Parkland earns a trip to Hershey

by By Mark Wogenrich OF THE MORNING CALL

Posted on February 10, 2010

Rob Kandel / The Morning Cal Parkland's Ian Evans gets flipped by Cedar Cliff's Chris Vassar in their 103 pound bout. Yasser won the bout on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at Whitehall High School. Rob Kandel / The Morning Cal Parkland's Mike Fake tries to pin Cedar Cliff's Alex Sider in their 112 pound bout. Fake won the doubt by pin fall Rob Kandel / The Morning Cal Parkland's Brandon Davise pins Cedar Cliff's Nate Rocuskie in their 119 pound bout Rob Kandel / The Morning Cal Parkland's Mike Marano controls Cedar Cliff's Brian Mellott in their 125 pound bout. Rob Kandel / The Morning Cal Parkland's Forrest Touchberry gets flipped by Cedar Cliff's Kyle Poduin in their 130 pound bout. Rob Kandel / The Morning Cal Parkland's Justin Heller throws Cedar Cliff's David Firestone in their 135 pound bout.

Wade Rivera took the mat with a vigorous bounce, determined to put Monday night's loss behind both himself and his team. Rivera's coach appreciated the enthusiasm.

''We're pretty confident that Wade, for the most part, will get a win or even a fall,'' Parkland coach Ryan Nunamaker said. ''It certainly gets the momentum going in our favor and gives the guys confidence as the match goes on.''

Rivera began Parkland's first state-duals match with a first-period pin, energizing his teammates on the way to a 46-22 victory over Cedar Cliff in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A Team Wrestling Championships. The win moved Parkland (21-2) into Friday's second round at the Giant Center in Hershey. The Trojans will face Connellsville, the third-place team from District 7.

Parkland won nine of 14 bouts, including six straight from 112-140 pounds, against Cedar Cliff (22-4) to help cleanse the memory of Monday. Seeking their first District 11 duals title, the Trojans fell to Easton 28-21 in the championship match, setting up Tuesday's quick rebound match at Whitehall High.

''It was good to wrestle again right away,'' said Rivera, a senior who improved to 32-2 on the season. ''Some of the guys on the team were down [after the loss to Easton], but we got up well for this match. It's going to be a tough road, but we had to win this one to get to Hershey.''

With fewer than 24 hours to recover from the loss to Easton, Parkland seemed to get itself in the right frame of mind. Four Trojans scored victories over opponents with 20 or more victories, with Rivera starting the match by pinning Dan Schreffler (21-10) at 160 pounds. Mike Marano (125), Justin Heller (135) and Cory Bruder (285) added major decisions over 20-bout winners.

''That's why it was so important to win today,'' Nunamaker said. ''We had to get out to Hershey and wrestle more of the top-caliber teams. They need to see that competition. The more they're in that situation, and the more success they have, the more they start to believe.''

Rivera made sure the Trojans believed early. He bounded onto the mat and hit Schreffler with a five-point move 15 seconds into bout. Rivera finished the pin in 1:17, giving the Trojans a 6-0 lead and a jolt of early confidence.

Parkland needed it, because Cedar Cliff's strength came in the upper weights. The Colts, who placed third in District 3, traded pins with Parkland through 215. Clint Morrison, ranked second in the state at 171, won his 100th career bout on a fall for Cedar Cliff. Tarik Haddad added a fall for Parkland at 189, and the teams were tied 12-12 after four bouts.

Bruder then delivered another jolt for Parkland, scoring a 15-5 decision over Michael Lebo (26-8) at heavyweight. Bruder (17-12) closed the first period with a five-point move, then added back points three more times in controlling the bout. Nunamaker called the win a turning point for both the team and for Bruder, who lost a 9-7 decision to Easton's Tyler Greene on Monday.

''Cory needed that,'' Nunamaker said. ''He's had a few tough bouts in a row, so it was kind of a breakthrough for him.''

Cedar Cliff tied the bout for the final time with a win by Chris Vassar, ranked 15th in the state at 103, before Parkland rallied for six consecutive victories to take a 46-16 lead. Back-to-back pins by Mike Fake (112) and Brandon Davis (119) led to Marano's 11-0 decision at 125.

Forrest Touchberry (130) then won his eighth bout of the season, and Heller clinched the team victory with an 11-3 major. Mike Kistler added the exclamation point at 140: Trailing 5-1 in the second period, Kistler turned Cedar Cliff's Marcus Clement for a fall in 2:38.

''We have a big opportunity in front of us,'' Rivera said. ''We don't want to settle for anything less than going as far as we can.''


PARKLAND 46, CEDAR CLIFF 22

Added by Lou Rivera

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