ATHENS' BRADLEY CONTINUES AFTER 'ILLEGAL SLAM;' DROPS 9-6 DECISION IN 113-POUND SUPER REGIONAL FINALE
By: Tim Birney | AthensWildcats.com | March 6, 2021 | Photo courtesy Tim Birney
LEWISBURG — Despite trailing, Athens junior Gavin Bradley seemed to have
momentum on his side in a battle of the top-two ranked 113-pounders in
the state, until an illegal mat return nearly brought the PIAA Eastern
Super Regional championship match to a premature conclusion here
Saturday afternoon at Martz Hall.
Bradley, the state’s top-ranked
113-pounder, trailed Wyoming Area’s Jaden Pepe, 7-4, after two periods,
and chose bottom to start the third. He immediately got to his feet,
but Pepe lifted Bradley, while pinning his left arm to his side, and
returned him to the mat.
The official immediately stopped the
match after Bradley’s left shoulder and head were the first things to
hit the mat. After a seven-minute stoppage, Bradley, who was awarded a
penalty point for the illegal return, was allowed to continue.
Bradley
scored a quick escape to trim the deficit to 7-6, but couldn’t dent
Pepe’s defenses, ultimately giving up a takedown with 21 seconds
remaining to seal Pepe’s 9-6 win.
“We had (Pepe) broke until we
got slammed,” said Athens coach Shawn Bradley. “(Pepe) got a
seven-minute break after the slam, or that’s a different match. He was
gassed.
“It was a tough one. (Gavin) could have won that match
three different ways, but he didn’t, so that’s something to work on,”
noted Shawn Bradley. “It is what it is. We have to work on that and come
back next week.
“Kudos to Gavin for getting up and wrestling again,” added Shawn Bradley. “Honestly, the trainers didn’t want him wrestling.”
The
loss is the first of the season for Bradley, who is now 38-1. Bradley
owns a 5-3 victory over Pepe in the finals of the Northeast Regionals.
“Hopefully,
it motivates him, that’s the bottom line,” said Shawn Bradley. “This
match didn’t really mean anything. Next week is the one that matters.”
Pepe
started fast with a takedown just 8 seconds into the bout. He was able
to ride top for 43 seconds until Bradley scored an escape to trim the
deficit to 2-1. The duo spent the final 69 seconds of the period on
their feet.
Pepe scored a reversal just 10 seconds into the
second period for a 4-1 lead. Bradley escaped wth 1:18 remaining, and 25
seconds later collected a takedown to tie the bout at 4-4.
Pepe
escaped moments later to take a 5-4 lead, then, in a wild scramble,
ended up with a takedown with 17 seconds remaining in the second period.
“Gavin
should have had a takedown there, and he gave up a takedown, and almost
back points,” said Shawn Bradley. “He had to score there, that was a
big one.”
“Gavin should have been in control at the end of the
second period, going into the third period; that was a big takedown,”
added Bradley.
Bradley returns to action Friday in Hershey at the PIAA, Class AA Championships.
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