Butler wrestlers hold off Raiders
BUTLER TWP — Seneca Valley needed a trifecta. Jake Pomykata made sure it didn’t happen.
And Butler held on for a 34-32 dual match wrestling win over rival Seneca Valley Wednesday night in the Intermediate High School gym.
The win was the Golden Tornado’s first dual match triumph over Seneca Valley in five years.
The Raiders (3-2) trailed 34-17 before receiving pins from Brooks Beres at 189 pounds and Aiden Hayes at 215. That sent Liam Volk-Klos to the mat against Pomykata in the heavyweight bout — the final match of the evening — needing a pin to secure a come-from-behind win for SV.
“They were riding a wave of momentum, but Jake knew wat he had to do,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “It can be difficult out there, knowing you can’t get pinned, but he wound up nearly winning the match.
“Liam is a tough, physical kid, a very good wrestler. Jake handled that match very well.”
Pomykata (12-3) trailed 4-0 after the first period and 8-5 after the second. He scored a late takedown and dropped a 10-9 decision. Volk-Klos is 5-0 on the year and usually wrestles at 215 pounds.
“Asking a kid to go on the mat and go get a pin, that’s a difficult task,” SV coach Kevin Wildrick said. “Liam never found the opportunity. He gave what he had, but that kid (Pomykata) wrestled well against him.”
Pomykata admitted his strategy in the match changed, knowing the team score situation.
“I was careful not to do anything risky when I was up top,” Pomykata said. “I didn’t want to do something where I could get rolled. I know Liam well. He’s a pinner. I had to do that. This was about our team,. The team match is more important than my individual match.
“In the third period, I felt the match turning my way. I thought I had a chance to win it late. One more turn, one more takedown ... it just didn’t happen.”
But Butler’s victory did. The Tornado improved to 10-1 on the season and Stoner secured the 403rd career win of his 29-year career.
Seneca Valley opened the dual with pins by Connor Smith and Jack Tofanelli in the lighter weights. Tyler Chappell (17-3) scored a technical fall at 126 pounds to give the Raiders a 17-3 lead.
Butler won the next six matches to take command, highlighted by pins at 132 pounds by Kase Chopp, 138 by Domenic Vivirito, 152 by Cade Savochka and 160 by Matt Zinkhann.
“Cade and Matt both gave up the first takedowns in their matches,” Stoner said. “Those pins at 152 and 160 were huge tonight.”
Zinkhann (16-6) trailed 6-0 after the first period before rallying to win.
“He wore his kid down,” Stoner said. “You respect your opponent, but when you can take his will away late, to the point where he can’t go anymore and you can, that’s a unique and great feeling in wrestling.”
Wildrick figured it’d be a close match, though it didn’t play out quite the way he thought.
“We won some matches I thought we wouldn’t, lost some matches I thought we wouldn’t,” he said. “But, ultimately, I knew this would be a close one.”
Butler 34, Seneca Valley 32
(Match started at 106 pounds)
106-Connor Smith (SV) pinned Ana Malovich, 5:08; 113-Jack Tofanelli (SV) pinned Kelley Schaukowitsch, 5:25; 120-Gavin Rush (B) dec. Brody Pirt, 5-2; 126-Tyler happell (SV) tech. fall over Aiden Plopi, 3:46 (15-0); 132-Kase Chopp (B) pinned Teagan Leighty, 3:33 ; 138-Domenic Vivirito (B) pinned Jake Eubanks, 2:36; 145-Levi Donnel (B) dec. Evan Vetter, 9-0; 152-Cade Saviochka (B) pinned Aiden Leinenbecker, 1:58; 160-Matt Zinkhann (B) pinned Marshall Adamson, 4:38; 172-Mickey Kreinbucher (B) dec. Manuel Santos, 5-1; 189-Brooks Beres (SV) pinned Landon Christie, 2:43; 215-Aiden Hayes (SV) pinned Bryalon May, 1:30; Hwt.-Liam Volk-Klos (SV) dec. Jake Pomykata, 10-9
