Smyrna decks Cape wrestling 45-22
Chris Mattioni, with 300 wins over 31 years as Cape’s head wrestling coach, has survived combining healthy perspective with the insanity of managing teenaged grapplers over a long four-month season. Think of grandma's manual meat grinder making ground chuck into hamburger patties. The season ramps up like a runaway tractor-trailer going down a mountain road. All off-ramps are uphill.
Cape went into a crucial match at Smyrna Jan. 31, without stud wrestler Austin Guerrieri at 126 pounds. The G Man was sick and out of the lineup.
“It is what it is,” Mattioni said. "We can’t get third for the state duals, so we’ll concentrate on fourth or fifth.”
The Vikings got waxed like an old wrestling mat, losing to the Eagles 45-22. Cape trailed 28-0 after five bouts.
Tripp Gannon won a major decision at 138 pounds, followed by tech fall wins from Grayson Davis at 150, Nick Walker at 157 and Carson Tuer at 165. That tightened down the score to 33-19.
Cape’s Robbie Payton also won by decision at 215.
Smyrna secured five wins by pin, including Jaden Uhde at 103, Michael Pierson at 113, Sam Dulin at 126, Teagan Gratkowski at 190 and Takai Fearon at 285.
Cape has three home matches the final week of the dual-meet season. The Vikings will host St. Georges Tech Monday, Feb. 2, then Dover Wednesday, Feb. 4, and finally Lake Forest Friday, Feb. 6, which is Senior Night.
The state duals begin Wednesday, Feb. 11, with the semis and finals Saturday, Feb. 14.
Saturday Night Lights - Smyrna lost to Salesianum 51-25 in the second bout in the double-decker gym. Caesar Rodney rode to victory at William Penn 47-19. Sussex Tech went to Patriots Way and defeated Sussex Central 44-30. Smyrna will wrestle at William Penn Saturday, Feb. 7. The St. Georges at Cape match is a toss-up. The results of those matches will determine who gets the preferred No. 4 seed.
