Downingtown West tops Downingtown East 45-18
by Downingtown West Boosters
Downingtown East High School (PA), Wednesday, January 30, 2008
It seems they held a wrestling match but forgot to tell the coaches to show up! Actually in support of the teacher strike at the Downingtown Area School District, head coaches from both teams and a number of assistant coaches skipped the match. For the casual observer, you couldn’t tell the difference. Both teams were in very capable hands. Glenn Koser and Brad Breese were at the helm for West and Jim May ran the show for East.
The evening started at the 152 weight class. West’s Chris Uhler didn’t waste any time. He quickly took down Joe Miller and nearly pinned him in the first 20 seconds. After a series of back points, Chris mounted a 10-1 lead to end the first period. Just half way through the second period with the score 12-1, Uhler gave West the team lead with a pin in 3:18. Matt McDonough followed at 160 against a very tough Brian Fitzgerald. This by far was the toughest battle of the night. Neither wrestler could manage a score in the first period. Fitzgerald started on bottom in the second and caught Matt with a reversal to take a 2-0 lead. As Matt battled to escape, Brian countered his every attempt. In the third period, Matt started on bottom. After Matt managed an escape, both wrestlers battle hard but couldn’t score on each other. In the end, Fitzgerald won with a 2-1 decision.
The Whippets added to their 6-3 team score by winning the next three matches. Chris Kalbach (171) was in complete control and finished with a tech fall over East’s Palmieri. Jake Finkbinder (189) had his hands full with Dave Mailey. Jake managed a take down in the first period and opened with a 2-0 lead. In the second period, Finkbinder started on top and held Mailey in check for the period. Just as time was running out, Jake nearly got the pin but had to settle for three back points. The third period started with the two in neutral position. After a one point penalty for and an illegal hold, Finkbinder finished with a 5-1 decision.
The 215 match up looked more like a David vs. Goliath! West’s Josh Homer, playing the role of David, bumped up and faced Amro Elansari. Amro has wrestled most of his matches this season at 285! Clearly undersized, Josh spent the first period in defense mode. Elansari started the second period on bottom and quickly escaped. Shortly after, Homer countered with a take down and back points. After an illegal hold against East, Josh held a 6-1 lead going into the third period. With an escape and another point against East for a head slap, Homer pulled out an amazing 8-1 win.
With the Whippets leading 17-3, East managed a win at 285. Max Bause kept the score close until the third period. With David Medearis holding a slight 2-1 lead, Bause shot and was countered by a take down and back points. Max fought off nearly getting pinned and lost by decision with a score of 8-1. At 103, West’s Josiah Bull picked up a forfeit. Ryan Kalbach added more bonus points to the team score by winning with a tech fall over East’s Eddie Draves. Ryan wasted no time in his match with a quick takedown in the first period. After building a 7-0 lead in the first, Kalbach continued his relentless attack. The second period started much like the first, with Ryan getting another quick take down. After a series of tilts, Ryan won 16-0 in 3:23.
Pay May (119) also started with a quick takedown, ten seconds to be exact. After the takedown, May chalked up five straight two point tilts and ended the first period leading 12-0. Just as it looked like the victory was going to be tech fall, May wrenched East’s Steve Palmieri over for the pin in 2:25. Behind 34-6, East mounted a slight comeback by winning the 125, 130 and 135 weight classes. It was stalemate for almost two periods of the 125 match, with East’s Joe Linskens holding a slight 2-1 lead over Andrew Conklin. Just as time was running out in the second period, Linskens countered a shot by Conklin with a takedown and back points. Down 6-1 to start the third, Andy started on bottom. Neither wrestler could score and the match ended with Joe Linskens earning a 6-1 decision.
Anthony Madanat (130) also ended up with a tough loss. East’s Billy Heemer opened with a takedown but was unable to capitalize and first period ended at 2-0. With Billy starting on bottom in the second, Anthony nearly scored but gave up an escape instead. After another takedown in the closing seconds, Heemer had 5-1 lead. The third period was seesaw battle with East winning by 10-4 decision. Ian Meakim scored East’s only bonus points of the evening by pinning Ryan Uhler in 1:38.
The last two matches would add more bonus points to the Whippets score. Eric Dunheimer (140) took Brian Carter down about a minute into the first period. Carter reversed to tie the score but gave Dunheimer a point back with illegal hold. With the score 3-2 in favor of Dunheimer, Carter started on bottom in an attempt to get the escape and tie the match. Eric Dunheimer wasn’t going to allow it. He quickly turned Carter and pinned him :43 seconds into the period. In final match up, Jake Miller (145) was in control the entire time. With a series of takedowns and tilts, Jake ran the score up to 17-2 and finished with a tech fall over Robbie Fitzgerald in 4:45.
Earlier in the evening, there were eleven JV matches with the whippets ending up victorious 36-16.
PAST RESULTS
January 28, 2004; West 47 East 21
January 26, 2005; West 43 East 22
February 8, 2006; West 52 East 9
January 24, 2007; West 45 East 18 |