NTL WRESTLING: TROY TOPS NEB IN TIGHT DUAL (2025-01-13)
BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports ReportROME — Troy won the battle of attrition against NEB, 42-22, in NTL wrestling action, picking up enough of the 50/50 matches to give coach Garrett Wesneski his first league dual meet win.
“It feels good,” he said. “It’s tough right now with our schedule, wrestling a ton. A bunch of the guys wrestled all day Friday, all Saturday, and have to come for a trip on a Monday, make weight again. I’m just proud of their grit, and that was kind of a barn burner itself. They’re in the same boat as us, with guys out with injuries. We had some guys tonight wrestling where we were iffy on holding them out. We had a couple guys choose to wrestle for the team, which is cool to see, but it’s a grind. I’m proud of them.”
The key wins came from Wilder Koch’s (127) sudden victory to kick things off, then a decision out of Kael Millard (215), and a fall from Reed Palmer (285) after her was down to start the bout.
“The last two heavyweight matches were huge,” Wesneski said. “Kael is battling an injury, and he’s wrestling for us right now, that was a grind for him. And then Reed getting put to his back, and having to battle back. You need those matches right now to get ready for the postseason. It’s good to have this.”
Koch’s win, though, set the tone for the Trojans for the night, the same day he just got cleared to wrestle after a week off due to an injury.
“That was huge here,” said Wesneski. “It shows a lot about his character to make weight, he literally got cleared before we came to the meet. He lost to that kid last year, so that’s a big win in overtime with a bad ankle, that’s big for him. Hopefully it helps his confidence going forward.”
They also got a fall from Rylan Breidt (172), while Keagan Kerr (133), Carter Austin (152), Bridon Putnam (160), and Connor Dibble (114) scored forfeits.
NEB got a fall out of Russell Martin (145), while Alex Gomez (139), and Mason Alexander (107) both scored technical falls. Zeryk Thurston (189) added a forfeit.
“Russell Martin was one that stuck out for me, because I think the Troy boys is a pretty decent wrestler,” said NEB coach Curt Cole. “I think Russell kind of picked, and chose what he was going to do, and the time was right. I know Carsen Perkins got a loss, but he wrestled real tough against the Millard boy. I was happy.”
In the opening match Koch took a 3-1 lead with a first period takedown. Koch would get an escape halfway through the third to go up 4-1, but Comstock got the tying takedown in the dying seconds of the the period to go into sudden victory.
In the extra period Koch was able to get behind Comstock. Comstock held his ground at first, but Koch eventually got him to the mat for the win, and 3-0 lead.
Kerr’s forfeit made it 9-0, but Gomez’s 16-1 tech fall in 2:20 over Marcus Frisbie cut it to 9-5.
Martin’s fall over Logunn Heasley at 145 in 3:13 gave the Panthers an 11-9 lead, but the forfeits to Austin and Putnam push Troy up to 21-11.
Breidt’s fall over Connor Eastabrook in 1:42 made it 27-11, but Thurston’s forfeit win cut it to 27-17.
At 215 the first period ended scoreless, with Millard getting a quick reversal in the second to go up 2-0. Perkins would get an escape, but Millard got a takedown to take a 5-1 lead. Another escape from Perkins made it 5-2 going into the third.
In the third Perkins cut it to 5-3 with an escape, but Millard got the winning takedown late.
At 285 Palmer got the fall over Ben Ellis in 3:20 but found himself in trouble early. He tried a throw on Ellis, but it was Ellis turning the tables, taking Palmer to his back for a takedown and two back points for the 4-0 lead. Palmer would get an escape to make it 4-1.
In the second Palmer tied it up with a takedown, but Ellis came back with a reversal for a 6-4 lead. Palmer was able to reverse him, and got the fall for the win, securing the victory for the Trojans.
Alexander would score a 19-1 tech fall over Troy’s Garret Parks in 2:27, then Dibble nabbed his forfeit to end the match.
Troy hosts Wellsboro on Tuesday but then gets a much needed the rest of the week.
“We haven’t even been able to practice much, because we’re just going, going, going,” said Wesneski. “Then it gets busy next week again with Elk Lake, Canton, and Ultimate Warrior. We’re just trying to push through January, and then when we get to February we’ll be ready for sectionals. Coach Carter, and I preach to them every day, this is all practice. Work on things, just stack the days, and get better every day, and when sectionals comes that’s when it really matters.”
NEB will travel to Canton Thursday for their next match as they focus on getting healthy for the postseason.
“We’ve got a couple kids that are banged up, and we’re going to focus getting healthy, and getting in better shape,” he said. “We’re a little out of shape at this point.”
TROY 42, NEB 22
121: Double Forfeit
127: Wilder Koch (T) SV Hunter Comstock, 7-4
133: Keagan Kerr (T) fft
139: Alex Gomez (N) tech. Marcus Frisbie, 16-1, 2:20
145: Russell Martin (N) fall Logunn Heasley, 3:13
152: Carter Austin (T) fft
160: Bridon Putnam (T) fft
172: Rylan Breidt (T) fall Connor Eastabrook, 1:42
189: Zeryk Thurston (N) fft
215: Kael Millard (T) dec. Carsen Perkins, 8-4
285: Reed Palmer (T) fall Ben Ellis, 3:20
107: Mason Alexander (N) tech. Garret Parks, 19-1, 2:27
114: Connor Dibble (T) fft
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
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