In Need Of Intensity?
ADAMS TWP — With the WPIAL team tournament just around the corner, Butler coach Scott Stoner believes his team needs to hit another gear.
The veteran mentor watched his wrestlers defeat host Mars, 42-24, on Wednesday, but Stoner did not see the intensity and attention to detail he believes should be present at this point in the season.
The match included six forfeits, four of which benefitted the Golden Tornado. Other than that, Mars and Butler split the eight bouts that were held.
“In bouts that were actually contested, overall I thought we got out-wrestled tonight,” Stoner said. “A week ago, I would have said we were in good shape, but we weren't prepared tonight. We put ourselves in some bad positions.”
Sophomore Steven Green got the Tornado off to a good start when he opened the match at 145 pounds with a technical fall over Declan Ryan. The former held a commanding 14-3 edge after the first period.
“I knew nothing about him (Ryan),” said Green, “but I just tried to be aggressive. I needed to wrestle my match, not his.”
Green moved his record this season to 15-6 with the win, which continued an upward trend. He went 5-0 at last weekend's South Side Duals.
“I played football last fall and was pretty rusty at the start of the (wrestling) season,” admitted Green.
“He was not wrestling well early on,” said Stoner. “He was doing a lot of things that were costing him points and matches.
“He's been working hard, though, and is improving.”
Green is hoping for better luck in the upcoming individual tournaments.
“I had an injury last season and wasn't able to get out of sectionals,” he said. “I think back to that a lot.”
The bout at 160 pounds featured Butler's Jack Codispot, who entered the night with a 17-2 record, and 15-2 Jake Richardson.
“After a scoreless first period, Richardson used two near-fall points and a takedown to grab a 4-1 lead.
In the third period, however, injuries threatened Richardson's chances. First, he rolled his ankle and needed an injury timeout early in the period. Then, leading 6-3, he was taken down by Codispot with just five seconds left and aggravated an old shoulder injury. Another timeout was called, after which Richardson held on for a 6-5 win.
“He battled the whole way,” said Planet coach Bob Jox of Richardson. “That's just the type of kid he is. There were no thoughts about him not finishing. He's a great wrestler.”
“I had surgery on my (right) shoulder last summer and probably came back a little too soon,” said Richardson. “I won a section title last year at 160, but have improved a lot since then. If I could wrestle me from last year, I'd tech fall myself.”
The lone pin of the night for either team came from Butler's Nate McDonald at 152 pounds. Also winning for the Tornado (9-2, 4-1) were Nate McMaster (decision at 132) and Jake Pomykata (major decision at 182).
Picking up wins for the Planets (1-4) were decisions by Anthony Maiure (120), Davis Luedtke (126) and Sean McElhinny (170).
Butler hosts New Castle Friday and will participate in the Section 3 team tournament next Wednesday.
Mars did not qualify for the Section 3 team tournament and will next wrestle at the Brooke (W.Va.) Tournament Jan. 26.
Butler 42, Mars 24
(Match started at 145 pounds)
106-Nick Schaukowitsch (B) won by forfeit; 113-Noah Hunkele (M) won by forfeit; 120-Anthony Maiure (M) dec. Clayton Dressler, 13-9; 126-Davis Luedtke (M) dec. Dom Vivirito, 4-2; 132-Nate McMaster (B) dec. Christian Scheller, 8-3; 138-Colin Vanderberghe (M) won by forfeit; 145-Steven Green (B) tech. fall Declan Ryan, 18-3; 152-Nate McDonald (B) pinned Gerard Zelotta, :52; 160-Jake Richardson (M) dec. Jack Codispot, 6-5; 170-Sean McElhinny (M) dec. Cooper Baxter, 6-5; 182-Jake Pomykata (B) major dec. Jordan Marshall, 12-0; 195-Shawndell Zapata (B) won by forfeit; 220-Caleb Hartung (B) won by forfeit; Hwt.-Nate Cornibe (B) won by forfeit
