Glenelg Country School entered the final week of the season with a perfect 4-0 conference record and 13-0 overall, but coach Douglas Jesse knew the final two matches against Pallotti and Severn would decide the MIAA B Conference champion.
Unfortunately for the Dragons, they fell to eventual conference champions Pallotti, 45-26, on Feb. 7, and to Severn, 39-37, on Feb. 10 to finish third in the conference.
Still, the season was the most successful in the program's history, and Jesse, who started the program after being a head college coach for the previous seven years, is happy with the improvement the team showed throughout the season.
"We're making progress," Jesse said. "We kind of had a good mix of experienced guys and new guys, so I'm very happy with how we've done so far."
The Dragons jumped out to a 13-0 lead after three matches against Severn, but trailed 21-19 entering the 220-pound bout. In that match, Glenelg Country's Demetrius Ravenell, who has 24 wins on the season, got in on a shot, but after a scramble dropped his opponent hard on his back and was called for an illegal slam.
Because his opponent, Nick Falcon, was unable to wrestle after using up his injury time, he was awarded the victory via disqualification because he was injured after an illegal move.
However, before the match at 220 pounds, Jesse questioned the eligibility Falcon wrestling that weight class and asked the referee to discuss the matter. After a short discussion, Falcon was allowed to compete.
Once the match ended, though, the referee admitted he made a mistake, and the bout and outcome of the match is now in question.
The MIAA league office is reviewing the matter, and a decision is expected tomorrow.
For now, the default proved costly for Glenelg Country, and Jesse said that was the difference in the match. Even after earning forfeits at 106 and 113 pounds, Severn earned a forfeit at 120 pounds and ended up with a 39-37 win.
The loss ended the Dragons regular season, but they have a lot to look forward to at the MIAA Championships Feb. 13-14.
Reid Chaconas, a 170-pound junior, is currently ranked second among MIAA wrestlers and is expected to compete for the conference title.
"He's done pretty much whatever we ask him," Jesse said. "He hasn't lost a match this year."
At 152 pounds, senior Eddie Howlette is currently ranked fifth in the MIAA. Howlette, who won his 100th match in the victory over Severn, will wrestle at Ursinus next year.
"He's done a lot wrestling for me in the summer – Disney Duals, Junior Olympics – things like that," Jesse said. "The more he's wrestled, the better he's gotten."
Glenelg Country has a lot to look forward to next season, however, because Jesse expects to get back some top wrestlers who were injured to took a season off.
"We had one of our better kids – Eric Wootton – not come out this year. He did pretty well for us last season and I expect him to be back next year," Jesse said. "On the flip side of that, we got a transfer – B.J. Borowski – and he was 20-0 on the year (at 145/152 pounds) before he broke his collarbone. So he filled in nicely, to say the least."
The program, only in its fourth season, has come a long way since Jesse started. He ultimately hopes to win the B conference in the near future, then move up to the A conference and be able to compete with the state's best teams.
"It's been a lot of fun here at GCS. Looking back from where we started to where we are now is a huge improvement, and I'm so happy," Jesse said. "Especially for this group of seniors – they're my first full class – every one of them came through tonight. ... If we stay at the rate that we have been, little by little working our way up. I mean next up is certainly to win the B conference and then work our way to the A (conference), and I think if we stay the course, it's definitely a possibility and definitely the goal."
Severn 39, Glenelg Country School 37
132: Adam Bothwell (GCS) pinned Kai Fox (S) 1:07; (0-6)
138: Tucker Clay (GCS) major dec. Peter Jensen (S) 12-4; (0-10)
145: Eddie Howlette (GCS) dec. Jacob Jarosz (S) 12-5; (0-13)
152: Jordan Leiken (S) dec. James Shon (GCS) 7-0; (3-13)
160: Stephen Duncan (S) pinned Cameron Loadwick (GCS); (9-13)
170: Reid Chaconas (GCS) pinned Mark Claycomb (S) :28; (9-19)
182: Gavin Cauley (S) pinned Rey Robinson (GCS) 3:59; (15-19)
195: Tyler Perreten (S) pinned Vinny Tomarchio (GCS) :24; (21-19)
220: Nick Falcon (S) DQ Demetrius Ravenell (GCS); (27-19)
285: Emanuel Curtis (GCS) pinned Victor Martinez (S); (27-25)
106: Jibreel Uddin (GCS) fft; (27-31)
113: Raj Malviya (GCS) fft; (27-37)
120: Michael Doetsch (S) fft; (33-37)
126: Brooks Watson (S) fft; (39-37)