Spring-Ford into semifinals, OJR falls in quarters

FORT WASHINGTON >> One team stood in position to compete for a championship Friday.

The other needed a win just to make it to Saturday. Those were the situations faced by the Spring-Ford and Owen J. Roberts wrestling teams after the first round of bouts from the District 1 Class AAA duals tournament at Upper Dublin. They experienced different results in the quarterfinals, the Rams rolling West Chester Henderson 52-18 while the Wildcats were edged by Garnet Valley, 32-30.

A win over defending duals champion Council Rock

South would put Spring-Ford in the championship match and stamp its ticket for the PIAA Class AAA Duals next weekend at Hershey’s Giant Center. For Roberts, the scenario was grimmer: Win against Neshaminy and stay alive, or a loss would end OJR’s participation in duals action.

Owen J. survived Friday’s early loss. The ‘Cats clinched their consi match with Neshaminy, building a 41-27 lead with two weights to contest.

Midway through its semifinal with the Hawks, SpringFord held a 21-9 lead. Quinn Tobin upped the Rams’ early lead with his decision at 132.

The consolation semifinals are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, with championship and third-place matches at 3 p.m. Owen J. will go against the Spring-Ford/Rock South loser in one consi-semi.

GARNET VALLEY 32, OWEN J. ROBERTS 30 >> A late charge by the Wildcats couldn’t make up for the Jaguars’ fast start in their district-duals opener.

Down by 32 points midway through the match, fifthseeded Owen J. stemmed GV’s run with David Forrest’s 8-4 decision at 132. Connor Leister added a 6-4 verdict at 138 before Antonio Petrucelli scored a 35-second fall at 145.

Cole Bechtel then posted a 17-5 major at 152, and Connor Quinn added a 1:31 pin at 160. Trailing by 10 (32-22) with two bouts left, Owen J. needed a pin and a technical fall to erase the deficit. But Austin Boaman got only an 8-3 decision at 171; and while Roberts picked up the fall at 182, it fell short of Garnet’s point total.