Senior Night Haverford Win Puts Ridley at 19-2

(and Schnell at Win # 598!!!!!!)

After handily disposing of Phoenixville by 70-3 last week, the wrestling squad looked forward to its’ traditional “Senior Night” when graduating wrestlers and their parents are recognized for their considerable contributions. While Haverford has a long tradition of fine wrestling, this year they could only boast of a few wrestlers who held any hope of besting their Ridley opponents. In a real nice turn of events for one Ridley senior and a “coming of age” bout for an underclassman, the bouts proved entertaining and successful.

After the “super 7” graduating seniors and their parents were introduced and the heartfelt reflections by both read by the P.A. announcer, action was set to begin at 119 pounds. This bout featured the last of the famed Jones boys, the coach’s widely successful sons who have brought much of the fame to the Haverford wrestling program. Andrew Jones showed he was the beneficiary of skills that rubbed off from his older brothers in decking Ridley’s Steve Gillon in the first period. But boy did the tide turn after that bout. In one of the 2 featured bouts of the evening, Ridley’s hard luck co-captain and 4 year varsity wrestler Ed Hall squared off against the Ford’s Kyle Ramplin ranked #2 in the Delaware County Daily Times top 3 for the 125-pound bracket. Eddie wanted to show that he deserved mention in that select group and went about proving it in an aggressive and exciting fashion. After opening the match with a takedown and near fall for 5 points, Ed continued to control the match before gaining a 3^rd period escape and catching Ramplin in a tight pinning combination that offered no escape. The resulting fall tied the match at 6 points each and the pinning parade was just beginning. After senior Matt Ziegler scored a workmanlike 9-4 decision over his overwhelmed opponent, Ridley scored 9 pins in a row save for a forfeit at 160. Underclassmen Andrew Lopchinsky, Carl Schaaf, Taylor Petrellis, Phil Rayer (#1 in Delaware County Daily Times at 152-pounds) and Dan McAndrew (the forfeit at 160-pounds) combined to pick up 30 points. Then Seniors John Colberg, Steve Sweeney and Mark Fritz followed with pins of their own for an additional 18 points. At this point in the action, the score read Ridley 57, Haverford 6.

For the last several years, Ridley has had the advantage of reliable 275-pound wrestlers who have pretty much owned the local competition. However, last year saw the last of the Ridley Roughriders nurtured heavyweights move on when Michael Steven graduated. Down in the junior varsity level was a relative newcomer to wrestling who certainly had the strength to excel but didn’t have the smooth moves that come with years of wrestling at various levels. The coaches knew they had what might be called a “project” but one that could eventually make the effort more than worthwhile. Against Haverford, all the work that Nick Jenkins has been putting into the sport finally paid off. He was matched up with Haverford’s Brian Ellixson who had qualified for districts by placing 2^nd at last year’s Section 5 competition. Both wrestlers maneuvered with caution during a scoreless 1^st period. Then in a move that caught nearly everyone in attendance by surprise, Nick used his considerable strength to throw Ellixson on his back and smothered him for the pin. No doubt this was the surprise of the evening! Nick Pisani followed with the obligatory pin while Ridley’s Tim Handley struggled mightily but couldn’t get the escape he needed to avoid a 1-0 loss. Final score: Ridley 60, Haverford 6