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By James A. McCray III
Prince George's County, Content Manager
The Parkdale Panthers wrestling team came into the 2008-2009 wrestling season thinking that it would be a year used to prepare for seasons in the future -- rain check issued.
The Panthers improved to 7-2 overall on the season after a tri-meet sweep of the Laurel Spartans and hosting Thomas Stone Cougars Thursday night.
"This, we thought, was going to be a building season," Parkdale 171-pound wrestler Tyrell Scott said. "[It] actually came up to be a good season for us."
The season continued to grow in successes for Parkdale after defeating Laurel --which wrestled with one wrestler on the night, Tobe Onyekweli-- 72-5 and defeating the Cougars 51-24.
"We always had five or six guys in the room that were competitive," Parkdale head coach Adam Forschner said. "I have been in the sport for 27 years, and I just needed numbers. I coached junior varsity football, I got some numbers, they are working hard and listening, and now we are wrestling."
The Panthers used the strength of five pins in their match against Stone to earn the victory and the sweep, sparked by the opening-match pin from Eli Deogracia over Stone's Devin Romero in the 145-pound weight class.
"It feels great," Deogracia said of his second-period pin. "[Romero] was extremely tall, and that made it hard for me to hold him down correctly."
Deogracia's pin was followed by pins from Tyrell Scott (171), Randy Prout (215), Samuel Yirenkyi (119), and Alpha Jallah (135).
After Stone's Demetrius Bruce (152) and Zach Lohr (160) earned decisions in their respective matches to even the teams at 6-6, Scott put Parkdale ahead for good with his pin, and the Panthers wrestled their way to victory.
"This was very good practice for us to get ready for Parkdale's tournament at our own home," Scott said of the upcoming Parkdale Blitz Tournament on Saturday. " ... Our [160-pound wrestlers] and up are really stepping up, and our lightweights are beginning to follow the footsteps and tones that we set."
Yirenkyi improved to 70-12 lifetime, and on how to continue to expand his personal success, he added: "This year, I just have to work hard in practice. I just have to keep working hard, it [does not] matter if you are tired, just keep going and going. Practice makes a champ, the mat [doesn't] make a champ."
Aside from Bruce and Lohr, Stone picked up pins from Reid Franklin (112), Chris White (130), and Dominic Pontorno (140).
"There were three or four matches that should have went our way, but didn't," Stone head coach Mike Larson said. "I told the kids all week in practice that they looked slow, and they looked sluggish. ... I knew coming in that we would have to wrestle really well to beat this team. They are a good team, they have a full lineup, we don't, and we had to make the most of the matches that we had and we didn't."
Onyekweli wrestled one match for Laurel on the night and won with a technical fall over Parkdale's David Rhodes, 18-3.
State rematch goes to Lohr
As Parkdale earned the team victory; a personal victory went to Stone's Zach Lohr on the night.
Lohr defeated Parkdale's Paul Tshikaya in a rematch of a state-championship tournament meeting between the two last season in which Tshiyaka defeated Lohr, 5-3.
"All week, I have been thinking about it," Lohr said. "[I have] just been working hard in the wrestling room, and in my match I took him down and did what I came to do."
On how he felt after the win, Lohr added: "It's a big weight off of my chest."
Lohr improved to 20-0 on the season with the victory and the two 160-pound wrestlers may meet again in this weekend's Parkdale Blitz Tournament.
"I hope they can meet each other in the finals again Saturday," Forschner said.
tmccray@digitalsports.com
Parkdale 72, Laurel 5
119: Yirenkyi (P) win by FF
125: DFF
130: Parkdale win by FF
135: Jallah (P) win by FF
140: Dumar (P) win by FF
145: E. Deogracia (P) win by FF
152: Gbssah (P) win by FF
160: Tshikaya (P) win by FF
171: Scott (P) win by FF
189: Thomas (P) win by FF
215: Prout (P) win by FF
285: Mendez (P) win by FF
103: F. Deogracia (P) win by FF
112: Onyekwei (L) tf. Rhodes 18-3
Parkdale 51, Thomas Stone 24
145: E. Deogracia (P) pinned Romero, 3:23
152: Bruce (TS) def. Carter, 16-10
160: Lohr (TS) def. Tshikaya, 11-6
171: Scott (P) pinned Stoutemire, 1:27
189: Thomas (P) win by FF
215: Prout (P) pinned Phang, 2:50
285: Mendez (P) win by FF
103: F. Deogracia (P) win by FF
112: Franklin (TS) pinned Mundit, 1:42
119: Yirenkyi (P) pinned Ca. Fields, 1:15
125: Marshall (P) def. Hendricks, 9-7 (OT)
130: White (TS) pinned Parkdale, 2:41
135: Jallah (P) pinned Cl. Fields, 3:52
140: Pontorno (TS) pinned Dumar, 1:53
Thomas Stone 66, Laurel 6
103: DFF
112: Onyekwei (L) win by FF
119: Franklin (TS) win by FF
125: Ca. Fields (TS) win by FF
130: White (TS) win by FF
135: Cl. Fields (TS) win by FF
140: Pontorno (TS) win by FF
145: Romero (TS) win by FF
152: Bruce (TS) win by FF
160: Lohr (TS) win by FF
171: Stoutemire (TS) win by FF
189: Stevenson (TS) win by FF
215: Phang (TS) win by FF
285: DFF
