YORK, Pa. – The No. 22 ranked York College wrestling team defeated visiting Penn College of Technology by a score of 37-10 on Senior Night at Charles Wolf Gymnasium on Friday night.
On a night when he was honored by his coaches and teammates, senior Matt Zippilli (Washingtonville, N.Y. / Washingtonville) carried the torch high for his fellow seniors as he racked up 3:03 in riding time en route to a 12-3 major decision at 184.
Freshman John Shorter (Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim Township) continued his pin streak as he earned a pin fall in 1:10 after jumping out to a 5-0 lead. Shorter now has nine pins in his last nine matches.
Lake Laughman (New Oxford, Pa. / New Oxford) started the Spartans (20-4) with a pin fall in 4:59 at 125 pounds and Ryan Flynn (Newtown Square, Pa. / Marple Newtown) also earned a pin at 133 punds in 0:56.
The Wildcats (2-10) forfeited the 141 bout and then senior Drew Spector (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford) went up against Penn College's top wrestler in Slade Storm. Spector battled and searched for an opportunity to strike, but his efforts were not rewarded as he came up on the losing side of a 13-5 major decision.
Senior John Allenson (Glenside, Pa. / Germantown Academy) held a lead through a good portion of his match at 157, but his opponent, Mason Replogle, would not surrender. Allenson put everything he had into his match, but could not muster up enough points in the end to hold off the hard-charging Replogle as he lost in a 16-14 decision.
One of the most captivating matches of the night came at 165 as senior George Baker (Gap, Pa. / Pequea Valley) took to the mat to get a win on Senior Night. The match was a scoreless after the first period and tied 2-2 after the second. Then, with less than 10 seconds left in the third period and the score tied 3-3, Baker surrendered a two-point takedown and lost in heartbreaking fashion after fighting hard for seven minutes.
The Spartans got back on track as Tyler Rhoads (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East) picked up a close victory at 174 with a 6-2 decision.
Zippilli sealed the victory for York as he earned a 12-3 major decision and Shorter piled on the points as he pinned his man in 1:10.
The Spartans return to the mat next Thursday as they head up the road to take on the No. 8 ranked Messiah College Falcons at 7:00 p.m. in Grantham, Pa.
Photo courtesy of Joe Rodgers
