From the sports archives: Terra Nova wrestling takes out two-time defending champs South City

The Tigers, the 2009 PAL champs, won six of the first matches — including two forfeits — and then held on for a 40-29 win.

"We wrestled tough. We told our kids that we’re going against the two-time defending champs,” said Terra Nova coach Bill Armstrong. "Might as well go after the big dog right away. Why wait?”

South City had to forfeit the matches at the 220- and 285-pound weight classes, giving Terra Nova 12 free points. The only other way to pick up six points is by pinning an opponent. When two quality programs face off against each other, forfeits can be the difference between winning and losing. If the Warriors could have put anyone at those slots, there is a good chance the matches would have gone to a decision and the match would have been entirely different.

"Unfortunately, we had to give up forfeits,” said South City coach Steve Matteucci. "I told them (the South City team) we beat them on the mat.”

That’s not entirely the case. Of the 12 matches wrestled, the teams split them, winning six matches each. But throw out the two South City forfeits and that takes 12 points off the board. In that scenario, South City actually won, 29-28.

The match started with the 182-pound class where South City’s Arthur Georgiyev topped David Melton 6-2. After ending the first period behind 1-0, Georgiyev recorded two second-period takedowns and added a reversal late in the third.

Robert Pyne got Terra Nova on the scoreboard by winning at 195. He completely dominated Jordan Locsin, eventually earning a technical fall by building up a 17-1 lead.

That win gave the Tigers a 5-3 lead and by the time two wrestlers took the mat again, Terra Nova enjoyed a 16-3 by virtue of the two forfeits.

The Tigers kept the momentum on their side of the gym, getting wins from Justin Pessino (106), Niko Richardson (113) and Manny Borejo (120).

Suddenly, Terra Nova enjoyed a comfortable 33-3 advantage on the scoreboard.

Kevin Perez stopped the slide for South City by toying with his opponent at 126 and winning 16-9. Perez was dominating the match but appeared to run out of gas in the third period. With just seconds remaining in the match, Josh Torres picked up a takedown and nearfall, nearly pinning Perez before the final horn sounded.

Jason Cervantes’ pin at 132 — the first pin of the night — gave the Warriors a two-match winning streak, but that was snapped by Terra Nova’s Zach Skiles at 138, where he shutout his opponent 10-0. Alex Phyo won at 145 for the Tigers to give them a insurmountable 40-12 lead with three matches remaining.

If nothing else, the Warriors finished like champions, winning the final three matches. Miguel Rodriguez pinned his opponent in the first round at 152 pounds, Roko Smijanic dominated his opponent to the tune of 16-1 at 160 and Dupra Goodman picked up a third-period pin at 171.

Despite being the two-time defending champs, Matteucci understands a three-peat may not be in the cards for the Warriors this year.

"We have a real young team. I sent five freshmen and sophomores out there and they did their job, which was to stay off their backs,” Matteucci said. "I hate the moral victory stuff. We’ll have to turn in the (championship) trophy at the end of February, but we’ll take it right back next year.”

Said Armstrong: "All that running, all that lifting weights … came to fruition today.”