WRIGHT TWP. – Josh McGilvary pulled out a close decision.

Jason DeBoard and Hunter Booth followed with dominant efforts.

Together, McGilvary, DeBoard and Booth put Pittston Area in command Wednesday night, leading the Patriots to a 45-28 win in their Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 opener at Crestwood.

“Mountain View’s a little inexperienced and just starting out,” Pittston Area coach James Woodall said of the 64-15 win in the team’s only previous match. “This was the first real challenge and it’s in the league, so it was a good match to win.”

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The Patriots took advantage of three forfeits, but also came within a point of the Comets in the bouts that were decided on the mat.

“The forfeits helped us, but I think everyone wrestled really, really well,” Woodall said. “We could have won a few more, but we’re very inexperienced so I’m very happy with the effort.

“We made mistakes, but we’re still rookies.”

McGilvary was one of the wrestlers who made some mistakes along the way, but the junior 152-pounder came up with the clinching takedown in the third period for a 6-3 victory over Liam Stone to put Pittston Area ahead to stay.

“He wrestled hard,” Woodall said. “He always does. He gives a good effort.”

Woodall said one of the bouts that pleased him most was right before the decisive streak when John Martinez, a relative newcomer, battled with Justin Lukashewski, a 20-bout winner last season, before falling, 10-5, at 145. Martinez kept the Patriots within a point.

McGilvary, DeBoard and Booth then turned a 13-12 deficit into a 27-13 lead.

DeBoard had five takedowns for a 13-4 lead before winning by pin with 22 seconds left in the first period at 160.

Booth opened an 8-0 lead, then won by pin with 30 seconds still remaining in the first period.

Chris Starinsky had the fastest pin for the Patriots in 47 seconds at 138 for a 12-10 lead.

Nikko Cinquegrani also won by pin, in 5:11, at 195.

Cinquegrani, who wrestled when he was younger, is competing in the sport on the high school level for the first time as a senior.

“He hasn’t wrestled in years, but he’s still got it,” Woodall said. “It’s coming back to him.

“He’s a big, strong kid. That was a pretty nice win for him.”

Wyoming Area 51, Blue Ridge 30

Wyoming Area improved District 2’s best overall dual meet record to 4-0 with Wednesday’s 51-30, non-league home victory over Blue Ridge.

Tyler Martin (132), Zach Briggs (170) and Justin Joseph (195) had first-period pins for the Warriors. Patrick Heck added a pin at 138 and Kendrick Beyer followed with a technical fall at 145.

Wyoming Area 78, Mountain View 6

Wyoming Area forfeited one bout and won the other 13 Dec. 19 in a 78-6, non-league romp over Mountain View.

Zach Briggs (170) won in 18 seconds, Damon Barhight (285) won in 25 and Adam Buczynski needed just 33 seconds at 182 pounds for the Warriors. Robin Wrobleski (120), Kendrick Beyer (138) and Patrick Heck (145) had the other Wyoming Area pins.

Tournament recap

Pittston Area entered just three wrestlers in the Flo X-Calibur Tournament at Wilkes University Dec. 18-19 and one of them, Jason DeBoard, finished fifth at 160.

With the partial lineup, the Patriots took 26th out of 27 teams from seven states.

Chris Starinsky was among the 12 wrestlers at his weight to make it through the first day, but did not wrestle the second day because of an injury default.

Pittston Area sent much of the lineup to the Delaware Valley Junior Varsity Tournament where Josh McGilvary won the 152-pound title and Brandon Lopez reached the 103-pound final.

Looking ahead

Both Wyoming Area and Pittston Area will be in large tournaments Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wyoming Area is at the Tunkhannock Kiwanis Tournament where it finished fifth of 26 teams last season.

Pittston Area is at the Conestoga Tournament, which has both a varsity and JV division. Because their inexperience makes them eligible for the JV division, Woodall said Wednesday that he may split the team along lines similar to what he did last week with Flo X-Calibur and Delaware Valley JV.

Pittston’s Tony DeMark wrestles Crestwood’s Ron Grevera in the 132 lbs. match on Dec. 23.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_pittstoncrestwood02.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston’s Tony DeMark wrestles Crestwood’s Ron Grevera in the 132 lbs. match on Dec. 23. Pete G. Wilcox | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston’s Chris Starinsky, left, pins Crestwood’s Conor Rogan in the 138lbs. match on Dec. 23.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_pittstoncrestwood03.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston’s Chris Starinsky, left, pins Crestwood’s Conor Rogan in the 138lbs. match on Dec. 23. Pete G. Wilcox | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston’s John Martinez wrestles Crestwood’s Justin Lukashewski in the 145 lbs. match on Dec. 23.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_pittstoncrestwood04.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston’s John Martinez wrestles Crestwood’s Justin Lukashewski in the 145 lbs. match on Dec. 23. Pete G. Wilcox | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston’s Preston Olecki, left, wrestles Crestwood’s Brandon Rinehimer in the 126 lbs. match on Dec. 23.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_pittstoncrestwood01.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston’s Preston Olecki, left, wrestles Crestwood’s Brandon Rinehimer in the 126 lbs. match on Dec. 23. Pete G. Wilcox | Sunday Dispatch

By Tom Robinson

For Sunday Dispatch

Reach the Sunday Dispatch newsroom at 570-655-1418 or by email at sd@s24530.p831.sites.pressdns.com.