Wrestling: Holy Cross beats Camden Catholic for NP South B title

By Phil Anastasia

Inquirer Staff Writer

Rob Rodolico waited the whole match for his big moment.

Kenny Long waited a lot longer than that.

"Ever since I was little, I dreamed about coming to Holy Cross and beating Camden Catholic in a match like this," Long said. "The only thing better would have been if it had been in their gym. But they still wore their (warm-up) robes."

Long registered one of four pins and Rodolico clinched the match with a major decision in the final bout as Holy Cross won the Non-Public South B title with a 34-27 victory over Camden Catholic on Friday night.

Matt Correnti, Tom Bischof and Connor Mullarkey also scored pins for Holy Cross, which won its first sectional title since 2005 and its third since the start of the team wrestling tournament in 1980.

The outcome before an enthusiastic crowd in Holy Cross' gymnasium snapped Camden Catholic's streak of 21 consecutive South Jersey titles.

"I told the kids, 'That steak is on my shoulders,'" Camden Catholic coach Ryan McCormick said. "None of these kids were even born when the streak started. They are aware of the history inside the program.

"But I wanted them to win this match for them, not for anybody else . . . Our guys battled. They (Holy Cross) had some firepower and went out and got the bonus points."

The teams each won seven bouts and Camden Catholic earned bonus points with a pair of forfeit victories.

But Holy Cross' four pins were the difference. Long, a senior 182-pounder, earned the first fall for the Lancers three minutes and 23 seconds into his bout to cut Camden Catholic's early lead to 15-9.

"My coach told me I had to be a leader," Long said of Holy Cross coach Adam Cooney. "He said, 'You're a captain.' I wanted to do it for my coach."

Correnti, a junior who is a strong contender to win an individual state title, tied the score at 15-15 with a nine-second pin at 195 pounds.

Camden Catholic moved back in front by a 24-15 score with a forfeit and a decision by James Muntz at 285 pounds.

But Holy Cross' lightweights took over as Bishcof, who weighed in at 90 pounds, registered a pin in 3:53 at 106 pounds and the Mullarkey twins, Connor and Chase, won the next two bouts in impressive fashion.

Connor Mullarkey gave Holy Cross its first lead at 27-24 with a pin in 1:05 at 113 pounds and Chase Mullarkey pushed the Lancers' advantage to 30-24 with a 6-0 decision at 120 pounds.

"Those guys are the heroes tonight," Cooney said of his lightweights. "Tommy Bischof, 90 pounds, to get a pin like that. And Chase Mullarkey, we basically bumped him up two weights to 120 and he came through."

Jarret Ziegler's dramatic 7-5 overtime victory at 126 pounds kept Camden Catholic's hopes alive and pulled the Irish within 30-27 with one bout to go.

Rodolico said the chance to wrestle the final bout in a South Jersey championship match with the outcome in doubt was "a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Rodolico learned during weigh-ins that the match would start at 138 pounds, meaning he would compete in the final bout.

"I was like, 'Oh, man, last match,'" Rodolico said. "I texted my parents right away and said, 'Here we go.'"

Rodolico, a junior, took control of his bout and cruised to a 16-7 victory to clinch the match and the South Jersey title.

"It was awesome," Rodolico said. "To be the last match in this kind of match, that's something that 20, 30 years from now I'll be able to say, 'I was the last match when we won the South Jersey title.'"

Holy Cross 34, Camden Catholic 27

138: Nolan Scheetz, CC, dec. Beau Bruneau, 3-2; 145: Nick Ferraro, CC, dec. Troy Longley, 6-0; 152: Mark McCormick, CC, dec. Cam Wasson, 4-0; 160: Avery DiNardi, HC, dec. Shawn Stone, 5-2; 170: Robert McKenchney, CC, win by forfeit; 182: Kenny Long, HC, pin Henry Morris, 3:23; 195: Matt Correnti, HC, pin Jake Stillings, 0:09; 220: Jake Dutterer, CC, wi by forfeit; 285: James Muntz, CC, dec. Bob Cristella, 5-0; 106: Tom Bischof, HC, pin Jake Weismer, 3:53; 113: Connor Mullarkey, HC, pin Liam Welsh, 1:05; 120: Chase Mullarkey, HC, dec. Sam Keating, 6-0; 126: Jarret Ziegler, CC, dec. Greg Long, 7-5 OT; 132: Rob Rodolico, HC, dec. Mike Martin, 16-7.

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

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