EAST ROCKHILL >> After a two-week break, the Pennridge wrestling team picked up right where it left off Wednesday night.
Hosting Souderton in the Suburban One League Colonial Division opener for both sides, the Rams jumped out to a 12-0 lead after three matches, boosted their advantage with three consecutive major decisions and went on to claim a 36-22 victory over the Indians.
“We just came off all the energy from beating Quakertown like two weeks ago,” Pennridge junior Sam Kuhns said. “So we just kept feeding off the energy. We have some guys out though like Cole Coffin, our really good 113-pounder, he was out so we just had to adjust. And our littles, they did really good tonight, they won matches we didn’t expect them to win and we kept it rolling and we ended up winning.”
Charlie Arobone’s 4-3 decision at 127 pounds and AJ Slayton’s pin in eight seconds at 133 pulled Souderton to within 12-9, but the Rams answered with their trio of major decisions, pushing its advantage to 24-9.
Pennridge’s Sam Kuhns (left) wrestles Souderton’s Andrew Hallman at 145 pounds during their teams’ dual meet on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Carson Short collected a 14-3 victory at 139 with Kuhns then Gio Iadonisi following with four-point wins – Kuhns taking 145 9-1 with Iadonisi coming out on top 16-7 at 152.
“I usually shoot for the pin, the first option I pin him then if not then at least get a major decision,” Kuhn said. “Cause bonus points, they’re huge in these.”
Souderton took three of the last five matches but both wins for Pennridge, the defending division champ, came by pin – Talan Hogan in 31 seconds at 172 with Riley Cullen earning a fall in 4:21 at 215.
“When we did our schedule we wanted that time off before Christmas and New Year’s just to train versus competing, but you just don’t know what you’re getting out of that,” Pennridge coach Brian Kuhns said. “They train extremely hard, we had multiple days, lift in the morning, wrestle all afternoon, it was really a grind week for ‘em.”
Souderton’s AJ Slayton looks to pin Ryan Cassidy during their 133-pound match on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Souderton, which placed fourth at the Governor Mifflin Holiday Tournament held last Thursday and Friday, finished its contest against the Rams with a pair of pins from Slayton and Thomas Gonce at 285 while Kole Lester rallied to claim a major decision at 189.
“Couple things could’ve went our way but overall, there was some great guys in my lineup, they stepped up and they really did their job and that’s all I can ask for,” Souderton first-year head coach Billy McGinley said. “Going out there, wrestle your hardest for six minutes and just do your best. So, couple of them did that.”
After Short stopped the Indians’ two-match run to give Pennridge a 15-9, Sam Kuhns grabbed a 5-0 lead over Andrew Hallman at the end of their first two minutes at 145 then added two points in both the second and third periods in recording a 9-1 win.
“It felt pretty good in the beginning,” Sam Kuhns said. “I kept trying to score more cause I kept trying to just do the same moves over and over again, like in the beginning they worked and they didn’t work I just kept going. So I wish I went to new moves, wish I had something else.”
Pennridge’s Cole Meehan lifts up Souderton’s Jadon Bateman during their 107-pound match on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
The major decision improved the Rams junior to 11-3 on the season and put him one shy of career win No. 60. A state qualifier as a freshman, he came up just short last year, finishing sixth in 126 at the South East 3A Regional.
“I was so close but I was just cutting way too much weight last year and I just fell off right at the end,” Sa Kuhns said. “Cause I was in the semis at regions and just dropped three matches straight and didn’t make it so that really hurt. And I’m using that as motivation this year, too, to try to make it.”
Both teams compete in duals tournament Saturday, Pennridge at the Line Mountain Duals while Souderton travels to the Parkland Duals.
“We just got to know it’s the densest part of our schedule,” McGinley said. “Keep monitoring the injuries, illness, balancing academics as well. We just got to make sure all of our guys are in line, they just had two weeks off, sitting around eating, it’s like ‘All right you got to (have) weigh-ins now Wednesday and Saturday.’ Just having a sense of urgency, a sense of responsibility and accountability that I got to watch my weight now, there’s two weigh-ins, everything, a week.”
Souderton’s Charlie Arobone has Pennridge’s Anthony Granite on his back during their 127-pound match on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Freshman Cole Meehan gave Pennridge the lead for good in Wednesday’s opening match at 107, earning a takedown in the final seconds of the third period for a 6-4 decision over Jadon Bateman.
Colby Martinelli made it 9-0 Rams by pinning Colin Harris in 1:44 at 114 while Danny Metzler put the hosts up by a dozen after his 9-5 decision over Ezra Swartley at 121.
“I thought it was a great night for us,” Brian Kuhns said. “I think there’s a little bit of things to improve on, clean up here but not a bad thing out of the break. I knew Souderton was going to bring a tough team, they fight so that was a good test for us out of a long break like that.”
Arobone and Slayton – who both advanced to regionals last season – cut the Indians’ deficit to three but Pennridge’s major decisions at the next three weights extended its lead to 15.
Pennridge’s Carson Short tries for a pin against Souderton’s Emerson Goering during their 139-pound match on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
At 160, Souderton’s Sawyer Lester claimed a 7-1 decision over Jack Rowe, yet Hogan’s first-period pin of Tyler Raffaele at 172 put the margin at 30-12.
Kole Lester trailed Ryan Rowe 7-2 after a period at 189 but rallied to tie the match 7-7 entering the third then pulled away for a 15-7 major decision.
“That’s his M.O.,” said McGinley of Kole Lester. “He likes to put himself in interesting positions but I can always trust him and rely on him in the second and third period to turn it up.”
Riley Cullen posted Pennridge’s third pin of the night, his fall in 4:21 at 215 giving the Rams a 36-16 lead before Gonce’s pin in 3:44 at 285.
