It was so long ago, probably more than 20 years, that nobody even knew the last time William Penn High had beaten Smyrna in wrestling.
But that was just a fraction of the motivation that fueled the Colonials as they stepped onto their home mat, illuminated only by lights directly above, to tangle with those visiting Eagles on Monday night.
As wrestlers stepped onto the scales earlier, there were weightier matters looming.
Last Tuesday, a gun had gone off in a restroom at the New Castle high school, the state’s largest. There were no injuries, but certainly rampant shock and dismay. Delaware State Police announced Monday that a 16-year-old had been arrested on charges that included possession of a deadly weapon.
School was closed as a result Wednesday and Thursday as the matter was investigated. Students were already slated to be off Friday for a staff development day and Monday’s Martin Luther King Day.
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The William Penn wrestling team, long a source of pride in the community, got back to business Saturday despite limited practice and won all its matches at Lake Forest’s Spartan Duals. A more significant challenge loomed Monday against Smyrna, which had won the schools’ last three meetings 53-12, 63-12 and 65-3.
The events of the past week broadened the Colonials’ perspective, senior 157-pounder Michael Lane said, making them want to do more than score a memorable win over an elite foe. This had a deeper meaning.
“We just want to bring some more light to Penn,” Lane said, “and when these bad things are happening show that’s not our guys. We’re working hard and trying to do the right thing and want to continue going out there and proving ourselves.”
Lane and unranked William Penn had done just that, scoring a 39-31 win over Smyrna, ranked fifth in the state by Delawareonline/The News Journal. His pin at 157 pounds started it off.
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“The William Penn wrestling team is trying to be a light in the darkness at the time,” said senior state champion Dan Sinclair, whose win in the second to last bout at 144 pounds clinched the victory.
“It’s definitely a very scary moment that just happened. But the team was there for each other and it’s nice to have your brothers on your side when you have something to look forward to coming up. We pulled through.”
The teams crossed the mat to shake hands afterward, then the Colonials retreated to their adjacent wrestling room, where the floor and ceiling are padded in the school’s unmistakable cherry and black colors.
They stood in a group, jumping up and down, chanting “William Penn! William Penn!”
“We’ve had a rough week,” Joe Archangelo, the Colonials’ coach, told the gathering when it had quieted. “I couldn’t be more proud of you guys.”
Assistant coach Dennis Fromal, a former Colonials wrestler himself, then reminded the team it was already a day to annually savor because of civil-rights icon King’s contributions.
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“This is an important day in your history,” he said, referring to the King holiday. “Now you’ve got something else to remember it.”
Before the match, after lineups had been introduced, Lane’s father, Chalie, had given an invocation that was not religious in nature to those in attendance. Recognizing the holiday and the circumstances of the past week, Lane expressed how King’s quest for understanding, equality and togetherness seemed particularly poignant and timely. He then asked for a moment of quiet reflection.
“There are a lot of positive things going on here,” Lane, who has had four boys attend William Penn, would say later.
Nobody would downplay the significance or danger of what happened last week, including Archangelo, who spent 23 years on the New Castle County police and is now with the Delaware Capitol Police in Dover.
That makes him quite familiar with trying to cope with a difficult situation, which is why he looked toward Monday’s match as an important morale boost.
“They understand the pride and the community of wrestling and the community of William Penn, that we are a good school, that we do have great kids,” Archangelo, a 1988 state champ at Claymont High, said of his team.
“I have 47 wrestlers, my biggest group, and they have a great time and they knew that this was something the kids in school could celebrate [Tuesday], first day back.”
Have an idea for a compelling local sports story or is there an issue that needs public scrutiny? Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com.
