Warren wrestlers took their home mat for the first time this season and came away with an impressive 42-30 Region 5 win over McDowell Wednesday. It was the Dragons’ first win over the Trojans since 2013, when McDowell rested many of its regulars.

“It’s home sweet home,” Warren coach Dean Johnson said. “We have the best fans around and this was the first time in a month we got to wrestle in front of them.”

Avery Smith gave those home fans something to cheer about out of the gates in his 120-pound matchup with Nate Digello. The pair spent most of the first period in a stalemate, but Smith got a late takedown and nearfall to hold a 4-0 lead going into the second. Neither wrestler scored in the second and Smith took the 4-0 lead into the third. Digello started in the down position and scored an escape and takedown to close to within one at 4-3. Digello allowed Smith an escape and Smith was able to fend off a late takedown attempt to get Warren (1-3 overall, 1-1 Region 5) on the board with a 5-3 decision.

“It started with Avery Smith,” Johnson said. “He got a nice, tight win.”

Times Observer photo by Brian Hagberg Warren’s Kyle Swick strains to gain control of McDowell’s Joe Kurelowech during their 145-pound match at Warren Area High School, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. Swick picked up a 4-0 decision and the Dragons defeated the Trojans, 42-30, for the first time since 2013.

Ryan Madigan received a forfeit at 126 to put the Dragons ahead 9-0. Hayden Butterfield got the Trojans (0-2, 0-2) on the board with a 12-1 major decision over Donovan Fiscus at 132.

Alex Anderson quickly snatched back any momentum McDowell was building with a 19-second pin of Ty Posten at 138.

“Donovan Fiscus wrestled a tremendous match and Anderson had a nice pin,” Johnson said.

The reigning 145-pound PIAA state champion, Jeff Boyd, earned an 18-3 tech fall win over Joe Letko. But in a match where every point mattered, Letko kept a crucial point off the board by fighting off his back multiple times in the second period.

For the remainder of the contested matches, the Dragons bumped all their wrestlers up one weight class. Kyle Swick stepped in at 152 and battled Joe Kurelowech. The two fought tooth and nail for the first takedown of the match, with Swick eventually coming out on top and with a 2-0 lead after one period. Swick scored another takedown in the second period and kept Kurelowech from turning him on his back in the third to earn a 4-0 decision.

Times Observer photo by Brian Hagberg Warren’s Alex Anderson tries to turn McDowell’s Ty Posten to his back during their 138-pound match at Warren Area High School, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. Anderson pinned Posten in 19 seconds and the Dragons picked up their first dual match win over the Trojans, 42-30, since 2013.

John Fankhouser and Zack Corp twisted and turned their way through the 160-pound match. Corp took a 2-0 lead into the second. Fankhouser grabbed a nearfall, but Corp reversed. Fankhouser then got a reversal of his own, but Corp reversed him right back into a near fall. Fankhouser got an escape to start the third, but Corp scored another takedown and came away with the 11-6 win.

“Kyle Swick did a great job,” Johnson said. “Fankhouser just ran out of time.”

With Warren clinging to an 18-12 lead, Zack Zinger turned Noah Bielak and put his shoulders to the mat with just 10 seconds remaining in the first period. Alex Bielak got the points right back for McDowell with a second period pin of Brandon Daugharthy at 182.

With just 25 seconds to go in the first period of the 195-pound match, MaBrukhe Tagba sealed the Warren victory when he tookdown Chris Slater and put his shoulders to the mat.

The pinfall victory gave the Dragons a 30-18 lead with only four weight classes remaining, the final two forfeit wins for Warren.

“Tagba won it for us with the pin,” Johnson said.

McDowell grabbed second and first period pinfall victories at 220 and 285, respectively, but Connor and Christian Papalia won via forfeit to close out the victory.

“The boys have been working really hard and are right where we want them to be,” Johnson said. “This win was huge, now they know they can wrestle with anyone.”

The Dragons must hit the road again as they are set to travel to Erie for a Region 5 match with the Royals Wednesday.

– – –

WARREN 42, MCDOWELL 30

120: Avery Smith (W) dec. Nate Digello, 5-3

126: Ryan Madigan (W) via forfeit

132: Hayden Butterfield (M) maj. dec. Donovan Fiscus, 12-1

138: Alex Anderson (W) pin Ty Posten, 0:19

145: Jeff Boyd (M) tech fall Joe Letko, 18-3

152: Kyle Swick (W) dec. Joe Kurelowech, 4-0

160: Zack Corp (M) dec. John Fankhouser, 11-6

170: Zack Zinger (W) pin Noah Bielak, 1:50

182: Alex Bielak (M) pin Brandon Daugharthy, 3:00

195: MaBrukhe Tagba (W) pin Chris Slater, 1:35

220: Lucas Nowoczyski (M) pin Joey Arnold, 3:08

285: Mark Chambers (M) pin Jacob Hayes, 1:10

106: Connor Papalia (W) via forfeit

113: Christian Papalia (W) via forfeit