Wrestling: La Salle-Peru notches 2 close victories, Sandwich 1 in quad at L-P

,LA SALLE – A few close matches in the team standings and a lot of competitive matches individually on the mats took place Wednesday at La Salle-Peru’s Sellett Gym as Streator, United Township and Sandwich visited the host Cavaliers for a nonconference quadrangular.

UT posted a 3-0 mark, with victories including a 60-24 win over Streator, a 56-24 decision over L-P and a 63-18 triumph over Sandwich. La Salle-Peru went 2-1 with wins over Streator (45-33) and in the night’s finale, Sandwich (40-39).

Sandwich finished 1-2, edging Streator 42-39 in the night’s other bout.

La Salle-Peru 45, Streator 33

Taking out the three forfeits Streator gave the Cavaliers, this matchup was dead even on points heading into the finale at 285 pounds, which saw L-P’s Eric Mateika pin Streator’s Aiden Ferris in 2:53. La Salle-Peru’s earlier contested wins included a Caedan Small pinfall at 190 in just 15 seconds, Ryland Rynkewicz’s pinfall win at 138 in 3:42, a Reegan Kellett pin in 29 seconds at 132, Sarah Lowery recording her first varsity victory in 1:56 at 120, and in one of the match’s two down-to-the-wire bouts, L-P sophomore Kiely Domyancich using a reversal in the closing seconds to win a 10-8 decision over Streator freshman Lily Gwaltney.

“I didn’t want to get beat by someone who I’ve already won [over],” Domyancich said of her close victory over a familiar foe. “I definitely could’ve wrestled better, but you just have to learn and move on.

“I just remember thinking, ‘I’m not losing to this girl.’ She’s a really good wrestler, and I definitely think we’re going to have some really good competition over the years. I just wanted to make sure I stayed on top of it.”

For Streator, Jordan Lukes recorded the Bulldogs’ most excitement-filled victory, winning a back-and-forth bout at 157 when he high-stepped across the mat and out of Zachary Pocivasek’s grasp with seven seconds remaining for the winning escape points of Lukes’ 10-9 decision.

“I used a little football footwork,” Lukes said. “I play DB in football, and I used a little bit of high knees to get away from him. ...

“I love the intensity. The intensity means everything to me.”

Also scoring wins for Streator were Nick Pollett (113) with a pin at 2:47, Ted Neuman (126) via pinfall at 2:46, Stephen Goplin (165) at 2:51 with a pin, Aydan Radtke (215) via a quick 32-second pinfall and Aiden Ferris (285) to close the team match with a pin taking 2:53.

La Salle-Peru 40, Sandwich 39

Kellett (pin, 2:54), Rynkewicz (pin, 1:43) and Small (4-2 decision) earned contested wins for L-P in the narrow team victory that saw the hosts use their superior varsity roster numbers to accept four forfeit wins while surrendering two.

Contested wins for Sandwich were recorded by Colten Stone (pin, 38 seconds), Brayden Newell (6-5 decision), Josh Lehman (pin, 3:23), Kaden Clevenger (pin, 3:40), Ashlyn Strenz (pin, 1:47) and Miles Corder (pin, 2:32).

“For the first month of the season, I didn’t have the internal drive,” said Miles Corder, whose freshman brother Cooper Corder is also on the roster. “I was kind of doing it because my little brother is doing it, and we haven’t been on the same team since middle school.

“But if you love somebody enough, you’ll do anything for them, and I feel like that’s made me happier in practice. I’m doing it for my brother, and now I’m doing it for myself too.”

United Township 63, Sandwich 18

For Sandwich, on-the-mat wins were recorded by Miles Corder (pin, 3:28), Lehman (pin, 1:27) and Clevenger (pin, 1:31).

Sandwich 42, Streator 39

In another close one for the former Interstate 8 Conference rivals, Sandwich scored contested victories from Jakob Gruca (pin, 16 seconds), Jack Forth (pin, 3:40), Lehman (pin, 2:00) and Eddie Hernandez (pin, 2:30).

For the Bulldogs, wins were notched by Gwaltney (pin, 2:33), Pollett (pin, 2:57), Jaxon Wachowski (pin, 16 seconds), Lukes (pin, 1:21), Alejandro Lopez (8-3 decision) and Radtke (pin, 20 seconds).

United Township 60, Streator 24

For Streator, Pollett (pin), Wachowski (pin), Goplin (pin) and Radtke (pin) all triumphed.

United Township 56, La Salle-Peru 24

For the Cavs, Rynkewicz (pin, 2:56), Caleb Plut (pin, 3:01), Walter Haage (pin, 3:38) and Small (pin, 58 seconds) scored wins.