Sir Bills slip past Broadalbin-Perth, 48-39
By PAUL WAGER, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
JOHNSTOWN - Talk about picking your spots.
Johnstown's Josh Muzzi couldn't have picked a better or more dramatic time to claim his first varsity win.
With less than a minute remaining in his 140-pound match with Broadalbin-Perth's Mike Close on Tuesday, Muzzi was on his back and trailing 9-0. From out of nowhere, Muzzi hit a reversal that reversed both his and his team's fortunes.
Muzzi fought off his back to pin Close with just 26 seconds remaining in their match.
"Josh [Muzzi] picked a good time to get his first varsity win. He's definitely the hero of the night," Johnstown coach Mark Gillen said. "I'm happy for him. He was down, but he didn't quit. Hopefully, it will boost his confidence a little."
Muzzi's victory also kept the Patriots from clinching the win. It would have been B-P's first dual meet win since the 2006-07 season.
"I thought we had them," Broadalbin-Perth coach Tim Roser said. "That's why I tell the guys that it doesn't matter how far ahead you are, all it takes is one mistake to end up on your back."
Muzzi's pin was crucial for the Sir Bills who took a 42-33 lead with two matches remaining. With B-P's Brandyn Ainsworth set to receive six team points from a forfeit win at 152, it meant the match would be decided at 145 pounds.
It took just 15 seconds to decide the final outcome as Johnstown's Cody Elmendorf (145 pounds) locked up the win by pinning the Patriots' Lionel Weller.
After Ainsworth collected his forfeit win for B-P, the Sir Bills emerged with a 48-39 Foothills Council win despite surrendering five forfeits.
"I had no idea it would be as close as it was," Gillen said. "I didn't think we had much of a chance after giving up five forfeits."
Despite giving up 30 points to the Patriots in forfeits, Johnstown never trailed in Tuesday's match, racing out to a 30-3 lead before holding off a forfeit-fueled rally by B-P.
The Sir Bills started the match with pins by Tony Cook and Austin Debell at 160 and 171 pounds, respectively.
Cook pinned B-P's Mike Wilson in 3:09 and Debell pinned the Patriots' Matt Colson in just eight seconds to give Johnstown a 12-0 lead.
B-P got on the board at 189 pounds when Brandon Colson posted a 6-2 decision over the Sir Bills' Matt Miller in the lone match of the night to go the full six-minute distance.
Adam Biron (215 pounds), Anthony VanHosen (285) and Travis Gallt collected three straight forfeits for Johnstown, making the score 30-3 after six weight classes.
The Patriots rapidly closed the gap by winning the next four matches in succession.
Gus McAulliffe battled off his back to overcome a 5-0 deficit and pin Johnstown's Elwyn Case in 1:42.
"We had one come-from-behind win and they did too," Roser said.
Zac Crankshaw (112), Karley Barrett (119) and John McWhinnie (125) earned three straight forfeit wins for B-P to cut the Johnstown lead to 30-27 with five matches remaining.
"It's tough to overcome the forfeits," Gillen said. "There's no other sport like it as far as making you start in a hole like that."
With the Patriots scheduled to receive forfeits in two of those five contests, they need to win just one of the three head-to-head bouts by major decision, technical fall or pin to claim the victory.
Instead Johnstown got a pin from Jared Dillenbeck over Brendan Boucher in 34 seconds at 130 pounds.
After B-P's Brett Owen collected a forfeit win at 135 pounds, B-P trailed 36-33 heading into the 135-pound match.
For two periods, Close controlled the action for B-P scoring back points in each to take a 7-0 lead heading into the third. Close started from the bottom position and quickly gained a reversal and had Muzzi on his back shortly thereafter. Muzzi quickly overcame the large deficit with a reversal that ended with him squeezing Close in a headlock. With just 26 seconds on the clock, Muzzi secured the pin, setting the stage for Elmendorf's win-clinching pin at 140 pounds.
"I figured it was going to be close," Roser said. "I knew it was going to come down to one match like that."
Johnstown (1-2 overall, 1-2 Foothills) will travel to the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Duals on Saturday.
"It's nice to get a win under our belts," Gillen said. "We've got a fairly young group, but it's going to be a fun year."
Broadalbin-Perth (0-2 overall, 0-2 Foothills) will travel to the Cohoes Duals on Friday and Saturday.
"We're young and we've got some very inexperienced guys out there," Roser said. "We've wrestled pretty well so far and the effort is there. It's just going to take mat time for guys to catch up a little bit."
Johnstown 48, Broadalbin-Perth 39
160 - Tony Cook (J) pinned Mike Wilson, 3:09.
171 - Austin Debell (J) pinned Matt Colson, :08.
189 - Brandon Colson (B-P) dec. Matt Miller, 6-2.
215 - Adam Biron (J) won by forfeit.
285 - Anthony VanHosen (J) won by forfeit.
96 - Travis Gallt (J) won by forfeit.
103 - Gus McAuliffe (B-P) pinned Elwyn Case, 1:42.
112 - Zac Crankshaw (B-P) won by forfeit.
119 - Karley Barrett (B-P) won by forfeit.
125 - John McWhinnie (B-P) won by forfeit
130 - Jared Dillenbeck (B-P) pinned Brendan Boucher, :34.
135 - Brett Owen (B-P) won by forfeit.
140 - Josh Muzzi (J) pinned Mike Close, 5:34.
145 - Cody Elmendorf (J) pinned Lionel Weller, :15.
152 - Brandyn Ainsworth (B-P) won by forfeit.
