It's the first league title for La Salle coach Richie Gebauer, 28, who this year took over for retired Pennsylvania wrestling Hall of Famer Vic Stanley.
La Salle's last Catholic League defeat came on Feb. 2, 2008, in the league finals, against now-defunct North Catholic, guided by current Judge head coach Jim Savage.
"I'm happy for the seniors," Gebauer said. ". . . To not have lost a conference dual meet [in four years], I think that's a pretty impressive feat. For them, this is a big win."
The Explorers had won the previous three PCL titles by an average of 23 points, but against the Crusaders, it was far more complicated.
Despite forfeiting two of the first six matches, Judge (8-2 PCL, including playoffs) jumped to an 18-12 lead.
La Salle nudged ahead, 19-18, after eight bouts with decisions by 126-pounder Greg Konieczny and 132-pounder Tim Walker. Judge's Joe Galasso, ranked No. 7 in the state by PA Power at 138, pinned Kolby Stein in 2 minutes, 9 seconds to let the Crusaders reclaim the lead, 24-19, with five matches to go.
La Salle (10-0) received another forfeit win at 145 - where Matt Cimato, reigning PIAA bronze medalist, resides - before taking the next three matches to clinch the title. Nate Ezzo's 10-5 decision over Vickson Krah at 170, the penultimate bout, clinched the La Salle win.
Cimato and Casey Kent, who pinned Judge's Joe D'Imperio in 17 seconds at 160, each have 158 career wins, one shy of Joe Mazzi's all-time La Salle mark.
The Crusaders battled throughout, earning pins by Tim Maguire (195), Tom Bayer (220), and Galasso.
"We came in with a game plan, and it almost worked out for us," Savage said. ". . . We were asking a lot from our guys. We were basically bumping up guys two weight classes."
