Confessore Leads Sachem North to Fifth Place Finish at Battlefield Duals

The Sachem North wrestling team has one rule to live by, "we will wrestle anybody, anywhere, anytime," said coach Ray Pickersgill.  So in this case they traveled all the way to Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Va., to participate in one of the most difficult dual meet tournaments on the East Coast.  

"We have been coming down here since 2007, we do this to seek out the best competition, and wrestle different kids, it's a great way to test our mettle," said Pickersgill.

Test it they did, in pool matches the Arrows opened up with Hayfield High School, and cruised to a 69-10 victory.  

"Believe it or not, that's not how I wanted to open up, I had been telling the team how difficult the matches would be down there, and our first team we beat by 60, I think they took the next opponent too lightly," added Pickersgill.  

In round two, the next opponent was top 10 ranked Kellam High School from Virginia, who defeated the Arrows, 43-24.

"We came out flat," Pickersgill said. "We were down by 18 before we won a match. We played catch up and couldn't get enough points. At least it drove the message home, we should take no one lightly."

The Arrows final opponent of Day I was Connelsville Area High School (PA), a traditional top 10 Pennsylvania school, and one who has been giving the team fits since the first trip down there. Knowing there was a little revenge on their mind, the Arrows Grapplers sprinted out to a 20-6 lead and cruised out to a 41-24 win.

On Day II, another nemisis awaited in Upper Perkiomen (PA). This was also a team that Sachem could not beat, bringing an 0-4 record against them into the tournament. That victory left them just one win shy of being in the championship bracket, and a top four finish. Up next was ever dangerous Westfield (VA) who forefeitted three matches to the Arrows.  

"After two big victories and a 3-1 record, the boys started to believe some of the hype and came out flat, knowing they were getting the 18 points they just waited around, and you can't do that against good teams,"  added Pickersgill.

After dropping the 39-30 decision to Westfield, the Arrows dropped into the Silver Medal Bracket where they could do no better than fifth.

First up was Maryland powerhouse and defending champion Archbishop Spaulding.  After a back and forth affair, the meet came down to the final match at 106 pounds where North's Nick Perez came through with a 6-3 victory to seal the win.  

"Some of these kids are growing up before my eyes," Pickersgill said. "Being in that situation, knowing a win clinches the meet for your team is alot of pressure, and Perez handled it with ease, something like that really battle tests your wrestlers."  

In the final match for fifth place, Sachem had to take on the Falcons of Cox High School (VA) a traditional national powerhouse. After dropping the first two matches Sachem rattled off victories in eight of the next nine matches to clinch the meet and a fifth place finish.

In the final match the Cox coach looked to manuver his wrestlers around to stop the bleeding forefeitting to Gio Santiago at 182 and bumped his guy up to 195 where Anthony Confessore secured a fall in 1:03.

The weekend was a complete success, according to Pickersgill.

"I think we beat some good teams," he said, "and took some good lessons out of the losses, this will keep us battle tested for the difficult League I season coming up."  

Anthony Confessore (195 pounds) was the only undefeated wrestler and was voted the most outstanding wrestler for the Flaming Arrows by the opposing coaches.  

"It's a pretty good honor when every team you face thinks you are the most valuable wrestler from that team, and to be honest, he pretty much was," said Pickersgill.

Lenny Sudler also was undefeated at 3-0 with two pins and a major decision, 11-1, win over Kellam.

The team is back in action in their first home action of the season Wednesday night against Commack at 6 p.m.

Battlefield Duals

• Sachem North 69 Hayfield HS (VA) 10
• Floyd Kellam (VA) 43 Sachem North 24
• Sachem North 41 Connelsville Area HS (PA) 24
• Sachem North 41 Upper Perkiomen HS (PA) 18
• Westfield HS (VA) 39 Sachem North 30
• Sachem North 30 Archbishop Spaulding (MD) 28
• Sachem North 42 Cox (VA) 34