When River Hill’s 160-pounder Ryan Noonan stepped onto the mat for the last match of the evening on Tuesday night, it was winner takes all. Reservoir led 28-26, and a win for either wrestler would lock up a dual meet over a bitter county rival.

Despite a rocking home gym, Noonan did not seem fazed a bit and built an 11-3 lead before sealing the pin in 5:51 to win the match, and rivalry, for River Hill, 32-38.

“I learned that slide-by the other day from Coach Lauer and it worked out really well for me twice to get takedowns,” Noonan said. “When I was wrestling, I just tried to keep my hands underneath and drive him over, and I was able to get back points a few times.”

With neither team pulling away throughout the match, River Hill trailed by only eight points with three matches to go. Decisions by freshman 145-pounder Corey Daniel and 152-pounder Chris Hand cut the lead to two with only Noonan’s bout remaining.

“Reservoir is good at getting the bonus points and (Coach Lauer) says it’s just going to come down to bonus points. I believe he wants seven (team points) each? Right?” Noonan said with a laugh.

In the premiere bout of the evening, senior 130-pounder Cameron Kirby faced off against tough Reservoir sophomore Seth Rowell. After each wrestler battled through scrambles in the first period, Kirby was able to secure a takedown just before the buzzer to take a 2-0 lead into the second period.

Up just 2-1 heading into the third, Kirby was able to score an escape and the match-clinching takedown with about a minute left.

“Seth is a very competitive and active wrestler.  It was hard for me on top because he is very good and he knows how not to go to his back,” Kirby said. “I just felt comfortable in neutral, that’s where I feel I am strongest.”

The scrappy sophomore battled tough, taking shot after shot but was never able to get in deep on Kirby’s legs. Kirby credits his shot defense and says it is something that Coach Lauer has preached in the wrestling room.

“Lauer, definitely from day one teaches us shot defense,” Kirby said. “That’s the most important thing for him.”

At 103, it was two freshmen taking the mat with Reservoir’s Mason Kilcarr coming out on top, 7-2, over River Hill’s Tarriq Mohammed. While he controlled the match, Kilcarr was not thrilled about his performance on the mat and looks to improve on Tuesday’s outcome in the future.

“I was pretty upset, I didn’t wrestle smart,” Kilcarr said. “It was a good match and I hit some good moves but I could have done better. I put legs in too much and the kid was really flexible but I just showed that next time I can pin him if I wrestle a little smarter.
I just want to get better everyday. I’d love to be at states,” said the grinning freshman.

The rivalry was also something Kilcarr looked forward to in the upcoming years.

“The rivalry is pretty awesome. I’m just happy to be apart of it for the next four years and hopefully we can take it back from them at counties.”

River Hill can be found competing at the Battlefield Duals this weekend at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Va., while Reservoir takes their annual trip to take on one of Maryland’s best teams, Stephen Decatur, Saturday, at 5 p.m.

River Hill 32, Reservoir 28

 171 — Mark Colabucci (R) p. Logan Kirby (RH), 3:39 (6-0)
189 — Omar Messalum (RH) tf. Nathan Sheilds (R), 15-0 (6-5)
215 — Jacob Benedict (RH) dec. Matt Herlihy (R), 13-9 (6-8)
285 — Josh Hamilton (R) p. Jason Johnson (RH), 4:59 (12-8)
103 — Mason Kilcarr (R) dec. Tarriq Mohammed (RH), 7-2 (15-8)
112 — Hans Wicklein (R) maj. dec. Dominique Ong, 10-2 (19-8)
119 — Partick Linden (RH) dec. Eric Lee (R) 9-3 (19-11)
125 — Ryan Blum (RH) p. Michael Ponton (R), 1:25 (19-17)
130 — Cameron Kirby (RH) dec. Rowell (R), 5-1 (19-20)
135 — James Mullens (R) d. Casey Guthier (RH), 1:27 (25-20)
140 — Donavan Peek (R) d. Navarro Roberts (RH), 10-4 (28-20)
145 — Corey Daniel (RH) dec. Kuper, 4-2 (28-23)
152 — Chris Hand (RH) dec. Brendan Herberger (R), 10-3 (28-26)
160 — Ryan Noonan (RH) p. Brian Glueck, 5:51 (28-32)