Status: Fini

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The photographs in this piece leave very much to be desired, to the point that they almost were not published.  Some gymnasiums have better lighting for photography than others, and using a flash, if that even was an option, was not possible as the photographer forgot to bring it.  The photographer should have continued using the 50mm f/1.8 lens he used for the first two-and-a-half matches, but as the athletes looked very small via that lens he was unable to discern that the photos were still better than the ones taken with the 55-250 f/4 lens he used later.  This will be rectified at future events when there will hopefully be better lighting, the photographer will use a flash if allowed, or a better lens will be rented.]

43 17

For at least the fourth time in a row dating back to 2012, the Brother Martin Crusaders defeated the Jesuit Blue Jays in a dual meet Saturday evening (12-13-2014), this time behind nine match wins and a forfeit for a 43-17 win.  Neither team could complain about being undermanned as each was lacking one starter (Taylor Gambill for Brother Martin at 126 pounds and Will Lafranca for Jesuit at 170 pounds).  The match marked a successful return to the mat for Jesuit state champion Ben D'Antonio, and six other wrestlers, Steven Shields (13-0), Paul Klein (14-0), Mason Williams (7-0), Yehia Riles (9-0), Guy Patron, Jr. (14-0) and Dominic Carmello (14-0), remained undefeated for the season.

Matches

106 Pounds Brody Martin (JES) pinned Luke Cotton (BM) in 5:03.

Martin used four takedowns and an escape to forge a 9-2 lead over Luke Cotton before pinning the freshman Crusader in 5:07.

0-6

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113 Pounds Steven Shields (BM) defeated Austin Pfister (JES) 7-5.

Shields, the defending Division I state champion, started the scoring early with a takedown in 18 seconds.  Shields then rode Pfister for a minute until the Blue Jay managed an escape and then unexpectedly popped a fireman's under Shields, scoring a takedown and taking a 3-2 lead as the first round ended.  In the second period Shields escaped and took Pfister down to regain the lead at 5-3.  Shields allowed Pfister to escape but could not convert another takedown and the round ended 5-4 in Shields' favor.  In the third Pfister was allowed to escape again, knotting the score at 5-5.  Pfister came close to taking Shields down but it was the Crusader who defended his way to a takedown and a 7-5 lead.  With a minute left and Pfister down for a restart, Pfister sat out and attempted to switch Shields, then turned in and the two stood up, but Shields maintained control.  Pfister got to Shields' legs and started walking around for a takedown but the champ was able to maintain enough control to prevent the Blue Jay from scoring and escaped with a hard-earned 7-5 win.

3-6

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120 Pounds Ben D'Antonio (JES) defeated Stephen Rumney (BM) 6-5.

Flashback to January 23rd, 2013: Jesuit's newly crowned Louisiana Classic champion Ben D'Antonio is tied with Brother Martin's Mason Mauro at 2-2.  D'Antonio is on top for a restart with six seconds remaining on the clock.  Everyone in the Jesuit gym thinks this match is going into a Sudden Victory period.  Everyone except Mason Mauro, who used the six seconds to stand up and escape for a 3-2 win, gaining the top seed in the Division I state championships the next month. Flashback to February 22nd, 2014: Jesuit's Ben D'Antonio and Rummel's Tyler Mire are on their feet in the Division I state championship finals, tied a 1-1, with three seconds remaining on the clock.  Two seconds later D'Antonio registers the only takedown of the match to win the title 3-2. In this match the defending state champ from Jesuit faced Crusader junior Stephen Rumney.  This was D'Antonio's first match of the season, while Rumney was already 15-1 with wins at the Cinco Ranch Big 12 in Texas, the Griffin Open and a runner-up finish at the Blackhorse in Tennessee.  Rumney also proved he is well worthy of a starting spot for the Crusaders having notched victories over Division II state champion Colt Olinde of Live Oak, two-time Division III state champion Raymond Bushnell of Basile and East Ascension's Landon Wheat. The defending champ started the scoring with a takedown after a minute had elapsed and held onto Rumney for a 2-0 first period lead.  Rumney escaped early in the second round and took the lead on a takedown that almost netted backpoints.  Rumney rode his 3-2 lead into the third period.  D'Antonio escaped to tie the score at 3-3, and then scored a takedown for a 5-3 lead, but Rumney managed a reversal to tie the score again.  A stoppage of action reset the two with Rumney on top and 3.3 seconds remaining.  On the whistle D'Antonio turned left and backed into Rumney, knocking the Crusader off balance enough to cause him to lose enough control to merit an escape point as time ran out and a 6-5 win.

3-9

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126 Pounds Matt Williams (BM) defeated Jordan Giewat (JES) 4-2.

