WRESTLING: Akimov’s unique style sparks Conestoga win over Pottsgrove

BERWYN — Forgive Conestoga’s Ted Akimov if his wrestling style looks a bit unconventional.

Having moved here from Russia about three years ago with a martial arts background, but no wrestling experience, Akimov lacks experience but not want-to.

“He’ll wrestle anyone, anytime, anywhere,” Conestoga coach Gary Baker said of his junior. “He’s not afraid. He never seems to get tired and it doesn’t matter what the score is. We’ve seen him down by 14 and he’ll pin the kid. We’ve seen that multiple times. He’s a battler and he fights. He loves the sport.”

That resilience was on display, Wednesday, at home against Pottsgrove. After giving up the opening takedown, Akimov used his hyper-flexible shoulders to reach back and roll Tyler Petri to his back, eventually pinning him.

The victory gave the Pioneers their first lead of the night and they held on for a 43-28 non-league win against the Falcons.

“It’s good when you make your team happier,” Akimov said.

The win moved Akimov (145 pounds) to 46-33 in his first three years of wrestling. Of those 46 victories, 35 have come by fall, with only two by decision. Almost more impressive, he’s only been pinned five times in his short career.

“He’s the exception to a lot of rules,” Baker said. “He’s just very unorthodox and hard to wrestle against. He’s really flexible and that makes him a fierce opponent. But more so, it’s his mentality. He goes into every match expecting to win. He doesn’t care what the score is. He doesn’t care if he gets taken down. It doesn’t matter. We always say, ‘score the next point,’ and he’s the epitome of that thought.”

Good practice partners have helped Akimov’s development, and there is plenty of competition in the lower half of Conestoga’s lineup. Steven Wiechecki (139) reached states last winter, and Kyle Baker (127), Ryan Kramer (133) and Akimov qualified for regionals. Add in former Keystone State champion as a seventh grader, Walker Martin (114), and the Pioneers have plenty of firepower down low.

“I’m getting more experience from somebody like them because they’re better than me,” Akimov said. “I can learn some stuff from them.”

Martin and Wiechecki won by technical fall, while Kramer worked a first-period fall, against Pottsgrove. Kyle Baker was forced to injury default early into his bout with a leg issue.

“Ryan and Steven are captains and Steven is the president of the senior class, so they’re really good leaders,” Gary Baker said. “They’re really helping develop the next generation. Walker coming in, he’s really solid. Kyle’s getting there. We have some others.”

Though undermanned, the Falcons (3-2) came ready to fight. Even in matches that ended in blowouts, Pottsgrove made the Pioneers (2-0) earn it. Jacob Larroy, who was 9-12 last season, made Wiechecki need a late takedown to secure the tech fall, and Elias Fox scored a takedown late to avoid a major decision loss.

“One of the things I saw was everybody battling,” Pottsgrove coach Jeff Madden said. “Even though we’re down by a little bit, we’re going for a takedown to reduce it from a major to a regular decision. That’s a great attitude. We’re very young. We don’t have any seniors and only a couple juniors so these young guys are doing a great job coming in here and trying to do everything right.”

Sam Moon (107) and Nolan Coons (285) bookended the meet with falls, while Liam Langton (121) and Jacob Xian (152) scored bonus points for the Falcons.

Moon is one of three freshmen starting for Pottsgrove, and he’s 9-0 with six pins thus far. Harder tests will surely come this season, but Madden likes the cut of his frosh’s jib.

“He’s a real hard worker and he puts in the time,” Madden said of Moon. “He’s aggressive and he’s a great person and he’s fun to have in the room. So those things all go together. He’s doing all he can to be as successful as he can, coming into high school. He’s going to see a different world and he’s going to have to get used to it.”

Conestoga 43, Pottsgrove 28

107- Moon (PG) pinned Mussani, 3:29 (0-6)

114- Martin (CON) tech. fall Wills, 19-3 (5-6)

121- Langton (PG) pinned Derins (5-12)

127- Harkins (PG won by inj. def. Baker (5-18)

133- Kramer (CON) pinned Palladino (11-18)

139- Wiechecki (CON) tech. fall Larroy, 20-4 (16-18)

145- Akimov (CON) pinned Petri (22-18)

152- Xian (PG) maj. dec. Ramirez, 10-1 (22-22)

160- Bergmaier (CON) dec. Fox, 10-4 (25-22)

172- Soura (CON) won by forfeit (31-22)

189- Ortiz (CON) won by forfeit (37-22)

215- Wren (CON) won by forfeit (43-22)

285- Coons (PG) pinned Wright (43-28)