Some Early Season Answers Pittston’s Woodall Brothers Dominate, Meyers Looks Strong
By MARK FITZHENRY Times Leader Sports Writer
Wednesday, December 15, 1999 Page: 1B
YATESVILLE – The valley’s top high school wrestlers and the team considered
the best in the area converged at Pittston Area on Tuesday in an attempt to
answer some early-season questions.
Are Pittston Area’s James and Jason Woodall as good as they were last
season? No. They’re better.
Is Meyers good enough to carry the tag as the valley’s top team? Coach
Dave Kuhl will have a better answer tomorrow, but the Mohawks did defeat
Pittston Area 41-30 without their state-qualifying heavyweight in a Wyoming
Valley Conference non-division meet.
While the Woodalls dominated to remain unbeaten without yielding a
takedown, Meyers labored against a Pittston Area squad that, had a couple of
breaks gone its way, could have won. Meyers gets a day to practice before
another challenge, Thursday at home against rival Lake-Lehman.
“We got the win,” Kuhl said. “I think some spots looked good. In some,
our inexperience showed. Overall, we didn’t wrestle bad, but we have
improvements to make.”
The Woodalls dominated as expected. Jason Woodall pinned Rodney Mimms at
Class 3A state champion at 152, won his 160-pound match by pinning Kenny
Kwarcinski at 1:12.
Each twin is 5-0 with four pins. Neither has been taken down. This weekend,
the Woodalls join the rest of the Patriots at the invitation-only Beast of the
East tournament in Delaware.
“They don’t have an offseason. They’re incredible,” Kuhl said. “Who are
you going to put against them?”
Kuhl opted to move his best 160-pounder, Luke Iseman, up one class to avoid
James Woodall. Little did Kuhl know the impact that decision would have.
Thirteen seconds into the 171-pound match, as Iseman and Daniel Gurdock
tangled, Gurdock’s right humerus made a clean “snap” sound that anyone in
the gym could hear. Gurdock, 10 pounds heavier than Iseman, defaulted to give
Meyers six points.
Gurdock was taken to Geisinger Hospital. School officials said he most
likely broke his arm.
“If he didn’t break his arm, we could’ve beaten them,” said Pittston Area
coach Matt Giampietro. “We wrestled real well. I’m happy with the
performance. I feel terrible for (Gurdock).”
Pittston Area forfeited two matches, and Meyers forfeited one as state
qualifier Kevin Doyle (275) missed the meet with a sinus infection that might
keep him out of the Lake-Lehman meet.
Meyers’ Eugene Clemons, Kevin Behm and Anthony Mercadante won by pin, with
Clemons pulling it out in the third period trailing 10-6 before his reversal
and subsequent pin. Jon Lark won by technical fall.
The Patriots’ three defending district champions, the Woodalls and Pat
O’Hara, won by pin. 103 – Mark Behm (M) won by forfeit. 112 – Jon Lark (M)
tech. fall Joe Gentile, 16-1 at 4:24. 119 – John Healey (P) dec. Trevor
Dennison, 7-4. 125 – Eugene Clemons (M) pinned Matt Morreale, 4:40. 130 – Pat
O’Hara (P) pinned Carlo Mercadante, 5:56. 135 – Kevin Behm (M) pinned Bill
Vassell, 1:02. 140 – Mike Conte (M) won by forfeit. 145 – Anthony Mercadante
(M) pinned Mike McDonald, 3:29. 152 – Jason Woodall (P) pinned Rodney Mimms,
Iseman (M) won by default. 189 – Josh Ceres (P) dec. Jason Thompson, 9-2. 275
– Joby Tuminelli (P) won by forfeit.
Scranton 48, Wyoming Seminary 23
KINGSTON – Scranton won eight bouts as it defeated Wyoming Seminary.
Matt Amato turned a pin at 145 for the Blue Knights. 103 – Brandon
Sherlinski (Sem) won by forfeit. 112 – Ed Suarez (S) pinned Rey Hussain, 1:20.
(S) pinned John Mascelli, :50. 130 – Lionel Cockran (S) won by forfeit. 135 –
Bob Lockner (S) pinned Yeves Nlandu, :20. 140 – Kim Banks (Sem) dec.
J.Walners, 9-8. 145 – Matt Amato (Sem) pinned Dan Burke, 5:04. 152 – Matt
Comerchero (Sem) maj. dec. Jason Laureano, 24-14. 160 – Dave Burke (S) won by
forfeit. 171 – Jeremy Kean (S) won by forfeit. 189 – Chris Davies (Sem) maj.
dec. Cory Mcnutly 17-4. 275 – Matt Smith (S) pinned George Shafer :23.
