Jan 19, 2003 By Jim Kriek For The 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – If this had been horse racing instead of wrestling, one could have said that “Connellsville broke out of the gate and led from wire to wire.” For that was what the Falcons did to defeat visiting Waynesburg 54-13 Saturday for their 18th win in 20 matches.

With the pre-match draw for the starting bout, they began at 145. Connellsville won the first two, lost one, and then swept all classes from 171 through 275 to build up a 32-3 lead with seven bouts still to go.

But the Falcons had the outcome already clinched for they had two forfeits coming and would end up with at least 44 points, two over the number needed to win.

Coach Tommy Dolde said, “I can’t recall if we ever scored 50 points on Waynesburg before today. Our heavier wrestlers got out front early and wrapped it up for us, and at the same time, set the tone for the others the rest of the way.

“Their first three light weights are good wrestlers, and they beat us, but I thought our kids wrestled well against them. Waynesburg has some injuries, with a couple of regulars out, but I was still a little surprised that we got out to so big a start. Overall, I’m happy with the win and moreso with the hard work they put in to get the win.”

Waynesburg coach John Yates said, “We do have a couple out, but they will be back when the wrestleoffs start. We are a little banged up at the moment, but they will be strong again when it counts. Connellsville doesn’t have any weaknesses; they just keep coming at you.”

Connellsville used five pins, two forfeits and three majors to wrap up the win.

Kyle Martin (145) got the Falcons winging with a 2:47 pinning of Seth Patton, and Jarrod King (152) followed with a 15-5 major decision over Corbin Semple.

Waynesburg got on the board with Travis Conklin’s (160) 2-0 decision over Chad McBurney. They were scoreless into the third period where Conklin was down and reversed with 1:17 to go for the edge.

Then the Falcons ran four wins to lead 32-3.

Jason Doppelheuer (171) started the run by wrapping J.D. Higgins up in 1:40 for the second-fastest win of the day.

Jim Tony (180) started with a takedown and two backs in the first and went on to collar Chad Smith, 8-0.

Brent Wilson (215) scored the fastest win of the match when he took Zach Patton down and locked him up in 1:31, before Steve Hughes (275) made it four with a 3:11 pinning of Bill Moorehead.

Waynesburg’s “Big Three,” or in this case their “Little Three” then rang up 10 points to move the Raiders to within 32-13.

Chris Neidermeier (103) took Jake Knepper down in the first period, and that was the first time other than Conklin’s decision at 160, that the Raiders had the individual bout lead. He added two backs and went on to collar Knepper, 8-0, for a major decision.

Coleman Scott (112) took Steve Bell down in the first to start a 7-1 decision, ceding only an escape in the third, and Drew Headlee (119) followed with a 6-0 decision over Ashtin Primus with a takedown in the first, a reversal to start the second and a takedown in the third.

Then Connellsville wrapped it up with four more wins.

Adam Bucci (125) won by forfeit, Josh Martin (130) took Jake Superick down from a neutral start in the second for a 2:34 fall and Buddy Sines (135) got the final mat win, a major 12-1 nod over Cody Whipkey, giving up only an escape in the third. Sines escaped to start the second and took Whipkey down and on his back to start the win. Adam Knepper (140) was a forfeit winner to end the day.

Connellsville is at home on Wednesday, meeting Belle Vernon in a section match, while Waynesburg hosts old rival McGuffey.