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Wrestling: Exeter vs Boyertown

HERSHEY - Bumped out of the lineup last week in Exeter's biggest match, Jon Greenleaf could only watch as the Eagles won their first District 3 title.

Thursday night at the Giant Center, Greenleaf made the most of his return.

Greenleaf scored a fall in the final bout as Exeter defeated Boyertown 36-26 in the Class 3A first round of the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships.

"Last week at districts I took one for the team," Greenleaf said. "Clinching this is big but it's just a steppingstone. We want to place in the state."

The Eagles (23-1) will take the next step toward that goal today at 2 p.m. against District 7 No. 3 seed North Allegheny, a 45-12 winner over Father Judge. The winner of that match will advance to the semifinals tonight at 8.

Before looking ahead to North Allegheny, the Eagles will take time to enjoy their win over the Bears (20-4) in the first matchup between the former Berks I rivals in 15 years.

"We definitely wanted to prove we belong here because we went 0-2 last year," said Exeter senior Tyler Bagoly.

Bagoly moved up one weight class to 182 pounds to score a 6-3 decision over Elijah Jones. Trailing 2-0 after one period, Bagoly turned Jones to his back for three points in the second period and stayed in front the rest of the way.

"It was definitely big," Bagoly said. "I knew I was going to ride him out the rest of the period. I just felt I could get the win."

The Eagles still trailed 26-24 with two bouts left. But Exeter coach Jon Rugg was confident his team could pull out the victory over last year's PIAA runner-up.

With Dennis Karas and Greenleaf left to wrestle, Rugg had reason to be confident.

"We knew we were sitting good there," Rugg said.

Karas scored a fall in 2:49 to give Exeter a 30-26 lead, the sixth lead change of the match. That set the stage for Greenleaf.

"I was going for a pin," Karas said. "I knew if I got a pin he'd (Greenleaf) get a pin. It's that momentum. You get it going you can't stop it."

With the match on the line, Greenleaf looked a little tentative during a scoreless first period against Mason Grohoski. Starting down in the second, Greenleaf scored a quick reversal and turned Grohoski for the clinching fall, also in 2:49.

"I was nervous going into the match," Greenleaf admitted. "But after I got that two I was comfortable."

Fans from both teams were nervous throughout the match as the lead went back and forth.

Exeter jumped out to a 10-0 lead when Oscar Daniels received a forfeit at 285 and Jacob Keller won a 10-2 major decision at 106.

Boyertown answered with three straight wins from Matt Wilde, David Campbell and Jakob Campebell to take a 14-10 lead on a first-period fall by two-time state medalist Jakob Campbell.

Exeter two-time PIAA medalist Austin DeSanto followed with a technical fall to put Eagles back in front 15-14.

Boyertown reclaimed the lead when Brett Breidor scored an 11-5 decision at 138 before Exeter's Gage Moran scored a fall at 145 to put the Eagles on top 21-17.

The Bears got decisions in the next three bouts by Chris Berry, Hunter Vogels and Jacob Miller to open a 26-21 lead with three bouts left.

But the Eagles had the matchups on their side.

Read the rest of the story on The Reading Eagle website...

Thursday, February 9, 2017 @ 8:00 PM
Boyertown at Exeter (Wrestling)
  Final
Boyertown 26
Exeter 36
Highlights: PIAA first-round match at the Giant Center
 
Matches  
Class Win Decision Loss Score Running Total
 285 Oscar Daniels, E won by forfeit     6-0
 106 Jacob Keller, E dec. Chase Stehman, B 10-2 10-0
 113 Matt Wilde, B dec. Ryan Watts, E 15-3 10-4
 120 David Campbell, B dec. Chris Matthews, E 12-2 10-8
 126 Jakob Campbell, B pinned Brandon Borton, E :44 14-10
 132 Austin DeSanto, E won by tech. fall over Christian Fox, B 22-6, 3:02 15-14
 138 Brett Breidor, B dec. Justin Landis, E 11-5 15-17
 145 Gage Moran, E pinned Evan Mortimer, B 1:54 21-17
 152 Chris Berry, B dec. Matt Ward, E 4-0 21-20
 160 Hunter Vogels, B dec. Tyler Harkness, E 6-3 21-23
 170 Jacob Miller, B dec. Tyler Borton, E 2-1 21-26
 182 Tyler Bagoly, E dec. Elijah Jones, B 6-3 24-26
 195 Dennis Karas, E pinned Michael Porreca, B 2:49 30-26
 220 John Greenleaf, E pinned Mason Grohoski, B 2:49 36-26