Feb. 12, 2007 • Week in Review
Nazareth leaves no doubt, pounds Easton to win state duals
By Rob Sherrill, W.I.N. High School Editor
In Pennsylvania, there are about three things you can count on: death, taxes and Easton High’s first four weights being worth about a major decision each.
Desmond Moore, Kegan Handlovic, Mark Hartenstine and state champion Jordan Oliver — the four Red Rovers in question — again performed as expected against Nazareth High in the Class 3A dual state final Saturday at Hershey.
They could have virtually sealed Easton’s second consecutive victory over Nazareth in the teams’ third dual meet against each other in a 17-day span.
Instead, thanks to dramatic turnaround victories by Tim Murphy (215) and Jim Mutch (285), the horse was already out of the barn for the Rovers.
Sparked by Bobby Ward’s 4-1 victory over JuJu Drummond at 130 — featuring a second-period tilt for a 3-0 lead to avenge losses in the two previous duals — Nazareth quickly rallied from a 15-9 deficit, then rolled past Easton, 40-21, to win its first dual state crown in the first championship match matching District 11 teams.
That’s because Murphy and Mutch, who lost decisions in Easton’s 29-26 victory in the District 11 Duals final to spark a Rovers comeback from a 19-0 deficit, scored a pin and decision, respectively; a 15-point swing that gave the Eagles (22-2) a 9-0 lead heading into the strength of Easton’s lineup.
Easton’s only other victory was Colin Dailey’s pin at 145, which briefly tied the match at 21-21 but only briefly stemmed the tide in a Nazareth streak that saw four Blue Eagles score pins in a five-match streak to put the match away.
So after winning just six times against Easton in the district final, Nazareth won nine of the 14 matches wrestled Saturday. State runnerup David Crowell ended the meet with a 7-3 victory over Easton’s Cory Rutt, another who had scored a big win in the district final.
Easton (18-3) was blown out in a state final for the second consecutive year. Last Year, Pennsburg Upper Perkiomen High beat the Rovers 46-19 in the title match. However, Easton avenged that loss in the semifinals, 35-24. That match saw Oliver beat Chris Sheetz 3-2 on an overtime rideout in a battle of state champions at 119.
Meanwhile, Nazareth beat unbeaten WPIAL champion Greensburg Hempfield High, 29-21, in the semifinals as Ward and Mike Greck scored big victories at 130 and 135, Ward beating Rudy Chelednik, 8-1, and Greck dispatching Craig Chelednik, 12-5.
Mechanicsburg Cumberland Valley High, a 37-21 quarterfinal loser to Easton, got hot in the consolation bracket to earn third place, beating Hempfield, 28-26, and Upper Perkiomen, 34-32.
Greenville H.A. Reynolds High repeated as Class AA champion with a 33-26 victory over Center Valley Northwestern Lehigh High, surviving state place-winner Lawrence Beckman’s 1-0 loss to Ben Clymer at 171 by winning eight matches.
McGill-Cosgrove series even … sort of
The ongoing series between Indiana’s top two 140-pounders, senior Eric McGill of Munster High and junior Brennan Cosgrove of Hobart High, is starting to resemble the World Series.
McGill, the defending 125-pound state champion, who is committed to Cornell, won the first two matches between the two this season, 9-8 and 10-9. Cosgrove, the state runner-up at 135 a year ago, appeared to have taken a solid advantage in the series with victories of 6-2, 3-1 and 11-9 in the Calumet regional last week. Then, on Saturday at the Merrillville semi-state tournament, Cosgrove held a 5-0 advantage when he slammed McGill to the mat on his head and shoulder early in the third period. A slam was called, McGill was not permitted to continue and was awarded the match amidst plenty of boos from a capacity crowd.
So the series is tied at 3-3 – though obviously not the way McGill would have liked.
Since they exit the same semi-state, the two will be opposite each in the state tournament this weekend at Indianapolis – and if they meet in the finals, it will be their sixth meeting in a tournament final in a span a seven weeks.
A World Series, indeed.
Record performance for Flathead in Montana
Kalispell Flathead High not only repeated as Class AA team champion in Montana, but the Braves took everything that wasn’t nailed down.
Records fell left and right, including the state tournament scoring record, as Flathead scored 347.5 points to claim their third title in four years, winning by 103 points over Great Falls Charles M. Russell High.
C.M. Russell (244.5) edged Great Falls High (234) and Billings Skyview High (233) for second place.
