Battle for the Bronx River close as always

The annual Bronx River Cup match between Edgemont and Scarsdale is always an exciting one, and this year?s was no different. The Panthers edged out Scarsdale by a score of 24-22 in terms of the ten bouts that were wrestled.

Scarsdale gained an additional 24 points in forfeits to Edgemont?s 6 for a final score of 46-30 Scarsdale. The match started at 106 pounds, where Panther’s sophomore Tyler Aslanian came up with a 3:11 pin over the Raiders? Dan Kestenbaum. Tyler?s brother Trey kept it going at 113 pounds, controlling his opponent Mike Hodges and scoring the fall at 3:02.

At 120 pounds, Edgemont senior Max Abramsky made quick work of Evan Caligor with at 0:32 pin. Scarsdale took the next three bouts, but Edgemont?s grapplers kept them all close enough to retain the lead.

Sophomore Will Graybeal lost to Scarsdale’s Dan Jureller 12-2 at 126 pounds, while Colin Hopkins and Pete Berman each kept their losses to tightly contested decisions, only yielding Scarsdale three points each at 132 and 138 pounds.

At 145 pounds, junior Jack McCormack got things going again for the Panthers as he battled Scarsdale?s Adam Meyer to a 6-1 decision. McCormack worked hard for his turns, accruing over 5 minutes of riding time, but Meyer?s defensive strategy allowed him to only give up the decision to McCormack.

Junior Ross Kantor took the mat for Edgemont at 152 pounds versus Scarsdale?s Chen Shen. In what became a crazy back and forth match, Kantor rallied back from a 6-3 deficit after one period to a 9-8 deficit after two. Shen managed an escape in the third before Kantor hit a fireman?s carry to take Shen directly to his back. Kantor had Shen on his back for 20 seconds and appeared to have him pinned to many in the stands. Shen managed the eventual reversal, though, to win the bout for Scarsdale.

At 160 pounds, sophomore Chris Kim lost to Scarsdale senior Brian Hackel. At 220 pounds, Scarsdale chose to bump their wrestler, George Bobolakis, up to 285 pounds to take a forfeit at that weight, rather than to wrestle the Panther?s Danny Kornberg who won by forfeit as a result.

The final bout was back down at 99 pounds at Edgemont eigth-grader Kyle Aslanian took on Scarsdale?s Robbie Keltz. After giving up a first period takedown, Aslanian chose top in the second period down 2-0. He rallied to a 6-5 lead at the end of the second period gaining two two-point nearfalls and a reversal. Keltz took neutral in the third and Aslanian got his own takedown this time. With another three-point nearfall, Aslanian won an 11-5 decision.