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WVC struggles in Team Duals go on as Meyers falls 51-16 to Pen Argyl, goes 0-2 in event.
HERSHEY — The same old story continues for the Wyoming Valley Conference at the PIAA Team Championships.
Meyers became the latest casualty from the conference to fall in the state tournament without a win.
The Mohawks, a young team with just four starting seniors, had an outstanding season in the WVC but were dispatched from the PIAA Class 2A Team Championships Friday morning with a 51-16 loss to Pen Argyl at Giant Center.
The Class 2A Berwick team in 2008 remains the only WVC team to pick up a win in Hershey in the 13-year history of the event.
Lake-Lehman (2002, 2003) and Meyers (2001) picked up victories in the state tournament, but those were pigtail-round wins to get to Chocolatetown.
“It’s real tough (to win) here,” Meyers coach Ron Swingle said. “Everyone matches up so well and it only takes one or two matches to go against you and it could upset the whole team; especially if it’s one of the big guys.”
The Mohawks (20-11) got behind from the beginning and never led during Friday’s dual. The closest they cut the deficit down to was 18-12 after seven matches. But just like Thursday’s opening-round 39-21 defeat to Bedford, Meyers lost six of the last seven bouts and couldn’t stave off elimination.
Meyers got close to the Green Knights because of consecutive wins by Vito Pasone (112), Kashif Alston (119) and Jeff Nealon (125). Bill Dress, the Meyers 152-pounder, later added a win by major decision.
Pasone avenged a fall in 39 seconds to Jamie Welsh during his freshman year in the 2009 PIAA Individual Championships to knock off the senior by decision, 7-2, to earn his 101st career victory.
“I think it’s maturity. I think he wrestles smarter now,” Swingle said. “This season he’s had those tough matches. The last couple years, he hasn’t had those until the end of the year. He’s had those tough matches this year and hopefully he can carry that into the postseason.”
Pasone won both of his matches at the event, as did Alston, Nealon and Dress.
Alston, a sophomore, notched a fall in 2:53 to earn his 30th victory of the season. The District 2 junior high champion in 2010 won by decision on Thursday.
“He still gets in bad positions, but he corrected some big problems, and it’s put him in a great position to win,” Swingle said of the sophomore who is only in his third year of participating in the sport. “He’s mentally tough. No matter what you do with him, he stays mentally tough.”
Nealon, a junior, followed Alston’s win with a 5-0 decision to trim the Green Knights’ lead to 18-12. He won by fall on Thursday and improved his season’s win total to 25.
Dress, a senior, also picked up his 30th win of the season with a 10-0 major decision over Jeff Holden. Dress also won by decision Thursday afternoon.
“Billy knows this is his last time, and he doesn’t want to get cheated,” Swingle said. “He’s putting a good time together.”
Darren Stucker, the junior 135-pounder for Meyers, got good experience in Hershey, winning his first match, then losing on Friday to returning state medalist Michael Racciato.
The Mohawks have a dual with Coughlin on Wednesday before preparing for the individual postseason, which begins Feb. 25 with the District 2 Class 2A Championships at Lake-Lehman.
Swingle said the added experience of wrestling in Hershey the past two days could only help his team going forward.
“We got good experience. I think it’s a good setup for us getting ready for districts giving us an idea what the postseason is going to be like,” he said.
DelVal makes history
Delaware Valley became the first team in District 2 Class 3A history to win an opening-round dual meet in the PIAA Team Championships.
The Warriors defeated Clearfield 36-26 on Thursday night in the first round of the tournament. They dropped into the losers’ bracket after falling to Canon McMillan 42-23 on Friday afternoon.
Pen Argyl 51, Meyers 16
103 – Matt Williams (PA) pinned Sean Bergold 1:41; 112 – Vito Pasone (Mey) dec Jamie Welsh 7-2; 119 – Kashif Alston (Mey) pinned James Elphick 2:53; 125 – Jeff Nealon (Mey) dec Ryan Lobb 5-0; 130 – Jarrett Stoelzl (PA) pinned Joe DiMaggio 3:42; 135 – Michael Racciato (PA) pinned Darren Stucker 1:37; 140 – Luciano Burriesci (PA) pinned Johntae Nelson 2:37; 145 – Rex Lutz (PA) won by forfeit; 152 – Bill Dress (Mey) maj dec Jeff Holden 10-0; 160 – JD Rabenold dec Eric Carty 7-1; 171 – Jacob Zanette (PA) pinned Dijon Townes 4:04; 189 – Dylan Evans (PA) pinned Khalil Lewis 1:47; 215 – Brady Mutton (PA) dec Jason Berman 5-1; 285 – Kirby Mutton (PA) dec Anthony Gipson 4-0.
Note: Match started at 189 pounds.