by Warren Kozireski
Brockport head coach Mike Ferris was encouraging the crowd to get to their feet as the seconds ticked off the clock on the final bout. It isn’t often that a standing ovation happens with a loss, but this was different.
Brockport’s wrestlers had defeated visiting Spencerport for the first time since 1985. The head coach was seven years old at the time.
Back-to-back falls by Jacob Sweet at 170 lbs. in 3:07 and Tom Sims at 182 lb. in 3:43 gave the Blue Devils a 19 point lead. Two Spencerport pins plus a decision made it 34-30 with one match remaining and eighth-grader Simeon Horton had a first period reverse and third period escape to hold his opponent to just a three-point decision to clinch the victory.
“This was a chess match in terms of how matchups dictated how the match unfolded,” said Ferris. “Every year we kept chipping away and our kids understood the price to reach their level and made the commitment.”
Bart Peters pins Brandon Barrett. MLPhoto.Bart Peters (113 lb.) and Spencer Mulligan (120 lb.) had first period falls in 1:38 and :50 for Brockport. Austin Mesiti had a 7-0 decision at 132 lb. before Terrance Rowe used a second period escape and takedown on his way to a 4-0 decision at 138 lb.
Justin Clay’s 17-7 major decision at 160 lb. gave the Blue Devils the extra point that would prove crucial in the end.
Jon Haas won via pin in 4:25 at 106 lb. for Spencerport and Tahj Eaddy took a 10-5 decision at 126 lb. Ryan Schirano registered a reverse and three back points over the final 25 seconds to take a 7-5 win at 145 lb. and Kyle Melnyk had a second period reverse stand up in a 2-0 win at 152 lb.
Trent Egenlauf moved up to 195 lb. and pinned his man in 1:20; Collin Pittman had two points in each period for a 6-4 win at 220 lb. and Austin Coleman had a fall in :57 at 285 lb. for the Rangers.
“We had no returning senior starters in the lineup tonight and we beat a team we haven’t beaten in 25 years (actually 28),” Ferris said. “The match came down to an eight-grader and he came through for us. I couldn’t be happier for this team.”