Williams was able to score a first period takedown and a third period reversal on Giewat, who only managed escapes in the first and second periods, to prevail 4-2.

6-9

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132 Pounds Paul Klein (BM) pinned Payton Markey (JES) in 0:20.

The three-time defending Division I state champion from Brother Martin apparently (and understandably considering the quality) did not want much photo documentation this evening, and used a quick head-and-arm for a pin, which gave the Crusaders a match lead they would not relinquish.

12-9

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138 Pounds Blaine Eisensohn (BM) defeated Max Grosch (JES) 14-9.

In one of the better matches of the evening Grosch gave up four points early, then came back to within one, 4-3, but Eisensohn never let him get any closer.  A late takedown almost netted Grosch backpoints when he was only down 11-7, but Eisensohn then outscored Grosch 3-2 for the 14-9 win.

15-9

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145 Pounds Mason Williams scored a major decision over Jake Rovira (JES) 11-3.

The returning state runner-up from Brother Martin settled for a 2-0 first round lead but then opened up on Rovira with a barrage of takedowns to score a major decision for the Crusaders.

19-9

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152 Pounds Seth Johnson (BM) defeated Griffin Mason (JES) 13-6.

Johnson tried to follow Williams' example with a major decision of his own via takedowns vs. escapes, and he had one at 11-3 with 48 seconds remaining.  Trying to "seal the deal," however, Johnson let Mason up with 43 seconds remaining and the Blue Jay caught him with a single-leg shot for a takedown.  Johnson reversed Mason for a 13-6 lead but could not score again and had to settle for a three-point team win.

22-9

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160 Pounds Danny Evans (BM) defeated Evan Palmisano (JES) 6-1.

Three minutes passed in this match before Evans finally broke a scoreless tie with an escape.  Twenty-five seconds later Evans added a takedown for a 3-0 lead.  In the third period Palmisano escaped, but Evans followed that with a takedown and he was later awarded a penalty point, ending up with a 6-1 victory.

25-9

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170 Pounds Pierce Williams (BM) pinned Kyler Pisciotta (JES) in 4:34.

Starting late for the Crusaders due to an injury he suffered last season, the younger Williams brother brought a 6-1 record to the match with his only loss coming in a third-place showing at the Blackhorse.  With the Jays' Will Lafranca still out due to an injury it was Kyler Pisciotta taking the reins at 170.  Williams struck fast with a fireman's carry for the first two points and, after allowing an escape by Pisciotta, tacked on another takedown.  Pisciotta escaped again and the round ended 4-2 in Williams' favor.  Williams reversed Pisciotta in the second period, let him go and took him down again for an 8-3 lead which lasted until the round ended.  After a Pisciotta escape to start the third period it was the Blue Jay's turn to score on a double-leg shot, reducing Williams' lead to 8-6.  In attempting to turn Williams, however, Williams was able to hip over the Blue Jay, putting him and keeping him on his back until a fall was scored at 4:34.

31-9

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182 Pounds Yehia Riles (BM) pinned Dylan Daboval (JES) in 1:27.

The defending Division I state champion from Brother Martin used about 30 seconds in scoring two double-leg takedowns on Daboval, allowing an escape between them.  But the second one put the Blue Jay on his back and Riles capitalized with a fall in 1:27 to run his 2014-15 record to 9-0.

37-9

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195 Pounds Guy Patron, Jr. (JES) scored a 17-2 technical fall over Travis Viener (BM).

Patron has been almost unstoppable so far this year.  Entering this match he was 13-0 with championships at the Warrior Open, the Mandeville Open and at last week's South Walton Border Wars in which he won an Outstanding Wrestler award.  After a minute versus Viener, Patron scored on a single-leg shot and also tacked on two nearfall points for a 4-0 first period lead.  Viener scored an escape to start the second period and then successfully held off Patron for 45 seconds.  In the last 75 seconds of the round, however, Patron went on a tear with a takedown followed by three and then two nearfall points, resulting in 11-1 lead as the round ended.  In the third period Patron reversed Viener and added two more nearfall points for a 15-1 lead.  Letting Viener escape, Patron then took him down again for the last time, ending the match at 5:20 with a 17-2 technical fall.

37-14

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220 Pounds

Jacob Clapp (BM) received a forfeit.

43-14

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285 Pounds Dominic Carmello (JES) defeated Matt Montalbano (BM) 1-0.

This was a match that neither wrestler probably wants to remember.  Carmello and Montalbano spent the first round pushing on one another and, after Carmello scored a fast escape to start the second period, pushed on each other for the remaining time in that round.  Carmello was more aggressive via attempting bear hugs and trying to get behind Montalbano, but to no avail.  On top for the third period Carmello was able to ride Montalbano for the entire two minutes to preserve a 1-0 victory.

43-17

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