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C-M rolls past short-handed Trinty

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Mark Marietta/Obsever-Reporter

Trinity’s Micah Finley controls Canon Mac’s Tyler Soule on the way to a 9-4 decision in the 138-pound match. Canon-McMillan won the match, 47-19.

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Mark Marietta

Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter

Trinity’s Ty Banco, left, and Canon-McMillan’s Tyler Rohaley struggle for position at the edge of the mat in the 215-pound bout Wednesday. Banco won the match by a 6-0 decision.

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Mark Marietta

Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter

New Trinity head wrestling coach RonTarquinio offers final instructions to his team before the match at Canon Mac on January 13.

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Mark Marietta

Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter

Conlon O’Donoghue, left, and Blake Reihner grapple for position as they competed for Canon Mac and Trinity in the 126-pound match. Reihner won an 11-2 decision although the Big Macs won the match.

CANONSBURG – If you looked at it from Trinity’s point of view, you would be happy.

If you looked at it from Canon-McMillan’s point of view, you would be more than happy.

Canon-McMillan came away with the victory Wednesday night 47-19 in a Section 4A match.

Trinity (0-1, 0-1) was ravaged by injuries and quarantine that forced the Hillers to forfeit five weight classes. There was no chance of winning the dual meet.

But in head-to-head matches, the Hillers won four of six weight classes that were contested.

“It was not an ideal situation to be in,” said Ron Tarquinio, making his Trinity head coaching debut under more than difficult circumstances.

“I knew going in we were going to be short-handed. But I told the guys that whoever had a match, we were going to compete hard. We’re looking to win more matches no matter what the (final) score is going to be.”

In the bouts that lasted longer than a few moments, Trinity got wins at 126 pounds, where freshman Blake Reihner had an impressive debut with an 11-2 major decision over Conlon O’Donoghue.

At 138, Micah Finley looked strong in a 9-4 decision over Gianmarcos Ramos at 138 pounds. That was followed by 1-0 victory by Brodie Morgan over Tyler Soule at 145 pounds that ended the dual meet.

At 215 pounds, Ty Banco won a 6-0 decision over Tyler Rohaley.

Still, it was a loss for the Hillers and Tarquinio understands what is needed to beat a powerful program such as Canon-McMillan.

“We gave them four forfeits. You can’t even give them two if you expect to win,” Tarquinio said. “It’s too hard to win that way. We competed really hard. That’s all we can do.”

On the other side of the mat, Andrew Binni was impressive with a 17-2 technical fall over Mickey Howe at 106.

At 152, Gianni Martini made quick work of Steven Stewart, pinning him in 1:03. Gianni and his brother Nikko transferred to Canon-McMillan last year from Trinity but were forced to sit out the season. Both are seniors.

Nikko received a forfeit at 189 pounds.

Costa Moore, the lone returning state qualifier in the Canon-McMillan lineup, also received a forfeit. Jacob Houpt, a 32-match winner last year, and Gabe Stafford and Matthew Furman, both 36-match winners from last year, got their hands raised when Trinity failed to send a wrestler out to compete.

“It is what it is,” said Canon-McMillan head coach Jeff Havelka. “They had some kids banged up. That’s out of our control. That’s out of their control. I thought the guys who went out there wrestled hard. It’s a small sample size. We’re happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday.”

The Big Macs entertain Latrobe, Connellsville and Erie Prep Saturday. Trinity wrestles at the Midwinter Mayhem Saturday at the Monroeville Convention Center.

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