Here's how Cathedral Prep's wrestling team beat rival McDowell in a Region 5 dual
Learn something new every day.
That's a mantra frequently heard when Cathedral Prep wrestling team's conducts workouts.
For Sam Staab, learning of late has meant what it means to be a team leader. The middleweight is one of only three seniors on the Ramblers' 2022-23 roster.
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Staab has taken to that role better than he anticipated.
“It's fun,” he said. “It's new, but I kind of like it because I've been on the team for a long time now. It's cool being a senior.”
Staab also was cool with winning at a heavier weight class during Wednesday's rivalry dual against McDowell. Prep's regular starter at 133 pounds moved up to the 139 division, where he pinned the Trojans' Javarie Blue in 3 minutes, 50 seconds.
Staab's fall was the last of four straight for the Ramblers, who won 43-24 at Joanne Mullen Gymnasium. Prep improved to 2-0 in Region 5 and 7-3 overall, with McDowell now 1-1, 4-3.
The Ramblers have won their last seven regular-season duals vs. the Trojans.
“We were getting ourselves really amped up for this one,” Staab said. “Our hard work paid off, and we executed as we'd planned.”
Staab's pin was his team-high 10th this season. He also holds Prep's best record at 14-2.
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Successful sophomores
Owen Shetler and Isaiah Harrick are the Ramblers' other seniors.
Shetler, Wednesday's starter at 172, also won with a fall. He ended his match against McDowell's Antonio Vega 2:57 after it began.
Clay Mallory, a Prep junior, also posted a pin at 189.
The Ramblers, though, needed more than their contributions to win Wednesday. They got such help from five sophomores, whose victories accounted for their other 25 points.
Amir Johnson (121), Keagan Oler (127) and Andrew Gammon (133) produced their wins with pins.
“(The underclassmen) are growing every day,” Prep coach Mike Hahesy said, “and growing in good ways.”
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'I take responsibility for this'
The dual was actually McDowell's second appearance this season at Mullen Gymnasium.
The Trojans competed there during last month's Rambler Duals. However, they didn't face Prep throughout that day-long competition because of the teams' region status.
That meant Wednesday was the first time Josh Knapp coached against the Ramblers at the varsity level. The former Brookville wrestler is in his first season in charge of McDowell's program.
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Knapp said the Trojans weren't ready to compete against Prep amid his postmatch comments.
He didn't stop there, though.
“Coach Hahesy outcoached me, and I take responsibility for this (loss),” Knapp said. “It's my show to run. All the close scrambles we lost (during the matches), those are on me. We've got to be better.”
Artis Simmons (152), Caleb Butterfield (160) and Troy Peterson (215) were on-mat winners for the Trojans.
West Virginia University recruit Logan Sallot (114) and heavyweight Jack Sroka also won when Prep forfeited at those divisions.
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.
Region 5 wrestling
Cathedral Prep 43, McDowell 24
107 pounds: Carter (CP) md Delgado 13-3; 114: Sallot (Mc) by forfeit; 121: Johnson (CP) pinned Ortiz 1:23; 127: Oler (CP) pinned Dvorak 4:03; 133: Gammon (CP) pinned Gealy 1:30; 139: Staab (CP) pinned Blue 3:50; 145: Byrd (CP) dec. Kurelowech 6-4; 152: Simmons (Mc) dec. Martucci 12-8; 160: Butterfield (Mc) dec. Crockett 10-8; 172: Shetler (CP) pinned Vega 2:57; 189: Mallory (CP) pinned Dickerson 3:25; 215: Peterson (Mc) pinned Spaulding 1:22; 285: Sroka (Mc) by forfeit
Cathedral Prep 2-0, 7-3; McDowell 1-1, 4-3
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This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: High school wrestling: Cathedral Prep claims Region 5 win vs. McDowell
