Logan Roth had been in similar situations before and didn’t get the desired outcomes.
Chase DeCesare had been a varsity wrestling spectator until Wednesday, so he certainly had no positive experiences in pressure situations to draw from.
The duo were all that stood between Emmaus knocking on the door of EPC, District 11 and PIAA Class 3A royalty and busting it down.
In his varsity debut, DeCesare, in his second year wrestling, won a wild 13-12 bout at 215 pounds and Roth got a pin in the final bout at 285 to secure Emmaus’ 31-21 victory over four-time defending PIAA 3A champion Bethlehem Catholic.
“We asked the kids tonight, ‘Don’t worry about the scoreboard,’” Green Hornets coach Jim Best said, “‘Don’t worry about the outcome. Just compete hard.’ I felt like that’s what we saw from 107 right up to heavyweight. We went out, win or lose, and competed hard.
“That’s the kind of mentality we want to keep going with this program.”
Roth, a three-year starter, played the role of good teammate until right before DeCesare clinched his match against Bethlehem Catholic’s James Bozzi. Best was happy to see that, but wanted his senior to be focused on his task — wrestle smart and aggressively … and stay off his back.
The 285-pounder delivered against Golden Hawks senior first-year wrestler Grant Mulhern, who missed all of last season with an injury.
It didn’t start out well for Roth. Mulhern got a takedown with 35 seconds left in the first period. But Roth stayed focused while on bottom against Mulhern who had a 36-pound weight advantage.
When Roth got a reversal, he worked like a veteran on top by applying pressure and waiting the opening to turn Mulhern.
“I’m proud of my coaches for teaching me everything they have,” Roth said. “What I was doing out there, what I’ve been practicing the last five, six months, it’s their dedication to this team. I just did everything they taught me. I can’t take any credit for it.”
DeCesare led Bozzi 6-1 early, then fell in a 10-8 hole going into the third period. But the junior kept battling and used his 31-pound weight advantage to wear down Bozzi. His takedown with 36 seconds left was the difference.
“There were a lot of nerves wrestling my first match,” DeCesare said. “I was just trying to wrestle a smart match, get a win for my team. I woke up thinking about the match. I was walking around school thinking about it. I felt pretty good actually when I got on the mat.
“I knew I had what it took to win the match. It was everything I practiced for.”
The match’s script did not go according to plan for either team in a dual meet loaded with matchups involving state-ranked wrestlers.
The Green Hornets got consecutive technical falls to start the match from sophomores Cam Martinez and Talan Springer at 107 and 114, respectively, over a pair of talented Golden Hawks freshmen.
Nico Emili got Bethlehem Catholic on the board with a 7-2 grinder over Levi Max. Teagan Caciolo’s third-period takedown with 45 seconds left was the difference in an 8-5 win over Golden Hawks sophomore A.J. Gomez, who is going to be very good real soon.
Emilio Albanese beat Reef Dillard 7-2 at 133 in a matchup of returning state medalists to give Emmaus a 16-3 lead.
But Bethlehem Catholic won the next three to take its first lead 18-16 on Jaden Santiago’s major decision at 152. Andre Cerrato’s pin of returning state medalist Jackson Max at 139 started the run.
The Green Hornet then won consecutive nailbiters at 160 and to regain the lead. Xyler Sallit beat Mason Thomas 4-3 in the second tie-breaker before Logan Armstrong beat Zach Papcsy by the same score for a 22-18 lead.
Connor Gillahan used a second-period rideout and an escape to start the third to beat Xayden Sallit 1-0 at 189 to give the Golden Hawks a chance.
But DeCesare and Roth came up big, leaving the young Golden Hawks with plenty to work on.
“I am surprised,” Bethlehem Catholic coach Mike Cole said. “I know for sure that Jimmy Best is one helluva coach. I know he always puts kids who compete on the mat and his kids wanted to compete today, and they took it to us.
“I could make all kinds of excuses for us, but that would be stupid. Those guys kicked our butts.”
Cole and Best competed as wrestlers against each other on more occasions than either would care to remember, but have the utmost respect for one another.
The goal now for the Golden Hawks is to fix the mistakes, the small mistakes that make a big difference and bring the necessary effort every time they compete.
The Green Hornets finally knocked down that door of EPC, District 11 and PIAA 3A elite. But as one who has felt the ‘Cole Roll’ plenty, Best knows the next step for his team is simple.
“Talking to them as coaches afterward,” Best said, “the common theme was that this is just the start, not the end. We don’t celebrate it like it’s the end.
“The big teachable moment is that we’re there. We need to continue to be there. We’ve just kicked down the door of that top-5 in the district. That was something we talked to the kids last year about a lot. Once we kick it, we need to stay in that room.”
Bethlehem Catholic won last year’s dual meet 43-14. It is Emmaus’ first win in the series in at least 20 years.
Emmaus 31, Bethlehem Catholic 21
107: Cam Martinez (E) tech. fall Michael Nicosia, 17-1, 4:58
114: Talan Springer (E) tech. fall Guiseppe Bozzi, 21-4, 4:28
121: Nico Emili (BC) dec. Levi Max, 7-2
127: Teagan Caciolo (E) dec. A.J. Gomez, 8-5
133: Emilio Albanese (E) dec. Reef Dillard, 7-2
139: Andre Cerrato (BC) pinned Jackson Max, 3:18
145: Keanu Dillard (BC) tech. fall. Tommy Fallstich, 22-6, 5:26
152: Jaden Santiago (BC) maj. dec. Ayden Bayard, 10-2
160: Xyler Sallit (E) dec. Mason Thomas, 4-3 TB-2
172: Logan Armstrong (E) dec. Zach Papcsy, 4-3
189: Connor Gillahan (BC) dec. Xayden Sallit, 1-0
215: Chase DeCesare (E) dec. James Bozzi, 13-12
285: Logan Roth (E) pinned Grant Mulhern, 3:38
Referee: Greg Geiger
Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com