Flathead’s point total broke their own record of 325 points, set in 2004. The Braves also set new AA records since the All-Class format began 19 years ago by advancing nine to the finals – the previous record was eight, set by Billings Skyview in 2001 and 2002 and tied by Kalispell in 2004 – and 18 state placewinners, bettering by one the record of 17 they set last year.
Freshman Shawn Lau (98) pinned his way to a state title, scoring four pins in 7 minutes, 32 seconds, and was joined by junior Brian Ham (119) and sophomore Bryce Stacy (145) as champions. Even that was an improvement over their state title seasons, when they went 1-for-8 and 0-for-7 in the finals.
What Flathead accomplished may not be seen again any time soon. One reason: Kalispell adds a second four-year school next season, when Glacier High opens its doors. However, coach Jeff Thompson has said he’ll remain at Flathead after the transition.
The only down note: Bozeman High’s Tel Todd (160) was unable to compete for a second straight title after injuring his shoulder in the Tiger-Grizzly Tournament Jan. 20. Bozeman’s Travis Lang (112) beat Cadet National runner-up Jake Love of Missoula Sentinel High 9-5 in the final.
Class A: Sidney High’s Jesse Obergfell (119) pinned his way to his fourth state title, becoming his school’s first four-time state champion and the 15th wrestler in Montana history to win four crowns. Havre High breezed past Frenchtown High 239-157.5 for the title as Ethan Hinebauch (189) and Matt Schnittgen both pinned their way to their third state titles. Hinebauch, who recorded four falls in 9:55, finished the season 49-0 with 48 pins and Schnittgen required an even nine minutes for his four pins. Frenchtown High’s Chad Hansen (105) and Josh Stedman (112) and Libby High’s Jake Graham (215) also repeated.
Class B-C: Glasgow High dethroned four-time defending champion Conrad High 211-170.5 as senior Leo Pattison (135) won his second title and C.J. Kemmis (152) and Aaron Hartsock (160) also won. Seniors Ryan Leonard (125) of Cascade/Simms High and Michael French (171) of Malta High won their third titles and Conrad junior Scott Schlosser (112) also repeated. Chinook High, which finished ninth overall, was awarded the first separate Class C team trophy.
Previous Weekly Reviews
By Rob Sherrill, W.I.N. High School Editor
In Pennsylvania, there are about three things you can count on: death, taxes and Easton High’s first four weights being worth about a major decision each.
Desmond Moore, Kegan Handlovic, Mark Hartenstine and state champion Jordan Oliver — the four Red Rovers in question — again performed as expected against Nazareth High in the Class 3A dual state final Saturday at Hershey.
They could have virtually sealed Easton’s second consecutive victory over Nazareth in the teams’ third dual meet against each other in a 17-day span.
Instead, thanks to dramatic turnaround victories by Tim Murphy (215) and Jim Mutch (285), the horse was already out of the barn for the Rovers.
Sparked by Bobby Ward’s 4-1 victory over JuJu Drummond at 130 — featuring a second-period tilt for a 3-0 lead to avenge losses in the two previous duals — Nazareth quickly rallied from a 15-9 deficit, then rolled past Easton, 40-21, to win its first dual state crown in the first championship match matching District 11 teams.
That’s because Murphy and Mutch, who lost decisions in Easton’s 29-26 victory in the District 11 Duals final to spark a Rovers comeback from a 19-0 deficit, scored a pin and decision, respectively; a 15-point swing that gave the Eagles (22-2) a 9-0 lead heading into the strength of Easton’s lineup.
Easton’s only other victory was Colin Dailey’s pin at 145, which briefly tied the match at 21-21 but only briefly stemmed the tide in a Nazareth streak that saw four Blue Eagles score pins in a five-match streak to put the match away.
So after winning just six times against Easton in the district final, Nazareth won nine of the 14 matches wrestled Saturday. State runnerup David Crowell ended the meet with a 7-3 victory over Easton’s Cory Rutt, another who had scored a big win in the district final.
Easton (18-3) was blown out in a state final for the second consecutive year. Last Year, Pennsburg Upper Perkiomen High beat the Rovers 46-19 in the title match. However, Easton avenged that loss in the semifinals, 35-24. That match saw Oliver beat Chris Sheetz 3-2 on an overtime rideout in a battle of state champions at 119.
