Ram wrestlers first trip to states is brief

As the Spring-Ford wrestling team embarked on its journey to its first ever PIAA state tournament match in Cumberland County, there was no pep rally. No fanfare. No matter. The Rams approached their date with District Three #3 seed Big Spring the same way they have approached every match this season: in businesslike fashion, focused, and ready to battle for every point.

In the home squad, however, Spring-Ford encountered a similarly resolute opponent. A back and forth match was resolved with just 2.9 seconds left in the final bout as the Rams were sent packing from the tournament by a 28-22 defeat.

Much like the Rams' season, Monday night’s opening round clash against Big Spring included numerous highs and lows.

189-pound senior Dennis McDevitt opened the match with a major decision win. Tyler Borelly put the Rams ahead 7-3 with a 4-0 win over the Bulldogs’ Josh Stewart, but following four consecutive losses at 103, 112, 119 and 125 pounds, Spring Ford found themselves in the unenviable position of trailing by a count of 19-7.

Jason Dombrosky took the mat in the 130-pound match, knowing that he had to do anything in his power to regain the momentum for his squad.

“When I saw that I would probably face [Chad] Wickard, I 'Googled' him,” said Dombrosky. “I knew he had only lost once all season, so I knew it would come down to keeping him very close to me. It was important to score and keep him from any kind of shot on me.”

Dombrosky held Wickard scoreless through the first two periods before scoring a point with an escape to take a 1-0 lead into the final period, which he spent unsuccessfully trying to bring down the Big Spring freshman. Dombrosky’s 1-0 win drew the Rams to within nine.

At 135 pounds, junior Tom Boring scrapped and battled with Nate Morris, exchanging second period takedowns before scoring his second takedown with just 12.9 seconds left in the match to claim a 4-3 win.

Jess Quave grappled with his 140-pound counterpart Jeffrey Warner, but could not break free from his down position for most of the third period. With 20 seconds left, Quave managed to get free and came close to recording a takedown, but could not convert, falling 3-2.

“I would have liked to see us be more aggressive,” said Rams head coach Tim Sieslove. “We had some really tight matches tonight. We won some of them and lost some, but overall I was very proud of the way the guys wrestled tonight.”

Trailing 22-13, Rams senior Kyle Duffy wasted no time in attacking as he needed only 1:10 to pin 140-pound Donovan Hank to the delight of the Rams faithful who made the two hour trek to Newville.

Senior Ryan Sellman, after getting put on his back in the first round, scored 12 third-period points to defeat Hunter Kotzmoyer 14-8 in the 152-pound clash and even the overall score at 22 a piece.

“I missed my cement shot early in the match and got put on my back for five,” said Sellman. “I knew I could get to him later in the match when he was tired. It’s the first time I really shot from my feet all year. I didn’t fear trying that move again, because that is my move. I always have confidence that I can hit it.”

Rams fans will remember this week as the first time a Spring-Ford team qualified for states, but it may also be recounted for the establishment of sophomore Tyler McGuigan ‘s legacy.

Following an integral match last Saturday against Rustin to help the Rams get into the tournament, McGuigan took the mat Monday night with the match deadlocked and the task of facing 6-foor-5 inch Cody Seibert in a 160–pound battle.

Just a minute into the match, the Spring-Ford fan contingent, watched in horror as McGuigan was slammed from far above the mat down on his head and neck, immediately signaling referee Ken Oswald for an injury time out.

McGuigan, who appeared dazed and was in obvious pain, finished out the first period by avoiding Siebert, allowing the Bulldog’s freshman a narrow 2-0 lead.

In the second period, still suffering the effects, McGuigan found himself on the menacing end of a power move by Seibert, who was using his lanky frame to apply leverage as he kept McGuigan in a choke hold, looking for a pin or submission.

As his teammates and the Spring-Ford fans chanted his name, McGuigan managed to break the hold and finished the match, only allowing three team points to be claimed.

“Tyler was incredible,” added Jason Dombrosky. “He is a tough kid, but to see him battle through that hold and not get pinned was unbelievable after that slam. To hear every person here chanting like that was pretty intense. He gave us a chance to win by battling though that.”

Following the match, McGuigan was taken to a local hospital with concussion symptoms.

With the stage set, Rams senior captain Matt Krueger squared off with Danny Hockensmith in a 171-pound bout. A ticket to a second round match up with Easton at the Giant Center in Hershey hung in the balance.

Krueger snagged a 1-0 lead in the second period with an escape before Hockensmith evened the match at one in the third. 

As time dwindled in the final period of the bout, Krueger scored a point on a stalling call with 49 seconds left to claim a 2-1 lead. With deafening chants from both sides of the gym, Krueger was in position to win the bout until Hockensmith was able to dip Krueger’s head and score two points with 2.9 seconds left to win the meet and advance Big Spring (21-4) to the field of 16 at Hershey starting today.

“Matt did everything he could,” said Sieslove. “We knew that kid was one of their best. There is no one I would have rather have on the mat in that situation. Matt is one of our leaders and we will miss his presence next season. He battled to the very end and it came down to three seconds.”

There was a stunned silence emanating from the Spring-Ford side of the gym as their hopes of advancing were dashed so abruptly. Had the match ended with a 25-25 tie, the Rams would have held the tiebreaker.

“It sucks to lose like that,” added Sellman. “To get here our senior year when I have wrestled with these guys since seventh grade, it’s a pretty cool way to go out. Now we will still keep working on team stuff, as we have to finish our PAC-10 schedule. And we will all push each other to get ready for sectionals and then the individual districts and states.”

189

Dennis McDevitt (SF)

defeated

McCartney (BS)

 10-2

4-0

215

Colby Whitten (BS)

defeated

 Andrew Long (SF)

9-5

4-3

289

Tyler  Borelly (SF)

defeated

Josh Stewart (BS)

4-0

7-3

103

Warner (BS)

defeated

Chase  Brown (SF)

5-2

7-6

112

Rook (BS)

defeated

Sean Hennesey (SF)

12-2

7-10

119

Enders (BS)

pinned

Jim Strong (SF)

 :40

7-16

125

Keck (BS)

defeated

Adam Dombrosky (SF)

8-3

7-19

130

Jason Dombrosky (SF)

defeated

Wickard (BS)

1-0

10-19

135

Tom Boring (SF)

defeated

Morris (BS)

4-3

13-19

140

Warner (BS)

defeated

Jesse Quave (SF

3-2

13-22

145

Kyle Duffy

pinned

Hank (BS)

 1:01

19-22

152

Ryan Sellman (SF)

defeated

Kotzmoyer (BS)

14-8

22-22

161

Seibert (BS)

defeated

 Tyler McGuigan (SF)

8-1

22-25

171

Hockensmith

defeated

Matt Krueger (SF)

3-2

22-28