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Happy return for Redskins' Denny Until this weekend, it had been nearly two years since Jon Denny walked through the doors of Harry S Truman High School. By TOM WARING
LEVITTOWN - Until this weekend, it had been nearly two years since Jon Denny walked through the doors of Harry S Truman High School.
Denny attended Truman as a freshman and enjoyed a tremendous wrestling season. He went 25-7 and finished fourth at 103 pounds in the Class AAA Southeast Regional.
Before beginning his sophomore year in school, Denny moved to Langhorne and enrolled at Neshaminy. He traded the gold and black Truman singlet for the red and blue of Neshaminy, but that didn't keep him from winning.
Last year, he went 30-13 and placed eighth in the PIAA championships at 103.
It wasn't until Friday that Denny went back to his old stomping grounds at Truman. He joined his best friend, undefeated Truman star Eric Knoblauch, at a Bux-Mont League tournament to watch Knoblauch's younger brother, Brian.
Yesterday, Denny was back in Bristol Township with his Neshaminy teammates as they opposed Truman. Competing at 119 pounds, Denny won by technical fall to help the Redskins beat the Tigers, 41-19.
"It felt strange that I'm on this side and not that side," Denny said afterward.
The victory raised Denny's record to 16-3, with two of the losses coming to out-of-state wrestlers at the tough Beast of the East Tournament and the other an overtime loss to Easton star Bryan Rizzo in the final of the Manheim Lions Tournament.
Neshaminy coach Mike Ortman Jr. said he's looking for Denny to make a return trip to states at 112 pounds and place higher than a year ago. Ortman said Denny's determination will help him.
"He hates to lose," the coach said.
Ortman is Denny's third coach in three years, following Steve Given at Truman and Vic Stanley at Neshaminy last year. Denny said he would have preferred to have one coach during his high school career and that he was disappointed when Stanley left, but added that he works well with Ortman.
In the latest Keystone Wrestling Rankings, Denny is ranked fifth at 112. When the state medals are handed out on March 10 at Hersheypark Arena, he'd like to win one - preferably of the gold variety.
"I'd like to be in the finals," he said. "I'm looking to win it this year."
A number of Denny's teammates also had good showings yesterday. Brad Bullman came from four points down in the third period to beat Larry O'Connor at 112. Freshman Brian Rowan won by pin for his 17th victory. Jeremy Kershbaumer and Bill Hunt had key close wins at 135 and 160, respectively.
Neshaminy, with just one senior in the lineup, improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Suburban One League Patriot Division.
Truman (5-4, 1-4 SOL Colonial) received another strong effort from Knoblauch, who won by major decision at 140 pounds to move to 18-0. Steve Drumm, just back from a rib injury, followed that by pinning his opponent at 145.
The Tigers lost because they dropped close decisions at 112, 130, 135 and 160 pounds.
"They were four matches I thought we could win, and we lost all four," said Given, whose team also forfeited at 171.
Sunday, January 14, 2001 |
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