22-year streak broken: Hilton wrestling topples Spencerport
James Johnson . Staff writer . January 17, 2013
www.rochesterdandc.com

PARMA — For a wrestling rivalry, the Hilton Cadets had to wait some time before they could celebrate after a match against Spencerport.

A few teams in Section V are in that category, but the Cadets are no longer in that group.

Hilton’s middleweights led a charge to a 43-28 win at home over Spencerport that touched a couple bits of history.

“We were waiting for this match all season,’’ Hilton eighth-grader Austin Hertel said. “We’ve been working hard.

“It was our night. Anything could’ve happened, but we were ready to get after them.’’

The Cadets are the first team to defeat Spencerport in a Monroe County league dual meet since Greece Athena, in December of 1991.

Wayne was the last team from anywhere in Section V to come out on top against Spencerport. The Wayne Eagles edged Spencerport on criteria during the 2005 Union-Endicott Duals.

“It’s the consistency,’’ Hilton 99-pounder Yianni Diakomihalis said about Spencerport’s success. “For them, a bad season is like five losses.

“They are always pretty tough.’’

Anyone around the Hilton wrestling program could agree. The last win for the Cadets over Spencerport was 27 years ago, before some of the team’s assistant coaches were born.

“It was just like I thought, a great battle back and forth,’’ Hilton coach Craig Gross said. “We wrestled their heavyweights tough, ours kept it close.

“I was telling our kids the middleweights is where we were going to roll. My middleweights came through.’’

Spencerport led 25-21, until Hilton 138-pounder Vincent DePrez, a junior, pinned Enzo Sacchetti. Anthony DePrez, Vincent’s twin brother at 145, pinned Ryan Schirano.

No pin for Hilton’s Mike Spallina at 152, but he was a 14-2 winner over Dante Paris. Harald Juergens closed the Hilton run, and Spencerport’s chances of a comeback with another pin during the 160.

The match began in the strength of Spencerport’s lineup at 182, but it was Hilton that scored first after a 3-2 win by Brad Swartz over Zach Fedeli.

Spencerport junior Trent Egenlauf won by pin at 195 to give the Rangers a 6-3 lead. The cushion for Spencerport went up after a major decision win by Collin Pittman and was 16-3 after Spencerport 285-pounder Austin Coleman was awarded a forfeit victory.

Diakomihalis stopped Spencerport’s momentum for Hilton, when he pinned Mike Wicks to end the 99-pound match.

Hilton chose to forfeit the 106-pound match to Spencerport’s Jonathan Haas, which gave the Rangers a 22-9 lead.

The real struggle began at 113, as Hartell held off Brandan Barrett, 2-1. Spencerport led 25-12 after Mike Cenzi defeated Kyle Anderson, 6-3.

Hilton took the rest of the matches, beginning at 120, as Lou DePrez made it a 3-0 for his family with a 1-0 win over Tahj Eaddy.

Kevin Westbrook was awarded the 132-pound match after Kyle Pittman was disqualified.