CONWELL-EGAN 2023 PCL WRESTLING CHAMPIONS.
CONWELL-EGAN 2023 PCL WRESTLING CHAMPIONS. Photo/ Mark Zimmaro for PSD
BY MARK ZIMMARO
FAIRLESS HILLS, PA--Hayden Mann’s 100th career win will always be a special moment. There just wasn’t much of a buildup.
But that’s a credit to the Conwell-Egan High School senior’s quick and efficient work of his 160-pound match in the Philadelphia Catholic League championship wrestling match. Mann was asked by his coaches to bump up from his normal 152-pound slot as a strategic advantage in team scoring. Mann delivered, and so did the Eagles in the form of a 40-30 victory over La Salle College High School in the PCL championship on Jan. 30th.
“My coach came to me and said if we bump you up and get this quick pin, this could secure us the win,” Mann said. “I’m going to do whatever you want me to do.”
And fast.
How’s 16 seconds, coach?
Mann’s quick pin gave the Eagles a commanding 35-12 lead with just four weight classes remaining to all but seal the deal for back-to-back PCL championships and three years of dominance.
The Eagles also ran undefeated in PCL play during the 2020-21 season but there was no official championship awarded.
Mann’s 100th win drew a large ovation from the home crowd in Fairless Hills, another eruption occurred about 15 minutes later when Conwell-Egan was crowned champs.
“I knew I was going to hit it at some point,” Mann said of his 100th win. “Once (it happened), that it was pretty fun. But Everything is fun for me. I just love wrestling.”
So do his teammates.
CONWELL EGAN SENIOR HAYDEN MANN REACHES 100TH CAREER WIN IN 2023 PCL CHAMPIONSHIP. PHOTO/ MARK ZIMMARO FOR PSD
Conwell-Egan built a 29-0 win in the lighter weights as Jeffrey Spofford opened with a decision at 107 pounds, followed by a second period pin by Kevin Bagnell at 114. Lukas Grodzki wrestled up a weight and captured a 6-3 victory at 121. Then, Steven Harris (`127 lbs.) and Charlie Robson (133) each contributed a first period pin. Ricky Horger followed with a technical fall at 139.
“It was a great team effort,” Conwell-Egan coach Chuckie Connor said. “A lot of people don’t realize the first three matches were huge matches. Jeffery (Spofford) was pinned by that kid last year and he comes back and beats him. Lukas (Grodzki) bumped up and beat a kid that was way bigger than him in a tough, hard-fought match. Those little things add up. That was the match.”
Conwell-Egan Senior Hayden Mann talks about winning the PCL Championship and his career milestone. Video/Mark Zimmaro for PSD)
CONWELL-EGAN JUNIOR DANTE BURNS KNEW THE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE WAS COMING DOWN TO HIS MATCH AND HE WAS READY. VIDEO/ MARK ZIMMARO FOR PSD
The Explorers did make it interesting. Matt Wiley broke the shutout with a third period pin at 145 lbs. and La Salle took a forfeit win at 152 to make it 29-12, leading up to Mann’s milestone win. The Explorers rallied again with must-have back-to-back pins by Nick Colucci at 172 lbs. and Dylan Clair at 189 to stay within striking distance at 35-24 with two matches left. Conwell-Egan knew it was giving up six in the form of a forfeit at heavyweight, so it was up to junior Dante Burns to close it out at 215. He had been waiting for this moment.
“I used to go to La Salle a year ago,” Burns said. “The last time I wrestled against a La Salle kid, I nearly (messed) my pants before the match because I was nervous about what would happen if I lost. But this time I wasn’t really nervous. This time, I was more excited about it.”
Burns pinned La Salle’s George Higgins in 4:15 to clinch the win and the Eagles can add another year to their championship banner.
“They went out and battled,” Connor said. “They fought hard. We have some tough kids and La Salle has a great program. They have so many kids. They have kids just coming out of nowhere and they are tough, strong kids.”
Conwell-Egan’s wrestling roster is considerably smaller than the Explorers with just 18 kids in the program. But that didn’t stop the Eagles, who enjoy going against bigger schools.
2023 Philadelphia Catholic League Championship Match Highlights by Mark Zimmaro for PSD
“We’re really big-headed but we’re not,” Mann said. “We know what we are. We know what we can do because we know what we do to each other in the room. We’re like little kids getting mad at each other in the room but also getting done what we need to get done and having fun.”
And there’s lots of quality despite not having the large quantity.
“We have seven kids ranked in the state right now, which is huge,” Connor said. “My first year here was pretty tough. We’ve come a long way.”
