High school wrestling: Perry tops Madison on criteria with two late pins
Dec. 22—Break a leg.
Perry's Nolan Leben doesn't want to hear those words wishing him good luck when he heads out on the wrestling mat. He's already been down that road.
Just tell the Pirates' sophomore 215-pounder he needs to win and that will suffice.
A year after breaking his leg and having his 2021 wrestling season cut short, Leben pinned Madison's Ethan Toth in 21 seconds. That pin set the stage for senior heavyweight Kenny Walker to win by pin as well, leading the Pirates to a come-from-behind, 36-35 win over the Blue Streaks.
215 = Nolan Leben wins by pin!@MadisonWrestler 35@Perry_Pirates 29 pic.twitter.com/KBrQv6QkBW
— Perry Wrestling (@Wrestling_Perry) December 22, 2022
The back-to-back pins broke a 35-35 deadlock after 14 weight classes were wrestled. Perry received the win based on third criteria — most pins, 4-1.
"I knew (Coach Dave) Rowan was hyped for this meet," Leben said. "Going in, I knew I had to win. It was big for the team."
When Madison's Demitry Navarro took a 12-6 decision over Perry's Trent Taylor at 190, the Blue Streaks held a 35-23 lead. That Taylor stayed off his back and did not give up bonus points via a major decision, technical fall or pin was huge for the Pirates.
Kenny Walker and Nolan Leben got pins to lead @Wrestling_Perry to a 36-35 win over @MadisonWrestler tonight. pic.twitter.com/iuCFHg9ueS
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) December 23, 2022
That brought Leben to the mat, a 10th-grader who only got three matches in as a freshman before a broken leg ended his season.
Leben took Toth to his back right after the opening whistle and got the pin. Walker, a seasoned veteran and one of the area's best closers at heavyweight, pinned Madison's Camerin Mullins in 1:09 to tie it and send it to criteria.
Chris Bezzeg of @Wrestling_Perry with a9-0 decision at 138, but @MadisonWrestler still leads 24-10. pic.twitter.com/NCuhMGpRW9
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) December 22, 2022
Neither team had any technical violations, both teams had seven wins, but Perry had more pins than Madison.
285 = Kenny Walker wins by pin!@MadisonWrestler 35@Perry_Pirates 35
Perry wins on pin criteria! pic.twitter.com/LQS5zFbqmL
— Perry Wrestling (@Wrestling_Perry) December 22, 2022
"It's nerve-racking, but you go out knowing the team is counting on me," Walker said. "When you come off the mat, you feel confident because you know you just won it for your team."
Dominic Ciolli with a cradle pin for @Wrestling_Perry against @MadisonWrestler Carson Woody. Four forfeit wins have Madison up 24-6 early. pic.twitter.com/Zpn7a4hBoO
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) December 22, 2022
Neither team was at 100 percent. Madison was without junior lower-weight Jamie Harrison, while Perry was without Riley Rowan, Gavin Nickerson and Chuck Thomas.
Madison took a 24-0 lead early with three forfeit wins and a 58-second pin at 113 by Aidan Pastor. But Perry rattled off three in a row, a pin by Dominic Ciolli at 132, a 9-0 major by Chris Bezzeg at 138 and a 10-1 major by Brock Christian at 144.
Rowan said those bonus points early — and late — helped.
"You could go through almost every match," he said. "Nolan getting the pin, Trent Taylor NOT getting pinned, Drew Smith not being pinned, Brock getting the major. Those things all add up."
Madison upped its lead to 32-14 on a 15-0 tech. fall by Izaiah Siler at 150 and a 9-3 decision by Noah Blough at 157. Blough is back healthy after missing most of last year with a knee injury.
"I didn't have surgery, but I was able to get back for sectionals," he said. "I want to make it (to state) so bad this year. All summer, that's what I worked for."
Perry got a 3-1 decision from Andrew Bertone at 165 and a pin by Ryan Brubaker at 175 to pull within 32-23. Navarro's decision at 190 put Madison on the cusp of victory until Leben and Walker got their late pins.
The win gives Perry some momentum heading into the next three weeks, where the Pirates will wrestle at the Brecksville Holiday tournament, Perry Pin City and the Maumee Bay Classic.
Coach Dave Rowan says every point matters as in the @Wrestling_Perry 36-35 win over @MadisonWrestler tonight. pic.twitter.com/17qcG7EPUj
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) December 23, 2022
"I knew it was going to be a tough one," Rowan said of the Madison dual. "I'm really proud of the way the boys prepared for this mentally and physically. We did well tonight."
Blough said his team will rebound.
"Today wasn't the best, but we've progressed a lot through the season," he said. "We want to be at our best toward the end of the season."
Noah Blough of @MadisonWrestler discusses his team's 36-35 loss to @Wrestling_Perry but has big goals for himself and his team this year. pic.twitter.com/3r5kJZZAvj
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) December 23, 2022
