- November 25, 2024
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The date: 12-12-12.
After four matches on Wednesday night, Flagler County’s two wrestling programs were deadlocked, 12-12.
But as the meet wore on between Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas, the Bulldogs’ depth was the difference, as FPC defeated Matanzas, 53-21. FPC has now won three years in a row against its crosstown rival.
To start the night, Matanzas’ Deshawn Myles pinned Rykell Alexander in 3 minutes, 2 seconds, in the 220-pound class to stake the Pirates to a 6-0 lead.
Steven Moseley, of Matanzas, followed up by pinning Dillon Walls in a mere 21 seconds in the 285-pound weight class.
FPC then went on a run to win four straight matches — three via the pin — to take a 22-12 lead.
With the match slipping away, 132-pounders Zach Ford (FPC) and Pedro Nieves (Matanzas) squared off in one of the most anticipated matchups of the night.
It went back and forth, but Nieves was able to hold off Ford’s offensive attacks to win the decision, 4-3.
Nieves’ win closed the gap to 28-15, but FPC went on to win the next six matches to put the match away.
FPC first-year coach Tom Bartolotta said he was satisfied with his team’s performance, especially after losing the first two matches of the night.
“They are a very good program,” Bartolotta said of Matanzas. “They definitely raised our level of competitiveness, and it’s a good win for us.”
It was a disappointing loss for Matanzas coach John White, who said after the meet that he had to make several lineup changes this week because of injuries.
“I think that played a little bit into it,” White said. “But, they came out here and they wrestled harder than us. We just got out-wrestled.”
FPC won last year’s matchup, 37-36, on the eighth tiebreaker. White thought this year’s meeting would be another barnburner, but it didn’t quite pan out the way he expected, including not having three starters in his lineup.
“We have a few things going on that we’re going to have to take care of, but we’ll regroup, and we’ll be OK,” White said.
Meanwhile, Bartolotta said his FPC team is getting healthier as the season wears on.
“We’re going to continue getting better,” he said.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
220 pounds: Deshawn Myles (MHS) pinned Rykell Alexander (FPC) 3:02
285: Steven Moseley (MHS) pinned Dillon Walls (FPC) 0:21
106: Jeremy Urban (FPC) pinned Deven Souris (MHS) 1:27
113: Alfred Shavers (FPC) pinned Ronald Stoker (MHS) 1:39
120: Jake Kosachiner (FPC) pinned Chad Samples (MHS) 3:45
126: Michael Devito (FPC) major decision over Enrique Lebron (MHS) 8-0
132: Pedro Nieves (MHS) decision over Zach Ford (FPC) 4-3
138: Collin Larocco (FPC) winner by forfeit
145: Jackson Trivett (FPC) major decision over Troy Magnuson (MHS) 12-4
152: Korey Bryl (FPC) pinned Kevin Payne (MHS) 0:29
160: Justin Boyle (FPC) pinned Marquese Jones (MHS) 3:06
170: Malik Acton (FPC) decision over Nick Holifield (MHS) 10-5
182: Jonathan Muniz (FPC) pinned Jordan Castanheira (MHS) 1:18
195: Carmine Pronesti (MHS) pinned Winslow Roddy (FPC) 1:39