LOWER POTTSGROVE >> Wrestling duals with only seven contested bouts can fall victim to not having a main event. Strengths don’t match up in weight classes, leading wrestlers miss facing off.
The annual Border Battle between Pottstown and host Pottsgrove on Wednesday night thankfully did not fall into that category.
The Trojans and Falcons sent out their respective wins leaders this season at 160 pounds for a marquee matchup between Devon Green and Trenton Allen.
Senior Allen finished strong in a 9-1 major of Green as part of Pottsgrove’s 58-18 win of Pottstown in a Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division dual.
Pottsgrove’s Trenton Allen, top, tries to turn Pottstown’s Devon Green at 160 pounds Wednesday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Allen was joined in the win column by pinfall winners Nathan Gillin (139), Brandon Rivera (145), Dominic Sithens (172) and Dominic DeMeno (285), who improved to 14-1 with his 10th win.
Allen was awarded the Falcons’ Outstanding Wrestler of the match for his performance while senior Malachi Jones, a first-minute pinfall winner at 133 pounds, was Pottstown’s recipient. Joining Jones on the Trojans’ win sheet was Savannah Richards, a first-period winner by pin at 121 pounds to allow the junior to improve to 6-1.
“It feels good (to win and get OW), but still gotta work hard and get better each practice,” said Allen. “I don’t feel like I’m there yet. I’ve definitely got a lot of room to improve, my conditioning for sure, strength-wise too. Over the offseason I was trying to work on my top more, get more moves.”
The Pottsgrove and Pottstown wrestling teams pose with each other after their dual meet Wednesday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Allen bumped up from 152 and improved to 15-1 on the year by finishing strong when he opened the third period with a reversal and scored back points to topple Green (7-4).
“He’s a little heavier, little stronger than me so I had to go in and work my stuff,” Allen said.
Allen is wrestling heavier this year after competing at 138 last year and going 27-8 and placing fifth at the District 1-3A North tournament.
“I feel like all the other years where I was cutting weight, cutting weight and going out there to wrestle was terrible,” he said. “This year I can go out where I’m at (in weight), can eat and have way more energy.”
He was an All-PAC Frontier Division first team defensive back in football and had the quick transition over to his final wrestling season.
“Going from season to season is hard, I ain’t gonna lie. I wanted a little break but I know I need to be out here to help my team, help myself get better,” said Allen.
For Pottstown’s Jones (7-3), it was his second time as match OW for Pottstown this year after also being honored after its Dec. 21 dual against Owen J. Roberts.
“My mindset is ‘Yeah, I won the trophy, but the battle is far from over,’” he said. “That was my first time (beating OJR). I wrestled Owen J. a bunch, and they are a tough team. I wanted to wrestle strong, wrestle smart and whether I win or lose I was going to give everything I’ve got.”
Pottsgrove senior Dominic Demeno raises the Border Battle trophy after the Falcons defeated Pottstown in their PAC dual Wednesday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Pottstown’s Malachi Jones, left, tries to roll Pottsgrove’s James Vergara for back points at 133 pounds Wednesday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
It hasn’t been the easiest road for Jones, who has been through the downs – like a 5-17 freshman year – to appreciate the ups.
“I try to crack down on myself on stuff I’m lacking,” he said. “Freshman year, that me would have probably given up. But me now, I’m a senior and I have to show out and show up. Even if I lose, I’m coming here to wrestle and give it my all.
“It’s taken a lot. Freshman year I was 5-15. That year was a tough year. It taught me a lot of self discipline and humbled me. … I can’t get mad about people who are better wrestlers than me, I’ve got to be a better wrestler. You have to see what you’re doing wrong and can fix, and ask questions.”
As someone who’s been through it, his experience has equipped Jones to be a leader for a largely young, inexperienced Trojans group now under Mike Hewitt.
“I kind of crack down on them a lot. They’re a newer group, a younger group. They goof around, but they have a lot of potential. We did well at the invitational we had with a lot of them really going after it. They can be too gentle. This sport is really rough. I try to tell them to go after it.”
Pottsgrove benefitted from five forfeits (Taylor Capetola at 107, Anthony Testa at 114, Nicholas Byrd at 152, Jake Palladino at 189 and Jacob Frederick at 215). Kyree Stillman won via forfeit for the Trojans at 127.
Beyond Allen and Green’s matchup, Sithens’ pin of Evan Smith was the night’s most competitive match. The 172-pounders were tied 6-6 after two periods before Sithen’s gained the upperhand and finish.
Pottstown’s Savannah Richards, top, pins Pottsgrove’s Wyatt Mendolia at 121 pounds Wednesday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Pottsgrove’s Dominic Sithens, front, and Pottstown’s Evan Smith scramble during their bout at 172 pounds Wednesday. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Pottsgrove 58, Pottstown 18
285-Dominic Demeno (Pg) pinned Jonathan Moser, 0:35 (6-0)
107-Taylor Capetola (Pg) won by forfeit (12-0)
114-Anthony Testa (Pg) won by forfeit (18-0)
121-Savannah Richards (Pt) pinned Wyatt Mendola, 0:34 (18-6)
127-Kyree Stillmar (Pt) won by forfeit (18-12)
133-Malachi Jones (Pt) pinned James Vergara, 0:56 (18-18)
139-Nate Gillin (Pg) pinned Phoenix Rhoads, 3:59 (24-18)
145-Brendan RIvera (Pg) pinned Colton Warneke, 2:53 (30-18)
152-Nick Byrd (Pg) won by forfeit (36-18)
160-Trenton Allen (Pg) dec. Devon Green, 9-1 (40-18)
172-Dominic Sithens (Pg) pinned Evan Smith, 4:58 (46-18)
189-Jake Palladino (Pg) won by forfeit (52-18)
215-Jacob Frederick (Pg) won by forfeit (58-18)
