Tough tiebreaker for SV

By Sam Tallarico Eagle Staff Writer

January 12, 2012 Last Updated: January 12, 2012 01:48 PM High School

Seneca Valley's Austin Leon (top) works to take down Hopewell's Matt Tempalski during their high school wrestling match Wednesday night. Hopewell nipped the Raiders, 35-34.

JACKSON TWP — Hopewell wrestling coach Jason Matsolf knew what was needed in his team's final bout against Seneca Valley Wednesday.

After that, it was anybody's guess.

With the Raiders holding a 34-30 lead, Matsolf implored his 126-pounder, Fillippo Crivelli, after the second period at least a major decision was needed if the Vikings had a chance.

He held a 3-0 lead over Brennan O'Shea, but needed to win by eight points.

Crivelli would amass 13 third-period points, allowing O'Shea to escape three times to get more takedowns and near-fall points.

Crivelli prevailed 16-3 to force a tie, but the Vikings won the bout on the seventh tiebreaker for accumulated first points of each match (13-12) to give Hopewell the 35-34 section win.

“In the first period (Crivelli) was working for a pin,”said Matsolf. “At the end of the second, I told him he needed to get at least a major decision, to at least give us a chance at the tiebreaker.”

The first four tiebreakers dealt with unsportsmanlike team points, team penalties and flagrant fouls that had been taken away during the match, but that never came into play.

Both teams won seven bouts each, each had four combined pins/forfeits and each had one major decision before the next factor came to play.

“I wouldn't say the result was unexpected,” Raiders coach Kevin Wildrick said, “but this was definitely one of the best matches we had as a team.”

The Raiders put themselves in the position by picking up consecutive pins by Anthony Latess (113) and Zain Skalos (120) to turn a 30-22 deficit to a 34-30 lead entering the final bout.

The Raiders had gotten off to a quick start, winning the first four matches to take a 19-0 lead.

An Austin Leon major decision at 132 started off the match, then pins by Jimmy Nusser (138) and Tyler Schillero (145) were followed by a Steven Rudolph decision at 152.

Hopewell (9-3, 3-1), however, started to click, winning six of the next seven matches.

A Marco Crivelli pin at 160, a forfeit at 182 and pins by Michael Tempalski and Damon Sims at 220 and 285, respectively, led the charge.

The Raiders' lone win in that stretch was a hard-fought 13-8 decision by Joe Duggan at 195 over Tyler Sparkman.

“We bumped him up, actually (Sparkman) got bumped up, too, and Joe had a great match. He had a tough time with his asthma, but he pushed through.

When Hopewell's Travis Sonson eked out an 8-5 win at 103, the Vikings enjoyed the eight-point lead before the Raiders' late surge.

Sonson was leading Nick Zoria 6-0 in the second period before Zoria earned a take down with 1:07 left in the frame and had Sonson on his back the rest of the frame, but could not finish off the pin.

“The one thing I stress in practice,” Wildrick said, “was even if you're losing, go hard all the time. The main thing is to go out there with intensity.”

The Raiders return to dual match action Monday when they host Blackhawk, then wrestle at Pine-Richland on Wednesday.

*Hopewell 35, Seneca Valley 34Match started at 132106

pounds: Travis Sonson (H) dec. Nick Zoria, 8-5;

113: Anthony Latess (SV) pinned Sam Poola, 1:14;

120: Zain Skalos (SV) pinned Dustin Winkle, 1:43

126: Fillippo Crivelli (H) major dec. over Brennan O'Shea 16-3;

132: Austin Leon (SV) major dec. over Matt Tempalski, 15-4;

138: Jimmy Nusser (SV) pinned Dan Santia, 1:43;

145: Tyler Schillero (SV) pinned Nick Guzma, 2:47;

152: Steven Rudolph (SV) dec. Ethan Byme, 7-2;

160: Marco Crivelli (H) pinned Jake Eaton, 1:35;

170: Dillion Drositis (H) dec. Matt Banyas, 3-1;