Woodstown wrestlers start the new year with a win over Pitman that wasn’t as taxing as their post-Christmas gauntlet

WEDNESDAY WRESTLING
Woodstown 46, Pitman 26
Schalick/Cumberland 58, Sterling 18

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The Woodstown wrestling team needed a breather.

After putting themselves through a gauntlet of nail biters in their three matches after Christmas, the Wolverines clinched their first match of the new year in the middle part of the proceedings Wednesday night and went on to put away Pitman 46-26. 

It was a lot less stressful than their last three matches. In those exercises, they lost to Northern Burlington and Cinnaminson and beat Audubon, and all three matches went down to the final bout.

“We want to win matches, but I thought we wrestled well tonight,” Woodstown coach Adam Hyland said. “I thought over the weekend we didn’t wrestle up to our capabilities. We just didn’t wrestle well.

“I thought tonight our performance was better. That’s what we really focus on – how well are we performing, not necessarily if we win or lose. I thought we performed a lot better.”

Speaking of performing, Ryan Polk turned in one of the Wolverines’ better individual ones. With forfeits locked up in the final two weights on the night, Polk’s first pin of the season, over Ayden Epley at 132, provided the points to clinch the match.

Polk is somewhat a man on a mission, trying to earn a spot back in the varsity lineup. The junior wrestled with the varsity at 126 as a freshman, but was relegated to the JVs last year with the emergence of Alex Torres. He was getting his shot at 132 this winter with Torres injured and made the most of it.

“We need to get Polky going,” Hyland said. “He’s had some tough losses recently for us. Tonight he hit the technique we work on in practice. He did his job. I’m really proud of him.”

It was a breakthrough night for Polk. He pulled off a cross-face cradle he’d been working to perfect all season to set up his pin and second win of the season.

“It meant a lot,” Polk said. “Last year I only had one win on the varsity (in three matches).”

Polk’s pin made it impossible for Woodstown to lose, then Brett Rowand pinned Robert Graves in 1:14 at 150 to slam the door. The Wolverines also got a pin from Travis Balback (120) and a major decision from Paul Banff (190) to open the match.

“We’ve been working hard all season,” Hyland said. “I tell them we’re concerned with the end of the season, not the beginning of the season, so it’s a process and in terms of where we are in that process we’re about where we need to be. We’ve still got a ways to go, but we’re getting closer.

“We just need to get matches and get them in the groove. We just haven’t been competing very much, so I think as we progress through the season, get more matches under our belt, get more experience and get some guys back from being out, we’re going to get better as the year goes on.”

WOODSTOWN 46, PITMAN 26
190: Paul Banff maj. dec. over Dom Saffioti, 10-2
215: Aiden Milward (P) maj. dec. over Josiah Mejias, 9-1
285: Mateo Vinciguerro won by forfeit
106: Chase Blandino won by forfeit
113: Skylar Nicola (P) won by forfeit
120: Travis Balback pinned A.J. Starr, 0:12
126: Adriano Platt (P) maj. dec. over Carson Bradway, 10-0
132: Ryan Polk pinned Ayden Epley, 1:29
138: Jacob Lawrence (P) dec. Will Groom, 7-4
144: Jon Bruno (P) pinned Angel Hernandez, 3:01
150: Brett Rowand pinned Robert Graves, 1:14
157: Chase Rollins (P) dec. Zayden Donahue, 7-3
165: Zach Bevis won by forfeit
175: Greyson Highland won by forfeit

SCHALICK/CUMBERLAND 58, STERLING 18
120: Kamrin Johnson (S) pinned Gabriel McFeeley, 3:21
126: Luke Silva (SC) pinned Joseph Rogers, 0:37
132: Chase Williams (SC) pinned Alexander Mexica, 0:12
138: Daniel Lloyd (SC) pinned Jayden Williams
144: Declan Winters (S) dec. Riley Papiano, 6-3
150: Ayden Jenkins (SC) pinned Jermaine Stewart, 2:31
157: Ricky Watt (SC) maj. dec. over Brandon Rebecca, 17-7
165: Koen Martin (SC) pinned John Beasley, 3:23
175: Jake Magonagle (SC) pinned Rene Camacho, 2:43
190: Kenny McArdle (S) dec. Eric Sulick, SV-1 3-1
215: Ronald Piernikoski (SC) won by forfeit
285: Nick Gellien (S) pinned Logan Hancock, 1:33
106: Caleb Jenkins (SC) won by forfeit
113: DeAnthony Harden (SC) won by forfeit