Neuqua Valley beats odds, Providence

Fall behind 25-0 to Providence Catholic's wrestling team, and the odds are overwhelming that you're going to lose.

Neuqua Valley beat the odds on Thursday night.

"Heart," answered the Wildcats' Dan Burk, when asked how his squad came back to tie the Celtics 32-32. Each team won seven matches and posted three pins, but Neuqua Valley (3-0) was given a 33-32 win based on the fourth criteria - a technical fall at 140 pounds, courtesy of junior Andy Spangler.

"I thought we were in trouble," Spangler said. "But we fought back as a team. You stay calm, and wrestle like you always do."

The Celtics (0-1) reeled off five wins to start the dual in Naperville, before Spangler's win got the Wildcats on the board. Teammate Alex Cizek followed with a pin at 145, the Celtics won by major decision at 152, and the Wildcats cut the deficit to 29-14 on Nick Proctor's decision win at 160.

Burk came through in one of the night's many big matches down the stretch, coming back from a 6-2 deficit at 171 against Haney to win 9-6 on a third-period takedown and near-fall points.

"I got my tilt, and I was able to hold him off for the rest of the third," Burk said.

Teammate Alex Zozulia followed with a pin at 189 and Mike Zozulia won a decision at 215, but a Celtics decision at 285 gave them a 32-26 lead with one match left to wrestle.

The Wildcats needed a pin to force a tie at 103, and Jackson Robinson obliged them. Robinson and Tyler Price were tied 4-4 after two periods, but Robinson stuck Price 18 seconds into the third, on an exchange initiated by Price.

"He shot on my legs, so I sprawled," Robinson said. "I'm taller than he is, so I had more leverage and length. I just tried to use that to my advantage."

"Jackson's matches tend to go back and forth, but he finds a way to come out on top," Burk said.

Wildcats' coach Mick Ruettiger - himself a graduate of Providence - was pleased with his squad's calm demeanor in the face of a deficit.

"The kids hung in there," he said. "We knew the matchups would be key, and we didn't panic at 25-0. Every point mattered tonight, even the points we didn't give up."

"(Neuqua Valley) came out and wrestled hard," said Providence coach Keith Healy. "You can't take anything away from them. They did a nice job."