Meanwhile, Nazareth beat unbeaten WPIAL champion Greensburg Hempfield High, 29-21, in the semifinals as Ward and Mike Greck scored big victories at 130 and 135, Ward beating Rudy Chelednik, 8-1, and Greck dispatching Craig Chelednik, 12-5.
Mechanicsburg Cumberland Valley High, a 37-21 quarterfinal loser to Easton, got hot in the consolation bracket to earn third place, beating Hempfield, 28-26, and Upper Perkiomen, 34-32.
Greenville H.A. Reynolds High repeated as Class AA champion with a 33-26 victory over Center Valley Northwestern Lehigh High, surviving state place-winner Lawrence Beckman’s 1-0 loss to Ben Clymer at 171 by winning eight matches.
McGill-Cosgrove series even … sort of
The ongoing series between Indiana’s top two 140-pounders, senior Eric McGill of Munster High and junior Brennan Cosgrove of Hobart High, is starting to resemble the World Series.
McGill, the defending 125-pound state champion, who is committed to Cornell, won the first two matches between the two this season, 9-8 and 10-9. Cosgrove, the state runner-up at 135 a year ago, appeared to have taken a solid advantage in the series with victories of 6-2, 3-1 and 11-9 in the Calumet regional last week. Then, on Saturday at the Merrillville semi-state tournament, Cosgrove held a 5-0 advantage when he slammed McGill to the mat on his head and shoulder early in the third period. A slam was called, McGill was not permitted to continue and was awarded the match amidst plenty of boos from a capacity crowd.
So the series is tied at 3-3 – though obviously not the way McGill would have liked.
Since they exit the same semi-state, the two will be opposite each in the state tournament this weekend at Indianapolis – and if they meet in the finals, it will be their sixth meeting in a tournament final in a span a seven weeks.
A World Series, indeed.
Record performance for Flathead in Montana
Kalispell Flathead High not only repeated as Class AA team champion in Montana, but the Braves took everything that wasn’t nailed down.
Records fell left and right, including the state tournament scoring record, as Flathead scored 347.5 points to claim their third title in four years, winning by 103 points over Great Falls Charles M. Russell High.
C.M. Russell (244.5) edged Great Falls High (234) and Billings Skyview High (233) for second place.
Flathead’s point total broke their own record of 325 points, set in 2004. The Braves also set new AA records since the All-Class format began 19 years ago by advancing nine to the finals – the previous record was eight, set by Billings Skyview in 2001 and 2002 and tied by Kalispell in 2004 – and 18 state placewinners, bettering by one the record of 17 they set last year.
Freshman Shawn Lau (98) pinned his way to a state title, scoring four pins in 7 minutes, 32 seconds, and was joined by junior Brian Ham (119) and sophomore Bryce Stacy (145) as champions. Even that was an improvement over their state title seasons, when they went 1-for-8 and 0-for-7 in the finals.
What Flathead accomplished may not be seen again any time soon. One reason: Kalispell adds a second four-year school next season, when Glacier High opens its doors. However, coach Jeff Thompson has said he’ll remain at Flathead after the transition.
The only down note: Bozeman High’s Tel Todd (160) was unable to compete for a second straight title after injuring his shoulder in the Tiger-Grizzly Tournament Jan. 20. Bozeman’s Travis Lang (112) beat Cadet National runner-up Jake Love of Missoula Sentinel High 9-5 in the final.
Class A: Sidney High’s Jesse Obergfell (119) pinned his way to his fourth state title, becoming his school’s first four-time state champion and the 15th wrestler in Montana history to win four crowns. Havre High breezed past Frenchtown High 239-157.5 for the title as Ethan Hinebauch (189) and Matt Schnittgen both pinned their way to their third state titles. Hinebauch, who recorded four falls in 9:55, finished the season 49-0 with 48 pins and Schnittgen required an even nine minutes for his four pins. Frenchtown High’s Chad Hansen (105) and Josh Stedman (112) and Libby High’s Jake Graham (215) also repeated.
Class B-C: Glasgow High dethroned four-time defending champion Conrad High 211-170.5 as senior Leo Pattison (135) won his second title and C.J. Kemmis (152) and Aaron Hartsock (160) also won. Seniors Ryan Leonard (125) of Cascade/Simms High and Michael French (171) of Malta High won their third titles and Conrad junior Scott Schlosser (112) also repeated. Chinook High, which finished ninth overall, was awarded the first separate Class C team trophy.
Previous Weekly Reviews