Five rounds. Four pool matchups. One crossover finale. The Whippets rolled through pool play at the Exeter Duals with four emphatic wins before closing the day 4β1 overall. Downingtown West stacked 43 individual victories against 22 losses and racked up 24 pins, a bonusβpoint surge that defined the teamβs identity all day long. The pool duals were wins over Bensalem (55β18), Daniel Boone (62β12), Harry S Truman (57β13), and Exeter (38β30); the crossover final against Gettysburg ended in a tough 19β52 loss but still featured bright individual moments and a clear, upwardβtrending team trajectory.
Round 1 β vs. Bensalem (55β18 W)
The day opened at 107 with Shaefer Hoffman stepping on the line and instantly putting West up with a forfeitβto launch the tournament. Mason Sigle (114) added a crisp major decision, followed in quick succession by Patrick Markey (121) and Connor Schwanke (127), who slammed the door on the early momentum with backβtoβback pins. After a tough one at 133 for Landrum, the middleweights turned it back on: Ben Hall (139) with a pin, Brayden Sigle (139/145) with a pin, and Cole Harlan (145) with a bonusβpoint major. Merhawy KelataβWilliams (152/160) kept the pressure on with a pin, and the uppers finished the statement: Nate Letscher (172/189) and Finn McGovern (189/215) with falls, and Ryder Harlan (285) with a forfeit. It was all Whippets from whistle to whistle.
Round 2 β vs. Daniel Boone (62β12 W)
This dual opened at 114 with Mason Sigle, who set a blistering pace and techβfalled his opponent to fire up the bench. The lightweights poured it on: Patrick Markey (121) with a pin and Connor Schwanke (127) with another pin. Michael Landrum (133) added a forfeit win, Ben Hall (139) stuck another fall, and Brayden Sigle (139/145) followed suit with a pin of his own. Moving through the middle, Merhawy KelataβWilliams (152/160) gritted out a decision, and the big engines kept roaring: Nate Letscher (172/189) with a pin, Finn McGovern (189/215) with a major, and Ryder Harlan (285) with a tech fall. Depth, pace, and bonus points everywhere in a runaway win.
Round 3 β vs. Harry S Truman (57β13 W)
Patrick Markey set the tone for Round 3 by opening at 121 and finishing with a confident pin. The avalanche continued as Connor Schwanke (127) hammered a pin, Michael Landrum (133) delivered a hardβearned fall, and Ben Hall (139) piled on with a major decision. Brayden Sigle (139/145) kept his undefeated day alive with another fall, and Merhawy KelataβWilliams (152/160) battled to a tough decision win. Up top, Nate Letscher (172/189) rolled on with yet another win by fall, Finn McGovern (189/215) added a pin, and Ryder Harlan (285) added his own pin to cap an emphatic team performance.
Round 4 β vs. Exeter (38β30 W)
In the most tightly contested dual of pool play, Michael Landrum opened at 133 and delivered a composed decision to steady the lineup. The middleweights stepped up: Ben Hall (139) secured a major decision, and Brayden Sigle (139/145) blew the roof off with a clutch pin to create separation. The upperweights answered the call: Nate Letscher (172/189) drilled his fourth pin of the day, and Finn McGovern (189/215) followed with a pivotal tech fall. The lightweights answered the call, tooβShaefer Hoffman (107) secured a quick pin, Mason Sigle (114) and Patrick Markey (121) stacked major decisions to bank critical bonus points.West closed the door to clinch the 4β0 pool sweep in their pool.
Crossover Final β vs. Gettysburg ( 19β52 L)
The finale began with one of Westβs top wrestlers: Brayden Sigle, who opened the dual with a composed decision to finish off his undefeated 5β0 day. Shaefer Hoffman (107) added another win, Michael Landrum (133) chipped in a strong major decision, and Nate Letscher (172/189) ended his spectacular run with another pinβhis fifth of the tournament. The team result didnβt tilt the Whippetsβ way, but the fight, composure, and individual efforts were on full display to the last whistle.
Undefeated Whippets (5β0)
Shaefer Hoffman (107) went a perfect 5β0 with two pins, anchoring the lineup wherever the duals started. Brayden Sigle (139/145) was a bonusβpoint machine at the heart of the order, finishing 5β0 with four pins and a statement win to open the final. Nate Letscher (172/189) owned the upper weights with a flawless 5β0 and five pins, the most dominant performance of the day.
BigβTime Performers (4β1)
Mason Sigle (114) stacked points every way possibleβtech, pin, and two majorsβen route to a 4β1 day. Michael Landrum (133) was a model of control and grit at the pivot spot, going 4β1 with a mix of pin, decision, and major. Finn McGovern (189/215) delivered a powerful 4β1 with two pins, a tech, and a major, flipping upperβweight swings in Westβs favor.
Standout Grit
Patrick Markey (121) posted 3β2 with two pins and opened a crucial dual with a fall; Connor Schwanke (127) went 3β2 with three pins, repeatedly slamming momentum back to West; Ryder Harlan (285) fought to 3β2 with a pin and a tech (plus a forfeit), giving the Whippets important breathing room at the close of duals. Cole Harlan (145) finished 2β1 (major, pin, loss in the final), while Merhawy KelataβWilliams (152/160) added two gritty wins (pin + decision) while taking on tough assignments for the team.
JV Shout outs
Beyond the varsity lineup, our JV athletes deserve a huge shoutout for the impact they made throughout the day. Not only did several step up to fill varsity spots and strengthen our dual lineup, but the entire group wrestled tough in their matches between roundsβbringing energy, depth, and resilience to the team. Their work ethic, coachability, and dedication to constant improvement are a big part of what makes this program special. The growth of our JV wrestlers pushes the entire room forward, and their contributions are helping build the future of Whippet Wrestling.
From the first whistle at 107 to the last hand raise in the crossover, Downingtown West wrestled with urgency, pride, and a teamβfirst edge. The boys embraced tough spots, bumped where needed, and chased bonus points across the board. The undefeated runs from Hoffman, B. Sigle, and Letscher set the tone, while the 4β1 group and the standout 3β2 performances filled in the gaps that great dual teams need. It was a statement dayβand a springboard for whatβs coming next. On to the next one, Whippets!