Carmel pins loss on St. Viator
Even with elite wrestlers Ryan Unrein and Ryan Williams out of the lineup, Carmel was able to defeat a pair of East Suburban Catholic Conference wrestling rivals Friday night -- but not before a few nervous moments.
The Corsairs (10-4, 3-1) squashed short-handed St. Joseph in their opening dual before edging host St. Viator 40-36 as coach Joe Scordino's team used a fall by Alex May at 215 pounds and consecutive forfeits to jump past the Lions (1-2). St. Viator later toppled St. Joseph to gain its first ESCC victory of the season.
"That was pretty close, wasn't it?" said a relieved Scordino.
Williams was returning from vacation and is expected to be in the Corsairs' lineup today at the Geneva tournament.
"That's kind of the way (it has) been for most of the season, always missing a few key guys here and there," said Scordino. "But we are really anxious to get everyone back and ready to go from here on out, and especially in mid-January when we host Montini."
The Corsairs, who have lost to Prairie Ridge, Deerfield, Wheeling and ESCC power Marian Catholic this season while never at full strength, cruised past an undermanned St. Joe's team which fielded just five competitors in a 48-15 decision.
Brandt Merryman (152), Pat Campos (160) and May all recorded falls against the Chargers, but it was Frank Swindell's effort in his match with Tim Flores at 135 pounds which was the most exciting of the night.
Flores appeared well on his way to a fall when he caught Swindell early on to build a 7-0 lead after a near-fall at 90 seconds. Flores the blew the match wide open with a takedown and another near-fall to go up 15-3 toward the end of the second period.
Credit Swindell for not giving in.
Just after the late flurry by Flores, Swindell recorded a reversal and near-fall of his own to pull within 9 (15-6) at the buzzer. Then Swindell used the entire third period to attempt to pin his now struggling opponent before falling short at 15-11.
Against St. Viator, Swindell finally did earn a fall in 1:52 over Pat Chapman to draw the Corsairs even at 12-12. But after 10-0 major decision by Josh MacKenzie (140) and another pin, this one by recently promoted Bobby Dandino at 5:38, the visitors found themselves in serious trouble despite leading 22-12.
"Our guys at the upper weight really came through to get us back in the match," said Lions assistant Jeff Kramarczyk, filling in for head coach Ben Hamilton, who was married during the holiday break.
Chris Corey's forfeit and subsequent 6 points made it 24-24, after a T.J. Hohendel stealth-like pin (0:49) at 152 to set-up back-to-back falls from Richard Rittmeyer (3:39) and senior Jack Joyce (1:15) at 171 and 189 pounds.
"It came down to that last match, and it would have been nice to surprise (Carmel) and get a win against them tonight," said Joyce, who last year at this time was out with a fractured wrist.
Sophomore Andrew Hora, a varsity newcomer, needed just a win and 3 points to put the match against May out of reach with the score 36-22, and heavyweight and 103 going to the Corsairs via forfeit.. Hora was on pace to do so as he went up 4-0 after one period.
But May came back to make it 4-3, and then a missed shot which caused Hora to be too high allowed the experienced May to take advantage and register a pin at 3:50.
"We had some big pins (to) stay with Carmel and go ahead," said Kramarczyk, "but we had a little trouble at the start of the night, which cost a little bit as well."
The Lions were pin-happy in a 54-12 victory over St. Joseph in the finale, with Brian Romani (152), Corey, Rittmeyer and Hora all celebrating falls.
"Getting our first (ESCC) win was a good thing for us tonight, but it would have been better if it came against Carmel instead," said St. Viator senior Vince Sabatello (130), a 2007 sectional qualifier and the Lions' top wrestler this season.