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Pins produce winning points for Bombers
(by Tony Lange - January 25, 2012)
Pins produce winning points for Bombers
By TONY LANGE
The Kenston wrestling team only won six of its 14 matches against a visiting Toledo St. John's Jesuit team last Friday, but bonus points from pins enabled the Bombers to edge a one-point victory.
Kenston had four pins in its six triumphant matches, while the St. John's Titans only mustered two pins in their eight weight-class victories. Kenston won the meet, 32-31.
Getting the bonus points from pins certainly helps, head coach Brian Malloy said.
"The fans in a dual meet definitely are a bonus as well, and keeping our guys only losing by a point or so in our losses, that's a three-point difference in all the matches," he said. "And we had four pins, so that's 24 points right there."
Pins are worth six team points on the wrestling mat during a dual meet, whereas decisions, winning a match by fewer than eight points, are worth only three points.
Five of Kenston's lost matches came by decisions, meaning St. John's only scored 15 points total for those matches.
Meanwhile, major decisions, winning a match by eight to 14 points, are worth four team points, and technical falls, getting ahead of an opponent by 15 points in a match, are worth five team points.
Producing pins for the Bombers were Duncan Bauer in the 132-pound weight class, Sam Gambatese in the 145-pound match, Matt Olson in the 170-pound weight class and Nathan Lewis in the 220-pound match.
Olson, a Comet Classic and Kenston Invitational Tournament champion this season, pinned his St. John's opponent in just 36 seconds. That put the Bombers up, 23-22, with four weight classes to go in the meet.
"It's senior night, and I wanted to impress all the fans," Olson said. "And it's a close meet, so I wanted to get the points quick. It always motivates the team to get a quick one like that."
Also getting wins for the Bombers were Dennis DiSanto, who scored five points with his technical fall in the 138-pound weight class, and Nick Lewis, who scored three points with his 1-0 decision in the 182-pound match.
DiSanto got up 16-1 with a minute left in the third period of his match, for the tech.
"I know it means a lot to my team. I knew I needed to get it so we can win the dual. It feels great, and I'm glad I could do it on my senior night. I've wrestled with them my whole life," DiSanto said about senior teammates Sal Severino, Olson and Michael Braun. "Every one of them means a lot to me. I'm glad I can share this senior night with them. I would rather be with them than anyone else."
The upperclassmen know that the Bombers are a young team and that they really need to step forward and go that extra length to get a pin in order to compete with certain teams this season, Malloy said.
"In the wrestling room, the seniors are all definitely leaders," he said. "They're working the hardest. We have a young team outside of those few guys. So your team looks up to them and sees their successes and work ethic, and, hopefully, it will trickle down."
Travelling to Eastlake North for their final dual meet of the season at 9 a.m. Jan. 28, the Bombers just need to hone in on specifics, Malloy said.
The Chagrin Valley Conference tournament is Feb. 3 and 4, and the sectional tournament is a couple weeks after that.
"I just want them to fine tune their moves that they have and realize that we're not introducing any new moves," Malloy said. "So it's just about focusing on their base and really building their confidence for the tournament and keeping their condition up."
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