(Jan. 30, 2015) The Stephen Decatur wrestling team scored big victories over the Saint Marks Spartans and the Parkside Rams this past week.
The Seahawks hosted the Spartans last Saturday and despite a late charge by Saint Marks, Decatur pulled out a 39-30 victory.
Junior Drew Baker kicked things off for the Berlin squad, pinning his 120-pound opponent with about a minute left in the second period of his match.
Saint Marks earned a decision at 126 pounds, but junior Bobby Scafone recorded a 12-1 major decision at 132 pounds to give Decatur a 10-3 lead.
Andrew McKahan, a sophomore, pinned his 138-pound opponent with 1:44 left in the second period of his match to boost the Seahawks advantage to 16-3.
The Spartans got a pin at 145 pounds and a decision in the 152-pound match to cut Decatur’s lead to 16-12.
The home team gained a 14-point cushion with junior Tyler Vansice’s 9-1 major decision at 160 pounds and a Saint Marks forfeit at 170 pounds.
Saint Marks logged a pin in the 182-pound weight class match, but Decatur senior captain Brandon Wooten outscored his 195-pound opponent, 5-1.
The Spartans took a 30-29 lead with pins at 220 and 285 pounds, but sophomore Robert Kaminski put Decatur back on top, 33-30, with an 11-0 major decision at 106 pounds. Josh Lawson, a sophomore, secured the victory for the Seahawks when he pinned his competitor with 16 seconds remaining in the second period of his 113-pound match.
Lawson admitted he was a little nervous going into his match.
“I thought Robert was going to pin his kids, so I figured even if I do lose, I just can’t get pinned and we’re still going to win, but he majored his kid. If I would have lost [by decision], we would have tied, so I had to win for us to win the match,” he said. “When the match first started, after I got the first takedown, I was reassured. I was confident. I was really happy when I pinned him.”
Decatur Coach Todd Martinek was pleased with Lawson’s performance as well as Scafone’s, and he was happy with the team effort overall.
“Bobby Scafone’s win was really big for us and then Josh Lawson hasn’t wrestled a lot of varsity for us–he’s been in and out of the line-up depending on where we needed him–so for him to finish the match and with a pin, I was happy for him,” Martinek said. “Everybody contributed…We’ve been getting better at practice and it showed. Our young kids are winning a lot of matches so the future’s bright, and we’re winning matches now. Win or lose, if you’re getting better that’s the fun thing.”
Parkside came to Berlin on Wednesday to battle Decatur. The home team prevailed, 45-24.
Decatur forfeited the 120-pound match and six points to start. Senior Thomas Scafone and McKahan pinned their 126- and 132-pound opponents, respectively, to give the Seahawks 12 points.
Parkside answered with a win by Decatur forfeit at 138 pounds and a decision at 145 pounds to gain a 15-12 advantage.
Senior captain Brandon McKenzie (152), junior Brett Kim (170) and freshman Caleb Bourne (182) pinned their competitors and Vansice (160) earned a 13-1 major decision to boost Decatur’s lead to 34-15.
Parkside scored a decision at 195 pounds followed by Decatur sophomore Ean Spencer recording a 21-11 major decision in his 220-pound match.
The Rams tacked on six points with a pin at 285 pounds.
Lawson and Kaminski finished the competition with an 8-6 decision and 9-1 major decision at 106 and 113 pounds, respectively.
Decatur will travel to Ridgely, today, Friday, to face the North Caroline Bulldogs and Snow Hill Eagles in a tri-meet at 5 p.m. On Monday, the Seahawks will head to Stevensville to take on the Kent Island Buccaneers at 5 p.m.
With some varsity grapplers out of the line-up, Martinek will rely on several JV wrestlers to fill in and step up for the squad. Winning close matches and not getting pinned will be key for the Seahawks.
