Six pins lift Neuqua over rival Waubonsie
Six Neuqua Valley pins paved the way for a resounding 61-12 win over Upstate Eight Conference foe Waubonsie Valley on Friday night.
Assistant coach Ben Hummel held down the fort for the Wildcats (9-0, 2-0 UEC) as head coach Mick Ruettiger attended to a death in the family.
Terence Guider-Shaw / Special to The Sun
The large victory margin didn't dull the Wildcats' intensity level.
"We tell them to approach every match the same way: Fight hard and try not to give up any position," Hummel said. "We emphasize and expect that when we put people on their backs, we want to put them away. It's all really about mental toughness."
Adam Stine (4:23), Andy Spangler (4:46) and Alex Cizek (1:30) earned consecutive pins. They competed in the 135-, 140- and 145-pound weight classes, respectively.
Mike Zozulia earned a pin at 1:28 in his 215 bout, and brother Alex required 5 minutes 18 seconds to undo Preston Lachowitz. Mike's victory over Alex Obiofu was the second-quickest Wildcats pin, trailing only 130-pounder Austin Barton's pin 67 seconds into his match against Jon Manix.
Mike Zozulia is excited about this year's team.
"We knew we'd have a lot of talent, but putting it all together was the question," he explained.
Zozulia cited improved team chemistry and refined grit as key elements for his optimism. A week ago Thursday, the Wildcats knocked off top power Providence in a hotly contested duel.
Neuqua gained the match edge based upon a technical fall earned by Spangler.
"We don't take any match lightly," Zozulia said, acknowledging the team's focus Friday. He said rather than riding an emotional high following the Providence win, the team fed off that success.
Waubonsie Valley (2-3, 1-1) trailed 28-0 going into the 119-pound match between the Warriors' Elliot Ordonez and Wildcats' Charles Johnson. Ordonez snapped the shutout with a pin at 2:54.
David Scarano followed his lead by pinning Julian Ochoa at 1:46 in the ensuing bout at 125.
"I just focused on getting the guy on top," Scarano said. "He was kind of stalling, and I like my opponents to be aggressive and have them running for me. I tried to force him to come after me."
Warriors coach Brad Caldwell said the message is constant, regardless of his team's opponent.
"We want them to compete and fight, not give up big points. They're trying to work on things we've been saying all year, like having heart and fight."
Caldwell was proud of Kevin Carter. Carter moved up from 215 to 285 to take on Chris Dawson. Though Dawson won 7-4, Carter held his own while giving up around 55 pounds.
One of the night's potentially high-octane matches never materialized. Nick Proctor won by forfeit at 160 pounds when Waubonsie's Mike Lyons was held out for precautionary reasons.
Caldwell said physical concerns made the decision easier, and added that he could have gone if necessary. The Waubonsie coach chalked it up to his decision to play it safe early in the year.
