Milford wrestling opens House of Pancakes on Cape 43-29
Cape wrestling led the Milford Bucs 29-9 after eight bouts Dec. 11 at Milford Central Academy but couldn’t get home, as the grapplers of veteran coach Don Parsley turned the gym into a House of Pancakes, stacking five straight pins to close a 34-0 run and secure a 43-29 victory.
Both teams had a stud out of the lineup, as Milford was missing Cory Messick down low and Cape was without Andre Currie at 170. That caused some seismic shifting of the lineup, and Cape capitalized early.
A large crowd was sitting in the shadows, focusing on the mat illuminated by the central spotlight. Milford fans rose to their feet roaring after each pin. Each slap of the mat was a slap in the face to the Cape dream of a sneak-attack upset victory.
Cape’s coach Chris Mattioni, a guidance counselor now in his 25th year as the head coach at Cape, survives by enthusiasm tempered with a healthy sense of perspective.
“Up to the point when we led 29-9, I felt we were outwrestling them,” Mattioni said. “Things broke our way early and we were in great position. I guess both teams learned something in a December dual meet. The swings in emotions are what makes wrestling a great sport made for tough people.”
The Milford comeback from 20 down began with Dalton Deevey earning a 12-2 major decision over Gary Hayes at 160. Rafael Mejia pinned Juan Lares at 170 with just four seconds left in the bout.
Marquis Gillis stuck Jeb Zolper at 4:34 in the 182-pound bout, then Matt Hague pinned Cameron Smith at 3:30 at 195 pounds.
Jackson Handlin, on a personal descent plan and fresh off a weekend record of 6-1 at the Southern Slam, got caught by Bevensky Augustine just 59 seconds into the 220-pound bout, and Anthony Diaz closed with a pin of Lucas Ruppert at 2:29 in the 285-pound match.
Cape lifted off the match at 106, where Holt Baker earned a major decision over Emily Thode 21-3.
Josh Wright followed with a win by pin over Joshua Valentine-Marquez at 2:45. Jack Thode decked Brody Smith at 120 pounds at 1:12 in the bout.
Freshman CJ Fritchman decisioned Aaron Briscoe 5-0, then Carson Kammerer and Trent Grant were locked and loaded in a grueling match at 132, tied at 4, when Grant was awarded a takedown in the final seconds to win a 6-4 decision.
“Grant is tough and Carson was right there,” Mattioni said. “Carson seems to get in a lot of those kind of matches.”
Luke Bender (138), a malleable freshman like Gumby with a wing span, who is also crafty, pinned Ryan Mejia at 1:58, as the Vikings’ lead increased to 21-9.
Mikey Frederick (145) upset Tim O’Hara 15-9. O’Hara was Polytech tournament champion at 145 last weekend and beat his friend from middle school three times last season.
“Mikey is never going to be the technically sound wrestler; he more relies on a wildman streak,” said assistant coach Shane Jensen. “He takes chances and sometimes gets caught.”
Finbar Rishko (152) is a technician who also takes calculated chances. Fin won by pin over Tyler Ayers at 4:43 in the bout.
Cape will host Charter Wednesday, Dec. 18, before sending some wrestlers to the Beast of the East Tournament at the University of Delaware Dec. 21-22.
