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By TIMOTHY J. RAUB Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Saturday, January 29, 2000 Page: 5B
WILKES-BARRE – Before the start of Meyers’ wrestling match with cross-town
rival GAR, Luke Iseman was not worried about who he would be matched up
against.
The Mohawk junior had more important things on his mind.
“My main concern,” Iseman said, “was just getting to the match on time
from a debate competition in Scranton.”
Iseman’s 171-pound bout with returning PIAA District 2 Class 2A champion
Lou Lyons turned out to be the match of the night.
Iseman came out strong and defeated Lyons 11-8 to give the Mohawks enough
of a lead to hold off the Grenadiers, 30-24, Saturday in Wyoming Valley
Conference East Division action.
“Luke wrestled the match of his career against Lyons,” said Meyers head
coach Dave Kuhl. “Things were getting ugly for us late in the match, and his
win put us back on track.”
Iseman found himself in a hole early when Lyons took him down for a 2-0
lead. But Iseman stood up and took Lyons down to take the lead, 3-2.
With the match tied 3-3 to start the second period, Lyons reversed his
Meyers counterpart to regain the lead, but once again Iseman took Lyons down
and turned him to his back for an 8-5 lead.
Lyons fought back late in the third period, but got a technical penalty for
leaving the mat in an attempt to escape, putting Iseman up 10-6. Lyons got a
takedown in the closing seconds of the match, but Iseman escaped at the buzzer
to gain the three-point victory.
GAR’s Jake Longfoot tied the match at 24-24 with a fall at 189 pounds, but
Kevin Doyle sealed the victory for the Mohawks with a first-period fall over
Jack Bawiec in the 275-pound matchup.
Meyers and GAR traded the lead to start the match, exchanging decisions at
103 and 112, but the Grenadiers picked up key points at 119 and 125, at which
Rick Simon decisioned Ryan Martin, 4-2, and Joe Harrison overcame an early 7-0
deficit to pin Eugene Clemons in 3:48 for a 12-3 lead.
But the Mohawks once again fought back and took the lead with Anthony
Mercadante’s 4:59 pin at 145 pounds.
“We were very surprised by GAR,” Kuhl said. “They really came out to
wrestle and got some big upsets throughout the match. They deserve a lot of
credit.” Pittston Area 41 Berwick 30
BERWICK – James Woodall (171 pounds) and Bill Hopkins (275) had pins as
Pittston Area defeated Berwick.
Jason Woodall (160) won via technical fall for Pittston. The victories
brought the Woodalls closer to becoming the first District 2 wrestlers to
reach 140 career wins each.
James is 26-0 with 131 career victories, and Jason is 27-1 with 127 wins.
Lake-Lehman 38 Dallas 23
DALLAS – Jim Higgins (140 pounds), Rick Hislop (171) and Matt Kehler (275)
registered pins as Lake-Lehman defeated Dallas.
Dave Spurlin won via a technical fall for the Mountaineers. Tunkhannock 45
Mountain View 25
TUNKHANNOCK – Using five pins to clinch the victory, Tunkhannock stopped
Mountain View.
Steve Franko (103 pounds), John Belcher (125), Robert Wilson (119), Lou
MacMillan (145) and Mike Rosentell (160) recorded falls for the Tigers.
ufsprtrndd, 12.2> Tunkhannock 56 Wyoming Area 12
EXETER – Lou MacMillan (145 pounds), Neil Johnson (171) and Marc Johnson
(189) had pins to lead Tunkhannock past Wyoming Area.
Todd Bonning (140) had a pin for the Warriors. Hazleton Area 62 Bishop
Hoban 6
WILKES-BARRE – Hazleton Area recorded five pins in a victory over Bishop
Hoban.
Jon Mezlo (125 pounds), Sam Beishline (140), Rob Kepp (145), Jeremy Zoeller
(171) and Matt Makuta (189) scored falls for the Cougars. Hanover Area 42
Nanticoke Area 19
NANTICOKE – Tony Shipula (103 pounds), Mike Griffith (130) and Jared Potsko
(189) recorded pins to lead Hanover Area past Nanticoke Area.
Matt Yakavonis had a 13-second pin for the Trojans. Nanticoke Area 34
Crestwood 33
NANTICOKE – Tony Rodriguez (119 pounds), Andy Lukashewski (130), Derek
Sheruda (140) and Matt Yokavonis (275) each had pins as Nanticoke Area
defeated Crestwood on criteria.
The match scoring ended at 33-33. Nanticoke Area won seven bouts as
compared to Crestwood’s six, therefore winning the match.
Jason Riley (125) and Mike Pears (189) recorded pins for the Comets.
Hanover Area 51 Coughlin 19
HANOVER TWP. – Hanover Area turned six pins in rolling past Coughlin.
Mike Griffith (130 pounds), Joe Yenchak (140), John Marczak (145), Eric
Bleich (152), Aaron Coleman (160) and Jared Potsko (189) won via fall for the
Hawkeyes.
Eli Phillips (275) had a pin for the Crusaders. Wyoming Valley West 40
Benton 28
BENTON – Shawn Matello (152 pounds), Brian Perry (171) and Drew Feldman
(275) registered pins as Wyoming Valley West defeated Benton.