Derry wrestlers rally from early deficit to knock off rival Latrobe
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Monday, December 18, 2023 | 10:07 PM
Derry’s Mason Horwat grabs the forehead of Latrobe’s Braden Bronson during the 160-pound match Monday.
Latrobe freshman Hunter Snyder pins Derry’s Ricky Daniels at 172 pounds Monday.
Latrobe heavyweight Marco Sacrton (right) battles Derry heavyweight Levi Haase on Monday.
Latrobe’s Jacob Braun (back) grabs Derry’s Giovanni Beatrice during the 133-pound match Monday.
Latrobe’s Leo Joseph tries to escape from Derry’s Anthoyn Mucci during the 121-pound match Monday.
Derry’s Brett Klim (right) battles Latrobe’s Austin Laidacker in the 139-pound match Monday.
It might have just been a nonsection wrestling match Monday at Derry, but for the Trojans, beating neighboring rival Latrobe meant a lot.
The Trojans won seven of 12 bouts and got pins from freshman Mason Horwat (160 pounds) and senior Nathan Barkley (189) to upset the Wildcats, 31-25.
Derry (6-2) overcame a 10-0 deficit and rallied to tie the match 22-22 after freshman Brady Brown won a major decision, 14-2, against Cody Krall at 215 pounds.
Heavyweight Levi Haase then used a second-period takedown to defeat Marco Scarton, 2-1, and clinch the win.
Derry received a forfeit win at 114 pounds to extend the lead to 31-22, which meant the final match between two of the top 121 pounders in Westmoreland County was for pride. The Wildcats’ Leo Joseph rallied to defeat the Trojans’ Anthony Mucci, 5-2.
“We stuck to our game plan, and things worked out,” Derry coach Troy Dolan said. “We knew on paper we could come back.
“It was a nice win. It’s always fun to come out and compete against Latrobe. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a close rivalry. We wanted to win, but it doesn’t affect the standings.”
After Luke Willochell got a pin at 127 pounds and Jacob Braun followed with a major decision at 133, the Wildcats were out quickly to a 10-0 lead.
The Trojans got a decision win by Brett Klim at 139, but the Wildcats’ Luke Braun got a pin to push the lead to 16-3.
“The bottom line is, they won some key big matches and we gave up pins when we shouldn’t have,” Latrobe coach Mark Mears said. “We’re coming off a grinding tournament over the weekend, but Derry deserves the credit because it wrestled well.
“Come January when we get a couple wrestlers back, we’ll be a different team. But right now we’re going to forfeit 107 and 114.”
Latrobe fell to 3-2.
Derry won five of the next six bouts to take a 25-22 lead.
Max Doperak started the run with a 6-4 win against Cole Short at 152, and Horwat followed with a pin with 1 second left in the second period at 160.
Latrobe freshman Hunter Snyder stopped the run with a pin at 172, and Barkley countered with a pin of Brock Mears at 189.
“I’ve been on the team for four years, and finally beating Latrobe is real nice,” Barkley said. “As for the pin, it comes from practice and working my butt off. It shows all my hard work paid off.”
Brown and Haase completed the run with a major decision and a decision.
There was no match at 107, and Teryn Nuttal received a forfeit at 114 for the Trojans.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
Tags: Derry Area, Latrobe
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