Beacon wrestling’s depth produces 52-31 win over Fifer

The Beacon wrestling team defeated once-beaten Fifer Middle School 52-31 at home Jan. 22 to improve to 8-1 on the season.

Beacon will close out the dual-meet season at home Monday, Jan. 29, versus Georgetown, before heading to the Henlopen Conference Tournament Saturday, Feb. 3, in Milford.

“We’ve never won nine matches,” said coach Patrick Ireland. “The team with Thomas Ott and Austin Smith was our best at 8-2. Georgetown is a major feeder for Sussex Central, and they have the Little Wrestlers program, so, of course, they are always tough.”

The match started at 155 pounds with Jordan Baines versus Andrew Rigby and ended at 145 with unbeatens Dalton Deevey of Beacon versus Nick Hall of Fifer.

Both of Beacon’s top eliminators lost by pin, which put the focus on the other 12 wrestlers in the lineup.

Beacon got pins from Kevin Leonard at 170 and Lucas Ruppert at 250 to cycle back to the lighter weights with the match tied at 12.

Lucas Stevenson, 76, won by pin, followed by Tajaer Freeman getting an overtime win at 82 to move Beacon in front 21-9.

The Vikings won four matches in a row, starting with Luke Bender, 94, pin; CJ Frictheman, 100, decision; Mikey Frederick, 106, pin; and Carson Kammerer, 112, pin.

The win by pin was the seventh in a row for Frederick, while Bender and Fritchman remain undefeated on the season. Kammerer is 5-1 after joining the lineup late following knee surgery.

Joey Wyatt, 130, won by decision, and Beacon closed out points on the afternoon as Hunter Jones won by pin at 136.