Easton blanks Delaware Valley thanks in part to Riehl’s return
Ben Riehl was a part of Easton's wrestling program as a freshman in coach Jody Karam's first season.
Then he walked away.
“We took him to a tournament and I think he was in culture shock,” Karam said. “It's all or nothing with me. That's the way we coach, the way we run the program. I don't think he was ready for that. It wasn't the right time for him to be a part of Easton wrestling.
“As he matured, saw the value of it, saw all his friends having a good time, he figured he wanted to be part of this.”
Riehl is back now as a senior. He is part of a growing list that includes Michael Hynes and Aidan Hutchison who previously returned to the sport late in their high school careers then had one prevailing thought.
“Those guys, they always say, ‘I wish I would have stayed,'” Karam said. “‘I wish I wouldn't have left the program,' or, ‘I wish I would have come back earlier.'
“That's really cool when a kid says that.”
Riehl made quick work of Delaware Valley's Jason Mele in the 127-pound bout of Friday night's nonleague dual meet at Easton's 25th Street Gym.
The Red Rovers began the calendar year with consecutive shutouts, including 61-0 over the Warriors, to move to 10-0.
Easton produced five pins, including Riehl's in 2 minutes, 17 seconds to improve to 9-9 this season. It also had three technical falls and a major decision in its final tuneup for a challenging stretch run.
Riehl and his teammates now shift their focus to bigger goals, starting Wednesday when Easton visits defending PIAA Class 3A team champion Bethlehem Catholic.
Riehl's week starts with a wrestle-off for the starting 127-pound spot against junior Brendan Bowman, a starter last season who is returning from an injury.
The senior is another part of Easton's ascension back to being among District 11's elite programs.
“Four years ago, when I took over,” Karam said, “the biggest problem we had was kids leaving the program. Now no one's leaving. We're getting more kids out who used to wrestle.”
Ben Fanelli won Friday's highlight match, a 3-1 decision over Dom Moyer at 139 pounds. Moyer was a regional fifth-place finisher last season and is closing in on 100 career victories. But he couldn't produce the tying takedown in the closing moments of the third period against the returning state medalist.
Delaware Valley (2-2) managed only one reversal — Ethan Koloski at 172— and zero takedowns against Easton, which is 6-0 all time in the series.
Ladearus Conyers, a secondyear wrestler, capped off the Red Rovers' shutout with a 3-2 decision at 285.
Easton beat Allen 74-0 on Wednesday. The last time it won consecutive dual meets by shutout was against Pocono Mountain East and Central Catholic to start the 2016-17 season, JaMarr Billman's first year as head coach.
The Red Rovers celebrated youth night before Friday's match with wrestlers from the three feeder programs — Easton, Forks and Palmer — being announced. More than 170 boys and girls combined are involved in those organizations.