Smyrna vs Milford Wrestling match. Photo by Ben Fulton

Wrestling Roundup from Dec. 11, 2024

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

Here’s a roundup of Delaware dual wrestling matches from Wednesday, Dec. 12. Caesar Rodney 54 – St. Mark’s 15 The Caesar Rodney Riders used five pins and scored bonus points in seven matches in their season-opening win over St. Mark’s 54-15. Ben Donato (106), Sean Dixon (138), Trevor Copes (144), Kenneth King (157), and Tristan Cooper (285) all had pins …

Don Parsley Pic

Wrestling Looking Forward to Season

Terry RogersHeadlines, Milford Headline Story, Sports

By Kevin Eickman With only five seniors on the Milford wrestling team, it will likely be a season of growth for the Buccaneers, who do have some areas of strength. Don Parsley returns for his 34th year as the head coach. Even with a five-year break, Parsley is synonymous with Milford wrestling. After watching a wrestling practice this week, you …

Emily thode pic 1 1

Thode Helping Girls Wrestling Grow

Terry RogersHeadlines, Milford Headline Story, Sports

By Kevin Eickman If you have been following Milford wrestling over the last few years, the name Emily Thode should be familiar to you. A 2023 graduate, she wrestled at the varsity level for the Buccaneers and performed well. So well in fact she was selected as a captain her senior season. This was not a small feat due to …

Anthony Andrews of Sussex Tech top and Malachi Stratton of Sussex Central photo courtesy of Eric Donato

DIAA State Wrestling Championships Bracket Breakdown

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

106 pounds This may be the most wide open bracket in the tournament. Top seed Austin Gueirrieri (Cape Henlopen) is the favorite with wins over all top seeds, but he will see eighth grader Dominic Spennato (Red Lion) who he had the narrowest margin of victory over this year, a 3-2 decision back in January. The top bracket is loaded …

Sussex Central Division I wrestling state champions posing with the state championship trophy photo courtesy of Sussex Central Facebook

Sussex Central rolls early to state dual championship

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

SmyrnaĀ – Sussex Central head coach Shane Miller used the experience of last year to motivate his team on what it would take to win the DIAA Division I state wrestling championship. ā€œLast year after we lost I took them into the locker room and told them we will be back here and remember what this feels like,ā€ Miller said. That …

Delaware Military Academy DMA wrestling posing with the division II state championship trophy photo courtesy of DMA Athletics Twitter

Seahawks pin their way to second state wrestling title

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

SmyrnaĀ – Delaware Military Academy rode six pins enroute to a 38-32 victory over St. Mark’s to capture the DIAA Division II state championships. The title was the second for the Seahawks in consecutive years. The championship match began at 113 pounds, the Seahawks reeled off three straight wins to begin the match all earning bonus points. Cole Perrin got it …

Logan Heffington of Caesar Rodney top turns Christian Hedges of Sussex Tech during their 175 pound bout. Heffington won by pin photo courtesy of Donato

Riders rally to pin Ravens

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

CamdenĀ – The Caesar Rodney Riders trailed the Sussex Tech Ravens 29-17 with just five matches left in their Henlopen Conference Northern Division matchup. The Riders recorded four straight pins winning the dual 41-29. The match began at 106 pounds where the Riders Ben Donato won a 17-0 technical fall over Parker Hampton. Ashton Graham then recorded a pin in 1:05 …

Caesar Rodneys Ben Donato tilts Laurels Reginald Ferdinand for backpoints in their 106 pound bout. Donato won the match with a 123 pin photo courtesy of Eric Donato 1

Caesar Rodney records seven pins to get past Laurel

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

LaurelĀ – Most wrestling coaches know matches don’t always go as planned and that was the case Wednesday night as both teams were without their top wrestler heading into the dual meet between Caesar Rodney and Laurel. Neither the Bulldogs Stanley Pete, ranked number one at 150 pounds, nor Trevor Copes ranked number one at 126 pounds were to step on …

Overview shot of all he mats at the Beast of the East photo courtesy of NJ.com

Delaware wrestlers face some of nation’s best at Beast of the East

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

  NewarkĀ – The Bob Carpenter Center on the Campus of the University of Delaware with 12 wrestling mats sprawled across the floor was the battle ground for the 31st Beast of the East High School Wrestling Tournament. The event featured 960 wrestlers from 168 teams representing 24 states converging on Newark, Delaware. ā€œIt was a little overwhelming, but it was …

Delaware Military wrestling team poses after winning the Milford Invitational wrestling championship photo courtesy of DMA Athletics Twitter page 1

Delaware Military wins Milford Invitational

Benny MitchellHeadlines, Sports

MilfordĀ – Fourteen teams throughout the state converged on Milford Central Academy on Saturday for the 64th Milford Invitational Wrestling Tournament. When the dust settled the Delaware Military Academy Seahawks emerged with the team title scoring 463.5 points to finish ahead of Wm. Penn 415.5 and Caesar Rodney 400. Smyrna and Milford rounded out the top five. Delaware Military crowned six …