Cape wrestling falls 36-27 in state title match
Salesianum wrestling lost to Cape 32-25 Feb. 11, completing a regular-season trifecta of losses to the Vikings, Caesar Rodney 35-35 and Sussex Central 37-31.
Sallies entered the dual-meet state championships as the fourth seed behind those same three schools.
Coach Cameron Davis was first in the handshake line after the regular-season match at Cape. The team showed a quiet confidence to accept the result and move into the meat grinder of the postseason.
In the dual-meet state championship at Smyrna Feb. 18 Salesianum defeated previously undefeated Sussex Central 29-28, then bested Cape 36-27 in the championship match for its first dual-meet state title and first team title since 1984.
Sallies wrestlers were not avengers or revenge motivated, but more methodical and workman-like in their approach. A backdrop to the storyline for Davis is that his son Cam is the starting 126-pounder and won both his matches Feb. 18, beating Evan Cordrey 2-0 and Holt Baker 8-5.
Cape won a dramatic match in the semifinals 34-32 over Caesar Rodney, as top guns Luke Bender (157) and C.J. Fritchman (175) delivered pins to salt away the victory.
Cape had jumped out to a 15-0 lead after pins by Alex Taylor (190) and Mason Couchman (215), followed by a 1-0 decision by Tyler Costello (285).
“Mason’s win was a big boost,” Fritchman said. “Without his pin, we lose that match.”
Other Cape wins versus Caesar Rodney were Josh Wright (138) by major decision and Andrew Schaen (150) by decision. The matches were split with seven wins each, but Cape had the advantage in bonus points with four pins to three.
The championship match started at 215. After four bouts, Cape trailed 18-0. The Vikings got on the board when Max Meadows (120) and Nick Walker (132) won by decision and Josh Wright (138) won by pin. Cape trailed 21-12 with six bouts remaining.
Cape’s Andrew Schaen (150) won by decision, then Luke Bender (157) and C.J. Fricthman (175) both earned pins.
But Cape trailed by six points entering the final bout, so Alex Taylor (190) had to take chances against a quality opponent in James Miller and lost by a 7-3 decision.
Salesianum prevailed 36-27.
Takedowns - Delaware Military Academy beat Caravel 36-24 to capture the Delaware Division II state title. The Henlopen Conference Wrestling Championships will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, at Milford Central Academy. Wrestlers commit to a weight class, and that is where they will wrestle the following weekend at the DIAA state championships at Cape Henlopen.
