Woodbridge’s Dominique Pierce, left muscles Milford’s Bryon Wynes to the mat in the 285 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Milford’s Bryon Wynes, left and Woodbridge’s Dominique Pierce wrestle in the 285 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Milford’s Dominic Hovington, left escapes a hold from Polytech’s Justin Land in the 220 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Cape’s Anthony Caruso, back, brings Smyrna’s Nicholas Natarcola to the mat in the 106 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Cape’s Anthony Caruso, left reaches to control Smyrna’s Nicholas Natarcola in the 106 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Cape’s Anthony Caruso, left tries to lift Smyrna’s Nicholas Natarcola off the mat in the 106 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Caesar Rodney’s Cameron Hayes, right, muscles Polytech’s Spenser Hahn to the mat in the 113 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Dover’s Tykwan Joyner, left wrestles Smyrna’s Gregory Baum in the 120 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Caesar Rodney’s Cameron Hayes, left, muscles Polytech’s Spenser Hahn to the mat in the 113 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s wrestling coaches watch as Smyrna’s Cole Sebastianelli wrestles Sussex Central’s Rashad Stratton in the 126 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Cole Sebastianelli, left wrestles Sussex Central’s Rashad Stratton in the 126 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Cole Sebastianelli, right picks up Sussex Central’s Rashad Stratton in the 126 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Cole Sebastianelli, right wrestles Sussex Central’s Rashad Stratton in the 126 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Chase Archangelo, top complains of being bitten by Dover’s Anthony Fisher in the 132 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Dover’s Anthony Fisher, left flips Smyrna’s Chase Archangelo over in the 132 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Nathaniel Bryant celebrates after defeating Dover’s Nicholas Lee in the 138 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Dover’s Anthony Fisher celebrates with his team after defeating Smyrna’s Chase Archangelo in the 132 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Milford’s Barton Dalious, right wrestles Sussex Central’s Justin Bennett in the 145 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Sussex Central’s Justin Bennett, right and Milford’s Barton Dalious wrestle in the 145 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Sussex Central’s Justin Bennett, left and Milford’s Barton Dalious wrestle in the 145 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Sussex Central’s Brandon Bautista, left holds Caesar Rodney’s Thomas Galluci down on the mat in the 152 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Anthony Wuest pins Michael Clavier in the 195 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Smyrna’s Kalen Wilson wrestles Cape Henlopen’s Cory Lawson in the 160 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Sussex Central’s Brandon Bautista, right muscles Caesar Rodney’s Thomas Galluci down to the mat in the 152 pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
DOVER – There was no place like home for Anthony Fisher and Nick Lee.
The Dover High wrestlers scored back-to-back upsets in the finals of the Henlopen Conference Wrestling Championships on Saturday night. And the wins were even sweeter because they came on their home mat.
“It feels amazing, winning at my own high school,” Fisher said. “I don’t think the conference meet comes to each school more than once a decade, so it feels amazing to catch it that one time in my school.”
Fisher was leading Smyrna’s Chase Archangelo, a 2015 state champion, 2-1 late in the third period when a stalling call tied the match. But the junior kept his poise and used a “super duck” – a misdirection shot – to score the winning takedown just 12 seconds into overtime in the 132-pound final.
“I don’t usually hit that, but a super duck was just something that I was working on before I came out here,” Fisher said. “I just went for it, nothing to lose. I took that shot, that one shot, and it got me the takedown.”
Smyrna’s Nathaniel Bryant tries to escape a hold from Dover’s Nicholas Lee in the 138-pound final match at the Henlopen Conference wrestling championships at Dover High School.
Lee was up next at 138 pounds against Smyrna’s top-seeded Nate Bryant. And he was fired up after watching Fisher win.
“That was big for me. I couldn’t even breathe before I was about to wrestle Nate,” Lee said. “[Fisher] has been losing to him all year, and when we’re in the room that’s what he works for. To see him get it, it got me going, too.”
Lee survived when Bryant’s last-second takedown was ruled out of bounds. The Smyrna fans were upset, but the Dover wrestler held on for a 2-1 decision.
“I thought I was going to hear ‘two!’ [for a takedown],” Lee said. “He had it in deep, and I knew I just couldn’t give up on the edge. I didn’t give it up, and that won me the match.”
DMA wins Independent Conference wrestling meet
Sussex Central had the best showing in the championship round, winning all four of its matches. All came on close decisions, with Rashad Stratton (126), Justin Bennett (145), Brandon Bautista (152) and Lucas Hudson (170) all taking home conference crowns.
“Everybody wrestled extremely well the last two days,” Sussex Central coach Phil Shultie said. “It’s just good to see all the hard work pay off for the guys.”
The top six finishers in each weight class qualified for the DIAA Individual Wrestling Championships, to be held next Friday and Saturday at Cape Henlopen. Smyrna will be sending all 14 of its wrestlers to states, including conference champions Greg Baum (120), Kalen Wilson (160) and Tony Wuest (195).
Wuest, last year’s 182-pound state champion, lost an 11-5 decision to Caesar Rodney’s Michael Clavier during a dual meet on Jan. 27. But this time, in the final match of the night, Wuest sidestepped Clavier’s rush and took him down, pinning the top seed in 55 seconds to be named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.
“I felt his pressure, and I thought, ‘I’m not going to let this chance go,’” Wuest said. “… I’ve been working all week, just for this moment. I was kind of focused on this match more than anything.”
Woodbridge placed only one wrestler in the finals, but he went home a winner as 285-pounder Dominique Price took down Milford’s Bryon Wynes in overtime for a 6-4 decision.
“Coach said, ‘Just take him down,’ ” Pierce said. “So I took a double, and I took him down. I think I surprised him, and I was surprised, too. I was fighting hard to get that.”
Milford’s Kenny VanVorst (182) and Dom Hovington (220), Cape Henlopen’s Anthony Caruso (106) and CR’s Cameron Hayes (113) also won. Smyrna outscored Sussex Central 267½-220 to earn the team title, and the Eagles’ Kurt Howell was named the Henlopen Conference Coach of the Year.
Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ
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