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CALN >> Following another stirring finish in a close dual meet, Avon Grove coach Rob Beighley called his 215-pound junior, Jagger Vitelli, the team’s Mariano Rivera.
Never mind the thought that high school athletes may not even catch that reference anymore, Vitelli is certainly embracing his budding role of the Red Devils’ “Sandman.”
Wednesday, Vitelli did it in dramatic fashion, fighting off his back to pin Coatesville’s Rami Ayoub to clinch the win for Avon Grove. The final score was 42-28, securing a runner-up finish for the Red Devils in the Ches-Mont League National Division, as well as a winning record in the division for the first time since 2011.
“I felt confident and believed in my training,” Vitelli said. “I’m honored (Beighley) feels that’s my role (as a closer) and to have the capability to complete that role. It feels good that he has that trust in me.”
Avon Grove (4-1 division, 17-2 overall) lost its National-opener to eventual champion, Downingtown East, in early January but prevailed in the last four, all by a 7-6 margin in bouts won.
With the meets being decided in the final stretch, Vitelli has clinched all four contests.
“Jagger has been great closing out big wins for us,” Beighley said. “He’s been good in those moments.”
Against Ayoub, that reputation was put to the test. In the first period, Ayoub nearly scored a takedown, but Vitelli rolled through and picked up two instead.
Down 4-1, Ayoub chose neutral to start the third and took Vitelli down and to his back, coming within inches of pinning him. Somehow, some way, Vitelli heisted his hips, flipped Ayoub to his back and finished the job to send the Avon Grove bench into a frenzy.
“Before every meet we have to do a drill where you don’t get pinned,” Vitelli said. “You have to get off your back or you get yelled at. As soon as I hit my back I knew I had to do whatever I could to get off of it. I felt his head and grabbed it and just used my leverage. I knew a pin would seal it and I wanted to do that.”
Coatesville (1-4, 2-4) got pins from Andrij Szczesniuk (121 pounds), Caelan Keough (133) and Jack Weldon (172), but gave up six falls and a forfeit. It’s been a frustrating mix for Coatesville coach Jeff Bowyer, who has a few kids with a shot to make states and a handful of others who are just learning the ropes.
“I’ve never been the kind of coach to tell a kid, ‘don’t get pinned,’” Bowyer said. “It’s an internal conflict, thinking about teaching some of the less-experienced kids how to stall and hang out. That wins dual meets, but it’s not going to make them better and it contradicts how I have coached for 40 years.”
That sentiment may bring back flashbacks for Avon Grove fans. The Red Devils won as many divisional matches this season as they’ve combined for since the 2016-17 season.
Now, Avon Grove has five wrestlers with 22 or more wins — Noah Smith (107), Noah Parsons (114), Christian Ford (133), Wyatt Holdren (189) and Vitelli — and all five picked up six against Coatesville.
While the non-league schedule may leave something to be desired, Avon Grove was selected to its first District 1-3A Duals since 2001 this season the future is looking promising as well. Fred Engle Middle School is fresh off a team title at the Chester County Middle School Challenge, with three future Red Devils winning gold.
“I’ve gotten to see all those kids come up through the youth, wrestling with my son (RJ),” Beighley said. “I’ve watched them succeed and stay at Avon Grove and they were excited to win it. We have good numbers and some good talent coming up.”
Avon Grove closes out its regular season with duals against Oxford and Strath Haven next week, before the District 1-3A West Sectional kicks off the postseason February 24.
Avon Grove 42, Coatesville 28
107- Smith (AG) won by forfeit (6-0)
114- Parsons (AG) pinned Weidamoyer, 1:24 (12-0)
121- Szczesniuk (CV) pinned Snead, :34 (12-6)
127- Whitaker (CV) dec. Wachs, 6-2 (12-9)
133- Keough (CV) pinned Fausnaught, 2:09 (12-15)
139- Ford (AG) pinned Clinton, 3:03 (18-15)
145- Kurzja (CV) dec. Olander, 7-0 (18-18)
152- Ruttman (CV) maj. dec. McCullin, 12-3 (18-22)
160- Moerder (AG) pinned Hard, 1:18 (24-22)
172- Weldon (CV) pinned Herman, 3:02 (24-28)
189- Holdren (AG) pinned Galarza, 2:31 (30-28)
215- Vitelli (AG) pinned Ayoub, 4:44 (36-28)
285- Erickson (AG) pinned Flores, 1:36 (42-28)
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