BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team last week beat St. Mark’s, 39-30, after pulling out wins in the last two bouts.
Decatur and St. Mark’s battled back and forth through the early matches with neither team gaining a significant advantage. St. Mark’s won at 220 and 285 to take a 30-29 lead with just two matches remaining, but the Seahawks’ lighter weight wrestlers won the final two bouts to pull out the 39-30 win.
Drew Baker got Decatur on the board first with a win over Hunter Houtz at 120, but St. Mark’s Justin Engelmann responded with a win over Decatur’s Thomas Scafone at 126. Robert Scafone got the Seahawks back in the win column at 132 with a win over Haden Houtz.
Andy McKahan made it two in a row for Decatur with a win over Jeff Engelmann at 138 and Decatur led 16-3 early. Thomas Otlowski beat Decatur’s Jeremiah Purnell at 145 and Paul Mey beat Decatur’s Brandon McKenzie at 152 as St. Mark’s pulled closer at 16-12.
Tyler Vansice beat St. Mark’s Jake Dominelli at 160 and Brett Kim won at 170 to extend the Seahawks’ lead to 26-12. After Randy Mitchell beat Decatur’s Caleb Bourne at 182 to cut the lead to 26-18, Brandon Wooten responded with a win over Todd Psenicka at 195 to push the lead to 29-18 with four matches remaining.
St. Mark’s got the upper hand as Keith Medley beat Decatur’s Ean Spencer at 220 and Kenan Megahed beat Gavin Payne at 285 to take a narrow 30-29 lead. However, Decatur’s Robert Kaminski bet Dominick Sinopoli at 106 and Josh Lawson beat Shane Gilbert at 113 for the meet’s last 10 points and the 39-30 win.