Delaware Valley wrestling posts dramatic win over Hunterdon Central

FLEMINGTON – Matt Powell is ringing in the New Year in major fashion.

The Delaware Valley heavyweight senior scored the match-clinching victory in an ultimate tie breaker in the second-to-last bout of a dual meet over local foe Hunterdon Central as the Terriers went on to post a 30-24 win on Tuesday night in a loud, boisterous Hunterdon Central Fieldhouse.

“He (Powell) is a local hero at Del Val land right now,” Delaware Valley coach Andy Fitz said. “We’ve wrestled five dual meets and in three of them he’s been put in some pretty big spots. He got out there against Hopewell Valley, held it up there against South Plainfield, and then against a local rival. He feels real good about himself right now.”

Powell, an offensive lineman on Delaware Valley’s sectional finalist football team, rode out Hunterdon Central heavyweight Leo Aquino to earn a 5-4 victory, as it gave the Terriers a 12-point advantage with only one bout remaining.

“Its been two years since we’ve won a match like that,” Fitz said. “Last year we had a very senior laden team and we either won big or we lost a bunch of close ones and we never got an opportunity to win a dramatic high school dual meet type of event.”

Matt Kolonia (126) and Cory Lightner (170) recorded pins for Delaware Valley while Jake Moore (113), Connor Mills (132), Ryan Erwin (138), Chase Bauberger (160) and Kyle Schittler (195) all recorded decision wins.

“The team’s real proud right now,” Fitz said. “That is high school athletics at its best - even if it hadn’t gone our way, there’s nothing better than a good high school dual meet had a match like that.”

Staff writer Mike Becker: mbecker@mycentraljersey.com