Cathedral Prep prevents Reynolds from winning 900th wrestling dual

Reynolds and Cathedral Prep wrestled in a rare dual between two of District 10's elite programs.

The Raiders, champions of the past five PIAA Class 2A tournaments, faced the Class 3A Ramblers for the first time since 2017. Reynolds traveled to Joann Mullen Gymnasium on Tuesday in search of the 900th victory since the program's birth in 1960.

Prep made sure it wasn't the footnote for such history. A 39-33 non-region win denied Reynolds its sought-after milestone for the second time in less than a week.

The Ramblers improved to 4-1 overall, while the Raiders dropped to 1-2.

Defeating Reynolds, even amid the state powerhouse's current struggles, wasn't lost on Prep coach Mike Hahesy.

“They have tremendous history,” he said. “Yeah, they had a couple guys missing (from their lineup), but so did we. I thought the guys they brought wrestled real well, so it was still a good match.”

Prep never trailed in a dual that started with its 120-pound match. Cyrus Hurd began it with a 4-0 shutout of the Raiders' Chase Bell.

Sam Staab later made it 15-0 Ramblers with a 48-second fall of Kevyn Malgieri, his opponent at 132.

Jake Van Dee contributed six team points to Prep's successful start without breaking a sweat. Reynolds coach Casey Taylor forfeited the 126 match to Prep's returning PIAA gold medalist and University of Nebraska recruit.

Raiders reeling

Although Reynolds' latest season remains in its infancy, the team's current struggles are magnified in the larger scope.

The Raiders didn't place any wrestlers on the podium during the Walsh Jesuit Ironman Tournament. The Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, event attracts wrestling powers from throughout the country to its season-opening meet.

Reynolds' first chance at 900 dual wins followed on Dec. 16 at Greenville. Instead, the Trojans prevailed 36-24. It marked the first time Greenville had beaten its backyard rival since 1997.

Taylor conceded Reynolds' roster of 16 is minuscule compared to those of his past nine seasons as coach. It's one that also lists only three seniors.

However, Taylor wouldn't budge from his expectations for the 2021-22 Raiders.

“We got outwrestled last Thursday (vs. Greenville) and the same thing happened here (Tuesday),” he said. “We got outwrestled at 120, at 152 and 160. One of our trademarks is not giving up bonus points and fighting the full six minutes. That's where I'm at right now. I'm trying to figure out why we're giving up so easy in some situations.”

The Raiders did post pins from Tino Gentile (138), Jalen Wagner (172), Brayden McCloskey (189) and heavyweight Mitchell Mason during Tuesday's dual.

Rambler rookies

Hahesy complimented the early efforts of freshmen lightweights Keagan Oler and Hurd.

While Hurd won the dual's initial match at 120, Oler was Prep's last on-mat winner. The 106-pounder gave the Ramblers an insurmountable 39-27 advantage when he pinned the Raiders' Dillion Anderson in 17 seconds.

“Oler did a good job even though (Anderson) was undersized,” Hahesy said. “Cyrus did very well, like he did Saturday (in the Rambler Duals). He was close against (Hickory's Louie Gill) for most of their match.”

In the Rambler Duals, Hurd lost 6-2 to Gill, a returning PIAA Class 2A champion for the Hornets. Hurd already has become more familiar with the district's other state champ who's back from last season.

Hurd has occasionally sparred with Van Dee during Prep's practices.

“It's thrilling, but Jake beats the crap out of me,” he said. “I remember one time I wrestled him when he snapped me (to the mat) and completely disappeared. Really, he he was completely out of my eyesight. I was amazed.”

Hurd is a newcomer in grade-only for the Ramblers. He represented Pennsylvania's Bad Karma Wrestling Club when he received the outstanding wrestler award for USA Wrestling's 2020 Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals at Des Moines, Iowa.

Powerade participation

Reynolds and Prep were set to compete again Wednesday. The Raiders hwere scheduled to host Commodore Perry, while the Ramblers were set to make the quick trip to Erie High.

Wrestlers from Prep and Reynolds could cross paths again at the Dec. 29-30 Powerade Tournament at Canonsburg. The 55th annual meet, among the country's largest and most prestigious, is back at Canon-McMillan after a year's hiatus.

The 2020 tournament was relocated to the Monroeville Convention Center, located east of Pittsburgh, because of COVID-19.

Fort LeBoeuf, Hickory and Saegertown are other district members listed in Powerade's 66-team field.

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.

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Non-region

Cathedral Prep 39, Reynolds 33

120 pounds: Hurd (CP) d Bell 4-0; 126: Van Dee (CP) by forfeit; 132: Staab (CP) p Malgieri :48; 138: T.Gentile (Rey) p Irvin 3:18; 145: Kettering (Rey) d Lynch 7-0; 152: Smith (CP) p Klenke 5:21; 160: Mallory (CP) p V.Gentile 3:03; 172: Wagner (Rey) p Shetler 3:16; 189: McCloskey (Rey) p Harrick 1:50; 215: Blossey (CP) by forfeit; 285: Mason (Rey) p Pustalek 1:37; 106: Oler (CP) p Anderson :17; 113: Ranalli (Rey) by forfeit

Cathedral Prep 4-1, Reynolds 1-2

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Cathedral Prep prevents Reynolds from 900th wrestling dual victory