WRESTLING: CD has too much for Chambersburg
CHAMBERSBURG - Both coaches were complimentary of the way Chambersburg wrestled Thursday night.
But Central Dauphin simply had too many horses and the Rams scored three pins on their way to a 37-27 Mid Penn Commonwealth Division victory in the Trojans' home opener at CASHS Field House.
CD broke out to a 22-0 lead, and clinched it with three bouts to go on a pin at 170 pounds by Koltyn Eason.
"I loved my kids' effort," Chambersburg coach Matt Mentzer said. "They did the best they could. A lot of them had tough matches, but they went out and wrestled to win."
Rams coach Jeff Sweigart said, "Chambersburg wrestled aggressive and wrestled well with good technique. You can't take anything away from those kids. I don't think we wrestled that well, but sometimes that has something to do with the opponent you're up against."
CD (1-0, 1-0 MPC) trotted out four wrestlers in a row from 113 to 132 who qualified for the PIAA Tournament last year, including three District 3 champions and two state placewinners. The Trojans at least put a dent in that impressive group when Aaron Rump earned a 3-2 decision in overtime at 132 over Andrew Wert.
Wert, who won a district title and was fifth in the state in Class AA while wrestling for Trinity last year, gave up an escape to Rump to open the second period, and lost another point when he was called for an illegal scissors. But he tied it with a reversal in the third period. With 12 seconds left in the first extra period, Rump gained the winning point when Wert was called for stalling, by backing off the mat.
At 113, Chris Wright (D-3 champ, PIAA 7th) won 6-2 over a game Spencer Runshaw; at 120, Jake Cherry won by forfeit; and at 126, Tyshawn White (D-3 champ, PIAA 3rd) had a battle from Cole Grove before winning 11-4. It was only 4-2 late in the second period.
Mentzer said, "Cole wrestled that kid hard. He's in the top eight nationally, but Cole made him work for his points."
The Trojans (0-2, 0-2 MPC) won two straight bouts after Rump's victory - a hard-earned 5-2 decision at 138 by Garrett Kyner over Austin Bentz, and a 6-2 verdict at 145 by Drake Brenize over Joey Stokes. Kyner's takedown in the first 30 seconds got him off to a good start.
Brenize trailed 2-0 after a Stokes reversal in the second period, but he escaped, and as the period wound down, Brenize got in deep on a shot and turned it into a five-point move.
"I went from a single to a double-leg and I knew what my position was," Brenize said. "I was trying to push him onto his back, when I heard coach yell to collect my hips first. Then I was able to hold him there for the points."
The rest of the Trojan points came after Eason's pin at 170 made it 37-9. Sweigard made the decision to forfeit the final three weights - giving wins to Drew Peck, Dalton Grace and Brock Over. Mentzer didn't appreciate the move and the match ended with both coaches yelling at each other.
Sweigard said, "Our football team just had their last game last Saturday (Dec. 5), and the kids needed a week off. Most of them haven't even had a full (wrestling) workout yet and they're banged up and not in shape for wrestling. The kids wanted to wrestle, but I didn't want to put them in a tough situation. In mid-January, I'd never have done that."
"We had two kids go tonight -- one came out a week and half ago, and the other is wrestling for the first time ever this year," Mentzer said, "and they went out and did the best they could."
Central Dauphin 37, Chambersburg 27
at CASHS Field House
285 — Evan Childs (CD) p Saul Chacon, 0:17. 106 — Mitchell Arch (CD) md Seth Runshaw, 10-2. 113 — Chris Wright (CD) d Spencer Runshaw, 6-2. 120 — Jake Cherry (CD) won by forfeit. 126 — Tyshawn White (CD) d Cole Grove, 11-4. 132 — Aaron Rump (Ch) d Andrew Wert, 3-2, OT. 138 — Garrett Kyner (Ch) d Austin Bentz, 5-2. 145 — Drake Brenize (Ch) d Joey Stokes, 6-2. 152 — Skitch Light (CD) md Colin Runshaw, 10-0. 160 — Carter Talbott (CD) p Matt Strunk, 2:41. 170 — Koltyn Eason (CD) p Jesse Kaiser, 1:00. 182 — Drew Peck (Ch) won by forfeit. 195 — Dalton Grace (Ch) won by forfeit. 220 — Brock Over (Ch) won by forfeit.
Note: CD deducted one team point for bench misconduct.