The Catskill Chronicle

Story and Photos by Ted Waddell

In the 171-pound weight class, Goshen’s Rob Hassen (blue) narrowly edged Brent Kaplan of Liberty(red) in an overtime bout that both coaches called the battle of the match.

LIBERTY – “There was nothing left at the end, no gas in the tank,” said Ed Killenberger, 1st year coach of Goshen’s varsity wrestling team.

In the 119-pound weight class, Liberty’s Hector Torres (red was pinned by Lance Galubinski of Goshen (blue).

Coaches on both sides of the floor said was the best match of the evening during Friday night’s non-league wrestling match between the home team Indians of Liberty (0-1) and the visiting Gladiators (6-3).

In the 171-pound weight class, Liberty’s Brent Kaplan squared off against Rob Hanson in a bout that went into overtime as both grapplers gave it their all in regulation time.

In the 125-pound weight class, Goshen’s Nick Merenyi (blue) pinned Liberty’s Ahsan Jafri (red).

In the end, Hanson prevailed to win the contest at 6:52 in OT, in a contest that left both high school wrestlers with nothing else to give except a lot of guts.

“The best match was Kaplan versus Hanson,” said Liberty coach John Lennon, now in his 29th season teaching Indians grapplers the finer points of wrestling, and by extension a few of life’s most important lessons. “It was real close, and it could have gone either way.”

“It was a good match, the first of the season for us, [but] everybody was a little gun shy,” added Lennon.

In the 160-pound weight class, Anthony Papa of Goshen (blue) pinned Liberty’s Travis Johnson.

Killenberger’s take on the match?

“It was a great match, the guys did really well.”

In the 189-pound weight class, Andy Martinez of Liberty (red).

Results (12-18-2009): 96 pounds: no contest; 103: Dylan Blackwell (L) won by forfeit; 112: John Cavaliere (G) pinned Luis Torres @ 2:18; 119: Lance Golubinski ((G) pinned Hector Torres @ 2:36; 125: Nick Merenyi (G) pinned Ahsan Jafni @ :54; 130: Dennis Brigman (G) pinned Vincent Webbe @ 1:37; 135 Kevin Benitez (G) won by forfeit; 140: Kevin Rosina (G) won by forfeit; 145: Louis Rittendale (G) won by forfeit; 152: Eric Ramaglia (G) won by forfeit; 160: Anthony Papa (G) pinned Travis Johnson @ 3:44; Rob Hanson (G) pinned Brent Kapland @ 6:52 OT; 189: Andy Martinez (L) defeated Brandon Kearns 9-3; 215: Tom Merenyi (G) pinned Josh Beach @ :17; 285: Allen Conklin (G) won by forfeit.

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