Visiting River Hill had an answer for everything Severna Park came with last night. And the most timely responses were pins.
Sophomore David Frye got the match started at 152 with one. Seniors Mike Lignelli and Jesse Fawcett, at 189 and 215, respectively, needed a combined 1:36 to get two pins and 12 quick points and junior 135-pounder Kevin Cannon provided the clincher to send the No. 4 Hawks home with a 46-25 win over the No. 9 Falcons.
The Hawks improved to 5-1 on the season, while the Falcons dropped to 1-1.
The match started with the 152-pound class, in which Frye caught junior Mike Zazarino in the second period for a 6-0 River Hill lead. Overall, the Hawks were a little more polished, a bit more physical and had more depth up and down the lineup. Frye provided the early indicator.
"We have a real solid lineup up and down without any holes," said Frye, in his first varsity season. "I knew I was going up against a pretty good wrestler so I just wanted to go out and do the best I could. I used an arm bar and then a figure four with the legs to stick him. Mostly, I'm just happy our team got the win."
River Hill had a 6-3 lead at 171, with senior Austin Sneeringer seemingly in charge with a 2-1 lead in the third period against Severna Park senior Walker Babington, but the latter came up with a reversal on a step-over to get a pin and give the Falcons a 9-6 lead.
Lignelli, needing 59 seconds to pin Ryan Gerald, and Fawcett, taking only 37 seconds to deck Matt Jarry, quickly restored order for the Hawks, who led for keeps at 18-9.
At 103, Vince Cina recorded a first-period pin over Scott Smith; Bryan Hartman followed with an 8-1 decision over Mike Smythe before Cannon caught Bryant Walker with a split cradle to clinch the Hawks' win.
For the Falcons -- who got pins from 145-pounder Steve Smith and heavyweight Brian Payer, along with an impressive 8-0 major decision from Nick Eisenbeiser over Ryan Lauer at 119 -- it was an opportunity to get better by wrestling a better team.
"We wrestle the best teams we can and a lot of teams don't do that," said Severna Park fourth-year coach Paul Joyce. "I don't think we wrestled poorly, River Hill just has a heck of a program. We knew what we were up against."