Ulrich, Parker each earn rematch wins, help Warrior Run claim district title
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In Warrior Run's dual match against Montoursville on Jan. 18, multiple close wins by the Warriors kept them very much in it until the contest's closing matches. Those wins included an overtime victory from Blaize Vogel over Tyler Ulrich and a win by decision from Cole Yonkin over Connor Parker.
Although each match was close, securing a win in a potential rematch would be a tall task considering each opponent. Vogel came into district duals ranked No. 14 at 133 in the state and Yonkin No. 9 at 215.
With Warrior Run and Montoursville each advancing to the championship, that potential became a reality. Though each team made lineup adjustments, Parker and Ulrich were trusted in rematches with the opponents that had previously bested them.
Rather than let history repeat itself, each wrestler proved to be up to the task, securing vital wins by decision to help their team claim another district title.
With the team holding a 7-4 lead, Ulrich was tasked with building on a run begun by Max Wirnsberger.
After going into the second period down 2-1, Ulrich was able to quickly tie things up at 3-3 in the second before starting to take control. He'd earn three more points by the end of the second period, going into the final stanza with a 6-4 lead.
"He made some good adjustments early in the match to be able to take advantage of staying on the offensive," said Warrior Run head coach Jeremy Betz when asked about his performance.
An ankle pick early in the third would extend his lead to four. He'd secure two more takedowns by the match's conclusion, claiming the match 12-6 and celebrating with his team.
"Our first match, I was winning like 3-0 and got reversed. We went to overtime and then he got a takedown on me. I knew I was better than that," said Ulrich when discussing their previous match. "I came out here with a good mindset, coming out wanting to score points and I did exactly that. I pushed pace, I kept pushing pace. My mindset was to score more points."
It was a momentous win for both himself and the team, the latter which responded with cheers once it was all said and done. They seemed to respond in more ways than one however, as the Defenders won five of their next six to bolster their lead.
"I think it definitely helped spark our team up," said Ulrich. "I lost to him last time, so they just wanted me to go out and get a win and I ended up almost getting a major decision. So, I was pretty happy about that."
One of the five aforementioned wins was from Parker - who up to that point, hadn't wrestled in a match on Saturday. Parker had been recovering from injury heading into the tournament and had been rested up to that point.
Even with that, he held his own against No. 9 Cole Yonkin, going into the third period facing a 3-1 deficit.
He'd earn an escape off the period's initial reset before battling for a chance to tie it or take the lead. When an opening showed itself deep in the period, Parker took advantage, securing a takedown and handling business from there.
"Just being more patient, slow my mind down and not get so worked up before the match," said Parker when asked what he did differently compared to their first bout. "Cole's a good wrestler. I just [had to] to keep my mind right and know what I needed to do."
His win was ultimately the clincher, as the Defenders took a 28-7 lead with three bouts left - an insurmountable lead barring penalties. Betz was proud of Parker for hanging in there late.
"He did a great job coming back and being able to score that takedown at the end," said Betz. "He's been a little banged up and we kind of used him sparingly throughout the day. He went out and wrestled well."
Warrior Run's depth continues to shine and should serve it well as it looks ahead to the state tournament next weekend. Wins like this could go a long way in it making a deep run.