St. Mary's defeated visiting Southwestern, 39-31, yesterday to move a step closer to its second consecutive Maryland Scholastic Association B Conference dual-meet wrestling title.
On Tuesday, the Saints must get by Mervo -- a team whose only loss came against the Sabers, 44-28.
St. Mary's led, 36-19, with three bouts left and Southwestern needed pins in every remaining match to win, but Kevin Donnelly (171) decisioned Darnell Jones, 12-9, to put the match out of reach, 39-19.
"I'm a senior, so it's great to win the title twice in a row," said Donnelly, who raised his record to 18-8.
St. Mary's improved to 9-2, 7-0.
Top-ranked 189-pound wrestler Walter Reed (19-0) and heavyweight Stanley Davis then closed with first-period pins for the Sabers (6-1).
Southwestern forfeited matches in which two starters were injured. One of them was fourth-ranked 140-pound wrestler Caldwell Veale (16-1), who is out for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon.
"His high school career is basically over," said Southwestern coach Bernie Leneau.
Southwestern took a 10-6 lead, sandwiching Derrick Wilhite's 103-pound pin and Montez Shelton's 119-pound major decision around a pin by St. Mary's Chris Chase (112), but the Saints won the next four bouts for a 30-10 lead.
Don Cipriani (125) and brothers Phil (130) and Mac (135) MacWilliams recorded pins and Dom Souza (140) took the forfeit.
Southwestern came within 30-19, after Keir Hicks (145) posted a decision and Joe Gamble (152) recorded a pin.