his 121-pound match with Wissahickon’s Martin Vandegrift – the first of six falls for the Warriors wrestling team to send it past the host Trojans 51-18 in their nonleague dual meet.
“I had a pretty high fever there today so I was on the fence about wrestling,” Hayes said. “But I knew I had to step up and get the points for the team. So I had to just go out there and get the pin for the team.”
Methacton’s Ryan Hayes looks for a pin against Wissahickon’s Martin Vandegrift during their 121-pound match on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
A South East 3A Regional qualifier last season as a freshman, Hayes jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first period then finished things with a pin 52 seconds into the second to put Methacton up 9-6.
“I knew my top game is pretty good,” Hayes said. “So I knew if I could just get on top with pretty much anybody I can just get back points.”
Hayes’ victory was a part of a run of seven straight Warrior wins — five of those pins, including the last by Matthew Shumaker at 152 that put the visitors up 39-6 and clinched the dual meet for Methacton with five matches remaining.
“It’s pretty good for the team morale when everyone’s starts getting the pin,” Hayes said. “And it hypes the next person up and the next person up to go out and follow their lead.”
Methacton’s Joey Simko works for a pin on Wissahickon’s Nicholas Aten during their 127-pound match on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Wissahickon, wrestling for the first time this season – Methacton competed in Upper Merion’s Franny Lutz Holiday Duals last Saturday – earned back-to-back pins from seniors Nelson Stubbs and Nathanael Chez at 160 and 172, respectively to make it 39-18.
The Warriors, however, capped the night with consecutive decisions from Collin O’Neill (189) and Dylan Pachik (215) before Joshua Cancro recorded the Warriors’ sixth pin 48 seconds into his match at 285.
“I think there’s probably two or three matches that we could’ve won,” Trojans coach Anthony Stagliano said. “I think we could’ve won at 14, obviously it was a close match. We could’ve won at 89, fairly close especially at the end. And then at 215 that was a heck of a match and that fall was pretty close.
“So those three matches could’ve gone our way, we still would’ve gotten beat pretty good but it would’ve been a little more representation.”
Hayes finished his freshman season at 22-10, taking second in 106 at the District 1-3A North Tournament to reach regionals where was knocked out in the second round of the consolation bracket.
“Making it to regionals will put a target on your back for anyone so it’s a good thing,” Hayes said. “But it also means that I have to work harder to not only to make it to regionals this year again but hopefully make it to states which is the big goal.”
Wissahickon’s Nelson Stubbs looks to pin Methacton’s Anthony Cancro during their 160-pound match on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Wednesday’s pin improved Hayes’ record so far this season to 4-0 after he posted three wins (two pins and a forfeit) at the Lutz Duals.
“Just coming out hard, not really letting the guy get to his shot first,” he said. “I need to be on the attack from the minute the whistle blows and I just got to look to score as many points as possible.”
Methacton competes in the Spartan Duals at Springfield-Montco Saturday then finishes 2022 hosting Plymouth Whitemarsh 6:30 p.m. Wednesday then wrestling at Conestoga Valley’s Nat Turner Memorial Holiday Classic Dec. 28-29.
“I’m excited. We have a good amount of matches this year and I’m just looking to get as many wins, as many pins as possible,” Hayes said. “Hopefully our team can all come together. We have a really young team this year and I think we’re going to be a real powerhouse in the later years.”
Wissahickon’s Ethan Terrenzio (left) and Methacton’s Gavin Rose grapple during their 145-pound match on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Wissahickon visits Springfield-Montco 7 p.m. Wednesday then competes in Hatboro-Horsham’s Ralph Wetzel Classic Dec. 28-29.
“We have a mix of young, inexperienced guys with some seniors and we have a lot of work to do but I think our team can get better and better as the year goes on,” Stagliano said. “We’re certainly not where we’re going to be at the end of the year so I think we’re going to be OK.
“I’m not displeased – obviously you want to win but Methacton’s tough. They’re well-coached by (Mark) Harner but I’m not that upset. I think we have a lot of improvement which I think we’ll come.”
The Trojans led 6-0 after a forfeit win in the opening match at 107. Methacton’s Thomas Hazelton rallied from a 2-0 deficit after two periods to edge Mason Carr 3-2 at 114. Hayes proceeded to work through his ailment to pick up his pin at 121 to put the Warriors up for good.
“I told myself try not to cough, so once I start coughing it’ll be a little rough,” Hayes said. “And I coughed 20 seconds in and it was non-stop coughing.”
Methacton’s Axaviar Damavandi works for a pin on Wissahickon’s Jack Rooney during their 139-pound match on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Joey Simko’s win by fall in 57 seconds at 127 had the Warriors’ lead at 15-6. After a forfeit gave Methacton a victory at 133, Axaviar Damavandi (139) and Gavin Rose (145) secured first-period pins to push the Warriors’ advantage to 27.
A pin at 152 in 3:29 by sophomore Shumaker – who joined Hayes and senior Cancro at regionals last year – made it 39-6 before Stubbs finally snapped the Methacton run, claiming Wissahickon’s first pin at 1:19 at 160.
“He went to Springside (Chestnut Hill), transferred here last year, plays football, tore his ACL last year so he missed the whole year,” said Stagliano of Stubbs. “That was his first match in well over a year. He’s a big addition to our team so that’s going to help us.”
Methacton’s Thomas Hazleton holds onto Wissahickon’s Mason Carr during their 114-pound match on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Chez, who made regionals at 172 last season after placing third at District 1-3A South, followed Stubbs by earning a pin in 3:32 at 172.
Wins by decision from O’Neill (6-3 at 189) and Pachik (10-7 at 215) made it 45-18 Methacton before Cancro added the final six points with his first-period pin at 285.
